Wind knots...I'm at a loss

[MassYak85]

So the last couple years I've been plauged by wind knots. I fish braid to leader usually on my spinning gear. I reached my breaking point yesterday when I had like 4 in a trip. And these knots are bad, to the point I can usually not get them out and have to cut the line and retie. I went from a fresh spooling of line (with backing) to needing to respool cause I'm down to my backing at the end of a cast....in ONE day. 

 

Now I've been trying to systematically eliminate things to find out the problem. Because when I first started bass fishing I almost never got these. Here's what I'm generally doing: 

A dobyns Fury 7' MF with a Daiwa BG 2000 rigged with 15lb Daiwa J-braid to a 10lb leader (alberto knot). I am usually within the weight rating of the rod and 75% of the time I'm fishing either a weightless senko or some type of paddle tail on a ball head or underspin. 

 

So my first thought was...wind knots...must be the wind. Nope, happens no matter what direction I cast or how much wind there is on a given day, even dead calm days. Next I'm thinking I'm casting too hard or something, so I tried different casts, lobs, underhand pitches, tried changing how fast I was casting, still had problems. So then I thought, maybe it's the line....I've probably tried 4 or 5 different types of braid, both 4 and 8 carrier, all have done it, although some worse than others. So then yesterday it finally clicked after I just retied after a wind knot...I've only been using leaders the past few years...maybe the knot is hanging up on the guides and allowing the wind knot to form. Sounds logical....nope. About 10 minutes after going to straight braid I get another wind knot that basically forces me to put the setup out of commission for the weekend cause I'm down to my backing essentially. And that pretty much brings me to where I am now writing this post.

 

Now based on what I've tried, I have nothing else left to think other than there is something wrong with the rod/reel combo itself. Is the reel too small for this rod? Are the guides too small on the Fury spinning rod? Am I a complete idiot and am overlooking something? Someone please help me lol. If insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result...I can't respool and use this combo again without a little more insight. Or else I might throw it in the lake the next time this happens cause I'm pretty frustrated. I'm fishing what I usually do on a few of my casting combos in the meantime. 

[PhishLI]

You should check to see if the line roller is frozen or needs lube. That could contribute to the issue, but I doubt that's your problem. More likely it's because of the light baits and slack line at points in your retrieve. I was wading with a friend yesterday that fishes with a Ballistic LT on a Tatula rod. He's basically a weightless 5" senko fisherman. Sometimes he throws other things, but rarely. He got 2 wind knots in an hour. That had more to do with him not taking slack from the line before retrieving while popping the worm than the wind did. I fish with a BG2500 and a Tatula LT 3000. I've never had a wind knot with either, but I'm very conscious of keeping my line tight when I see it get slack in it. Anyway, you can test my theory by throwing some chuck-and-wind baits with good resistance in the water. If your problem goes away then you can trust that the issue lies in what I've explained above. I'm assuming you close the bail manually?

[WRB]

Spinning reels twist the with each and every rotation of the rotar, if the reel is 6:1 gear ratio the rotar spins 6 time with evey full handle turn. The twist is more evident with monofilament line then braid both twist equally.

How to reduce wind knots. 

Keep some tension the lure in lieu letting the line kite loosely in mid flight.

Keep the lure from spinning when retrieved.

Use a swivel.

With a boat untwist the line at the end of each outing by running behind the boat about 100' without anything tied on the end at walking speed for a few minutes. 

Tom

PS, operating the bail using the reel does not cause line twist, it causes line loops on the reel spool.

 

[punch]

I get wind knots now and then as well, and I fish a lot a 7' medium spinning rods + 3000 size reels + 10lb braid + 8lb fluoro leader. 

 

I've learned that my knots mostly result in 'bad management' of my line AFTER a cast. I've been able to reduce wind knots by doing a few things: 

 

- Always flip the bail by hand, gently after a cast. That hard 'snap' of the bail tripping, with slack line, can actually cause a wind knot at the spool. I try to never turn the handle to engage the bail anymore. 

- After a cast I lift the tip of the rod get some slack out of the line before i start reeling anything in. The goal is to get a tight wind on the spool. 

 

Honestly I think most wind knots happen AFTER the cast because of slack line around the spool. IMHO they can be easily avoided, but we often don't "look down" after a cast to see the state of our line and if it's being wound back on the spool tightly. We just cast, snap the bail, and start reeling. 

 

[Hammer 4]

2 hours ago, punch said:

 

 

Honestly I think most wind knots happen AFTER the cast because of slack line around the spool. IMHO they can be easily avoided, but we often don't "look down" after a cast to see the state of our line and if it's being wound back on the spool tightly. We just cast, snap the bail, and start reeling. 

 

Umm, some of us do. I made a practice to check my spool when I first started using fluro..Still do it to this day, no matter what type of line I'm using..

[Scrapiron]

From Saltstrong on how to reduce wind knots-

 

https://www.saltstrong.com/articles/how-to-prevent-wind-knots-on-spinning-reels/

[MassYak85]

Thanks for the tips guys! I'll try what @PhishLI said and use some baits with resistance and see if the problem goes away, then pay more attention with other baits. I have been closing the bail manually so I don't think that's been part of the issue. 

[YoTone]

look at fins wind tamer.

i haven't used it a lot but its been easy going for me so far.

[govallis]

Try use a Shimano reel instead of a Daiwa.

[Darth-Baiter]

I get them occasionally.  

 

I close the bail manually have each cast. and I tug the slack off the reel before I start reeling.  this is almost muscle memory now.  feels weird if I don't do it.   I was told that helps.  I also really try to keep an eye on my bait.  if I see my dropshot coming back at my whirling around, I invest the time to check my bait and adjust if needed.  and if I do start to get a WK, I have been known to clip off my bait to drag the line in the water.  

 

my Tatula will booger up way more often than my Vanford.  by a mile.  

[waymont]

25 minutes ago, govallis said:

Try use a Shimano reel instead of a Daiwa.

No

[MassYak85]

28 minutes ago, govallis said:

Try use a Shimano reel instead of a Daiwa.

Sure bud, I'm sure that's it. For the record I use both.

[T-Billy]

I vote, dump the spinning gear all together. Curado/Scorpion 70's and BFS reels have completely replaced spinning for bass fishing for me. No more wind knots. Spinning's just for crappie these days.

[dodgeguy]

4 hours ago, T-Billy said:

I vote, dump the spinning gear all together. Curado/Scorpion 70's and BFS reels have completely replaced spinning for bass fishing for me. No more wind knots. Spinning's just for crappie these days.

Agree. And use vicious No Fade Braid 

[garroyo130]

... and practice because its been 4 years so hopefully technique has improved

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Braid not twisting is a misconception. It just doesn’t suffer as much and is easier handling with twist. It still must be managed. Swivels where appropriate, well functioning roller guide, minimize slack and loops, full but not overfilled spool, manual bail operation and regular trolling out to remove twist. 

[Hulkster]

best way to avoid braid wind knots on spinning gear is to use a good quality mono like Sufix Siege.

 

 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

2 hours ago, Hulkster said:

best way to avoid braid wind knots on spinning gear is to use a good quality mono like Sufix Siege.

 

 

If wind knots are the sole determining factor, for sure. Every line choice is a trade off. Light braid mainline on spinning tackle is my personal preference for overall line management, casting and lack of stretch.