Baitcaster snapping line ??

[Volvo]

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 .

[Volvo]

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.

[Lovey80]

FG knot was a godsend for me also.

[Volvo]

Along with the SC knot , two of my favourites.

[smidsy]

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.

[gunna]

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.

[Dignity]

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.

[TheRealPoMo]

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....

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

[chris69]

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.