Cottonwood tree pollen on line/rod/reel

[plawren53202]

I don't know if the actual name for them is cottonwood trees, but that's what everyone I know here in Missouri calls them. They're the trees that shed this cottony thready pollen stuff that clumps up and collects on the surface of the water. 

 

I don't remember it being this bad in years past but for some reason they're just awful this year here. The stuff collects on your line during the retrieve and then, as it builds up, it clumps up in either the rod line guides or, on my baitcaster, in the line guide on the reel. On my spinning rod a lot of it sneaks by and just collects on the spool. Once it got so clumped up in the line guide on my reel that when I went to cast, the line couldn't pass through and it caused a massive backlash.

 

The worst thing about the stuff is when it gets wet and clumped up, it is very hard to get off of the line. It's like I almost have to pick away at individual fibers. Tonight it was so bad that it influenced where I fished on the pond; I fished in a not as productive area because it was on the opposite side of the pond from where the wind had blown all of the cottonwood stuff.

 

Anyone else dealing with this? More importantly, anyone have any magic tips for getting the stuff off of your line or otherwise keeping it from collecting in the line guides or on the spool? 

[Bandersnatch]

5 minutes ago, plawren53202 said:

I don't know if the actual name for them is cottonwood trees, but that's what everyone I know here in Missouri calls them. They're the trees that shed this cottony thready pollen stuff that clumps up and collects on the surface of the water. 

 

I don't remember it being this bad in years past but for some reason they're just awful this year here. The stuff collects on your line during the retrieve and then, as it builds up, it clumps up in either the rod line guides or, on my baitcaster, in the line guide on the reel. On my spinning rod a lot of it sneaks by and just collects on the spool. Once it got so clumped up in the line guide on my reel that when I went to cast, the line couldn't pass through and it caused a massive backlash.

 

The worst thing about the stuff is when it gets wet and clumped up, it is very hard to get off of the line. It's like I almost have to pick away at individual fibers. Tonight it was so bad that it influenced where I fished on the pond; I fished in a not as productive area because it was on the opposite side of the pond from where the wind had blown all of the cottonwood stuff.

 

Anyone else dealing with this? More importantly, anyone have any magic tips for getting the stuff off of your line or otherwise keeping it from collecting in the line guides or on the spool? 

Happened to me today in michigan while fogging. It completely locked up my setup to the point I stopped frogging

[jimmyjoe]

   On a baitcaster, this is one of the original reasons I run my line through my fingers on the retrieve. Once it balls up enough, I take a fingernail clippers to it.      jj

[Manifestgtr]

That stuff has been brutal on me this year. If you stop paying attention for even one retrieve, it piles up in your spool...pollen buildups in general really. My braid has taken on this sickly yellow/green color and it’s everywhere. Line guides, worm gears, frame crevices...all filled. At some point soon, I’m gonna pull them all apart for a cleaning before it gets down any deeper. 

[Bluebasser86]

Cottonwood seed are the reason innerline rods failed allegedly. The stuff would get stuck inside them and no way to get it out.

 

It's awful to have to deal with and there is no magic way to avoid it. I usually take the same  route, avoid the areas it's the worse.

[nascar2428]

That stuff drives me crazy!! I try to avoid the areas of accumulation as much as possible. I now remove it from my line and rod,every time I see it.

[Born 2 fish]

I hate cottonwood seeds.

[Mobasser]

In Missouri, cottonwood trees are common around any water source. They get huge too. Agree they can be a pain to fish around. If it's the trees I'm thinking of, they have a light colored bark, very thick large trunk, and have hundreds of little seed balls, which break apart, and get blown everywhere. jimmy joes idea is about the best way to avoid problems with them, or, avoid these areas if you can. The roots of these trees are also notorious for seeking water near underground plumbing drains and water lines. They've cracked many older clay pipes through the years, causing expensive repairs too

[plawren53202]

Well, I guess I'm glad to hear I'm not alone in dealing with this headache.

 

After fishing in the gunk last evening, tonight I thought it might be a good idea to give the two combos I was using a good cleaning. ??? especially in and underneath my baitcasting reel. Holy cow it took about 10 qtips to get all the gunk out. 

 

Common sense would have said to call it a night last night rather than keep fishing in the stuff but they were hitting a Whopper Plopper and it was my first consistent topwater bite of the year. No way I was leaving that to go home.