Spinning plastics

[Fishingintheweeds]

I never noticed my line twisting until I tried the Whopper Plopper 90. That was pretty annoying. That's when I started to pay attention to line twist.

 

But now, I'm noticing that some of my plastics will do this also, if I reel them in faster or try to swim them, as opposed to just working them back. Maybe they always have been and I just didn't know any better. This happens mostly on a baitcaster. I believe my hooks are in pretty straight. Sometimes weighted, sometimes not. I have never noticed this on my spinning rods. This happens somewhat randomly with any of the different styles of bait; worm, creature, etc. 

 

I use the baitcaster most of the time for weights over 1/4 oz. because I am usually trying to make long casts from the bank. 

 

Can anybody tell me why this happens or suggest what I could do about this? 

[TylerT123]

You could use a barrel swivel or a snap swivel.

[MIbassyaker]

There isn't really any way to prevent line from twisting on a spinning reel. The vast majority of line twist happens simply because of the design of the reel and is unavoidable: one twist is put into the line every time the bail goes around as you retrieve. You can see this if you reel a leader knot through the guides and watch it closely -- the knot will turn as the bail turns. Unless the bait itself is rotating in the same direction and same rate as the bail, the line will accumulate more twist the more retrieves you make on a spinning reel.

 

But some things can make line twist less problematic.  Just by paying close attention to the spool, you can catch loops in the line before they get reeled up, and closing the bail with your hand and making sure the line is taught before you begin retrieving and throughout the retrieve is important to prevent twist from causing loops. Reeling while drag is being pulled just adds to the twist, so try to avoid.  Using braided line instead of mono or fluoro helps massively because braid is so limp it remains manageable even when twisted a lot.  You can also untwist line by letting out a cast's length or more with a free end (not tied to any bait or weight) into the water and dragging it loosely behind the boat for a little while (I think Glenn has a video on this somewhere on the site). 

[Fishingintheweeds]

Sorry about that...I think my title was a little misleading. My plastics twist when I retrieve. 

 

So, I've avoided things like swivels or any extra metal with edges because of all of the vegetation I end up fishing around (on the surface, submergent and near the banks)...and because when I'm trying to make the most of the waters I have access to, I inevitably miss my mark when casting into tight spots, end up in some live, green branches and I would rather give myself a fighting chance at patiently getting the snag free. Funny enough...I saw everybody say to try that with the WP 90, and the thing still spun. So, that one is retired and I think my small plopper experiment is over. 

 

As for the reel, I'm actually not having a problem with the spinning rods. It's the baitcaster with braid. 

 

After not finding ANY reference to twist with braid on a baitcaster ANYWHERE, I almost didn't know if I should even ask. 

 

Example of plastics that have come back spinning on the baitcaster with braid: Texas rigged Zoom ribbon tail worm, TR Strike King Menace Grub, weightless and SOMETIMES TR Berkley Pit Boss....

 

It's not noticeably inhibiting my fishing. I don't think, anyways. But since I noticed, I figured I would ask around. 

[Beetlebz]

I fish 1/4 weighted Texas rigged power worms ALOT.... I'm not going to say they never twist but its never been a problem. I might suggest using ewg hooks to keep more weight away from the center axis so the worm swims with the hook shank down...

 

I suppose if it isnt broke dont fix it.

[thinkingredneck]

I can't comment on the whopper.  For plastics, are your hooks t rigged straight?  Is there a flat side to the bait?  What style weight are you using?

[Fishingintheweeds]

The bend in the hook is towards the bottom/flat side of the worms and baits, if they have them. I'm making the hooks as centered as physically possible. Ha, I've destroyed plastics practicing trying to make it EXACTLY perfect. The weights I've been using mostly are lead bullet weights but it happens for some baits when I'm using no weight. 

 

It's something I've never EVER noticed before until I saw it on the small WP90...I tried to solve it and couldn't and then I noticed it with my plastics. Maybe I've always had this go on but never noticed. It seems like everything checks out and this shouldn't be an issue that I would have with a baitcaster...but I do! I don't mean to sound like I'm asking for help but being difficult about it, I just wondered if there may be something I didn't know about. If somebody were having this same issue and asked me about this, I would've asked them the same questions as you all have. 

[papajoe222]

It's going to happen. Some baits are more prone to spinning when retrieved fast because of their shape. With worms, if they're rigged straight, spinning shouldn't happen.

It shouldn't be happening with the WP. Check it to make sure the tail section isn't binding as it turns which would cause the bait to turn with the tail.  If it is, the wire that runs through it and the bait is likely bent. This occasionally happens with the muskie baits of the same design.

[greentrout]

 

[thinkingredneck]

Not sure.  It makes me wonder if I have had the problem and didn't notice it with braid.  Maybe put a swivel up the line about 8 inches.