Fishing Line

[freshbassbuster]

I have been fishing a baitcaster for two years now, I know the basics and can properly tune brakes and spool tension. Recently, one night, i was fishing  and during hookset my line broke, not at my leader knot but in the middle of my line. There was no blood knots and no kinks in the line. Then after tying on a new bait, it happened again, once again in the middle of the line. It is 20lb braid. Why is this happening?

[Catt]

Braid broke or leader?

 

What lb test leader?

[MickD]

Carefully check your tiptop and guides for cracks or chips.  Q-tips sometimes work, but I just had two that the Q-tip didn't find, had to use a magnifying glass to see the chips/cracks.  Usually it's the tiptop.  

 

Look your line over carefully too, if you can see or feel damage along its length you have something that is damaging it.  It could be the tiptop/guides or possibly riprap/stone/other in the water structure?  

[freshbassbuster]

5 hours ago, Catt said:

Braid broke or leader?

 

What lb test leader?

Broke braid, I had casted out about 20 yards and around 5 feet from the tip of my rod the braid just snapped. 12 lb fluorocarbon leader

[Ryanralston07]

How old is your fishing line? I like to either put on new line, or unspool the line I have and spool it on backward to make sure I have 'fresh' line every season. The second option is cheaper, obviously. ?

[freshbassbuster]

5 hours ago, MickD said:

Carefully check your tiptop and guides for cracks or chips.  Q-tips sometimes work, but I just had two that the Q-tip didn't find, had to use a magnifying glass to see the chips/cracks.  Usually it's the tiptop.  

 

Look your line over carefully too, if you can see or feel damage along its length you have something that is damaging it.  It could be the tiptop/guides or possibly riprap/stone/other in the water structure?  

I just checked it over with a q-tip and a magnifying glass, there doesn't appear to any damage. 

I also should have added that i respooled about a week ago and this is my third time using that rod/reel combo and line. Not sure if that will help but just in case.

 

I was fishing open water, no rocks or anything to wear down the line. 

[freshbassbuster]

7 minutes ago, Ryanralston07 said:

How old is your fishing line? I like to either put on new line, or unspool the line I have and spool it on backward to make sure I have 'fresh' line every season. The second option is cheaper, obviously. ?

Just put new line on it last week. I put on sufix promix 20lb braid. Is that brand/make just a terrible line?

[galyonj]

I've not used that specific line, but I've used lots of Sufix 832. Anything else you can remember about the break-off incidents that you didn't mention in your OP?

[MN Fisher]

1 hour ago, freshbassbuster said:

I put on sufix promix 20lb braid. Is that brand/make just a terrible line?

The brand is great - Promix has had lots of reports of issues.

 

I use 832 on most of my braid rigs...never had an issue with it. Only braid I'd recommend over 832 is Seaguar Smackdown. I'll let you know if Yo-Zuri Super is worth it...I'm using that in 10# on my two finesse rigs this year

[casts_by_fly]

7 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

The brand is great - Promix has had lots of reports of issues.

 

I use 832 on most of my braid rigs...never had an issue with it. Only braid I'd recommend over 832 is Seaguar Smackdown. I'll let you know if Yo-Zuri Super is worth it...I'm using that in 10# on my two finesse rigs this year

I have 10 lb superbraid on a spinning reel and 10 lb 832 on my BFS reel.  Eventually I'll have 832 on all of my spinning reels.  Super is fine, 832 is better for me.

[Bird]

If the top guide is fine, just respool new line.

My fishing partner simply had a bad spool of braid, believe it was fire line and had the same issues you're having.

[dodgeguy]

20 lb is way to light on a baitcaster. 30 lb if your skills are impeccable or 50 and up if your average.either your guides are bad possibly from reeling terminal tackle into the tip or you are having line dig from line that's to thin and not smooth and round enough.  

[freshbassbuster]

2 hours ago, galyonj said:

I've not used that specific line, but I've used lots of Sufix 832. Anything else you can remember about the break-off incidents that you didn't mention in your OP?

The only thing that I forgot to mention is the fact that there wasn't a "snap" as it broke off, it was more of a loss of tension as I set the hook. I know my hookset wasn't too hard. That was the case both times but it was quite odd. 

[freshbassbuster]

25 minutes ago, dodgeguy said:

20 lb is way to light on a baitcaster. 30 lb if your skills are impeccable or 50 and up if your average.either your guides are bad possibly from reeling terminal tackle into the tip or you are having line dig from line that's to thin and not smooth and round enough.  

I was thinking about putting on some heavier line. I am going to change it regardless. If I change it to a 30lb braid, what lb flouro leader should I attach in your opinion 

[waymont]

54 minutes ago, freshbassbuster said:

I was thinking about putting on some heavier line. I am going to change it regardless. If I change it to a 30lb braid, what lb flouro leader should I attach in your opinion 

20lb is ok on casting gear. Have you checked your line guide on your reel?

