Wind knots

[C.Rig21]

Is there anyone out there than uses braid that doesn't get wind knots on spinning gear. I love the ease of spinning gear and use it with straight mono. I have for a few years tried braid to mono leader. Although I do pretty good with it, I always get a nasty wind knot eventually. I have watched tons of YouTube videos concerning how to avoid them and have tried all those techniques. I have switched to all baitcaster and braid combo. I don't have any issues with braid and mono leader on BC. Would love opinions and advice. Maybe I just have to accept that as long as you put braid on spinning gear, you will have to deal with wind knots. Thx

[thediscochef]

I don't have a spinning reel with anything other than braid on it. I use anywhere from 8lb to 60lb depending on the setup. In general, I don't ever get wind knots unless one of two things is true -

 

1. Overwound spool, too much line on it. It doesn't take much extra line to reach that point. Basically the line should not be flush with the upper lip of the spool when reeled all the way in. 

 

Or

 

2. The spool sits too high on the main shaft causing line to bunch up at the bottom of the spool. When you cast, multiple loops of line start coming off at once instead of sequentially. They stack up on the guides, wrap around each other, and induce swear words. Fix is to undo the drag adjustment on the top of the spool, remove the spool, and remove one clear shim washer from the top of the stack on the main shaft. If you aren't comfortable taking the reel slightly apart like that, I suggest inquiring with @Delaware Valley Tackle about how they may be able to assist. They're excellent folks with the right knowledge and advice.

 

The likelihood of each of these problems varies depending on the manufacturer. The attached illustration is roughly how I spool my spinning reels - mostly daiwa fuego 2500s, but also pflueger presidents. I have not had a single wind knot since spooling my reels this way. 

 

If these aren't the answer then I would assume it's an issue with technique. But i would doubt that in this situation. I tend to think that more often than not, you can pretty easily learn spinning rods if you can cast a baitcaster or a spincast proficiently. The physics and geometry are fundamentally the same 

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

Cant say when the last wind knot i had been years and years though. I use light braid and nanofil only. To me its operator issue not a braid issue.

[Junk Fisherman]

Wind knots were a big problem for me in the past but I have eliminated them. I don't recall having a single one the last couple seasons and I used to have them just about every time out. What did I do? Shortened my leader length. I used to run a 10'-15' leader that went into the spool. I reduced my leader length so that the knot was just outside the reel so about a 7' leader. Now, I reduced the length since I was having intermittent issues of having the connection knot fail on the cast and losing my entire leader and lure but solving that problem has also eliminated wind knots.

 

 

[fin]

They should be called Twist Knots, because that's what they are - a big conglomeration of twists. They can happen with no wind at all. Wind Knot is a stupid name.

 

I get them occasionally. Not enough to make me switch to baitcasting.

 

It's a combination of three things for me - line too twisted, too long of a tag(s) on leader knot, or failing to make sure there's not a hanging loop before I close the bail and start reeling. I know how to deal with all of those issues, but sometimes I fail. I don't stress over it, I just deal with untangling it like solving a puzzle. I haven't had to cut one out in years.

 

I do some things that encourage twist knots. I guess you could call that bad technique if avoiding twist knots was the goal of the game.

[MickD]

Fin and Junk about have it, I think.  But some braids are more prone than others.  The premium, at least 8 strand, braids I use are pretty free of these knots.

 

But if any line gets badly twisted, when it goes into a condition of no tension on it, a knot can easily form.

[SC53]

Most of the time it’s caused by a loop when closing the bail. 
Closing the bail manually, instead of with the reel handle can help a lot.

 

Also, if you get one, most of the time you can get it out by applying some chapstick to the knot and pulling on it. The chapstick lubricates it enough for it to come undone.

[Jig Man]

You can “feather” the line with your finger as the bait reaches the water.  That will reduce the possibility of loose line on the spool, then keep your finger on the spool as you close the bail by hand not with the reel and be sure to look at the spool before you begin your retrieve.  That done over and over will be engrained in your procedure.  You should eliminate the knot issue.

[VTFan]

Ditto to all the above. I use 30 lb Power Pro braid on both my spinning reels and can't remember the last time I had one of those crazy knots...now having said that I'll get one the next time out. As SC53 said, if you get one lubricate it with chapstick or saliva and pull and it should come out.

[ConnorC]

At the beginning of this season I was getting one almost every time out using 15lb daiwa J braid and I couldn’t figure out why. Browsing the forum I read about closing the bail manually and pulling the line tight on the spool after every cast, I have gotten one since I started doing that. 

[Scott F]

For me, it doesn’t matter if I use the reel handle to close the bail or do it manually as long as I make sure there are no loose loops of line on the spool. Many times, if you use the reel handle to close the bail, you just start winding without checking for loops. When you close the bail by hand, you are already in a good position to pull on the line and tighten it on the spool. Twisted line will cause loops easier 

[Bankc]

What reel are you using?

I switched to braid on my spinning reels specifically to avoid wind knots.  As my mono or fluoro go older, it the line memory would eventually cause wind knots, and that's when I knew it was time to respool.  But after switching to braid, I've now gone years between respooling and years without wind knots. 

 

But I heard reports that some reels, especially cheaper ones with bad roller bearings on the bail, or none at all, are more prone to wind knots.  It also helps to put a swivel on your line from time to time, so that any twist that builds up in the line can be worked out.  I had to do that often when I was using straight fluoro.

[gim]

I get them infrequently.  I use braided line to a fluoro leader on most of my spinning setups.

 

If you can try to spot and subsuquently address it before it gets too bad, that certainly helps.

