Loading Braid

Started by orsteelheader, March 06, 2019, 03:30:49 AM

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orsteelheader

So what is the secret to loading braided line on a baitcaster?

I loaded 15# J-Braid on an Abu 4601 to go surf perch fishing this past weekend. I had the spool on a dowel at my feet, keeping some pressure on the floor, enough to require a moderate amount of drag to reel in. After loading, I pressed hard into the line with my thumb and it felt fairly solid, not spongy.

My first casts were easy and tentative with more casting control than needed and a slightly heavy thumb. I gradually released the cast control pressure after a number of casts and just used my thumb. About 20 casts in, I began increasing my casting speed to get out beyond the closest sandbar. That's when the spool birdnested deeply, snapping my weight off and wedging the braid so deeply I ended up cutting it all out.

Is it just a matter of more thumb practice? Could this be related to the softer J-Braid compared to PowerPro? I haven't ever had an issue with PP but I love the feel of J-Braid.

Thanks for any suggestions.  These trips get $$$ when losing so much gear.

Jay
Enjoy the ride!!!

oc1

#1
My thumb is useless as a spool break and will eventually cause a horrible backlash.  It's safer to just adjust the centrifugal brakes so it will cast thumbless even when you put some umph behind it.  Adjust by pulling out (to engage) more of the six little plastic brake shoes.  You have to open the reel to adjust the brakes so it's a set-it-and-forget-it sort of thing.

Regardless of how the line is originally loaded, the top forty yards or so will only be as tight as the tension generated during the retrieve.
-steve

Tiddlerbasher

Throughout the season I regularly re-spool the top 100yds-ish of my braid reels to re-apply approx. 8-10lb drag. If the reels haven't been used I don't bother, there's no point.
Braid that is loose will dig in to itself and cause grief - don't ask me how I know ::)

Ron Jones

Small   braid can be a pain, espeially in a situation like the surf where the tension is always moving around. 15# is smallr than anythingI've ever used, just concentrate on keeping the line tght as it goe back on the spool. I guess that kind of eliminates the reason for baitcasters, why I don't use them much.
Ron
Ronald Jones
To those who have gone to sea and returned and to those who have gone to sea and will never return
"

Fishy247

When fishing a smaller baitcaster with braid, I'll usually palm the reel on the retrieve, placing my index finger just in front of the levelwind. I can usually put enough tension on the line as it goes back on the spool to account for any slack in the line when I'm reeling in. It won't put as much tension on the line that it's packed super tight, but it does keep it from forming loops of loose line on the spool. I've found that it really helps with your next cast. Just make sure that you're not rubbing your finger raw with that spectra before it's too late!

Mike

steelfish

15# braid its too thin, thats not helping and also J-braid is super soft
the abu 4501 is not that small, why dont you try with another brand of braid line on 20# test like any of the many braid lines models from spiderwire
on small test braid lines I like spiderwire (original not the chinese clon) and from 50# test or bigger I like to use J-braid, spiderwire and / or J. Brown from Lee.
The Baja Guy

reel man

A similar situation is when you get snagged on something and you pull hard to get it loose. The braid will dig into itself so the very next cast the line will hit that spot on the spool and will come to a stop. The cure will be to pull the braid out of this pinched spot till it comes off the spool easily. When you retrieve the braid apply pressure with your thumb and index finger so the line lays snugly on the spool.

Ron Jones

Kinda makes you wonder wh you would other with a levelwind.
Ron Jones
Ronald Jones
To those who have gone to sea and returned and to those who have gone to sea and will never return
"

RowdyW

Another problem with braid on a levelwind is that the guide will get grooves in it from the braid unless it has ceramic inserts.       Rudy

drewtiger13

#9
There are 2 ways to reduce backlash problems: with spool tensioning, & with braking systems. As far as I know, all reels have spool tensioning, unless it's a REALLY old model; so old you shouldn't be trying to fish with it in fact. The other way is with braking systems, which have many variations. Your reel, like most has both, and you have to adjust BOTH.

your model as I see in the photos, you will find a knob on one side plate that has a notch showing numbers, on the other side plate, beneath the star drag Yama is an unmarked knurled knob. The plain knob is the spool tension, which is adjusted first, and the one with numbers is the braking system, used as a secondary or fine adjustment. (I do not know if this real also has centrifuge braking, some do, but mostly if you have an externaladjustment knob, you won't have centrifugal)

Set the braking adjustment to 0. Attach a typical weight such as  2 oz to the end of your line.
Hold the rod parallel to the ground at shoulder height depress the line release then just raise your thumb.
The weight should fall to the ground and the spool should only turn a revolutions or two after the weight touches the ground.
If it continues to turn it is too loose and will backlash.
if it does not fall to the ground it is too tight and you should loosen it slightly and try again.
You will have to repeat this setting any time you have changed your terminal tackle IN ANY WAY...or even put a different piece of bait on it! ANY slight change in the amount of weight and you will have to do these Quick-Steps.
Now you're set to start. If you need to cast into the wind or when you have a backlash you will want to turn the numbered fine adjustment up to increase.

Now one note on technique and I will have to return to this topic another time and that is concerning your last comment about increasing your cast speed. Depending on your gear and other factors such as how much weight you're trying to throw and how far will affect how you can move the rod. If everything is messed up such as how heavy your line is the action of the rod and how heavy your end Tackle is, then your casting distance will not significantly increased by trying to swing faster. The reason is that once the cast actually begins when you release the spool then the lower is traveling away from you at a certain speed and the line is traveling at the same speed. Air resistance begins to slow your lower but does not affect the line as much when the line is traveling somewhat faster than the lure is when you will have backlash. The one thing to watch for here, is if, when you're making a faster/harder cast, do you see wobble at the rod tip when you release? a rod needs to load and unload smoothly: wobbling will make the line bang back & forth within the guides, which will slow the line and therefore reduce casting distance somewhat, perhaps significantly. If this is the case it means you're terminal tackle set up is too heavy for that rods action and you will need to look for a different rod not a different reel to increase distance

Having said that, experiment with the angle you're casting at I recommend casting sidearm and trying to make the tip Ascend at a 45 degree angle when you release it. then experiment with a little more or a little less and you will see where your optimal release point is.  The reason behind it is that as the Lure begins to fall downward, it pulls the line behind it in an arc, helping prevent backlash
Once you figure out the best point to release your rig,  if you still need to increase your cast distance then you will need to increase the weight on the end of your tackle, because you can release the lure traveling faster that it does when it did not backlash but the fact is without trigger weight the wind resistance will make the lower and therefore the line slow down faster then they did before and this will cause backlash

boon

I fish 15# braid all the time on a Calcutta 400. Didn't even spool it under a particularly high level of pressure. I wouldn't stress it, when you birdsnest a reel with braid you're going to have a bad day regardless of how much load you spooled it under, don't sweat that part and work on educating your thumb (or use a reel with good casting brakes :))