Casting and spool line

[Sam Cheadle]

Gday guys,

Went to do some casting practice today getting ready for our upcoming trip. Have just recently put fresh line on the stella's and saltiga. I encountered quite a few line knots during the session.

Now i am out of practice and do remember getting a few of these on the last trip, but just wondered if i had over spooled the reels, or is it just the spring loaded cast action? I am using the 130lb varivas GT braid and have just under 250m on the saltiga and 300m on the stella's its wound on nice and tight with a mono cushion. Any thoughts? 

Cheers Sam

[Mark Harris]

Gday guys,

Went to do some casting practice today getting ready for our upcoming trip. Have just recently put fresh line on the stella's and saltiga. I encountered quite a few line knots during the session.

Now i am out of practice and do remember getting a few of these on the last trip, but just wondered if i had over spooled the reels, or is it just the spring loaded cast action? I am using the 130lb varivas GT braid and have just under 250m on the saltiga and 300m on the stella's its wound on nice and tight with a mono cushion. Any thoughts? 

Cheers Sam

Without knowing what size Stella and Saltiga, can't really comment on the lengths you have loaded.

I have found that under-filling the spool definitely helps with wind knots. I usually stop about 2 mm from where I would consider the spool full, or from where I would usually load up a jigging reel.

[Sam Cheadle]

Thanks Mark,

The stella's are 20,000's and the saltiga is a dogfight

[Luke Wyrsta]

What leader type (connection) and length are you running?

Most times out of ten it would be this...or, loose line after retrieval of a stickbait etc...

[Sam Cheadle]

What leader type (connection) and length are you running?

Most times out of ten it would be this...or, loose line after retrieval of a stickbait etc...

I am running a short leader, just under a meter, all outside the guides (Solid ring)

[Luke Wyrsta]

What leader type (connection) and length are you running?

Most times out of ten it would be this...or, loose line after retrieval of a stickbait etc...

I am running a short leader, just under a meter, all outside the guides (Solid ring)

Using a Bimini?

[Sam Cheadle]

What leader type (connection) and length are you running?

Most times out of ten it would be this...or, loose line after retrieval of a stickbait etc...

I am running a short leader, just under a meter, all outside the guides (Solid ring)

Using a Bimini?

Just a uni to the solid ring

[Luke Wyrsta]

Besides from Marks suggestion, best I can determine is from loose line lay on the spool due to retrieving slack line...

[Sam Cheadle]

Besides from Marks suggestion, best I can determine is from loose line lay on the spool due to retrieving slack line...

Yep I'm figuring as much too. Stands to reason as I'm taking the old man on this trip and was giving him a bit of a lesson yesterday. There was quite a few mixed loose/tight line retrievals, and I'm in no doubt now that this was the main reason for the knots.

Thanks Luke - Out of interest what would be your opinion on how far to spool up the reel given my leader set up? Would you go right up to the lip or leave a couple of mm?

Cheers Sam

[Mark Harris]

A slack line retrieval is definitely a potential enemy on this front .

Different subject, but why such a short leader Sam? I think the benefits of a longer leader secured via a narrow friction knot outweigh the benefits of a short leader (a little bit of extra casting distance) which has to stay outside the guides due to solid ring connection?  The two uni knots required for a solid ring connection against one friction knot is also a downside.

[Sam Cheadle]

A slack line retrieval is definitely a potential enemy on this front .

Different subject, but why such a short leader Sam? I think the benefits of a longer leader secured via a narrow friction knot outweigh the benefits of a short leader (a little bit of extra casting distance) which has to stay outside the guides due to solid ring connection?  The two uni knots required for a solid ring connection against one friction knot is also a downside.

Totally take your point Mark but i only tie one uni knot, and then crimp the rest of the way. It mainly because it takes me a long time to tie something i'm confident with. I don't want this hassel on the boat with time restrictions and haven't had one fail yet - touch wood.

It's a confidence thing for me really and i will get there one day with practice, but I also don't like knots rubbing on the guides over many casts i would have doubts.

[Mark Harris]

Fair enough Sam. I am not a fan of tying friction knots on a boat either and curse when I have to .  Most important is that you have confidence in the system you are using.

[Luke Wyrsta]

Besides from Marks suggestion, best I can determine is from loose line lay on the spool due to retrieving slack line...

Yep I'm figuring as much too. Stands to reason as I'm taking the old man on this trip and was giving him a bit of a lesson yesterday. There was quite a few mixed loose/tight line retrievals, and I'm in no doubt now that this was the main reason for the knots.

Thanks Luke - Out of interest what would be your opinion on how far to spool up the reel given my leader set up? Would you go right up to the lip or leave a couple of mm?

Cheers Sam

Hi Sam,

I only use Stella - so on 08' Stella I spool about 1mm away from the start of the taper.

It's a fine line between underspooling and overspooling. I prefer to have just a little bit more on because it's very easy to be too conservative - a few reriggings and your spool starts to look very underfilled...

[Alex Jordan]

Check the line twist - just let it go slack and check it it twists or not?

Most of the "wind" knots I have seen or experienced have been down to line twist ...

If it is find a large field dump the spool sort the twists and wind it back on under pressure