What's the deal with "Spinning Equipment"

[jeraza]

I've been a fisherman for over 40+ years (now 50) and am just about ready to sell every spinning rod/reel combo I have due to the frustration level with them. I typically buy high quality equip like Loomis rods and Shimano reels but am extremely frustrated with the spinning reel problems. Limp line casts great for a while until it just comes off the spool in a bundle, and the other line I've tried has too much memory and coils like crazy thus casting distance suffers. Add line twist to the equasion and I'm just about fed up with spinning equipment.
My question is "What's the Secret" guys/gals, before I sell it all off for more baitcasting equipment. What do I need to be doing, I know some people swear buy them but I'm at my wits end.....
Do you have combos and line recommendations that you swear by and any tips/tricks to make the spinning equipment sing like it is supposed to ? I'm a MidWesterner (Wisconsin) transplanted out in California and am considering trying it one more go before dumping all my spinning equipment.

Thanks, for allowing me to rant, I'm looking forward to hearing from you all.....

[Jerryinct]

I manually flip over the bail with my hand. This eliminates a lot of line twist. I fish 6-8 lb flourocarbon on my spinning reels. I use daiwa spinning reels. I hope this helps you.

[hsb]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jerryinct &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I manually flip over the bail with my handThis eliminates a lot of line twist. .</TD></TR></TABLE>

+1

[looking4five]

Small diameter braid, with mono/flouro leader attached with uni-knots. That's about the only way I can stand to use the things.

[Pat Kennedy]

+ 1
Fish a lot of senko style baits and the braid- florleader combo works great. Still a bit of line twist by days end but manageable

Pat

[Ranger 361V]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jerryinct &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I manually flip over the bail with my hand. This eliminates a lot of line twist. I fish 6-8 lb flourocarbon on my spinning reels. I use daiwa spinning reels. I hope this helps you.</TD></TR></TABLE>




After manually closing the bail, I give the line a little tug to free up any loops that might have formed. When spooling your line, make sure your line is coming off the spool the same direction that the rotor is turning....reducing the amount of line on your spool will help also.
I'll let out line {without a lure attached} and drag it behind the boat for a few minutes,reduces line twist as well. If this still doesn't seem to help you, take your spare spool and load it up with some Power Pro braided line. I've got one with 30lb test {8lb. diameter} that I use for pitching finesse jigs. You should be worry free with the braid but it may not suit you...worth a shot.

Tom

[SUPERCHUGBUG]

i use spinning gear about 90% of the time, and very rarely have any problems at all. as mentioned above, closing the bail manually will eliminate all of the twists. keep in mind, these things are typically not designed for heavy line, i use nothing over 8#. but for starters, make sure you are filling the spools correctly. the spool of line should be FLAT on the ground, after tying off to your reel, wind it about 3-4 times with slight tension. point the rod tip at the filler spool. if the line twists, flip the filler spool over and crank away. i usually leave about 1/16th of an inch from the lip of the spool. if you still want to sell it......i'll thow my name in the hat first!!!!

[DropShot374V]

There are a few things to check, some of which have been mentioned.
- Make sure you are manually flipping the bail back over
- When you line the rod, make sure someone is holding the line spool for you as you reel and keep good tension on it. Some people seem to just leave the spool of line on the ground as they line the reel and that can add a ton of twist
- Try some line conditioner. I have been using that lately and have had far fewer issues.
- Another thing to consider is the types of lures you are using for your spinning setups. Some lures inherently spin the line and add twist.

[gatrboy52]

while under way in your boat feed all the line out w/o anything attached to tag end and reel it back on while ideling.this helps tremendously.change line often if twist persist. unless you are buying cheap shimanos line twist shouldnt be a big problem.braid.i.e. fireline eliminates all twist.i use 14 to 20 lb. fireline on some and an 40 or p-line on some w/o any issues.

[jeraza]

i manually close the bail all the time, I usually have the tackle shop spool up the line in the tackle store from their bulk spools and machines. Perhaps that is the problem,,guy in store isn't doing it correctly ??

I'll buy a spool of line and give it a try myself and see if that resolves the issues i've been having. With regard to only using light line, I see big spinning rigs for saltwater loaded with 20 30 40lb test typically used for live bait casting etc... and most of those guys swear by their rigs. Mine have been collecting dust, but i'll try a spool of line and load the reel myself. Your line recommendation would be ????? i'll keep you in mind if it doesn't work cause i'll sell it all......

[SUPERCHUGBUG]

i've had my spools loaded at the bait shops, and it can be a problem. the larger lines on saltwater setups are generally used with heavy baits, offsetting the chance for the line jumping off the spool. i pretty much use only 8# original stren. line conditioners can help, as well as soaking the spool in water the night before you go fishing. neighbor swears by soaking, he even adds a squirt of attractant! it makes a small difference, but in my opinion, way too much time and trouble. give it a little time. you'll figure it out.

