And the braid goes BANG!

[GTN-NY]

New rod n reel setup. St Croix Victory MHf and Diawa Tatula with Berkely X5 30lb braid. 
2 days in a row on the first few casts with a spinnerbait the line snapped with a big bang. 1st time it broke off about a foot past the rod tip and 2nd time right at the reel. 
What causes this?

 

2nd time I got my spinnerbait back. Braid floats and I ran it over with trolling motor. 50’ of braid wrapped up on the prop. Had to take the kayak to shore to fix it

Thanks for any help you can give me

 

Edit: line is Berkley Big Game Braid 20lb

[softwateronly]

1 hour ago, GTN-NY said:

New rod n reel setup. St Croix Victory MHf and Diawa Tatula with Berkely X5 30lb braid. 
2 days in a row on the first few casts with a spinnerbait the line snapped with a big bang. 1st time it broke off about a foot past the rod tip and 2nd time right at the reel. 
What causes this?

 

2nd time I got my spinnerbait back. Braid floats and I ran it over with trolling motor. 50’ of braid wrapped up on the prop. Had to take the kayak to shore to fix it

Thanks for any help you can give me

Could be a nick in the guide inserts abrading the line.  Braid is really hard on "soft" material guides and can also wear in grooves.  You can take a cotton swab and check all your guides looking for any fiber pull.  If it's not that, I'm at a loss without more info.

 

scott

 

I haven't finished my coffee...Being a new and good rod, what I wrote seems unlikely but still worth checking in case something happened in transit or on the line....

 

[GTN-NY]

Just now, softwateronly said:

Could be a nick in the guide inserts abrading the line.  Braid is really hard on "soft" material guides and can also wear in grooves.  You can take a cotton swab and check all your guides looking for any fiber pull.  If it's not that, I'm at a loss without more info.

 

scott

Brand new rod. Only has 4 casts made lol. But I’ll still check the guides. 
thanks

[softwateronly]

1 minute ago, GTN-NY said:

Brand new rod. Only has 4 casts made lol. But I’ll still check the guides. 
thanks

Yeah, shouldn't write before coffee.  I don't expect you to find an issue with a new St Croix, but it is possible.  I don't know that Berkley line, maybe it has a history of inconsistency and you got a bad batch?

 

scott

[Reel]

Maybe the braid wraps around the tip or a guide .

[huZZah]

Also possible spooling that the braid got roughed. I’ve done it once before from keeping pressure on it to get a tight spool. I inadvertently messed it up the entire spool length. It was Berkeley big game 30lb braid. Other than that...?‍♂️

[r83srock]

The X5 braid is generally considered a good line by many I know who have used it. I use power pro a lot, in 30-50 lb and have had the same issue as you if I try to “whip” cast really hard. The line would dig in a bit in the spool and with no stretch in the braid, the line would snap during the cast. I found a slower, less aggressive cast works better for me. 

[jimmyjoe]

   Use braid with a minimum diameter of 11 mil (.011). Personally, I go slightly higher. Also spool your braid TIGHT. 

   These two things help prevent dig-in, which gives results exactly like you have described.     jj

[GTN-NY]

Edit: line is Berkley Big Game Braid 20lb

[VolFan]

What JJ said - when you really load a cast, braid that thin will dig into the spool. When you let fly, no stretch+snagged in spool= release of energy in the form of sound as it snaps and your spinner bait goes sailing. I’d step up the braid size to at least 40 lb if you’re using normal bass sized lures (1/4 to 3/4 oz) and smooth out that casting stroke.

[new2BC4bass]

3 hours ago, jimmyjoe said:

   Use braid with a minimum diameter of 11 mil (.011). Personally, I go slightly higher. Also spool your braid TIGHT. 

   These two things help prevent dig-in, which gives results exactly like you have described.     jj

When I first asked about using braid, it was suggested 40# or larger.  Went 40#.  And, yeah, I read all the time about success with much lighter.  Even have successfully fished 30# that came on a used reel....once I got all the tight spots removed.  Have pulled a 14 foot Gheenoe with 2 of us in it over to where I was snagged on lily pads, and continued to successfully fish with the reel without having to pull off a bunch of line first.  BUT I keep the line snug on the reel at all times.

 

I actually have some 8# and 6# braid to try on a Light/UltraLight casting rod.  That should be fun! 

[GreenPig]

12 minutes ago, new2BC4bass said:

When I first asked about using braid, it was suggested 40# or larger.  Went 40#.  And, yeah, I read all the time about success with much lighter.  Even have successfully fished 30# that came on a used reel....once I got all the tight spots removed.  Have pulled a 14 foot Gheenoe with 2 of us in it over to where I was snagged on lily pads, and continued to successfully fish with the reel without having to pull off a bunch of line first.  BUT I keep the line snug on the reel at all times.

 

I actually have some 8# and 6# braid to try on a Light/UltraLight casting rod.  That should be fun! 

30 lb is the minimum I spool on a standard BC reel due to digging in. But the Monkeys been whispering in my ear while I sleep BFS BFS BFS. 

[li_bass_hunter]

Are you using a leader? If so, the knot could be catching the guide causing you to break off

[bulldog1935]

6 hours ago, Reel said:

Maybe the braid wraps around the tip or a guide .

 

I had one and only one cast like this - threw away a nice Hogy's epoxy jig in the dark.  

