Line digging

[Buffdaddy54]

HELP! Another very frustrating day. I keep getting backlashes where the braid is digging into itself pretty bad. It's happened with 15lb and 65lb. 

I set the tension spool, magnetic, and centrifugal correctly and still get it every 3rd or 4th cast. I've tried Casting and then pulling out extra line and still getting it. I'm using Kastking SuperBraid. What gives?????

 

[A-Jay]

Sorry to hear you're having some trouble.

Learning to consistently cast revolving spool gear effectively can be a little tricky.

Having had that casting reel for less than one month, this could certainly be the case.

While each type of line has it's own 'handling characteristics' the basic premise is still the same.

Reel needs to be set up correctly and the user has to perform 'the casting motion' effectively.

Perhaps try filling the spool only 2/3's full and see if that helps.

A-Jay

[FrankN209]

What type of reel are you using? 

[Buffdaddy54]

3 minutes ago, FrankN209 said:

What type of reel are you using? 

Kastking Assasin. First time I've had this problem with it.

[A-Jay]

19 minutes ago, Buffdaddy54 said:

Kastking Assasin. First time I've had this problem with it.

Considering this " I was a golf professional for 20+ years and gave 1000's of lessons and I can tell you from experience that the equipment used rarely made a person a better golfer. I wish I had a dollar for every time someone showed up for a lesson with a $500 driver and a $10 swing to go with it. My mantra was always "if your swing produces a certain type of ball flight I don't care what you have in your hand your going to produce that ball flight." Having a $500 driver just allows you to hit a $500 slice! Now on to baitcasters. My coworker wants me to believe that if I invest in an upper end Shimano, Lews,Daiwa,***, whatever, that my skills will get better. I don't buy it! I'm a firm believer in fundamentals, learning skills, practicing those skills, mastering those skills, then and only then do you upgrade equipment. Right now my casting skills are at a novice level, pitching and skipping skills are non existent. So how is a $250 to $300 baitcaster going to make that better?"

 

Perhaps initially, apply the underlined principles you listed above regarding your casting skills. 

Also, once you became a 'professional' golfer, did you continue to use entry level equipment or did you upgrade ?

If so, the same thought process may apply to your fishing gear - professional or not.

A-Jay

 

 

[Buffdaddy54]

25 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Considering this " I was a golf professional for 20+ years and gave 1000's of lessons and I can tell you from experience that the equipment used rarely made a person a better golfer. I wish I had a dollar for every time someone showed up for a lesson with a $500 driver and a $10 swing to go with it. My mantra was always "if your swing produces a certain type of ball flight I don't care what you have in your hand your going to produce that ball flight." Having a $500 driver just allows you to hit a $500 slice! Now on to baitcasters. My coworker wants me to believe that if I invest in an upper end Shimano, Lews,Daiwa,***, whatever, that my skills will get better. I don't buy it! I'm a firm believer in fundamentals, learning skills, practicing those skills, mastering those skills, then and only then do you upgrade equipment. Right now my casting skills are at a novice level, pitching and skipping skills are non existent. So how is a $250 to $300 baitcaster going to make that better?"

 

Perhaps initially, apply the underlined principles you listed above regarding your casting skills. 

Also, once you became a 'professional' golfer, did you continue to use entry level equipment or did you upgrade ?

If so, the same thought process may apply to your fishing gear - professional or not.

A-Jay

 

 

Can't quite afford the good stuff yet.

[tkunk]

You shouldn't have problems with 65 lb braid digging in. If you have a few sloppy casts, lock your drag down, loosen your casting knob, put on a hard-pulling lure (like a 6XD or cowgirl), cast it out, drive away from it until your spool is almost empty, and reel the lure back in while you're moving away from it at ~1.5 MPH.

 

Also, I wouldn't use anything thinner than 40 lb PowerPro on a baitcaster.

[Buffdaddy54]

A-Jay,

Thanks for the posts. I sat down a little while ago poured myself a cup of coffee (decaf)and went over my day all the while thinking about the post you quoted me on. So now I'm asking myself why questions: why were my previous outings with that same baitcaster and braid backlash free? Why was I having such a hard time today? Did I set the brakes correctly? Then I figured it out, the reason why the previous outings were backlash free and this one wasn't..........I GOT COCKY AND FORGOT ABOUT MY FUNDAMENTALS! In the more successful outings I paid ALOT more attention to accuracy and less on distance and just as important if not more so........wait for it........THUMB CONTROL!!!

I was much better at my thumb control. DUH!!!!

I am now rededicating myself to mastering the fundamentals.

Thank-you brother.?

[WRB]

You said 1st time having this problem indicates you didn't have this problem before using the same rod, reel and line?

If this just started then something has changed. 

1. You can't backlash a baitcasting red if the spool tension knob is tightened so the lure weight doesn't fall on it's own. Loosening the spool tension knob so the lure slowly falls and the spool doesn't continue to turn after hitting the ground is safest setting and still allow a descent casting distance without backlashing.

2. 15 lb test braid is too small dia for baitcasting reels IMO.

3. Any braid 40 lb or larger works good with baitcasting reels.

4. Pull off 50 yards of line and tape 1 wrap of masking or plumbers Teflon tape over the spooled line, then wind back on the 50 yards of line keeping tight between your fingers. 

Now try casting after setting the spool tension knob with slight tension and no more backlashes....unless your reel has a problem stopping the spool from turning intermittently, dirty brearings.

Good luck.

Tom 

PS,learn to use your thumb to keep the line smooth.

[MickD]

One thing that can cause braid backlashes is if you have too much line on the reel.  Wet braid tends to spin off the spool, and if too much line is on the spool it will contact the reel structure.  If your problems return after fixing the fundamentals, check how close the line is to the reel cross bars and reel foot.  Take an 1/8 on an inch of line (diameter of the fill) off.

[NHBull]

Sounds like the technique is in question, but I have also found that first spooling the line extremely tight and randomly making a cast adding resistance to the line also helps prevent digging in.

last year I ran 2 baitcasters with 10 lb 832 and never experienced digging in.

[TOXIC]

One characteristic of braid that I don't like....After catching a "good" fish, the line gets "sticky" (what I call it) because it digs in somewhat.  How far and how much usually depends on the size of the fish and how much pressure they put on the reel.  Also, normally with braid, I have my drag cranked down a lot more than I would with other line types so there is more resistance.  After landing a bigger fish on braid, I habitually peel off a bout a casts worth of line and re-feed it back on the reel.  I also spool braid very tight right from the beginning but after casting and getting wet, the line will relax on the spool.  That's if you are still good on your casting technique as you mentioned.  ?

[Maxximus Redneckus]

This is one reason i prefer my round abus ..synchronized levelwind never have a problem with line dig levelwind moves with spool rotations as it comes off the spool !

The closer the levelwind is to the spool and the angle makes for some diggin.