Reel Throwing loops

[Richo]

Ive been having what is starting to look like a regular problem. At least 1-3 times a session my Okuma Epix 20 will throw a loop off the reel.(I know get WORM GEAR) But Id have to peel line off to get the loop out, occassionally I can cast it off, but more often than not its peel it off and untwist the loop, and wind it back on, after my first fish on Saturday AM - I spent 20 minutes fixing the birdsnest, drove me mad. I even let the water pressure pull all the line off and wound it back on???... didn`t help...

Im using 4pd yellow fireline, does anyone else have this problem???.. or know of anyway of solving it..... One thing - Im getting real good at undoing birds nests..... but the time and line lost is getting annoying..

Cheers

Richo

[Dave W]

Mate, I run the Epix 20 and 4lb Fireline off my Procaster-X, and experience 'loose loops' roughly once a big session.

I think the main cause comes from winding in constantly with little or no tension on the line - mainly fishing plastics.

Every 20 or so casts I belt one out and retrieve under pressure, it helps some.

Also, do you manually close the bail arm or just turn the handle to close it?

I found that closing it manually ended up causing less loops over time.

Other than that I can't help, I've heard of the problem before on various model threadies.

Could it be that it would happen with any braid, it's just that most of us use Fireline??

[Bream Master]

I would get a twist up on average two to three times per fishing session. Best advice is to not yank at the knot, but gently prize it apart. I recently bought a set of Rapala fishing clippers which have a sharp little hook built in for getting into tight knots. It works great.

In terms of the worm drive, I have it on my AeroStradic and I still get twists...

Warren.

ps. fill up the forums boys

[Craig_S]

Richo, an unnamed local fishing magazine in a product review section looked at a new brand of braid and noted it had the tendancy to throw loops after the cast. The solution suggested was not to fill the reel up so far - I've tried this before but it seems to restrict the cast. I think Dave has probably identified the problem and the best solution.

Good thing too, I've seen the size of your nests.

[Richo]

Cheers Fellas,

DaveW, I manually flip the arm back across, and I reckon its the winding of loose line back on in between jigs is whats causing bastard loops..... but it seems Im not alone with this problem which makes me feel a bit better (Im always thinking is it just me??)....Looks like I will just have to keep hammering a long cast out and wind it back on under some pressure every now and then, Im down to about 50m of fireline left, still plenty in my books..... (just)

Cheers

Richo

[Ravin]

I use an Okuma Epix 20 & get the odd loop maybe once or twice a session. The method Dave described cures most dramas. Get a few loops casting into the wind mainly.

[Stevo]

I used to use a Epix 20 all the time and did experience the odd loop, but not as bad as your describing. I have recently upgraded to a Shimano Twinpower 1000 and i dont have this problem even with loose winding, but i do use 6lb fireline

Stevo

[Marc_s]

Yeah i think we all have experienced these little mishaps and even with the best of reels it still happens! What you can do, which has worked for me is when you cast and your line is settling down lift you rod tip up high so that the line is off the water and somewhat slack less then wind it the slack up that way! You get the loops from the initial few winds after casting! You can always put the line inbetween your fingers and wind and i recommend what Dave suggested with casting out as far as possible, i sometimes put a heavier lure on at the end of a session, and wind as tight as possible!

Good Spinning!

[cameron]

Wow, im glad its not just me!!!!!! Ive had the same problem ever since i bought my shimano symtre1000, i thought it was either me or simano made me waste my hard earned on a reel that didnt do its job properly!! I get the loops and knots if im not watching carefully whenever im jigging soft plastics and there is a large amount of slack in the line. i thought perhaps my next reel sacrifice a bit of size and weight and get a larger spool might help? i never seemed to have this prob when i fisrt added 4lb fireline to my older okuma fina45 reel (obviously not a reel to consider as a specialist spinning reel). ANyway theres some good ideas to consider here..

later

cameron

[chris_lemess]

Worm gear is not the only answer. Having that feature as some of you may have experienced; it will not solve all your problems. Super Slow Oscillation is a huge improvement that Shimano (and Daiwa Japan I think) encorporate into their reels. Pity we don't have the same high-end stuff available here (at decent prices).

Cameron - the spool size does affect looping, you're right. Using a 45 sized reel is NOT a help though; as you may have realised! Larger, shallower spools on smaller reels is the only real way to minimise looping and this is where the Symetre fails. It has quite a deep spool, especially in comparison to it's Japanese counterpart the Ultegra. This sweeet creature can handle 6lb braid (limper than fireline) minus knots simply because it has a far shallower spool, reverse tapered (I think?) and super slow oscillation AND worm gear. All these features combined and Shimano have a low-end, high-performance reel that can handle casting weightless plastics time after time.
Again, pity they're not available here... the Aussie line such as the Symetre should suffice but you will get loops and knots every now and then. As I'm sure Stevo can testify with his Twinpower - Shimano Japan makes some pretty sweet bream reels!

Chris

[Pukka]

Richo, if you're top-shotting the fireline, try reeling it onto a spare spool, transferring it to another spool, then back onto your main spool. This way you'll be fishing with the opposite end of your line and the winding of the line from one spool to another will eliminate any excess line twist.
Also, when you cast, try slowing and/or stopping the line with your finger just before the lure hits the water. This tends to cut down the loops caused by the sudden stop of the lure hitting the water and the line continuing to peel off the spool.

Also, check to see if the line roller guide on the reel is rolling freely. If it's jamming or stuck it could be causing twist.

My apologies if you already know, and are using/have used these methods already.
Unfortunately looping is a way of life in spinning, especially in windy conditions.

Pukka

[pete s]

if you want to put your line back on the reel under pressure....just catch more fish .....works for me.

and seriously now i use a diawa emblem s 2000 and 6lb fireline and i get a loop or 2 most sessions. its mentioned in starlo and bushy's book. so i figure if they get it then im bound to have it sooner or later....usually sooner.

cheers pete

[Kris]

G'day,
Apart from the above mentioned i also find that sometimes if your spool is sometimes a little too full that can cause some troubles..........and we always think that without that extra 10 metres of string we'll get spooled by some runaway jewie or trever?
i dream of the day i get spooled
anyway,
cheers Kris

[madsurfe]

everything said about controlling the loops is spot on and if you have a copy of Bushy and Starlos Bream Bible they show a diagram that suggests loosening the drag and pulling the line off to the side. Apparently if you pull the line through the guides of the rod or straight off the front of the spool it exacerbates the looping problem. I use the loosening drag method ok and every dozen casts or so just crank a real long one and wind the jig or lure back as fast as possible to re-tension the line.
My theory is that by keeping just a small amount of tension on the line whilst picking up the slack the risk of loops is minimised. In other words just don't drop the tip of the rod to the water and wind in the slack but be a little more dynamic and maintain a more even pressure whereby you just keep lowering the tip a little further with each crank of the reel handle.
I hope this makes sense it's ruddy hard to put the technique into words

[jimi]

A related problem that I've been having lately with my okuma epix efs 20 is getting the (4lb) fireline caught underneath the little decorative bit of plastic on the end of the drag knob. There is a very tiny gap here that is just enough for 4lb fireline to sneak into.

I had this happen while fighting a bream the other day (there was a loose loop wrapped around it that I didn't notice until after hookup). I landed the fish, but the line snapped when I pulled it out from under there later.

Has anyone else had this happen.?

I was thinking of filling this gap with glue or something. I guess the only other option would be to pull this bit of shiny plastic off. Makes the reel look a bit ugly though.

James.