Overhead Casting with Braid

[ThaKing]

I was just wondering if anyone here had a problem with overhead casting with braid.

I noticed that sometimes i would overhead cast and the braid would get stuck or knot up in the spool and it would either cause it to break off or birdnest.

I also noticed when my friend would cast with alot of power it would do the samething

Anyone have this problem or is it just me?

[DRat]

If you are useing a spinning rod the line has probably become lose on the reel. I have never had a wind knot on a baitcaster.

[Jig Man]

I was just wondering if anyone here had a problem with overhead casting with braid.

I noticed that sometimes i would overhead cast and the braid would get stuck or knot up in the spool and it would either cause it to break off or birdnest.

I also noticed when my friend would cast with alot of power it would do the samething

Anyone have this problem or is it just me?

I had some of that with Fireline.  I got rid of it and went to Power Pro.  I have it on 6 reels and have had very few problems.

[ThaKing]

Sorry i forgot to mention i have it on a baitcasting reel.

My friend has powerpro and he has the same problem, thats why i was wondering if it was normal.

[dodgeguy]

what kind of braid are you using?you should be casting with your wrist and forget casting for power.you will get more distance that way.sufix braid has got to be the easiest casting line on the face of the earth.either you need to use your thumb more or use more brakes.

[ThaKing]

yea i got sufix braid, its not really a huge problem.

I can cast that thing way out there. And yes your right, power is what makes this happen.

I was just wondering if this was just me or if anyone else had the same issue.

I can cast really far and accurate with sufix braid. The only thing is on overhead cast it will sometimes get stuck on the cast.  I guess to avoid it ill try overhead casting real smooth.

[Garnet]

You can cast power pro a mile. Your problem is proably snap casting with either spinning or casting. It's all braid Stren Suffix tuff are the only ones I've tried just cast normal and no problem.

Garnet

[Banor]

I would disagree with all the advice.  I would say it is your reel settings.  I dont birds nest (backlash) at all with Power Pro and I have been known to cast with all the above mentioned methods purposefully and accidentally

The key with any line and reel is to set them up correctly as pointed out several times by Reel Mech.  I think it's sticky'd up top too.

B

[ThaKing]

what would the methods be?

My friend has powerpro and i have sufix braid so i doubt its the braid, i do have my brake system pretty lose maybe thats it.

I usually keep em pretty lose because i can get a farther cast. I just never knew this would interfere with braid.

[WBFishing]

Check to see if your rod is loading up when you are casting it.  If it is, in my opinion, you need to move to a stiffer rod.  I had been having the same problems when I was casting horny toads on braid.  I was using a medium power rod and using my wrist to cast. The line was going out 20 yards and just stopping.  It was suggested to me, by a buddy, to move to a stiffer rod.  So I moved to a medium heavy and have less problems(only when I rush to get it done). I also found it helpful to almost "sling the lure" with my arm and shoulder (overhead or roll cast) for longer cast instead of using my wrist.  With the longer cast, I try to purposefully keep the rod as stiff as possible and guide the lure down to the target with my rod tip.

[islandbass]

Sounds like a "line dig" problem coupled with tossing a lighter weight say 1/4 oz and 20# braid or less? Line dig can stop any lure from going out though, but heavier lures can usually bust through line dig.

When on the spool braid can "dig into itself" and if not noticed or if you're unaware of it, the spool just about stops spinning and since you're not expecting to put your thumb on it yet, a little backlash. The sequence is a spinning spool, then the line dug into itself nearly slows the speed of the spool but there is still a lot of energy and the bird's nest or overrun occurs.

Lighter baits, smaller diameter braid, say 20# or less contribute to this as well as freeing snags with rod and reel or stripping line off with a tight drag. The easiest things to do would be to go up to a higher # braid, at least 30# test, and if you need to strip line off, do it while the reel is still in free spool and if snagged, free it by removing the rod and reel from the removal equation. The force exerted by the latter two (stripping line off with a tight drag or freeing a snag) make the line "dig" into itself and thereby awaits to surprise you on the next cast, sidearm or overhand. In addition, overpowering casts with braid can lead to breakoffs because braid doesn't stretch much. It would rather break or snap that stretch.

[Guest DavidGreen]

I noticed that sometimes i would overhead cast and the braid would get stuck or knot up in the spool and it would either cause it to break off or birdnest.

Sounds like a "line dig" problem coupled with tossing a lighter weight say 1/4 oz and 20# braid or less?

Good point islandbass, I was going to suggest that very thing. Not enough resistance when the lure is retrieved and cranked back to the reel (can cause lose line stacking) or (heavy resistance "like cranking back a snag" can cause wet line to dig into itself)...

An after thought.....

I would also like to know if ThaKing and his friend are bank fishing, or fishing from a boat?

If they are bank fishing I can see a need sometimes to have to cast for long distance's especially if they can't move to get closer to a target. But if they are fishing from a boat, and not throwing C-rigs, or, Deep Cranks, then why not just move up onto the target area and use a more accurate style of casting.

Just my .02¢

Tight Lines All!!!

[Guest avid]

I'm guessing that when you cast overhand your going for distance and are really whipping that rod.

Your side arm casts are no doubt smoother.

Set the brake a little tighter on overhand casts and I think you'll be fine.

P.S. The easiest way I found to lessen the problem of braid digging into the spool is to use heavier line. I won't go below 50# test on any of my baitcasters using PP.

[ThaKing]

ReelMech, I am fishing off the bank when i overhead cast.

When i fish off the boat i don thave a problem because sometimes i use mono or flouro, but i have sufix braid 20# and 30# on 2 of my curado 100s and 50# on my pflueger trion. The 20# is what i normally use and is causing this problem.

This has occured while throwing out crankbaits, texas rigged senkos, and a 3/8 jig. Lost em all on the cast. Ill try your advice and ill let u guys know if it worked out.

[dodgeguy]

it's probably digging in.NEVER use less than 50 lb test on a baitcaster.the thicker the line the less it will dig.DO NOT pull against a locked drag to free a lure as this will cause digging in.DO wrap the line around a wood dowel to free a lure.last but not least some reels cross the line more than others when spooling it.this will help prevent digging in.when i was using braid i used 17/60 sufix and had no digging in issues on pflueger reels..