Braid Issue??? - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

bassballer · 10-02-2009, 07:17 AM

Wondering if anyone has run into this before. Ive been using 50# suffix for years now and never had this issue. Ive had the same line spooled for about 3 1/2 months. Last night i tie on a leader put the hook on a guide and go to tighten up the line and the braid snaps right in the middle of the line. So figure must just be a nick from last nights fishing. So i tie another on tighten up and head out. I get to my spot and start fishing and hook up with a small fish, i get it on the rock and snap, there goes the line again. I release her tie on the leader again, another fish and snap. I repeat the process, and 10 casts later there goes my leader and eel.

So my question is, is this braid just worn out and old? Is there a small nick in the guide or the roller on my reel that could be causing this? Ive used braid for longer that 3 1/2 months and never had an issue, actually prefer when it breaks in. Anyway thoughts?

JakeF · 10-02-2009, 08:35 AM

Sounds like you probably have a nicked guide. Get yourself a cotton ball and run it through each guide. If you find that it snags anywhere you've likely found you're problem. Also check out your reel. If the line roller or bail is rough that could cause the problem as well.

fishbones · 10-02-2009, 08:38 AM

I have a love/hate relationship with braid. Last night I hated it.

3 1/2 months is definitely not old for braid. It should last at least a full season or longer. Check the line roller for a nick, and also check all of your guides. Run a Q-tip around the inside of the guides and you'll be able to tell if there are any nicks.

Jake beat me to the punch. What he said.

Mike P · 10-02-2009, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishbones

I have a love/hate relationship with braid. Last night I hated it.

3 1/2 months is definitely not old for braid. It should last at least a full season or longer. Check the line roller for a nick, and also check all of your guides. Run a Q-tip around the inside of the guides and you'll be able to tell if there are any nicks.

Jake beat me to the punch. What he said.

Try fishing directly across the Canal from Slipknot, if you want to crap in your waders when you hear that CAAA-RAAAACKKKK

The Dad Fisherman · 10-02-2009, 08:44 AM

I had a nick in the guide once down the canal....wound up to cast a 5 oz. jig and right at the top of the cast...SNAP.....about an 8-count later the thing comes down 5 feet in front of a guy fishing 30 yards down from me. 5 more feet and he was headed to the hospital.

Like they said...probably just a nicked guide

bassballer · 10-02-2009, 09:50 AM

Thanks. Ill run through the guides and double check the line roller.

Adam_777 · 10-02-2009, 02:55 PM

Check your tip top guide.If it has a ceramic ring inspect it very carefully.Take a length of braid and floss it around the top guide on the same angles causing the break.I had to replace one of mine this year also.Thought I had some bad PP so I put one reel on the sideline after rotating rods back to the one with the bad guide it broke off on another reel.Luckily it was while hanging the hook on the holder after a short run and gun mission.I looked closely at the tip and found a tiny chip .Rain some braid over it and it was like razor.I've been replacing at least one tip a year.I need to take better care of my rods.

Pete_G · 10-02-2009, 05:09 PM

Make sure you take a REALLY good look at those guides. I've had cracks so small that the q-tip really didn't catch anything and it was barely visible but it still managed to slice braid during a cast. Good lighting can really help.

gone fishin · 10-02-2009, 10:54 PM

I just had the same problem. A cotton ball didn't pick it up. After snapping another lure off I racked the rod. When returning home I looked at the guide with a magnifying glass and there it was. Pete G is right on!

bassballer · 10-03-2009, 08:55 AM

I took a good look at the tip guide and there it is. Now just need to replace the guide. Thanks for the info guys.

pbadad · 10-03-2009, 03:15 PM

Using the braid as floss around the guide is the best way to find a smallest crack. I had a customer snapping off plugs who couldn't find it w/cotton ball. I checked with magnifieing glass and flashlight along with 10# braid. I felt a skip in the braid. Double checked the guide and sure enough there was a minute crack. I continued to check the others and found 3 more. The braid trick is the "bomb".