[Glen]

Try not to laugh to hard when I tell you this.I was at Table Rock fishing this spring and feeling the same way as you.Ready to chuck it over the side of the boat.Got back to the resort we were staying at and talking to a buddy of mine. He told me to buy a spool of smooth casting Berkly( I think it is the XL)Lay it in the kitchen sink (on it's side) and fill the sink with hot water then load your reel right out of the water. Two things, I did mine with the label face up and it has to come off the spool in a counterclock wise manner. I did it and have been fishing with it all summer I fished it the rest of that week and I live on a 200 acre lake and I walk out my back door and walk the bank a little if they are hitting I put the boat in.I put that line on in April and I have'nt had a loose loop come off that reel yet.
I don't normally fish this long without putting new line on my reel but I'm kinda scared to touch it. Glen

[DIXIEDOG]

[QUOTE=jeraza]Your line recommendation would be ?????QUOTE]

I've recently began using Gamma line on spinning reels and it's night and day better than the Stren and Berkeley mono I was using. It has low memory and is very smooth casting.

[Crankenstein]

SUFFIX best line I have ever used hands down!! on spinning or baitcasting reels period!!! Jason

[BASSCAT7]

IF you fish fast and make a lot of casts during the day, there is nothing you are going to do that will eliminate line twist.
I'm talking about fast pitching such as dock/piling pitching with a Senko......in a 9 hour Tx I might make 2400 casts.........nothing is going to stop line twist with mono

It is inherent in the design of the spinning reel...you are putting rotating line on a stationary spool..........now if you don't make many casts/pitches thru out a Tx day line twist may not become a problem, but it will eventually.

Switch to braid....or if you use mono try using a good ball bearing swivel with welded line ties, this will eliminate some of the twist.

[jeraza]

I would be afraid to touch it too .....

I 'll give that a try when I spool up and thanks for the response, but what a
pain in the arse these spinning rigs are......

[Glen]

Ya there a pain in the backside, but when your working docks with a senko it's the only way to go.I forgot to tell you . I was told that the hot water resets the line memory from the diamater of the filler spool to that of the reel.Let me know if it works for you.

[baptistpreach]

I fish almost all spinning, (I've got a couple nice casting reels) I never have problems except an occasional one that was my own fault for not pulling the line tight before I start reeling. I use braid on all of them, and I close the bail by hand. I can outcast a casting reel, and I've learned how to feather the line with my finger so that I get the same accuracy too. If you fish with mono, just be ready to close the bail and pull the line tight before you start reeling. As long as its spooled right, it works great.

[HaulinBass]

Buy a wide spool spinning reel. watch your line on the spool at the end of the cast, make sure there is no loop or extra line has dropped off before you flip the bail manually and begin to turn the handle. All spinning reels will eventually loop the line some how, but you try to prevent it. I'll let line out behind the boat (100' with the bail closed) under a slow idle condition, this allows the line to uncoil and relax. Usually done with fresh line or line that's been used heavy for awhile. I use fluorocarbon on my spinning reels. if left unchecked I would have a chronic mess, line would peel off the spool after I cast, I place my finger on the spool, this stops that. After awhile all these little things I do becomes second nature, but sometimes nothing helps, except having two spinning rigs ready to go if one fails.

[capticeman]

hey Jeraza...
Hope I can help... line twist and birdsnest are gonna happen with spinning rods... I get more with lightweight baits than anything...
you can go the braid/leader route if you want... lotta extra crap to deal with if you ask me...
I got 6 Daiwa SS whisker reels that work great... the newest is about 10 years old... a few years back I bought 2 older reels on ebay... Identical... (not SS whisker) one had more line twist than the other... got rid of the bad one...
Put the line on correctly... put the spool on the ground and start putting it on the reel... if it goes on twisty then flip the spool over... see which way works best... then mark the spool with a marker (label up/label down)
line choice... I use 6 and 8# P-line floraclear for all my spinning... mainly 6... works great... one tip here... the line spools up better on the 300 yard spools than the 600 yard spools... compare them in a store, you'll see why...
Berk. XL a real good line too...
If you want a Flouracarbon line then you'll run into more memory... your casts will be shorter due to the stiffness and triple the chance of a birdsnest... but when you get a bite, you'll know it... I use Triple fish FC, good price, good line... 6# is ALOT easier to work with than 8....
I use 6# 85% of the time... works and casts alot better than 8...
flip the bail over by hand... keep your finger on the spool when you can, this will keep any loops out...
the more fish you catch, the more twist you get...
no magic reel, no magic line or spray... just takes alittle more effort...
4 weeks ago, I fished the Stren at Thousand Islands... caught tons of bass on 6# FC... never respooled, the line twist by the 3rd day was bad but workable... I was gonna respool after the second day but got too drunk and passed out... caught 18-12 that last day on twisty line...
hope this keeps those outfits outa the lake...
go Badgers...