Baitcaster snapping line ??

Hi All,

I wanted to buy a Shakespeare Agility rod combo as I got one, and like it. Long story short, they are only available with a baitcaster reel now, so I thought it was about time I learnt to use one, as I cast squid jigs a lot.

https://www.catch.com.au/product/sha...combo-6982169/

Anyway, I dont think a baitcaster is good with a squid jig, the jig is too light, but I did buy a load of different lures, from BCF, Anaconda, Kmart and Big W and was having fun learning how to cast lures.

I put Dangan 25lb braid on it, as I wanted a very thin braid, but I dont think its very durable ?

Problem is, I cast, and I get the usual birds nests occasionally as I learn how to use it, but sometimes, especially if I make an aggressive cast, the line will just snap right off !

It has cost me lots of lures, some expensive, some cheap, but its just painful !

I may have damaged the braid on rocks, but that doesnt explain why the line just jams on a cast ?

What am I doing wrong ? Ive watched you tube vids, and they all talk about birds nests, but no one talks about the reel snapping the line ?

Is it me, the reel, the line ? Any ideas ?

Tighten your cast control, some say tighten so when you click the spool the lure falls to the floor and stops when it makes contact but i find nothing is lost cast wise by tightening it just a tad more past this point..

Id say that outfit is too heavy for what your trying to do
it’s more of a cod type casting outfit for Spinnerbaits and heavier lures

12 pound braid and need a slightly longer rod to get some casting distance
You can cast lures that weigh 1/3 the weight of a squid jig on an appropriate outfit
To start with tighten the spool tension so when you click it the jig slowly falls to the floor
loosen it as you get better

Quote:

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Originally Posted by stevej

Id say that outfit is too heavy for what your trying to do
it’s more of a cod type casting outfit for Spinnerbaits and heavier lures

12 pound braid and need a slightly longer rod to get some casting distance
You can cast lures that weigh 1/3 the weight of a squid jig on an appropriate outfit
To start with tighten the spool tension so when you click it the jig slowly falls to the floor
loosen it as you get better

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I'm new to baitcasters, so trying to understand ?

You mean the rod/reel combo is a heavy combo, but you then recommend I downgrade to 12 pound braid ? I dont understand that ?

I have given up on using squid jigs, although I did get better at it, and can use them if I want to, but the egg beater works better. But now im talking about other lures.

I tighten the spool tension as suggested, but I find casting distance is very affected, so I slowly loosen it out, and pay more attention to thumbing the reel, to get a better cast.

If I mess this up, I get a birdsnest as a reward, so thats fine, I can accept that, fu3k up, and get punished, get it perfect and get rewarded with a lovely effortless(looking) long cast !

Also, I start my first cast with a high brake setting, or a medium brake setting, and adjust between med to high. Anytime I have ever reduced the brake below med, it has ALWAYS birdnested regardless or lure weight, unless reel tension is so high you cant cast more than 10 to 15 meters.

So, Ive done my research, but im still learning, but what I dont get, is say I really want to kick it it in the guts, and give it a real aggressive cast, the line will just snap off !

On some occasions, it wont be an aggressive cast, it just a regular cast, and 3/4ths into the cast the line just snaps closed. Sometimes it breaks the line, and sometimes it doesnt, and the lure will just drop as if I have stopped the cast with my thumb.

Im wondering if the magnetic brake could be too sharp maybe ?

The line snaps from two reasons
its it wound back on under tension and loose loops form or when it birds nests the sudden stopping of the spool snaps the line

Light braid is easier to cast lighter weights with

what size lures are you trying to cast now ?
don’t keep changing settings just do cast after cast it can take thousands of casts to get to use to it and even then people still get overruns
Are you thumbing the spool or just relying on the mechanical aids ? , you use your thumb to control distance and spool control
I have all the brakes off and very light spool tension and thumb pressure does everything else

Quote:

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Originally Posted by stevej

The line snaps from two reasons
its it wound back on under tension and loose loops form or when it birds nests the sudden stopping of the spool snaps the line

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Very specific question, does that happen to everyone, on all reels ?

So, when you use a baitcaster, do you just accept that occasionally, sometimes you will throw your favourite lure into the water and never see it again ?

Like, im wondering if thats just the way it is, or is it because I got a cheap bait caster ?

No you don’t expect it to happen
but it can happen same as a spinning reel

lol wait till you see $100 worth of swimbait go flying off into the sunset

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Originally Posted by smidsy

Very specific question, does that happen to everyone, on all reels ?

So, when you use a baitcaster, do you just accept that occasionally, sometimes you will throw your favourite lure into the water and never see it again ?

Like, im wondering if thats just the way it is, or is it because I got a cheap bait caster ?

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Smidsy it should not happen, i use 5kg braid on my little Shimano stile baitcaster casting 3/th oz jigheads i can cast as far or further than with a spinning reel, take your outfit to a top quality tackle store and they should be able to work it out and help you..

