Wind knots - is it the line, the reel or me?

[The Baron]

I'm having a lot of issues with wind knots, but it seems specific to my Diawa Fuego 2500LT spooled with 15# Sufix 832.  I've not had any issue with either my Stradic or a Diawa Revros, but they're both spooled with 20# Power Pro.   They're all been used for the same thing - dropshot (using spin shot hooks), wacky rigged senkos, 3-4" Keitech swim baits and tube jigs.  Could it be that the lighter line is more prone to wind knots?  Could it be the reel?  Or maybe I just did a bad job of spooling the Fuego?  I'll have to respool and might have to try the 20# just to see if that keeps me out of trouble.

[J Francho]

Generally, wind knots in braid are from line twist.  Troll it out and reel back in under some pressure.  That said, I gave up on 832 in 20# due to excessive wind knots.

[DaubsNU1]

I started running 10lb PowerPro on my spinning rods since last spring.

 

I do get wind knots occasionally when I'm throwing finesse rigs or drop-shots. 

 

What I found helps:  About ever 10 to 15 casts....I turn away from the bank, and make a long cast...then hold tension on the line as I reel.

[gim]

Its probably inevitably going to happen from time to time with a spinning reel.  I use sufix 832 on a couple of my shiman saharas and occasionally I get them.  When I notice them, I pull the line out to get rid of them. 

[J Francho]

1 minute ago, DaubsNU1 said:

What I found helps:

stop using braid on spinners, lol.

[A-Jay]

Before you respool, run your problem line out behind your boat for a minute.  Nothing on the end, no leader either, just the braid. Then reel it back with a little tension between your fingers.

It will untwist it which might be part of the problem.  Fish it for some time and see how it goes.

Someone will be along here shortly to list what can cause the problem, or at least contribute to it in the first place

A-Jay

[Choporoz]

Any line can eventually twist enough to make wind knots more likely.   Braid covers up the problem longer, but still needs to get untwisted at some point.  Using a leader with slightest tag end to catch a guide on the way out will allow you the pleasure of getting that wind knot even before the twist is too bad.

[PhishLI]

Check to see if your line roller is spinning nicely. If it isn't, lube it.

[MN Fisher]

26 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

Check to see if your line roller is spinning nicely. If it isn't, lube it.

What really helps is a reel with a bearing under the line-roller - the Fuego LT has a bushing.

 

I run 20# 832 on my Pflueger Supreme-30 - which has a line-roller bearing - don't have problems with major twist or wind-knots.

[PhishLI]

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

What really helps is a reel with a bearing under the line-roller

True, yet my BG 2500 uses a bushing and wind knots aren't a thing with it using 15 PP SS. I keep it clean and lubed.

 

P.S. Grease was cleaned off of the assembly and lubed with Reel X oil instead.

[MN Fisher]

6 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

True, yet my Tatula LT 3000CXH uses a bushing and wind knots aren't a thing with it using 15 PP SS. I keep it clean and lubed.

According to the schematics - the Tatula LT has a bearing, not a bushing.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0384/6645/3641/files/TALT1000-2500D-XH_3000-4000-CXH_3000D-CXH.pdf

[waymont]

Make sure you are not over filling your spool.

[bulldog1935]

If you use manual bail technique, you pretty much can't over-fill your spool, and it's the best solution to wind knots.   

 

Keep your free hand close to the spool.  Use your fintertips to feather the line at the end of the cast - like thumbing your baitcaster.  Close the bail with that hand - do not use crank-auto-bail-close. 

Turn with the rod and take up the slack before you retrieve. 

Solved. 

 

I can't think if a problem or complaint about spinning tackle that proper manual bail technique doesn't solve - loose line behind the spool, slack line at the end of your cast, runaway line in the wind - solved. 

[FrnkNsteen]

Agreed^^

 

I do the same thing. I feather the end of the cast for accuracy, then manually close the bail and give the line a tug to tighten on the spool or lift the tip to pick up slack on moving baits as I start to work the bait or reel. 

 

I rarely have any issues with wind knots or line twist causing line to jump off the spool. My wife has them occasionally. She says she does the same thing at the end of casts, but I haven't been able to confirm. 

[PhishLI]

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

According to the schematics - the Tatula LT has a bearing, not a bushing.

Yes, you're correct. I meant my BG 2500 which uses a bushing. Oops! Same line. No wind knot problems. None with 20lb J8 either when it was spooled with that. The line roller gets Reel X oil. No grease.

[Cbump]

I don’t get them but I do exactly what bulldog said. My kids get them cuz they’re always reeling up loose line. 

[Glenn]

2 hours ago, FrnkNsteen said:

manually close the bail and give the line a tug to tighten on the spool or lift the tip to pick up slack on moving baits as I start to work the bait or reel. 

^^ This!!^^

 

Always do this, and your problems will melt away.

 

[fin]

I've always manually closed the bail, but I don't always check to make sure the line is tight to the spool before starting to retrieve. It's hard to change old habits. I occasionally have wind knots with 10# Suffix 832, but not a lot. I've had good luck with Power Pro too, but some other brands I won't mention... I have thrown away the line after a few months.

[PressuredFishing]

Wind knots, or fluff IS NOT LINE TWIST, it occurs when line comes too fast off the spool and the line behind it catches up to the line in front, creating a tangle between the reel and first eye. Many ways to minimize this, closing the bail manually and tugging  as mentioned above will somewhat  bandaid the issue, but the root problem is deeper, I wont make this lengthy but if you want more details let me know.

[bulldog1935]

Wind knots occur when multiple line loops come off the spool at the same time. 

Line twist is one possible cause, since twisted line helps to pull up big bunches of line. 

Believe me, I've seen it in the old days when friends were fishing big braid without good ball-bearing line rollers. 

Certainly loose line lay from bad habits is the highest probability. 

Hour-glass line lay can be another cause. 

[Hulkster]

As mentioned earlier, stop using braid on spinning reels, I went back to 10 pound test sufix Siege and never looked back. F braid lol