No braid, no way.

[jimmyjoe]

5 hours ago, GreenPig said:

Long cast and 6 lb mono is a perfect combo for a difficult hook set on trebles. You say you're casting 65 to 75 yards. Couple that with 25%+(per Berkley website) line stretch and those barbs aren't getting sunk. You're getting 48.75' to 56.25' of line stretch on a hook set which is why they're being prematurely released. Gonna need a good stiff extremely long rod to compensate for that much stretch. Go braid . I've spooled my 1000 Stradic ci4+ and 6'9" medium-light fast rod with Berkley Fireline Ultra 8 Carrier 8 lb to a FC leader and it'll launch a 1/10 Ned completely out of sight. 

  But do you have any trouble with wind knots? I used a NASCI 1000, and had more trouble with wind knots than I did with any other reel. And that's with every line I used on it. I used Nanofil, Sufix 832 and some other (forgotten) line. I had the least trouble with a 2500SH Fuego.         jj

[GreenPig]

4 hours ago, jimmyjoe said:

  But do you have any trouble with wind knots? I used a NASCI 1000, and had more trouble with wind knots than I did with any other reel. And that's with every line I used on it. I used Nanofil, Sufix 832 and some other (forgotten) line. I had the least trouble with a 2500SH Fuego.         jj

No problem with winds knots yet. I've fished with it 10 to 12 trips, usually 6 to 9 hours a trip. I do occasionally apply KVD line conditioner and always after spooling it. Loose line is the popular cause of wind knots but I believe anytime I've had problems with them it was due to line twist. I use Spro power swivels when fishing spoons to prevent line twist. The 2500 is definitely going to be less problematic with it larger spool in my opinion. If I planned on casting 65 to 75 yards I'd choose the 2500 over a 1000 reel everyday. A 1000 holds 110 yards of #6 while the 2500 holds 200 yards of #6.  My average cast with the 1000 is most likely 25 yards and under. 

4 hours ago, jimmyjoe said:

  But do you have any trouble with wind knots? I used a NASCI 1000, and had more trouble with wind knots than I did with any other reel. And that's with every line I used on it. I used Nanofil, Sufix 832 and some other (forgotten) line. I had the least trouble with a 2500SH Fuego.         jj

Verify your line roller is rotating smoothly. Closing reel manually?  Not everybody does. 

[jimmyjoe]

   Well, I told @islandbass that someday I'd measure my cast, and someday came today.

   And boy, am I ever embarrassed!  I went to a local park, and stood at the corner of a white building, casting the same spoons that I fish with as far as I could into an open area with no kids or dogs. I then took a laser rangefinder, walked to my lure and shot the building. My shortest cast (the very first one) was 54.1 yards. Longest one was only 57.6 yards. The other 10 or 11 were between 55 and 57.6. I could NOT reach 60 yards. I tried another reel with 6 lb. Stren, and results were the same.

   Then I made a really, really stupid mistake. I went to the local tackle store, and had my NASCI 1000 spools loaded up with 4 lb. Fireline Ultra 8, and the other with 8 lb. original PowerPro. ( I heard the Fireline was actually 50% higher strength than the rating, so that would be 6 lb. The 8 lb. P-P was the lightest he had in stock. )

   1) The PowerPro didn't cast any farther than the mono. The didn't particularly surprise me, since the 1000 is a smaller diameter spool lip.

   2) The Fireline made 60 yards .... but just barely. Maybe it's OK, and maybe not. I'll have to use it more.

   3) that   &%?*+$#   PowerPro gave me a wind knot on the 5th cast.   Junk. Trash. Garbage. I wouldn't cross the street to spit on that worthless .....s ...s ... stuff.

 

   I knew I shouldn't have tried braid. I knew that it's garbage. I should have known that I'd just get wind knots.  But nooooo .... like an idiot, I tried it anyway.

   LIKE THE POST SAYS ..... NO BRAID, NO WAY!

 

   So what's my solution? I guess I'll start looking for a longer rod. That's the best idea so far.  And I'll use MONOFILAMENT with it!  MONOFILAMENT ONLY!    ???    jj 

[cyclops2]

I adjust lead weights to the force needed to cast 4# mono & 1.5" Rapalas  into beginning white caps. I get a lot of mid day small white caps. Often the wind & current are almost diagonal directions.  Back to trolling. Wind & waves are great for many fish munching on anything.