Birdsnests as you call them , Line not wound tight enough on your spool when you first loaded spool or line getting caught on a guide as you cast as well as all previousely mentioned can cause this to happen.

i should rephrase that as not wound on under enough tension

Quote:

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Originally Posted by stevej

i should rephrase that as no wound on under enough tension

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Yer squid jigs have no bibs so there’s no tention while retrieving there’s the start of his problems.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chris69

Yer squid jigs have no bibs so there’s no tention while retrieving there’s the start of his problems.

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yep this is what cost me some lures when I first had a bait caster. I don’t own any these days.

Smidsy, take a larger lure with a bib and go for a slow troll up the river. Let all the line out and wind it all back on under decent tension. That should solve half the problems.

Yep my money is also on the braid not been wound on under correct tension..

Its a mystifying and frustrating phenomenon that can do your head in and cost you both money and fish till you figure it out.. ...

First time 15 yrs back I blamed the new braid and respooled with a new brand of braid which fixed it of course...
Didnt happen again till last year when my missus new spin reel caught a tree branch driving up the driveway and just about spooled her reel after a couple hundred metres so when I walked back with the rod to retrieve the line along the driveway I obviously didnt have enough tension...

Next trip missus started to get busted off on relatively small fish but because I had bought 2 identical new reels I knew it wasnt the braid and went over her rod and guides closely thinking that might be the issue but couldnt find anything....it wasnt till the guy at the tackle shop suggested the tension would likely be the issue that the problem was solved....he unspooled and respooled it which of course fixed the problem....

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Originally Posted by Lovey80

I don’t own any these days.

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You dont own any, so you gave up on them altogether ?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by disorderly

Yep my money is also on the braid not been wound on under correct tension..

Its a mystifying and frustrating phenomenon that can do your head in and cost you both money and fish till you figure it out.. ...

First time 15 yrs back I blamed the new braid and respooled with a new brand of braid which fixed it of course...
Didnt happen again till last year when my missus new spin reel caught a tree branch driving up the driveway and just about spooled her reel after a couple hundred metres so when I walked back with the rod to retrieve the line along the driveway I obviously didnt have enough tension...

Next trip missus started to get busted off on relatively small fish but because I had bought 2 identical new reels I knew it wasnt the braid and went over her rod and guides closely thinking that might be the issue but couldnt find anything....it wasnt till the guy at the tackle shop suggested the tension would likely be the issue that the problem was solved....he unspooled and respooled it which of course fixed the problem....

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I'm putting new braid on it today. When putting it on, I can hold the line with a cloth for tension. but how tight should it be ?

Im thinking reasonably tight, as if I was pulling in small medium size fish ?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by smidsy

You dont own any, so you gave up on them altogether ?



I'm putting new braid on it today. When putting it on, I can hold the line with a cloth for tension. but how tight should it be ?

Im thinking reasonably tight, as if I was pulling in small medium size fish ?

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I have a couple of Shimano calcuttas left over that I now use on my offshore bait jigging rods. After a while I realised that I could pitch a lure 99% as effectively/accurately as any bait caster can, yet there’s never a birds nest and those times I want to really cast it as far as possible I can just have crack without worrying about all the BS that comes with bait casters. Now it’s spin reels all the way unless I’m trolling offshore.

P.S. I’ve cut down on the different types of combos I own but really stepped up the quality on the spin gear. A 5000 Shimano Stella is a thing of beauty. Sure it’s over matched for a lot of river/dam stuff but it covers so many bases. If they brought this reel out with a bait runner function, I’d buy two more tomorrow.

Smidsy , get a small wet towel / cloth n wrap it once or twice around your braid n at the same time place some pressure on this area whilst winding line on your spool.
This will offcourse lay your braid on the spool under pressure as well as assist in removing whatever wax n colour additives off the braid leaving a cleaner line on the spool.
You either develope a love or hate relationship with baitcasters so dont give up lol.
I think i have more baitcasters than spin reels and at one time i went through simmilar dilema as you.
Some brand of baitcast reels you just cant control due to build and thumbing is a must.
They dont stay in my collection mostly or use for deep dropping only .
Carefull you dont overspool also as this will cause the same issues.
Anyway my two bobs worth :).

Braid!!!!! , just maybe your braid at fault ??.
Was just practising some leader to braid knots and my old memory took me back some years ago Caravanning in a Gold Coast Park.
Had just purchased some yellow braid from Dinga Fishing at special pricing.
This stuff was 6lb WFK or something ??, stuff was like Fairy Floss sailing g through the air was so fine.
Anyhow decided to load up one of my baitcasters with the stuff n was casting light whiting lures n vibes after loading reel one arvo and every third or so cast I would either
get a birds nest or wind knot . the line would break or the lure would continue into the horizon after the cast!! , near brought me either to tears or want to ditch the reel into the ogin l!!.
Things like this bring out the worst in me and had to persist n find the cause??, couldn't be me surely too good to be me??, could it ??.
At the same time I was like tonight using new braid to mono knots and stuff inside my noggin made me retrace my knots and sure nuff I was leaving a wee small tag on my leader which was juuuuuust enough to connect with one of the guides long enough to keep the reel spinning and at the same time lure trying to continue on its path.
Hence a birdsnest would form or the lure left the braid behind on its merry path to the lure cemetery.
Just maybe you are having a similar problem???,
Check your knot n make sure you have no tag sticking out ??.
Just a thought ey.

