- Joined
- May 17, 2009
- Location
- Charleston WV
Line-twist is the bane of anglers. You fire out a cast, and the line clatters up the guides, sometimes even catching on a guide. Sometimes the twisted section of line picks up on some more line and in short order there is a nice tangle to pick out. Bellowing out some oaths and curses may release some anger but it does nothing to fix the problem.
Worse can follow. After spending valuable fishing time un-picking a truly well made tangle, the next cast leads to another tangle, even more swearing, and still no solution. Line-twist is the culprit, and no amount of un-picking tangles will fix the problem. If the core problem is not fixed, the line-twist will remain, and so will the problems it causes.
Line-twist is easy to identify. Pull some line off the reel, and let it hang limply. Line-twist will reveal itself as a series of curling twists.
Some anglers blame the line itself for twisting. 'That line is too stiff - it twists easily," or "that line is too soft - it twists easily."
Sorry, but line does not twist by itself. The angler always causes line-twist.
So how does line-twist form? It is really quite simple. If the end of the line - the bait, lure or fly end - can rotate around its own axis, line-twist will work its way up the line. The more line out from the reel the further the twist will work its way up the line.
Misuse of spinning reels is a very common
method of producing line-twist.
When playing a fish on a spinning reel and the fish starts to peel line off the reel, the angler must stop winding.
If line winding continues while line is being pulled off the reel, every turn of the reel handle will place, on average, five twists in the line.
Another way of putting line- twist in the line is
incorrectly filling the reel with line.
Spinning type reels must be filled with the side plate of the line-spool facing the front of the reel's spool. The line coming off the line-spool must be coming off in the same direction as it is going onto the reel. For overhead reels the line should come off the spool directly, with the line on the spool facing the line on the reel. But why get in a tangle about it - your tackle shop will make short and correct work of it, using their line winder.
Line-twist can be removed and it is relatively easy,
especially if you have a boat.
Motor the boat ahead at around five knots. Remove all terminal tackle. Feed out around 50m of line behind the boat, and leave it to straighten itself out, after a few minutes feed out another 50m, and so on until all the twist is gone.
You can test if removal is complete by pulling in some line, about 1 or 2m, back from the water and allow the line to fall loosely. If the line does not twist you can wind the line back on your reel.
Shore-bound anglers have a real problem. If you are near a rock platform that juts out into a strong current, the 'boat' method can be tried. Finding a river is another way.
Freshwater anglers can use a river to get rid of line twist. Stand in the current and slowly feed out line until the line twist is gone. If you are fly fishing remove the fly and indicator if any.
Another method is to find a beach with no swell, and walk along the beach feeding out line as you continue to walk along the water's edge, as in the 'boat' method.
Worse can follow. After spending valuable fishing time un-picking a truly well made tangle, the next cast leads to another tangle, even more swearing, and still no solution. Line-twist is the culprit, and no amount of un-picking tangles will fix the problem. If the core problem is not fixed, the line-twist will remain, and so will the problems it causes.
Line-twist is easy to identify. Pull some line off the reel, and let it hang limply. Line-twist will reveal itself as a series of curling twists.
Some anglers blame the line itself for twisting. 'That line is too stiff - it twists easily," or "that line is too soft - it twists easily."
Sorry, but line does not twist by itself. The angler always causes line-twist.
So how does line-twist form? It is really quite simple. If the end of the line - the bait, lure or fly end - can rotate around its own axis, line-twist will work its way up the line. The more line out from the reel the further the twist will work its way up the line.
Misuse of spinning reels is a very common
method of producing line-twist.
When playing a fish on a spinning reel and the fish starts to peel line off the reel, the angler must stop winding.
If line winding continues while line is being pulled off the reel, every turn of the reel handle will place, on average, five twists in the line.
Another way of putting line- twist in the line is
incorrectly filling the reel with line.
Spinning type reels must be filled with the side plate of the line-spool facing the front of the reel's spool. The line coming off the line-spool must be coming off in the same direction as it is going onto the reel. For overhead reels the line should come off the spool directly, with the line on the spool facing the line on the reel. But why get in a tangle about it - your tackle shop will make short and correct work of it, using their line winder.
Line-twist can be removed and it is relatively easy,
especially if you have a boat.
Motor the boat ahead at around five knots. Remove all terminal tackle. Feed out around 50m of line behind the boat, and leave it to straighten itself out, after a few minutes feed out another 50m, and so on until all the twist is gone.
You can test if removal is complete by pulling in some line, about 1 or 2m, back from the water and allow the line to fall loosely. If the line does not twist you can wind the line back on your reel.
Shore-bound anglers have a real problem. If you are near a rock platform that juts out into a strong current, the 'boat' method can be tried. Finding a river is another way.
Freshwater anglers can use a river to get rid of line twist. Stand in the current and slowly feed out line until the line twist is gone. If you are fly fishing remove the fly and indicator if any.
Another method is to find a beach with no swell, and walk along the beach feeding out line as you continue to walk along the water's edge, as in the 'boat' method.