What do you do about a deep line break?

[Lobocito]

Recently I made a cast with a newer reel I'm still trying to dial in. Blew it up big time, whatever. Ultimate result for whatever reason is that easily 1/2 of my spooled line is now gone. In this instance I was running pure flouro. So now I have like.. probably 55-60 yards of flouro left on the reel. 

 

What do you guys do in these situations? it has enough line to fish but if I make a really bomb ass cast or hook into a 10 pounder I could definitely get spooled. At the same time, it is enough line that if I try to just tie more line on with an FG knot or something, I'd almost certainly be reaching that knot on long casts, and I feel like having a knot that deep in your spool that gets cast is.. not a great idea. 

 

Keep fishing it with 60 yards and hope I don't get spooled? Tie on a new line? Chop a little more off and THEN tie on a new line and just use old stuff as backing? Wind the flouro off, put some crappy old braid on as a backer, and put the flouro back on and hope I don't reach the backing too often? 

Thanks for any input / advice. Just curious what other anglers do. With mono I'd probably just chop it off but these stupid $20 200 yard spools of flouro, I probably don't have enough to totally fill the reel again. 

[Team9nine]

Depends on how much line was on the spool to begin with. If it truly was about 120 yds., and you've lost half that (60 yds, leaving 60 yds left), you just obtained some expensive backing line  In that case, I'd remove another 20-30 yds, then reconnect and respool fresh line on top ("Chop a little more off and THEN tie on a new line and just use old stuff as backing"). 

[Heartland]

Ah the pleasures of FC line.  Once I have a beak off in the spool, that line has proven defective and it comes off with no possibility of ever being main line again.   Two choices, use the existing line as backing and save yourself 50-60 yards of good usable line.  Or spool the whole reel with fresh line, wasting many yards that will never see the water.

[jbrew73]

I always spool enough  backing line to allow 65 yards of main line on top.  I would pull off line down to the backing and spool on new line. 

[JustJames]

If it is a good expensive line and you sure to have 50-60yds, I would reuse the line by adding cheap backing. 50 yds is plenty and might last you a few more trips before needing new line. 

If you tie a good backing knot, and set drag properly, you should be able to play the fish even with knot out in open. Bass doesn’t pull the line as much anyway. 

BTW I would consider changing line if you cast pass backing knot. This can also be indicator if you need more or less backing.

[Jaderose]

Use part of it as backing on another reel.

 

[Bluebasser86]

I never run a full spool of fluoro. Fill it 1/3 to 1/2 full of cheap mono and then top it off with fluoro. That way you can spool a few times off each spool of line and a big backlash doesn't hurt so bad.

[dodgeguy]

One of many reasons I stopped using flourocarbon line. One good backlash is 20$ down the drain. I would spool with Sufix advance mono.

[CWB]

Best thing would be to avoid this. I had it happen a couple of times for no apparent reason and started paying more attention to what is going on. I might have found a solution, for me at least. Every once in a while I was getting a slight overrun, not a backlash, and as it wasn't so bad I just started reeling. I did notice a slight little loop that was getting line reeled in over it. My thought was that this would crimp or weaken the line. Now I pull out even the slightest little overrun, even if its only a couple inches and have had no deep breakoffs since. This has happened to me with co-polymer also but not any more. Don't use mono so can't speak to that.

[WRB]

The reel spool needs to be filled to within 1/8" from full to maintain reasonable IPT and casting performance. If the FC hasn't been on the reel for more then a few days it should be in good condition, not flattened or deformed. 

Put 40 yards of mono or braid backing and top off with the FC. Get yourself line conditioner for FC. Learn to wind over the backlash technique* in lieu of trying to pull it out.

why are you using FC line?

Tom

PS, big bass isn't going to spool you they don't make long runs.

* research on utube.

[Fishes in trees]

On a positive note, at least you know where your next spare $20 is going.  This doesn't happen to me very often, I use fluorocarbon alot, but I also go through a bottle or two of KVD line treatment each season and that seems to help.

 

A serious backlash on my smaller 50 size Shimano reels, I'll just replace the line.  On the 200 size ones, I might splice in some new line, using the old for backing.  How long the line has been on the reel is the question.  Fluorocarbon that is taken care of will last several seasons for me.

[JustJames]

On side note never ever use that popular  reel in with thumb pressure to remove backlash on FC or any light line. It will definitely damage the line more than it help.

[J Francho]

2 minutes ago, Bass_Fishing_Socal said:

On side note never ever use that popular  reel in with thumb pressure to remove backlash on FC or any light line. It will definitely damage the line more than it help.

I've tried it a few times, with all types of line, and it has NEVER worked for me.  I feel like those videos show it working are a hoax.

[JustJames]

7 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I've tried it a few times, with all types of line, and it has NEVER worked for me.  I feel like those videos show it working are a hoax.

It is actually work wonder. It saved me a couple time especially at night with this method. I don’t put too much pressure and only reel in a couple cranks and pull, replete a few times and bam backlash is gone. 
But with the bad backlash nail clippers is your best bet lol.

[J Francho]

4 minutes ago, Bass_Fishing_Socal said:

But with the bad backlash nail clippers is your best bet lol.

Pepper liberally with expletives, for best results.

[dodgeguy]

7 hours ago, J Francho said:

I've tried it a few times, with all types of line, and it has NEVER worked for me.  I feel like those videos show it working are a hoax.

Always works for me.

[J Francho]

[GreenPig]

I'd top it off with cheap mono and the next time I go to the lake tie to a cleat and idle until the spools empty, cut fluoro at the spool, tie the mono to the spool and reel it in. Hope that makes sense. 

[Alex from GA]

Thumb pressure works better with heavier line unless you hit a tree 10' in front of you then the clippers come into play.

[Mbirdsley]

If it’s a deep deep break I will just splice new line in.  I usually carry FC or co-polymer FC in my tackle bag for leaders any how.  So if it happens on the lake I either strip it all off or re-splice.  I only put 80-100 yards max of FC on at a time .  a lot of times though it is 40-50 yards max of FC line. 

[NHBull]

I coming from mostly braid to FC leader, I use braid for all my backing and try to buy FC or Mono in bulk......Especially is your using tastu as your FC.  I also lime that the Union knot is smaller and don’t worry if I need to increase drag before getting spoiler.  Only happened once but I was grateful