FG knot was a godsend for me also.

Along with the SC knot :) , two of my favourites.

Hey All,

Thanks for all your advise, I figured I should give you an update.

I think I may have figured this out.

Its my braid, and its my lack of knowledge about light braid, and me being overly aggressive.

Because I'm usually a bait fisher, casting distance is not a priority, I usually use cheap Jarvis Walker, 30lb braid or bigger, never take care of it and never had any issues.

Using jigs, I have not been using a leader, as such, sometimes the jig hooks get caught in the braid, this causes it to weaken.

On my first time using it, I was over rocks. I got birdnested and would pull the braid out, on one a few occasions the braid had got caught up in rocks, which would have caused it to weaken.

I didnt realise that loosely spooled line causes issues, my line was put on by me, with not much priority to tension.

I'm using Dangan X4 strand braid, that's only 4 very vulnerable strands.

Im using light lures, its a medium rod, and im a beginner !


So...

I took all the old braid off and put on 18lb Dangan braid, couldnt get 8 strand, there was no stock. I got the guy at the store to put it on, so I would have any tension issues

Im using a 30lb mono leeder all the time now, but only about 10 inches, so the job is still in the right place when casting.

Result...

So I went out yesterday evening. I was having a great time casting, with lots of success, and was learning how to work the lure.

I even tried casting with no reel tension or brake, using thumb pressure only. I found reel tension was not critical if thumbed correctly, but brake needed to be on even just 30% at a minimum.

Maybe, this gets better with practice, but I suspect this may be specific to my cheap reel ?

I found very light small lures just could not be cast well. I could probably use some weight, but I think my squid rod(I bought one specific for squid jigs also, with 14lb braid) is better suited to that, as the weight might affect the lure action?

I had a really heavy lure, which cost me $35, and looked like quality. It cast really well and looked great in the water. I got really confident and went to try a stiff side cast, rather than overhead as I have been doing. I heard baitcasters are more for side casting anyway, so thought id see how that goes.... *SNAP* the line split and the lure flew off to lure heaven.:'(

F'ing baitcasters ! >:(

I dont know, id love to get an expensive one and see if its all the same, but I cant be dropping $$$$ every time I go for a flick.

If you have watched videos you will understand that the lure must be heavy enough to travel through the air at the speed the line is coming off the reel. That’s why light lures are a problem. You flick them fast but they slow through the air. What are you fishing for and what lures? It’s why the lure will usually match the catch - and the line. Fish impoundments for Barra - 30lb line and big lures. Fish impoundments for bass- 8lb line and small lures. Realistically you need two reels to cover that. I don’t know where you are fishing or whether it’s out of the boat - but you can use floating hard body lures which will come back to the surface after they break off.

I'm not sure where the " bait casters are more for side casting" came from but generally overhead. Once mastered then try side casting to get in under overhanging trees etc and in really tight spots the bow and arrow shot.
Best way not to lose lures has been alluded to by Gunna, the other way is the way most people started on them from olden times, take your cap, place it on the ground in your back yard, park etc and practice getting your lure onto the cap. There are plugs designed for this but just use the lures intended minus hooks, I used to add a split ring with a smallish weight as hooks do have some weight.
This where bait casters excelled, in accuracy of casting, not distance. I can't count the number of times I've had to hit an overhanging branch so that the lure drops down into he water at the bank while trying to avoid overhanging branches. That's often the difference between getting fish and nothing. These days I use a spinning reel and accuracy is pretty much the same but I'm not doing the same type of fishing and rarely need to get under growth or be so specific about lure presentation.

Sounds like you are learning the usual lessons with baitcasters; not that I am flawless- I just like them. I think the expensive tech laden ones make it a little easier but I only have old tech ABU 5000 and 6000 series. Heavy payloads are easier but a skilled operator can use the drum momentum to outcast a threadline even on light lures. It's something you need to practice to be competent at which is why they are a bit of a niche. A bit like fly casting....

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It’s like riding a bike once you learn you never forget but a few skinned knees getting there and you don’t want a fast taper to learn on medium fast taper is better and learn to use the internal brakes put them all on and the back them off until you find the balance and if you lever wind is not in the centre it will affect your casting and learn to use your thumb to feel oncoming birds nest better to cut a cast short than to have noted line I used to wait until I got home to unpick them if there bad.