[1984isNOW]

Has this spool ever experienced a backlash? Could have damaged some of the line.

 

I also will never put 20# braid on a baitcaster. Line dig could also have damaged your line, doesn't happen as much the higher # test you go.

 

I throw 30-40# and I'm exploring brands, one of the spiderwires I tried was solid, but not the basic. Suffix 832 and power pro are being tested presently. Also j Braid has been fine.

 

The biggest difference between braids of reputable companies is the coating and how abrasive it is, aside from whatever # they rate to thickness. All contributes to how it fishes and performs, but random break offs with no previous damage... new spool to me.

[dodgeguy]

4 hours ago, freshbassbuster said:

I was thinking about putting on some heavier line. I am going to change it regardless. If I change it to a 30lb braid, what lb flouro leader should I attach in your opinion 

Change it to vicious no fade braid. Lose the leader.

[dodgeguy]

8 hours ago, Kites R4 Skyfishing said:

Has this spool ever experienced a backlash? Could have damaged some of the line.

 

I also will never put 20# braid on a baitcaster. Line dig could also have damaged your line, doesn't happen as much the higher # test you go.

 

I throw 30-40# and I'm exploring brands, one of the spiderwires I tried was solid, but not the basic. Suffix 832 and power pro are being tested presently. Also j Braid has been fine.

 

The biggest difference between braids of reputable companies is the coating and how abrasive it is, aside from whatever # they rate to thickness. All contributes to how it fishes and performs, but random break offs with no previous damage... new spool to me.

I have never seen good braid damaged by backlash in the 30years I've been using it.

[Mike L]

Have you backlashed that reel??

If no rocks, wood, guide issues or any other outside influence, a reason could be that when picking out a backlash you inadvertently frayed it with your nails or pick. 
 

That happened to me one time which of course was my fault 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[dodgeguy]

45 minutes ago, Mike L said:

Have you backlashed that reel??

If no rocks, wood, guide issues or any other outside influence, a reason could be that when picking out a backlash you inadvertently frayed it with your nails or pick. 
 

That happened to me one time which of course was my fault 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

This is why we shouldn't pick out backlashes 

[Mike L]

2 minutes ago, dodgeguy said:

This is why we shouldn't pick out backlashes 

Yep,

Gotta know how or It’l bite ya almost every time. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

[1984isNOW]

4 hours ago, dodgeguy said:

I have never seen good braid damaged by backlash in the 30years I've been using it.

 

1 hour ago, Mike L said:

Have you backlashed that reel??

If no rocks, wood, guide issues or any other outside influence, a reason could be that when picking out a backlash you inadvertently frayed it with your nails or pick. 
 

That happened to me one time which of course was my fault 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

 

40 minutes ago, dodgeguy said:

This is why we shouldn't pick out backlashes 

So you sayin or has or hasn't happened in 30 years?

 

And do you just re spool every backlashed reel and not pick it out?

[MickD]

As Dodgeguy says, I've never had braid damaged by a backlash either, and I've used a lot of braid and have had a lot of backlashes.

 

I also see posts stating "You must have had a bad batch of line."  I've never had a bad batch of line or leader, any type.  I expect it happens, but it has to be very rare.  (Except for the old Vanish-it was all bad). 

 

I think if you fall back on the "bad batch" theory, you simply have not yet found the real reason.

[WRB]

Agree we shouldn’t lump all Fluorocarbon line and monofilament line into 1 group. Actually we can because Fluorocarbon line is actually a monofilament line made from different polymers.

Nylon or polyamide (PA) is the basic material “mono” line extruded from. There are lots of PA’s with wide range blends of properties. PA is hygroscopic means it absorbs moisture but that doesn’t necessarily weaken the polymer it can strengthen it. Some PA’s absorb up to 10% moisture and weaken as a result, others less 1.4% and increase toughness as a result. If your mono line is changing clarity or getting milky looking then it’s not a good line. Premium mono lines have very low moisture absorption and unaffected by soaking in water.

Fluorocarbon line isn’t Fluorocarbon like Teflon is, it’s polyvinylidene fluoride or PVDF. PVDF isn’t hygroscopic and doesn’t absorb moisture so physical properties are not affected soaked in water. The advantage of PVDF is it’s light refraction is identical to water thus invisible in water. Should be excellent fishing line and is. Like PA’s there are different blends of PVDF used to make fishing line, they are not all equal.

Seaguar, Sunline, Today are nearly equal within similar price range. Stay away from bargain line, the processing isn’t high quality and get less then you pay for.

Tom

 

[dodgeguy]

9 hours ago, Kites R4 Skyfishing said:

 

 

So you sayin or has or hasn't happened in 30 years?

 

And do you just re spool every backlashed reel and not pick it out?

No I reel against my thumb and almost 99,9 percent will come out.Bill Dance showed everyone this numerous times. I never hack my line with a pick.