We’ve all experienced it at least once in our life when fishing: When we cast and reel in our catch, we see a ton of twists and tangles! This isn’t only very irritating, but it can affect the way we catch fish AND it ruins the fishing line’s lifespan.
This has happened to me before and left me wondering, “why does my fishing line get tangled when I cast?” I listed down the major reasons why, so read on!
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Why Does My Fishing Line Get Tangled When I Cast?
These are the top four reasons why your fishing line tangles:
1. The Way You Spool
One of the most common causes of tangles is because you spool your fishing line incorrectly. This is especially for those who overfill their reel’s spool.
With fishing lines, it takes on the coil when on the reel, so it tries to uncoil itself, making it more likely for the line to fly off your spool even with a tiny bit of slack!
Not only that but putting your line in the red incorrectly can result in line twists, then tangles.
When you’re spooling your reel with a new fishing line, I recommend that you lay your spool flat, winding several feet of your fishing line. After that, open the bail.
If your line still uncoils like foam snakes out of gag toy cans, then remove the line and try again, this time with your new fishing line spool flipped over.
Set your spool of the new line down, with its label facing up and the line coming out of your spool counter-clockwise. Thread your line through the rod line guides, making an anchor knot to the spool afterward. Reel in steadily, maintaining pressure on the line with your fingers in front of your spool.
If the fishing line starts to twist, stop reeling, and turn your spool over, laying it flat and continuing the process again.
Besides this, avoid adding too much spool, leaving around 1/4-inch of your spool showing as you spool the line. While it may be irritating having less line, it’s effective in reducing the risk of tangles.
2. You Don’t Let It Relax
Even when you spool your reel and line correctly, there’s a chance that it came from a different-sized spool diameter compared to your actual spool.
If your fishing line came from a 4-inch diameter spool and you place it on your 1-inch diameter spool, the line would want to flex back to its 4-inch diameter. This leads to more risk of tangling as you cast! You can remedy this by spooling your reel with the line as early as you can.
For instance, if you want to fish on the weekend, spool your line a few days before rather than the night (or even morning) of your trip! Why?
Because the longer your new line sits on your spinning reel spool, the less memory it has from the factory spool package it came from.
If you want to quicken the process, fill the spinning reel spool but before you install it to the spinning reel, place your filled spool in a bowl or sink of warm water. Make sure that the loose end is either tied off or taped! Leave your spool to soak for a few hours, removing it from the water to dry thoroughly after.
When you slightly heat the line, it relieves some stress from being in a new spool diameter. As the line cools, it can sit better on its new spool diameter.
3. Use the Right Fishing Line
This is probably an obvious tip, because if you use lower-quality fishing lines, the more likely they are to tangle and twist. The same goes for getting cheap reels and swivels.
I’m not suggesting that you get the most expensive reel and line! You simply need to do more research and make sure you get better value off of what you purchase. Just a few extra bucks can save you a ton of time dealing with any line twists and tangles.
I highly recommend that you invest in lines from great fishing brands that have many positive reviews on the particular product. Furthermore, make sure that the fishing line matches the reel and fishing rod.
Look into what your fishing reel needs for the line. For example, a spinning reel would perform better with braided lines, as it is limper. Also, consider the line size, which influences the casting and risk of tangling.
4. Pay Attention to Your Fishing Equipment
Using good quality fishing gear can assist you with preventing line twist, which will overall make your fishing experience much better and hassle free. Reels with a smooth free spool can play a massive roll in allowing the line to come off the reel without tangling during your cast. There’s no worse thing other than being on a boat while the fish are biting and you are having to untangle a knotted mess due to not rigging up correctly or even having the right fishing gear to begin with.
Another reason why your fishing line tangled while casting is because you don’t pay as much attention as you should. Twist issues come especially while trolling, as you may have forgotten the swivel, making it covered in weeds to the point it stops spinning.
Whatever the situation, you need to stop that twist and fix the issue before it worsens. You’ll be surprised as to how much your line can tangle if you leave it unattended or don’t bother to check it as you perform many casts. This affects breaking strength and damages the line if you don’t take action.
Instead of waiting until the line twists, make sure that you pay attention to all your fishing equipment. Pinch your fishing line at its first-rod eyelet every now and then, then pull it back to the reel seat. This creates slack in its line, and if the line jumps and twists to loops, reel in the rig immediately, checking your swivel and lures.
This prevents twisting and the worsening of any existing twists, which can lessen the chances of getting fish.
Read More: What Pound Test For Surf Fishing Do You Need: A Comprehensive Guide
Do you want to learn more about fishing line tangles and twists, as well as how to avoid them? Check out this informative video:
Wrapping It Up
I hope that this article answered your question, “why does my fishing line get tangled when I cast?” Once you have identified the cause, make sure you follow the appropriate steps to remedy it!
