Hey All,

My wife and i just got involved with this glorious sport and we love it, however we keep having issues with our lines and snags. These may be typical fishing problems, but I just wanted some help on how to prevent them.

We have three rods, they all use the reels that have the bail you need to flip. All of them pull the line down below the bottom of the spool and the line gets wrapped around the handle or caught on the little black things used to hold the end of the line. Eventually the line gets so twisted we have to waste several minutes on stretching the line back out and relling it back in to get it to cast again.

Is this because ther is too much line? or is it because we bought the rods and reels from walmart? do better rods and reels prevent this from happening or is it because our fishing line is not the right type?

I will appreciate any and all comments on how to help these problems! thank you all!!!

I'm not sure where to start.  I guess with the basics. First you have a spinning reel. I think you are talking about the clip on the side of the spool that is for keeping the line on the spool when the reel is not on a rod? Is the line looping back around the back of the spool? What brand and model is the reel? Extra info can help answer your quetion in bettr detail. Lets atalk about line. Most small to medium sized spinning reels work best with 8lb or 6lb line. Better quality line works better. For most applications it's hard to beat Trilene XL or stren original. Clear blue for clear water or light green for stained water. When the reel is full there should be about an 1/8 inch of the shoulder of the spool still showing. It is important that the line is installed correctly. If you have a tackle store that has a spooling station it would be best to buy the line there and let them install it. Here is a few casting tips that might help.With the reel hanging below the rod hold it with the reel support bar between your middle fingers. If useing right hand to cast, crank should be on left side of reel. Pinch the line up against bottom of rod with the tip of front finger, open bail, and cast overhead or to the side. Open front finger to release the line and follow through with rod pointing in direction of cast. Close the bail manually, even if it will close by turning crank. This helps keep loops from forming. Lift rod to tighten line before cranking, this will keep line tight and away from spool and clips. I hope I didn't oversimplify it for you. Good luck

Welcome to the BB!  First, I don't have much information.  Does this happen while you are fishing or practicing?  If you use lures that are too light, you may get some slack in the line allowing a loop to go back behind the line keeper.  If you are talking about twist in the line, you may need to add a small swivel in front of your lure.  Some lures cause line twist.  A good way to get this out if you have a boat is to take the lure off, let out several yards of line while moving then reel the line back in.  You may be using line that is too light for your tackle, although it came with the package and should be right.  I would respool with a new quality line.  You say you bought your equipment at WalMart so it could have been on the spool for months and had some memory.

Don't know if this helps, but it is a shot.

Gary

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee176/goinfshn/bassfight.gif Life Member NAFC, West Virginia State Police Retired, United States Army Retired

Hello, Dcamrine, & welcome to the Forums.  Also, because you said you're new to fishing, I'm going to assume your wife and you are recent Fishing Club members, too.  So, welcome to the North American Fishing Club.

 

Sounds like you're getting a lot of slack after the cast.  Two things I'd suggest:

1. Follow the fine tips from our two fellow Club members above during fishing. 

2. What you may also want to do before your next fishing trip... if you don't respool with fresh line... is turn your antireverse off & pull off a few yards of line from the reel (pull from the tip of the rod, not at the reel).  Then grab your rod close to the first guide (the big one, closest to the reel), & pinch the line between your thumb & index finger.  You won't need much pressure... maybe 1/4 to 1/2 oz.  Then wind the line back onto the reel under the tension of that line pinch.

 

Do these things, & you should be doing just fine the next time you two are out.

 

P.S.:  Welcome to the Forums to you, too, Krush!

Keep the line fresh, the hooks sharp, and have fun fishing. God bless you. -Sonny, Life Member since 2002

Thank you ALL!! those where very helpfull I will do all of your suggestions then report on how well it went.

I also wanted to know how bad other states are in terms of toxic advisories. Is this something that all states deal with or are there a few that are just so polluted they damaged their fish?

I don't know what state you live in, most have  a fish and game web site that would have such information on it. Once again, tackle stores and bait shops are good sources.
Life Member since 1996, Greenlantern, Wichita, Ks

defenatly change the old line if it came stock'd that way...

practise will fix half of your problems! if you fish from a boat or on a river you can let all that twisted line out in the curent or motor away as you let out line! then use your fingures to hold some presure on the line wile you reel it in again... i would also recomend use`n a swivle but not sure what you fish for, but this will help with line twist until you both git  better  cast abbilty  and you will have less knots to tie too...

here in CA  they post a recomindation of how much fish is heathy/or not... but i think most states have some kind of poision floating around.... lead and mercury, are the most common... and now it is meth cooking left overs on the rise, be carefull with this if you ever come accross pill bottles and boxxes with buckets of tar and gunk laying around, ,,,,call HAZMAT or the cops.... i seen 1 big dump 2 years ago for the first time, and twise `cents! carzy!!!   

 

Welcome to board.....go on down to "Fishing News" in another forum and look up topic "line curls".     Some good info there in regards to line twist.

What's up, Dcamrine?

 

Here in Illinois, polluted waters are common enough that the "fish warnings" are even in the booklet you get from the Illinois DNR when you buy your fishing license.  There are fish from some waters that we're advised not to eat at all.  Over the last ten or fifteen years, the waters have been clearing up, but some areas are still bad.

Keep the line fresh, the hooks sharp, and have fun fishing. God bless you. -Sonny, Life Member since 2002

One more tip.  When you cast use the edge of your index finder to feel the line comming off the spool. Right before the lure hits the water catch the line with your index finger  so no extra line comes off the spool.  It sounds a lot harder than it is but couple of trys in the yard and you will have it down.

Ive learned that when you are loading your reel with line, put it on the same way it comes off the spool to keep the coil going the same direction if you know what I mean.  Hope this helps!!:)

Hi dcamrine

 Preventing the line twist on your spinning reels can be very difficult, but heres some tips. When your spooling up your reel, always make sure the line thats coming to your reel is going on in a clockwise motion, and the line leaving the spool should come off in a counter-clockwise motion. I hope that helps, good luck!

Covan Master