Casting with Braid

[maghouse]

I have now mastered the braid > leader knot but ...

When I cast the damn braid keeps tangling and either cracking off or coming back a mess, it seems the braid is coming off behind the leader & catching in a loop on the first ring on the rod (nearest to the reel). Cannot fathom why it is doing that ??? That appears to be the cause of the cracking off ?

It also appears on the allbright knot, the tag end of the leader catches the braid as it lets go and possibly drags loops of braid with it ? Again catching on the rod rings ? Anyone else had this ? (Would add this is all with a FS reel)

Incidentally - the knot is always intact and has never given ... yet !

[Black Beard]

Possible causes:

Spool over filled

Line lose on spool

Knot badly placed on spool

Knot too big

However, a less than smooth casting style is in my experience the most likely cause although all the above will exacerbate the problem.

BB

[maghouse]

Possible causes:

Spool over filled

Line lose on spool

Knot badly placed on spool

Knot too big

However, a less than smooth casting style is in my experience the most likely cause although all the above will exacerbate the problem.

BB


Hi BB - many thanks for the reply, can I ask you the following please :

Pic of my spool - what do you think ? I normally fill my spools (FS & mono) to a fraction under the lip - would the same principal apply to braid ?

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/9276/dscf5803ibd8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

The Braid was put on under tension and dont think there is any loose line on there.

I had thought about the knot - should it be placed at the lip of the spool or at the bottom ?

I use the Allbight know which holds firm and seems to give the smallest size ...

I generally use an OTG cast but one thing I did notice that if I used an overhead thump there was less problems and also a rod with a smaller first ring seemed to help or am I clutching at straws ? :g:

Anymore help much appreciated ...... thanks

[philtherod]

A lot of anglers in the USA have rods equipped with Fuji Low Rider guides for use with braid - Neil did a comparison test in SA mag a few years ago - Sergio in Mexico reckons to put a 4oz Hopkins around 180 yards when going for Roosterfish from the shoreline with braid. So you idea of a smaller "choker" ring may not be such a bad idea. I cast regularly with braid, but on a multiplier, and have no trouble, but as Neil says, you need a syrup-smooth technique, which only comes with practice and dedication to the method needed. If you need any more help, PM me.

philtherod

[spill]

The reel looks overfilled to me. I would usually fill it to about 1mm below the reel lip. See what Black Beard thinks.

[Bagstar]

You haven't twisted the line as you put it on the spool have you? Seem to remember someone having a problem like this before and it was down to him loading his spool wrong. I have 20lb power pro braid on one of my fixed spools and have never had a problem.

[maghouse]

You haven't twisted the line as you put it on the spool have you? Seem to remember someone having a problem like this before and it was down to him loading his spool wrong. I have 20lb power pro braid on one of my fixed spools and have never had a problem.

Thanks Guys so fay ..... Baggy - I must admit to getting confused over spooling and the ways to do it - I used one of these and wound the line on straight from the factory spool the line came on - done under tension.

Would this cause the line to load wrong ? Should I be spooling another way ?

Some of the casts went okay so the line payed out about 100-150 yards in the sea, on the retreive - would that not sort any line spooling problems out perhaps ?

Sorry for the million & 1 questions but an determined to crack (poor pun) this one !


http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/4482/dscf5806jg2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[chorley boy]

It could be the type of braid you are using. I,ve never used braid off the beach but have been using it for years lure fishing for pike. Some braids just dont like fixed spools, causing the same problems you are having. The worst was fireline (though some people had no probs with it). Spent a small fortune trying different brands, power pro was the last one I tried and I wont buy anything else now. Never had a problem on either f/s or multy. Saying that, I switched the fireline to a multy and it,s great to use.
What type is that on your reel, it looks like fox:yucky:, spool looks a little bit over-filled as well. I,d take some braid off the reel first and if this fails then try power pro. And if this fails,, switch to a multy.
hope some of this helps.
jason.

[maghouse]

Thanks Jason,

Braid is 30lb Whiplash pro ...

[Bagstar]

Im not to sure about the spool holder you have as Ive never used one, keep thinking of ordering one just to stop her moaning about holding the spool for me! The only thing I could see that may have gone wrong is having the spool sat as it is in the pic rather than horizontal. Im not sure if that would cause a problem or not though. I think it should be ok.

I normally use a pen through the spool and get the missus to hold it horizontally with a bit of pressure on the side of the spool to keep tension on the line. Never had any trouble doing it this way.

[chorley boy]

Start loading the spool as you normally do, after a few turns of the reel let the line go slack. If it starts to twist or coil up then you need to turn the spool of line around. With braid I lie the line flat on the floor and keep it under tension with my fingers (wear a leather glove).

[spill]

I don't think the problem will be down to the 30lb whiplash pro. I have a couple of spools loaded with this stuff (mainly for lure fishing) and have had no problems with tangles/twists. I find it less affected by twisting than mono.

[Black Beard]

Hi BB - many thanks for the reply, can I ask you the following please :

Pic of my spool - what do you think ? I normally fill my spools (FS & mono) to a fraction under the lip - would the same principal apply to braid ?

I had thought about the knot - should it be placed at the lip of the spool or at the bottom ?

I generally use an OTG cast but one thing I did notice that if I used an overhead thump there was less problems and also a rod with a smaller first ring seemed to help or am I clutching at straws ? :g:

Anymore help much appreciated ...... thanks



For braid or mono that is an awfully full spool, Any loss of tension during winding will create problems. I would drop the level a little and have the knot at the bottom of the spool and concentrate on being as smooth as possible.

PS - I always found when casting over grass with a fixed-spool you could never really hit it without a bunch, you need very smooth acceleration throughout the cast rather tan a big hit at the end - Good luck- Neil

[Rich pickins]

I have now mastered the braid > leader knot but ...

When I cast the damn braid keeps tangling and either cracking off or coming back a mess, it seems the braid is coming off behind the leader & catching in a loop on the first ring on the rod (nearest to the reel). Cannot fathom why it is doing that ??? That appears to be the cause of the cracking off ?

It also appears on the allbright knot, the tag end of the leader catches the braid as it lets go and possibly drags loops of braid with it ? Again catching on the rod rings ? Anyone else had this ? (Would add this is all with a FS reel)

Incidentally - the knot is always intact and has never given ... yet !

Hi Mate,

Blackbeard ( Neil ) nailed it for you. Your spool is overfilled for braid and I would also guess that there is a jerk caused in your casting. I have fished braid (30lb with leader ) on a fixed spool for quite a long time now and know from experience that if your spool is just that bit too full and your cast is not done completely under some tension to the line, that you can have exactly the symptoms you describe.
- Take off some line and ensure you keep the line inder tesion when casting, especially distance casting.

Tight lines, Rich

[maghouse]

Thanks guys - all advice followed - out for a bash today hopefully to see if I have cracked it !

[maghouse]

Guys,

Success :clap2:

Thanks to all the advice, the problem has been solved.

To summarise it for all :

I reduced the line on the spool, nice tidy shockleader knot and most important - a really smooth cast and it flies :)

Thanks to all - BB & Rich - you were spot on about the spool ..... :notworthy
Thanks especially philtherod who took the trouble to PM & email bits and pieces to help out with my casting - top bloke :notworthy