Line Snag On The Cast?

[Bk4]

Anybody else hate it when you snag your line on a cast loosing your lure? Idk if its my knot tying or the line itself but I'm using powerpro #30 with yozuri hybrid #12 as a leader. Line to line knot is the uni to uni and lure to knot is improved clinch or sometime the palormar. I do notice that the uni to uni knot do grind the guide of my rod. And I do cast pretty hard to reach max distance doing an overhand cast. Lmk what you guys think.

[NorcalBassin]

Where do you lose your lure (line to line junction or at the lure tie)? If you think you cast pretty hard I'd bet you cast really hard, so for the short term you may want to back off 25%.

[Bk4]

When I'm using leader it breaks at the leader knot but when I'm using the main line as in braid or flouro or mono it breaks at the knot. And yeah maybe I should stop casting hard. Loosing them lucky craft pointer and mega bass vision isn't fun at all. Gotta draw back to cheaper replica like the twitch stick and the rcstx

[SirSnookalot]

Varying schools of thought on what's best.  I use 10 or 15# braid but with a heavier leader than many do, usually it's 20#.  When I get snagged I tighten the drag and snap the bow, either the lure comes loose or it breaks at my loop knot or clinch knot at the swivel, the double wrapped improved clinch knot at the swivel holds pretty darn good.  I don't tie line to leader in freshwater but I do in saltwater sometimes, the alberto is as good as anything I have ever used.

[Sam]

Maybe you need to consider not reeling in the leader knot past the rod tip's eye and just let it hang there as you cast the bait.

 

Of course, this will not work if you have a long leader.

[new2BC4bass]

Use the Alberto Knot instead of the Uni to Uni for the line to line conection.  Extremely strong knot, and has a slimer profile than the Uni to Uni.  You will still hear it go through the guides, but it shouldn't catch on the guides snapping your lure off.  I assume you are using a baitcast reel.  Braid needs to be spooled on tightly.  Some people use 20# braid with no problem on baitcast reels.  Others suggest a minimum of 40# to avoid the line digging in.

 

I've got 40# Sufix Performance on my STX-L.  I'm almost always throwing for distance.  This past May I was in Florida using a 3/4 oz. saltwater spoon on it.  No trouble in 6 hours of fishing.  Well....except for the time I threw too hard and had to remove my lure from a tree. 

 

However, I had 30# Fireline wrap around the end of my spinning rod, and got a hand's off release with a brand new 1/2 oz. jig.    A steady pull with this line will straighten a jig hook.

[RandySBreth]

I think your knots must be at fault - I've never broke off a goof cast before. Or you cast like you're swinging for the parking lot.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

If you're getting wind knots or digging braid can snap since it has no stretch hence poor shock resistance. Barring that practice your knots

[J Francho]

I'm with Randy on this - it's the knots.  Practice tying a few, and test them.

[Topwaterspook]

SirSnookalot, do you know of a diagram of that double wrapped improved clinch knot? I've  been experimenting with a knot that might be similar. I run the line through the line tie twice. After the 4 wraps I pass the end through the extra loop then finish the "improved" part of the clinch knot. Is this the way you tie your knot?  If so,  have you ever tested it to see how close it comes to a 100% knot?  The beauty of this knot is that it doesn't slide on the line tie. Thanks for the info.

[mjseverson24]

i am not sure how the line breaks without you backlashing the reel, so I would assume since you are going for maximum distance that you have you reel breaks turned down a bit and are relying on your thumb to keep from backlashing. if this is the case it is not the knot it is either the wrong equipment for the job or user error. what reel are you using?

 

Mitch

[Bk4]

Lews laser mg speed spool

[mjseverson24]

Lews laser mg speed spool

 

this is probabily the issue, it is a good reel but you are most likely using it for something that it was not designed to do. since this is a magnetic breaking system unless the breaks are set to maximum and you try to make a long cast the breaking system will not be able to control the cast properly and most likely you are backlashing about 40 ft or less from where you are casting from this is because the bait is slowing down faster than the cast control system is slowing it down causing a backlash and an instant cut of your line. if you want to make long casts with that reel the baits are going to need to be heavy and aerodynamic(spoons, lipless cranks, football jigs...). I have had this issue in the past, I just ended up getting a reel with a centrifugal breaking system like the lews BB1 or the revo S or the bass pr PQ something like that should help out quite a bit.

 

Mitch

[J Francho]

Never heard of a reel causing break offs at the knot.  Most of my reels are magnetic brakes, no issues here...

[jtesch]

It's been my experience that that type of mag break system doesn't like a hard, snappy cast. I'm a hard caster and I've had a couple of reels with simple mag breaks that I simply couldn't use. I think it's the transition between the sharp back cast to the forward cast that the mag breaks can't handle. I even have to be a little more careful with some of my better Daiwas (Zillions, TD-x's) . On the other hand, I have a couple of tuned up Revo MGX's that I can fire as hard as I want but a lob cast will backlash.

[mjseverson24]

Never heard of a reel causing break offs at the knot.  Most of my reels are magnetic brakes, no issues here...