 

 

Though the last and only baitcaster backlash I can remember was for the same reason.  

[galyonj]

2 hours ago, new2BC4bass said:

I actually have some 8# and 6# braid to try on a Light/UltraLight casting rod.  That should be fun! 

 

I use 6lb Sufix (to a 4lb leader) on an ultralight with nary a problem. Braid is so much easier to deal with on a spinning reel that it ain't even funny.

[dodgeguy]

Never go underc50 on baitcast. I've been fishing braid since the early 90s and have never snapped my line on a cast. 

[li_bass_hunter]

3 minutes ago, dodgeguy said:

Never go underc50 on baitcast. I've been fishing braid since the early 90s and have never snapped my line on a cast. 

I use 30 and 50 with no problems 

[new2BC4bass]

37 minutes ago, galyonj said:

 

I use 6lb Sufix (to a 4lb leader) on an ultralight with nary a problem. Braid is so much easier to deal with on a spinning reel that it ain't even funny.

I put Fins 5# Windtamer on my BG1500, but the 6#/8# line is for finesse spools to try on my Ace Hawk Double C602UL/L.  Plan on using this rod to learn on before graduating to a Light/ML BFS casting rod.

[Shimano_1]

I'd guess it's the braid digging into itself and snapping on a hard cast. I never go below 30 and prefer bigger on casting reels. Just doesn't seem to manage well on casting gear and digs in itself more than heavier braid.

[FishTank]

6 hours ago, GTN-NY said:

Edit: line is Berkley Big Game Braid 20lb

 

I tried this line before.  I found it on clearance somewhere.  I had the same issue.  It was one in a series of braided lines that I had issues with.  I would consider it the worst I have tried so far.

 

On a side note, I had the same thing happen today with some 16lb Sunline X-plasma on spinning gear.  I needed to make a long cast.  I guess I over loaded my rod and it snapped like I was cracking a whip. I had been running it over some sharp slate rock though,  there is a chance it could have been damaged.  

[JustJames]

Maybe, line too small and too hard whip on such heavy lure. To me, braid is not optimal line for this type lure or even lipless crank. It can work but need to adjust the cast to be a little softer, big lob swing cast. I’m not sure if go with bigger line would help. you might not break the line when snap but it would dig in bad that you might have to cut the line. 

[galyonj]

2 hours ago, new2BC4bass said:

I put Fins 5# Windtamer on my BG1500, but the 6#/8# line is for finesse spools to try on my Ace Hawk Double C602UL/L.  Plan on using this rod to learn on before graduating to a Light/ML BFS casting rod.

 

I haven't used Fins, but I thought about it for this combo, actually. Only reason I didn't go for it was I like bright line for my braid. So the Sufix yellow fit the bill, and I have experience with that line and knew I liked how it handled.

 

For my ML/F setup, a 6'9" Lew's TP-1 Black with a 2500-size Shimano NASCI, I use 15lb Powerpro V2 to a 6lb YZH leader, and I throw everything from 1/32oz ned rigs up to senkos on a 1/4oz wacky jighead on it -- it might be my most used rig some days. The big thing I've found I have to keep in mind with braid on light spinning outfits is that I have to keep the rod tip low if it's windy, lest so much line bow out that I completely lose touch with the lure. Good way to lose fish.

[Michigander]

Could be a bad batch of line. Also, you'll want to inspect all guides and the reel. Dry cotton swab rubbed on all surfaces the line touches can reveal burrs. The cotton will get snagged on any microscopic pokey bits.

[CrankFate]

I’ve had that happen when a loose coil of line cris crosses in the spool, like if you cross your fingers, and then catches on itself. Most likely happens to me with new gear and light baits, I think, because we get used to a certain motion on the gear we were using before. It has happened to me the most after adding much faster bearings to a reel. Doesn’t happen to me as much, now, because I constantly look at my spool after a cast to see the loose coil. If you catch it before reeling over it, it helps. Just a little pull after closing freespool gets it out or a pull with your thumb on the spool in freespool. Eventually, I got used to making sure the line is laying properly on the spool, so it doesn’t happen as much for me anymore. But every now and then, it happens. Usually the line breaks right behind me and the lure lands near my feet. Otherwise it might be sacrificed to the fish gods.

[jimmyjoe]

6 minutes ago, CrankFate said:

I’ve had that happen when a loose coil of line cris crosses in the spool, like if you cross your fingers, and then catches on itself. Most likely happens to me with new gear and light baits, I think, because we get used to a certain motion on the gear we were using before. It has happened to me the most after adding much faster bearings to a reel. Doesn’t happen to me as much, now, because I constantly look at my spool to see the loose coil. If you catch it before reeling into the spool, it helps. Just a little pull after closing freespool gets it out. Eventually, I got used to making sure the line is laying properly on the spool, so it doesn’t happen as much for me anymore. But every now and then, it happens. Usually the line breaks right behind me and the lure lands near my feet. Otherwise it might be sacrificed to the fish gods.

 

   ^^^ This ^^^

  

   I get this using reels that are not synchronized levelwind. I will occasionally look down at the spool and see that the line and the levelwind eye are at radically different positions. I have always suspected that this contributed to backlashes, so I pull line off to make sure that the eye and the line are in the same position.

   With nylon line it doesn't seem to be a big issue, but it seems to help a lot with braid.      jj