[islandbass]

5 hours ago, jimmyjoe said:

   Well, I told @islandbass that someday I'd measure my cast, and someday came today.

   And boy, am I ever embarrassed!  I went to a local park, and stood at the corner of a white building, casting the same spoons that I fish with as far as I could into an open area with no kids or dogs. I then took a laser rangefinder, walked to my lure and shot the building. My shortest cast (the very first one) was 54.1 yards. Longest one was only 57.6 yards. The other 10 or 11 were between 55 and 57.6. I could NOT reach 60 yards. I tried another reel with 6 lb. Stren, and results were the same.

   Then I made a really, really stupid mistake. I went to the local tackle store, and had my NASCI 1000 spools loaded up with 4 lb. Fireline Ultra 8, and the other with 8 lb. original PowerPro. ( I heard the Fireline was actually 50% higher strength than the rating, so that would be 6 lb. The 8 lb. P-P was the lightest he had in stock. )

   1) The PowerPro didn't cast any farther than the mono. The didn't particularly surprise me, since the 1000 is a smaller diameter spool lip.

   2) The Fireline made 60 yards .... but just barely. Maybe it's OK, and maybe not. I'll have to use it more.

   3) that   &%?*+$#   PowerPro gave me a wind knot on the 5th cast.   Junk. Trash. Garbage. I wouldn't cross the street to spit on that worthless .....s ...s ... stuff.

 

   I knew I shouldn't have tried braid. I knew that it's garbage. I should have known that I'd just get wind knots.  But nooooo .... like an idiot, I tried it anyway.

   LIKE THE POST SAYS ..... NO BRAID, NO WAY!

 

   So what's my solution? I guess I'll start looking for a longer rod. That's the best idea so far.  And I'll use MONOFILAMENT with it!  MONOFILAMENT ONLY!    ???    jj 

Thanks for reporting your findings.

 

A longer rod would definitely help. See if you can find an 8’6” or 9’6” medium powered rod, spinning or casting, your choice. In my neck of the woods both lengths are quite common. You would probably meet that same distance with much less effort and exceed it with the same. The downside is a longer rod does weight more but nothing is perfect. And don’t forget to swap those silly trebles for a single hook. Siwash hooks are a great choice. The neat thing with them is they come open eyed so you won’t need split ring pliers. Just simply put the spoon’s split ring in the open eye and close the eye shut with pliers. 

 

I realize braids traits are pretty decent, ie thinner diameter for more strength, near zero stretch, fishing in the think grass and pads, but then I realized I hardly ever face that condition. Braid compared to mono and Fluoro for more has also caught the fewest fish for me. 

 

Fluro is awesome but so dang pricey. Can I afford it? Yes.  It’s refractive index is impressive, but how much farther off is mono from it?

As for mono, it’s economical and works fairly well and is reliable and although it has memory, which can be unsightly,  I have not noticed any loss in fish catching. Mono is my line of choice now and for the past near decade.

 

Those anglers of yesteryear who are still alive today and forgotten more than we know about fishing only had mono and they kicked phanny. 

 

Please note I am not knocking braid or fc. I like those lines but I choose mono for its cost effectiveness (bottom line for me) and results. I might still use 6# fc line. particularly Seaguar invisx if I feel like splurging on line but $22 for 200 yards is a tough pill to swallow. Why?

 

Because the environment I use it in is primarily is drop shotting in rip rap from the shore. Forced break offs happen often and in one outing I could lose 15 yards easy. 2 sessions later with the an average loss of line and now my reel is no longer at optimum operating capacity.

 

I know I told JFrancho I’d try tatsu but when I saw the price, WOW!! It costs more than a Berkeley cherrywood rod, lol. Maybe I’ll treat myself to it soon.  

 

 

[The Bassman]

In my experience wind knots happen when I force my casts. I bank fish and frequently push for distance. Others have mentioned that the distance lost by not forcing (snap casting) is really minimal. The OCD in me tends to forget this.