 

its more user error than the reel its self, but since the knot is the weakest part of the system( or at least it should be) if you abruptly stop a very energetic cast (backlash) the knot is where the system is most likely to fail. I also use mostly magnetic breaking systems, but when I first started out i had a similar issue and it was like the spool and bearings were set up too fast for the breaking system. i have not had this issue except with the one reel a few years ago. so i guess the real answer should be either get a new reel that is more forgiving, or get better at using your thumb to control the cast. (it was just nicer for me to say it was the equipments fault)...

 

Mitch

[J Francho]

Since he said he's breaking off at the knots on the cast, I'd still say learn to tie better knots.

[jtesch]

Heavy enough lure and a hard enough cast resulting in one of those "lockdown" backlash's will break any knot. I've broken straight 50# braid with a stupid hard cast. Sounds like a gun shot by the way

[jtesch]

But yes, learn the Alberto

[Capt.Bob]

I used Power Pro on 3 different rods for a little over a month, the 2 spinning outfits were the worst, but after a few snap offs with the Baitcaster I had enough. I don't know what the problem was, but the only thing OI changed was the line,,,,Sufix 832 and the problem was gone!! Same knot's same rod's same weight lines, no more break offs on cast's. Since it usually broke well above the leader knot, I would suspect it is prone to wind knot's, but I would try just one spool of Sufix 832, see what you think and let us all know how it worked,,,,,,good luck!  

[Smallmouth Hunter]

Two things, and I am 100% positive that one of these is the problem since I have ran into these as well:

 

1. the leader knot CAN NOT be between the reel and first guide. It MUST be anywhere between the first guide and the tip guide. When the knot is between the reel and first guide, it hits the guide at a sharper angle which can cause a break off. I have yet to find a reel or rod that changes these circumstances, but it is very possible that others slipped by this issue.

 

2. too far of a "follow through". If you follow through too much with your rod on the cast, you can cause a sharp angle for the knot to go around. When you cast, try to end the cast with the tip pointing a bit closer to the targeted area. It doesn't have to be right on, but you get the idea.

 

 

If you follow these two steps/guidelines, I can guarantee that you will not have anymore problems unless you are doing something completely out of the ordinary or your rod is just wack or something. 

 

Tell us how it turns out.

[SirSnookalot]

SirSnookalot, do you know of a diagram of that double wrapped improved clinch knot? 

I do not, I saw the knot being demonstrated om " Fishing the flats with Henry Waszczuk", instant love........lol.  I make 7 wraps then go thru the bottom loop just above the swivel eye, make a wrap with that tag end thru the formed loop, then make a second wrap and cinch it down.  I just call it a double wrap clinch knot, don't know if there is a specific name for it, but I can tell ya, it holds like vise.  I use braided lines of 10-15 and 20#, I do use some 30# for offshore in the ocean, with a good drag and line capacity don't really need much heavier for most fish.  I do not like this knot for mono or copoly lines, I use nothing but an ordinary clinch knot for those lines.

[Topwaterspook]

I do not, I saw the knot being demonstrated om " Fishing the flats with Henry Waszczuk", instant love........lol.  I make 7 wraps then go thru the bottom loop just above the swivel eye, make a wrap with that tag end thru the formed loop, then make a second wrap and cinch it down.  I just call it a double wrap clinch knot, don't know if there is a specific name for it, but I can tell ya, it holds like vise.  I use braided lines of 10-15 and 20#, I do use some 30# for offshore in the ocean, with a good drag and line capacity don't really need much heavier for most fish.  I do not like this knot for mono or copoly lines, I use nothing but an ordinary clinch knot for those lines.

Thanks for your reply. I did some online searching and came across "knot wars". They were testing a knot called the "eyecrosser". It is quite similar to what I've been tying. It tested very well. I may just make the small adjustment and it instead of mine.

[Smallmouth Hunter]

The last thing to mention is the knots don't matter a whole lot as long as you choose a reputable knot. I have used the double uni, alberto, albright, slim beauty, 100% knot, and a few others and they have all worked.

[Capt.Bob]

Two things, and I am 100% positive that one of these is the problem since I have ran into these as well:

 

1. the leader knot CAN NOT be between the reel and first guide. It MUST be anywhere between the first guide and the tip guide. When the knot is between the reel and first guide, it hits the guide at a sharper angle which can cause a break off. I have yet to find a reel or rod that changes these circumstances, but it is very possible that others slipped by this issue.

 

2. too far of a "follow through". If you follow through too much with your rod on the cast, you can cause a sharp angle for the knot to go around. When you cast, try to end the cast with the tip pointing a bit closer to the targeted area. It doesn't have to be right on, but you get the idea.

 

 

If you follow these two steps/guidelines, I can guarantee that you will not have anymore problems unless you are doing something completely out of the ordinary or your rod is just wack or something. 

 

Tell us how it turns out.

My leader knots are usually a couple wraps on my spool, maybe at the tip, maybe 3 eyes down, absolutely doesn't mater with the right lines and knot's! It didn't matter where they were with Power Pro I had issues from time to time. Not with Sufix 832