Why Does Line Break On Cast?

[oldgolf4]

While casting a med. size crankbait on 12 lb. Seaguar Invizx fluorocarbon, my line snapped about 3 ft. from the bait. The bait continued a good 25+ yds. into the lake. This happened twice in one day! Both times it caused huge backlashes, the second time so bad I had to cut off most of my line.  I have checked the rod guides and find no sharp edges, etc. Could the line be binding in the reel or what? I was using an almost new Lew's Tournament Pro Speed Spool reel. The line was spooled new just a few days earlier and I don't think it had been used until this trip. Has this happened to anyone else?

[Ratherbfishing]

Not intending to be a wise acre or anything but are you sure it isn't the other way around? That the backlash isn't causing the line to part? 'Bout the only time I send a lure sailing for parts unknown is when an abrupt backlash causes it.

[Jake Coucoules]

Always make sure you wet the knot when tying with fluoro. That could be your problem.

[loudcherokee]

Not intending to be a wise acre or anything but are you sure it isn't the other way around? That the backlash isn't causing the line to part? 'Bout the only time I send a lure sailing for parts unknown is when an abrupt backlash causes it.

X2. I sent a nice heavy buzz bait sailing across the lake as a result of a bad backlash once. It took me over an hour to pick that one out as it was brand new braid and I didn't want to cut it and lose a bunch.

LC

[slonezp]

Check the line guides on the rod for nicks. Do the same with the guide on the levelwind

[Loop_Dad]

While casting a med. size crankbait on 12 lb. Seaguar Invizx fluorocarbon, my line snapped about 3 ft. from the bait. The bait continued a good 25+ yds. into the lake. This happened twice in one day! Both times it caused huge backlashes, the second time so bad I had to cut off most of my line.  I have checked the rod guides and find no sharp edges, etc. Could the line be binding in the reel or what? I was using an almost new Lew's Tournament Pro Speed Spool reel. The line was spooled new just a few days earlier and I don't think it had been used until this trip. Has this happened to anyone else?

 

Did you recovered the bait after this happened? I was wondering if your '3ft' is accurate or estimate.

 

I sent bait flying a couple of times when I was bank fishing and caught the vegetation behind me on the back swing.

 

I also have experience sending the bait flying when the line was wrapped around the tip of the rod. But with this, it would be a lot closer to the bait than 3ft.

 

And finally one time the line wrapped around the rod tip happened to be 65 lbs braid. When I did the full swing with 1/2 oz jig, jig flew very very far. Along with it my rod tip went.

[Mccallister25]

X2 on checking the guides for nicks. They could be small. I bought a rod a while back and come from the store with a chip on the tip guide. It kept fraying my line until I checked it.

[Brandon Dozier]

Been there.  Lost an Alabama Rig in a lake.  Luckily it was free.  My line pinched when I cast too fast and it snapped my line.  This could very well be your issue.  I broke off on braid, so im sure you can run in to the same issue with smaller lures on lighter lines.

[greendragon]

I check my guides with a cotton ball. If you have a crack the cotton will stick in it. I check my guides about once a month.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

What was the area like that you were fishing?  If you were fishing heavy cover and dragging your line through rocks, brushpiles, and the like, it's possible that the line was frayed prior to casting.  I had this problem before.  Kept wondering why my baits were just snapping off the line and flying off into the blue.  One day I pulled a snag free and noticed the line all frayed for a couple feet above the lure.  Every since then, I make sure to check for fraying every couple of casts and now this rarely happens to me anymore.

[rockchalk06]

Did you recovered the bait after this happened? I was wondering if your '3ft' is accurate or estimate.

 

I sent bait flying a couple of times when I was bank fishing and caught the vegetation behind me on the back swing.

 

I also have experience sending the bait flying when the line was wrapped around the tip of the rod. But with this, it would be a lot closer to the bait than 3ft.

 

And finally one time the line wrapped around the rod tip happened to be 65 lbs braid. When I did the full swing with 1/2 oz jig, jig flew very very far. Along with it my rod tip went.

I might have invented a few new cuss words after that

[Bankbeater]

Weak knot. A nick in the line, or in of the line guides. 

[Fireguyfrank58]

I had the same thing happen with Invizx.  It was after a couple backlashes. None of them were abrupt stoppages.  I ended up losing about 60 ft of line.

[oldgolf4]

In answer to a couple of questions on the replies: I did recover the bait and there was about 3' of line on it. The knot was still fine and yes I always wet the line before pulling down the knot. I am 99.9% sure the line broke first before the backlash, of course anything is possible, simply because when you are making a long cast the rod is moving fast and it is only a split second between line break and backlash. However, I believe if the backlash had of happened first the bait would have been forced down and could not have gone as far as it did. I was casting in open water with no debris, but there was rock, so it could have been a nick in the line. After all the replies, which I really appreciated, I am inclined to believe it was either a nick or more likely the line had "pinched" earlier as suggested by Fireguyfrank58. Thanks again to all and good fishing!