Fresh Braid Story

[Hobi-Wan Kenobi]

Hi Guys,
Looking for some information and share a sad story. I've got braid on my conventional ocean real for party boats. It doesn't have a level wind but I'm able to overhand pitch a bait maybe 40 feet. Throwing a jig is another story. So I wanted to get a levelwind baitcaster - the new Picsifun Torrent.
I loaded it up with the recommended 30lb braid Power Pro and had a blast. Throwing my $45 SWaver for Stripers and eventually got one. As I gained more confidence, I kept trying to throw farther and farther. Keep in mind I'm standing on my kayak, so there was really no need to throw so far, but I wanted to change it up a bit and throw like all the bass boats all around me. Then it happened - SNAP! Oh shit there goes my $45 dollar lure - DAMN. Luckily since it was quite a ways out, the braid was still floating on the water and was able to retrieve my lure - my prayer was answered!
Getting home I faced a different dilemma. The end of the line was buried deep in the spool. I tediously tried pulling each line trying to pull the end of the line out, no luck - it was buried deep. You could see the fissure of the line buried, but I could seem to get at it. Then I had a not so bright idea. I removed the spool and thought if I could pull the line off the side of the spool I could get at it. This worked for a moment then it just got jammed up -F!
Long story short - I had to use a razor blade to cut away the tangle trying to get to the end of the line - what a mess, but I finally did it - but loss maybe 30% of my freshly spooled Power Pro - I'm going to mess around with what remains - Stripers don't pull that hard. But if I go after YT, I'll probably have to respool my entire line.
Question - was there a better way to dig this mess out? I've seen some of my other friends cut away their lines in the same manner. Thought I'd ask for future reference and help others out who may face a similar situation in the future.
~Elric

[ProfessorLongArms]

Just to be clear, did the line snap on the cast? I can't say I've ever had my line break at the braid.
I always tend to make the weakest link my topshot/leader

I'm not too sure about what to do *after* something like that happens, but as far as preventative measures go, my understanding is braid buries itself if you don't load the spool *super* tight.

[Mahigeer]

This is what I use.

http://www.basspro.com/shop/en/bass-...s-baitcast-pic


Your snap could be due to line wrap at the rod tip. I pull on the line every time before I cast. If using spinning reels, I use the baitrunner feature to give me another lighter clutch

[GTboosted]

Move up a size or two when you need to respool. Also have a shop do it or if you do it yourself, make sure its really tight.

This has prevented the line digging into itself for me but I still get mean birdsnests when not paying attention.

All I do do is put it into freespool and pull the line in the opposite direction and look for the loops that are stuck and pull those too. After I pull the line out slowly. Sorry don't know if it makes sense but I never have to really cut the tangled mess now.

[PescadorPete]

Similar tool, same idea. Be patient and pick away. I've never seen a backlash that can't be eventually undone.

[Hobi-Wan Kenobi]

Sorry If I didn't make it clear, not that good of a writer, lol. The Snap of the line happened at the spool, after maybe a 30 yrd cast. What was weird was that you couldn't find the end of the line, it was like buried in the spooled braid. Tried digging at it with a pick like the one pictured, but maybe because I threw with some force, the line buried itself deep. So after trying to pick at it and then trying to pull the line off the side and thus causing a bigger mess, all was left to do was to take an exacto knife a carefully cut across the spool to get down to the problem. Didn't want to nick my brand new spool!
I think I may have left a loop on a previous cast and just wound over it, so when I went to pitch it farther the snap and centrifugal force cause that loop to bury itself. Anyway, live and learn, just part of the baitcasting experience.

[Orca Winfrey]

Like others have said, when you spool a reel with braid, it has to be packed on really tight or the line will bury itself.

Some people run it between book pages but I’ve heard this can build up heat and damage the braid if you’re not careful.

The last time I spooled a reel with braid, I first loaded it onto a old Penn Squidder and set its drag to 8lb using my wife’s 8lb dumbbell, put the Squidder on a secured rod and reeled the line onto my new reel. The Squidder got really warm. I’ll make sure I douse it with water the next time I do it.

[PapaDave]

I agree with the hypothesis that the line got wedged into the spool. When you spool up the braid you HAVE to make sure it is tight, otherwise, when you hook a fish, or get stuck on the bottom, or anything that buts tension on the line, it will bury itself in the loose line and get stuck.

[Hunters Pa]

In addition to spooling it really tight, I have seen some shops occasionally do a quick left-right-left-right pass with the braid while spooling to put some diagonal passes down. Rationale it that it helps prevent burying the line in itself

[Flounder]

I started using braid since Spiderwire came out back in the 90's while fishing northern pike. My notes on bait casters and braid, they don't like the lighter braided lines under 40/50 lb, you tend to get small loops super easy on line any lighter and if you didn't keep tension on your line 100% of the time. Then while casting line catches the loop and breaks because with no stretch it snaps the lure off. I've snapped off lots of spinnerbaits over the years trying to cast too far, this will improve with experience and making sure you set your magnetic brake on the reel correctly, not casting into the wind etc. Once I started paying attention to what was causing the issues my experience with braid improved 10x. I now only use bait casters for heavier lures or anything that will allow me to leave tension on the line whenever I retrieve. SO keep tension, tighten the brakes on your spool, and if you continue to have issues move up to the 50/65lb with 12lb diameter (easier to pick out snarls too). Hope this helps.

[Hobi-Wan Kenobi]

Originally Posted by Hunters Pa

In addition to spooling it really tight, I have seen some shops occasionally do a quick left-right-left-right pass with the braid while spooling to put some diagonal passes down. Rationale it that it helps prevent burying the line in itself

I understand the theory about a quick pass, left or right when spooling with braid, but keep in mind this is not a good idea if you'll be casting with it. That diagonal line will cross over and catch the line going out if the revolution of spool spins faster than the line going out - ie casting into the wind.

[Hobi-Wan Kenobi]

Originally Posted by Flounder

I started using braid since Spiderwire came out back in the 90's while fishing northern pike. My notes on bait casters and braid, they don't like the lighter braided lines under 40/50 lb, you tend to get small loops super easy on line any lighter and if you didn't keep tension on your line 100% of the time. Then while casting line catches the loop and breaks because with no stretch it snaps the lure off. I've snapped off lots of spinnerbaits over the years trying to cast too far, this will improve with experience and making sure you set your magnetic brake on the reel correctly, not casting into the wind etc. Once I started paying attention to what was causing the issues my experience with braid improved 10x. I now only use bait casters for heavier lures or anything that will allow me to leave tension on the line whenever I retrieve. SO keep tension, tighten the brakes on your spool, and if you continue to have issues move up to the 50/65lb with 12lb diameter (easier to pick out snarls too). Hope this helps.

Unfortunately, I got cocky and thought my thumb feathering the spool was good enough.

[Flounder]

Hahaha yeah I am still guilty of that too.