Surf rod keeps snapping braid on cast
I'm getting fed up with this.
I have a surf rod (12 ft Abu Garcia acquired second hand) loaded with 50 lb braid (cheap ebay braid:
For a rig I'm using a 100 lb crane swivel, connected to 60 lb fluoro, with a #2 star sinker and a couple of snelled #5/0 and #6/0 circle hooks. All knots are Uni-knots (except for the paternoster knot for the sinker)
The problem I'm having is that it's snapping off on the cast.
After it happened twice, I inspected the guides and found one that was cracked, so replaced that.
The next time I went fishing it happened again. I retied a rig without a sinker and cast a 20cm herring, and landed a 70cm eagle ray (released) -- so the braid and guides can take some load.
In frustration I rigged up some of the braid in the workshop, tried a couple of knots, and when lifting a 20 kg oil drum with a bimini and palomar knot, the braid snapped right in the middle (not near the knot) at around 15 kg or so.
So my questions are:
1) What's a good brand, type and breaking strain of line for beach fishing. Should I even be using braid at all? Braid does tend to wrap around seaweed. I'm want to be able to land a good sized salmon / tailor / mulloway.
2) Should I be using a casting leader? If so, what brand, breaking strain, etc.
3) Is Rovex D:8 braid any good?
Thanks in advance.
420casts
Posts: 281
Date Joined: 25/03/13
Berkley Whiplash all the way
Berkley Whiplash all the way for me mate. Getting line from China is risky I find, and I will use Whiplash or J Braid and spend the extra bucks because both are tough as shit and durable. If braid is too much mucking about for you then Platypus Pretest 20lb and you cant go wrong.
My YouTube channel, Fishing Rigs & How To's and more:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr9kJWJYyoaOkHRDu1pxszg
@666percentfishing
beau
Posts: 4106
Date Joined: 24/01/10
Are you tying the braid
Are you tying the braid directly to the swivel? You ideally want a shock leader between the two
Boyce
Posts: 230
Date Joined: 04/02/17
+1 for whiplashGreat stuff
+1 for whiplash
Great stuff and super thin
Cant beat it
Ryan C
Posts: 1575
Date Joined: 08/07/10
braid
hi mate , bluewater morleys "stock" braid is the Diawa j braid wx4 its tough as nails and cheap too , they have it in bulk spools at the spooling counter 30lb is enough and is nearly unbreakable with a good knot , try that .
lrp1
Posts: 75
Date Joined: 26/11/12
Check the guide eyes very
Check the guide eyes very very carefully, even if you think you already have. I once had a chiped guide eye that I somehow missed the first few times, kept snapping off line on casts intermitently.
Also, strongly consider running a wind-on leader made of mono. Get some 20lb mono, look up how to tie joining knots (a uni-uni connection works ok and simple to tie, the FG knot is slightly more work but also a nicer connetion) and tie the mono to the end of the braid. Reel some mono on until you have enough that when you cast the line has a few wraps of mono on your reel, mono out through the guides all the way to whatever terminal rig you're using. Not only is the mono is much easier on your casting finger, but it's better at adsorbing shocks and dealing with abrasion. Replace it whenever it seems to need it.
keg
Posts: 399
Date Joined: 17/07/07
second that
i had the same thing happen. on close inspection i had a guide with a tiny chip in it you could hardly see but it was sharp enough to cut the braid
Travis p
Posts: 727
Date Joined: 28/07/16
Either
Braid is shit or theres a small chip somewhere on a guide or the roller bearing on the reel has shifted left or right or come loose and your braid is catching it.
Brand wise heaps of braid out there to do the trick if purely off the sand and rocks using baits id go with j braid or sunline siglon or as mentioned whiplash i would oly spend the bigger dollars if you began using lures then you would want and need the smaller diameter vs breaking strain for casting distance
Good luck
wont catch em sitting at home!
420casts
Posts: 281
Date Joined: 25/03/13
+1 for Sunline Siglon
First braid that converted me for some types of fishing, PE 3-4 Green. Very good stuff.
My YouTube channel, Fishing Rigs & How To's and more:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr9kJWJYyoaOkHRDu1pxszg
@666percentfishing
nebbian1
Posts: 166
Date Joined: 31/08/17
Thanks guys,That whiplash
Thanks guys,
That whiplash sure looks the goods!
Ok I've ordered some 65 lb whiplash and 50 lb Penn shock leader, that should do the trick I think. I'll also get out the magnifying glass and inspect all the guides.
Many thanks to all for your advice. I really appreciate it. This forum is amazing, you guys have a wealth of knowledge.
Uluabuster
Posts: 725
Date Joined: 12/12/10
run a cotton bud around all
run a cotton bud around all the guides, any nicks will pick up some of the cotton fibre. That will be the guide/s to be replaced.
Also, inspect your bail arm roller. It could be jammed resulting in line no feeding out smoothly.
Feral
Posts: 1508
Date Joined: 01/11/06
an easy way to check your
an easy way to check your guides is by lightly scrapping a sharp knife or scalpel around the inside of the guide. it'll grip even if it's a minute crack
trymyluck
Posts: 908
Date Joined: 06/05/12
The line you have is
The line you have is probably good enough if its braking at 15kgs mate. 15kg of drag is way more than you will ever need. 5kg of drag is enough for anything except big sharks.
nebbian1
Posts: 166
Date Joined: 31/08/17
Just an update on this, I
Just an update on this, I spooled my rod with 65 lb whiplash, and 50 lb Penn leader (enough to have a couple of wraps around the spool when casting). Braid was tied to the leader with an FG knot using the Rizzuto finish.
Since then I've cast lots of big sinkers, and landed some bigger fish / rays with no problems at all.
Thanks to all for the advice, I really appreciate it.
still trying
Posts: 1071
Date Joined: 27/06/17
I have some of that braid on
I have some of that braid on my bottom bouncing rod yes it was very cheap but I have not had it snap on me ever, but I am not casting.
rather be fishing
Shark1
Posts: 1086
Date Joined: 21/05/12
use your tonque to check
use your tonque to check your guides more sensitive than finger and cant hurt em
always use a nylon leader for shock when casting big weight
i want at least 3 wraps around spool and prefer more
make sure to load the rod up properly when casting braid- nylon is more forgiving if u still learning, any sharp jerking action can break braid -even mono
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcNTHNbmO6Y
the south africans got another way -think it was called easy cast - maybe
they lay they bait on the ground - like almost touching your heel -rod tip almost touching the ground -then whip it from there
some braids cant stand a shock load( and some leaders as well) i use daiwa boat braid for everything casting, bottom bashing etc
buy em in 1500m rolls
lots of ppl on this side has had good results with tasline
i wanna try some next