 

Another item that hasn't been mentioned yet here.  Make sure when you initially put the line on the spinning spool that its not on there twisted to start with.  Starting with brand new twisted line isn't helping any, its only making it worse and its only going to increase the chances of getting worse.

[DaubsNU1]

Like @gimruis I use braid to leader on my spinning rods (10lb bright yellow braid to either 8 or 10lb fluorocarbon leader). Love this set up!

 

Good advice to keep out twist. When I spool my spinning rods...tie on the braid...then I walk the spool down my yard 100 yards or so...cut the line...then walk back to the shop and reel in. 

 

I do get wind knot's occasionally. To mitigate the issues, I will make a long cast with the wind...then keep tension on the line as I am retrieving. This seems to help. 

[Team9nine]

9 hours ago, C.Rig21 said:

Maybe I just have to accept that as long as you put braid on spinning gear, you will have to deal with wind knots.

This is where I’m at with it. Call it user error or whatever, but I think it’s almost impossible to avoid them completely unless you’re just a casual spinning angler or a bit OCD with your technique. That said, I agree with several posters points that the primary factors are built up line twist combined with loose line or overspooling, with a smaller component being brand of line, and brand/design of reel. Get the last two figured out, then just deal with the occasional wind knots that happen. Like baitcast overruns, the more you’ve dealt with them, the easier they are to untangle.

[Glenn]

You gotta do these things:

 

 

[Zcoker]

I usually run heavier braid on my spinning reels which, by comparison, is still very thin. The heavier line seems to be less prone to wind knots. I try to consciously load the cast which helps maintain firmness from the lure to spool. Often, wind knots come about when the line forms a loop while reeling in with no awareness of it. Then on the next cast, a mess happens. So I always take a quick peek at the spool before casting to make sure no loops are hanging out. I've avoided many disasters by doing that. 

[bulldog1935]

11 hours ago, C.Rig21 said:

Is there anyone out there who uses braid and doesn't get wind knots on spinning gear. 

Never, Not One.  Ever.  

Manual Bail Technique.  

 

[Tennessee Boy]

I don’t close my bail manually.  I know I should but I’m set in my ways and can’t change.   No one is perfect.

 

That said,  I’ve learned to tell when my line is getting twisted before it becomes a problem.   When it twisted I just let all of the line out behind the boat and reel it back in.  It takes a minute or two.  Then I’m good for another few months.  I’ve had people on this forum tell me this doesn’t work.   It has worked well for me for decades.

[WRB]

Manual closing spinning reel bail doesn’t prevent line twist it prevents line loops that end up creating a mess of looped line tangled in the rod guides.

Spinning reels twist line, the fixed spool having line wrapped onto it causes line twist. Simply manage the line by untwisting.

Tom

[TnRiver46]

Hot take: the wind cannot tie knots 

[Junk Fisherman]

1 hour ago, bulldog1935 said:

Never, Not One.  Ever.  

Manual Bail Technique.  

 

 

I have always closed my bail by hand and I used to always get them.  The shorter leader is what eliminated the wind knots for me.  I think it was Brent Ehlers who had a video that he mentions this.  Like I wrote earlier, I went to a shorter leader to protect my connection knot and in the process elimated wind knots too.  Win win.  

[bulldog1935]

I use leaders strictly for shock-tolerance with braid, tie them short (18" with microguides to 4' with full-sized K-guides, will go to 6+' on a surf rod), 

I put a perfection loop on the leader business end, and loop-on micro-swivel snap, or micro-swivel bite trace for toothy fish.  This is stronger than any single-bend knot.  But I never fish spinning w/o micro-swivel. 

 

(leader Allbright knot)

[C.Rig21]

12 hours ago, thediscochef said:

I don't have a spinning reel with anything other than braid on it. I use anywhere from 8lb to 60lb depending on the setup. In general, I don't ever get wind knots unless one of two things is true -

 

1. Overwound spool, too much line on it. It doesn't take much extra line to reach that point. Basically the line should not be flush with the upper lip of the spool when reeled all the way in. 

 

Or

 

2. The spool sits too high on the main shaft causing line to bunch up at the bottom of the spool. When you cast, multiple loops of line start coming off at once instead of sequentially. They stack up on the guides, wrap around each other, and induce swear words. Fix is to undo the drag adjustment on the top of the spool, remove the spool, and remove one clear shim washer from the top of the stack on the main shaft. If you aren't comfortable taking the reel slightly apart like that, I suggest inquiring with @Delaware Valley Tackle about how they may be able to assist. They're excellent folks with the right knowledge and advice.

 

The likelihood of each of these problems varies depending on the manufacturer. The attached illustration is roughly how I spool my spinning reels - mostly daiwa fuego 2500s, but also pflueger presidents. I have not had a single wind knot since spooling my reels this way. 

 

If these aren't the answer then I would assume it's an issue with technique. But i would doubt that in this situation. I tend to think that more often than not, you can pretty easily learn spinning rods if you can cast a baitcaster or a spincast proficiently. The physics and geometry are fundamentally the same 

Thank you. My spools lie flat. They neither "V" or "A". I have adjusted the appropriate amount of washers on the spool shaft. My line is about 1/8" from spool edge. I could go down to about 1/4" to see if that helps. I seem to wind knots at least once or twice in a 5 hour session. I will spend about 10 minutes picking it out. If unsuccessful I change rods. I have about 7 feet of leader, the connection knot (crazy Alberto) just above the spool. Thanks the culprit I'm sure. Thank you very much for information. 

[bulldog1935]

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