reel gremlins

[Nixstyx]

Over the last few days I've been wondering if I have a serious mechanical problem, or if someone is just sabotaging my equipment.

What happens is I suddenly find that the line leading to my lure is no longer attached to the rest of the line on the reel. Crazy huh? First time it happened I set the hook but missed and the lure came flying at me. I started to reel in the slack and realized the lure was still lying on the ground along with 20 feet of line that had been severed from the rest of the line on the reel. So I retied and on the very next cast it happened again. But it wasn't on the hookset. The line backlashed and as I was pulling it out I noticed a loose end. To my surprise the loose end led to my lure which was 60 feet away in the water. I ended up pulling the lure back by hand, but as you can imagine I was a little confused. Two days later the exact same thing happened with a different rod and reel. So I'm stumped. First two times it was with braid. Clean cut. Last time it was on fluorocarbon. Any theories as to why this is happening that don't involve bad karma or mythical creatures?

[Nixstyx]

Forgot to mention, I always fill my reels from one spool. In case you are curious I use 40# power pro and 12# xps fluro.

[Taylor Fishin 4 life]

Do you get bad birdsnest? In the past a lot of time i will get a bad backlash and after finally getting it out that happens to me. Mainoy because the line get crimped

[RussBert]

Chipped rod guide insert?

[GTrombly]

I've had it happen from birdsnest. you have to get it out or it will cut the line when it tightens

[Big Tom]

Chipped rod guide insert?

This would be my guess as well.

[BobP]

Run a Qtip inside your guides to see if one isn't cutting your line.

[Dwight Hottle]

As mentioned check the rod tip guide. If fractured it creates a v shaped cutter. Had it happen once to me. Line broke so I retied a new lure & dropped it overboard & the line broke again losing my 2nd lure. This was with 30lb braid.  >

[Nixstyx]

thanks for the feedback everyone. For everyone who said line guide, you nailed it. Found a missing guide insert, so the line was running over the sharp metal guide. And on the other reel, I think I'm ready to blame that on a previous birdsnest that weakened the fluro. Sadly, no gremlins to blame.

[Chris W.]

I had this happen. it looked like blues were munching on my line. I was fishing a rocky bottom so having frayed line kind of didn't suprise me because it was only in one spot. But when i casted and my frog went flying i started looking at my inserts. Sure enough one was cracked. The rod tip!