Problem with line coiling

[Scott K]

Last year was my first time using an actual reel for ice fishing. I had been using the old style previously. My problem is the line coils something fierce and becomes a tangled mess after reeling in 3 or 4 times.

I don't know what I am doing wrong. I thought I was reeling it on to the reel with the right orientation, but maybe not. Could it be that the spool of line is bigger than my reel spool and therefore the coils are different (that probably made no sense LOL). Am I winding it on too tight?

Please help.

[wally-eye]

Last year was my first time using an actual reel for ice fishing. I had been using the old style previously. My problem is the line coils something fierce and becomes a tangled mess after reeling in 3 or 4 times.

I don't know what I am doing wrong. I thought I was reeling it on to the reel with the right orientation, but maybe not. Could it be that the spool of line is bigger than my reel spool and therefore the coils are different (that probably made no sense LOL). Am I winding it on too tight?

Please help.



A common problem with no absolute 100% guaranteed answer........

The best thing I have found is to use a GOOD, not cheap but GOOD barrel swivel about 4 to 5 feet above your lure............and one good thing about this way is you can actually run heavier line as your mainline, say 6 lb. and then have a 3 to 5 foot length of 2 lb test or smaller. My one rod runs 4 lb mainline with a swivel and a piece of 1 lb leader tied to tiny teardrops.....this is on my gill rod.

My walleye rod runs 10lb fireline ice with a swivel and a 6lb mono leader tied to my lures........works for me.........

[krt]

It does sound like you are winding the line onto the reel backwards. Try & flip the bulk spool over and see if that helps. If it is backwards, it usually doesn't take too long to see the line trying to twist around the end of the rod.
Also, don't over fill the reel or it can cause problems, too. Stop filling when you are about 1/8" from the edge.

[krt]

I just re-read your post and I may have been mistaken when I thought that you were adding new line to your reel.
Another thing is to make sure your anti revearse is on so you can't wind the handle backwards.

[jimbo]

i still use long rods ,innerflows or old rods with pegs.(35 yrs old & still workin') Line coils & kinks ( bend around pegs) have always been a problem. but, my guess is to change to a dif. line. if a fish can move your jig 1/16 of an inch & all that happens is your coil straighten out, YOU ARE LOST.
several years ago they came out with some "cold weather ice" line. it's softer & has less memory. try some of that or some of the braided line like fireline,microfusion, ect. still, keep it thin.
there are 2 previous threads on this very subject already
see (new line for 2009)
JUST MY 2 CENTS

[Scott K]

I just re-read your post and I may have been mistaken when I thought that you were adding new line to your reel.
Another thing is to make sure your anti revearse is on so you can't wind the handle backwards.
I didn't word it very well, but yes, I was talking about adding new line.

[wally-eye]

I didn't word it very well, but yes, I was talking about adding new line.



You ARE kind of correct that taking line off a bigger spool and winding it onto a smaller spoool reel will in fact cause some twist.

One SURE fire sure to get the wife cranky method of fixing this is to have whoever hold the spool while you wind the reel.........wind up about 10 to 15 feet then stop winding and have who ever is holding the spool untwist the spool then start again and keep doing this till the spool is about 1/8th inch from the edge. very time consuming but it does in fact work.....best to start with a fresh spool of line however, once twisted toss it...


There have been times however when I bought a spool of line and no matter what I did it twisted......in the summer if that happens is remove all baits and drag it in the water behind the boat for a while pointing the rod towards the towed line....works all the time..........but alas not practical this time of year.

Good luck....

[ih772]

The coiling problem is one of the reasons I switched to a braided line. That, and you detect a lot more bites with it. I just use a 3' leader of mono to tie my lures too.

[Capnhook]

Schooley reels. No line twist.. period! Not quite as sexy, but very effective in under 20 FOW. Just a thought. Capnhook

[jimbo]

if you're just addding new line,with spool in the floor, reel in about 30-40 ' & stop,look at the line between rod & spool. if it's got alot of small coils, than FLIP YOUR SPOOL OVER. reel in & repeat if needed.
big coils are fine, small ones are bad.
once again ,use a good "soft line with little or now memory

[double trouble]

thy his
http://www.lineandlure.com/

or the original blakemore (jimmy houston)
http://ttiblakemore.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=57

boy, a couple snake oil salesman selling snake oils ,but it might solve your problem!
wal-mart carries lure magic

[DocHoliday]

if you're just addding new line,with spool in the floor, reel in about 30-40 ' & stop,look at the line between rod & spool. if it's got alot of small coils, than FLIP YOUR SPOOL OVER. reel in & repeat if needed.
big coils are fine, small ones are bad.
once again ,use a good "soft line with little or now memory

Jimbo has the answer. That is what I do when I'm putting new line on a spinning reel. Its alot of hassle but it works. Another thing I do with spinnig reels that the line is coiling is the following summer go out in a boat and while motoring slowly across the lake I let the line out with nothing on the end of it. Let out about 100yds and pull it behind the boat for a while and the drag of the water will take old coils out. Then slowly reel in the line with the tip in the water and pointing toward the rear allowing time for any new coils your spinning reel causes to work their way out. This works for me.

[Crooked Dave]

I am not sure where I read the tip, but taking your spool of line and try soaking it in warm/hot water from your tap for about five minutes prior to spooling. If you can fully submerge the spool, this should do the trick. I haven't had one problem with line twist on spinning reels since I started doing this. It might work for you. Tight Lines.

[jacktownhooker]

Schooley reels. No line twist.. period! Not quite as sexy, but very effective in under 20 FOW. Just a thought. Capnhook
ya that !!! :idea:

[THE BAIT SHOP GUY]

Spinning reels, monofiliment , and jigging lures will always equal coils in the line sooner or later. Mono still has "memory" from being on the larger filler spool. When you put it on the smaller spool on your reel, it wants to go back to that shape. As Crooked Dave mentioned, soaking your spool in warm water will solve that problem. The heat gives the line new memory, so it won't want to explode off the spool as soon as it gets some slack. Actually, you don't even need to let it sit in the water that long. Whenever we spool up reels for our customers at the shop, we just run the spool under some hot tap water for 5 to 10 seconds. Works like a charm. Blown a lot of minds with that simple little trick. Braided lines like Power Pro and Spiderwire have no memory, so you can skip that step.

As Wally-eye mentioned, a small barrel swivel can help a lot. A #12 or #14 is small enough to reel through the smallest line guides and onto your reel. They are a must have when using swim baits like Jigging Raps.

Lastly, don't skimp on line. Any good mono will work. Most manufacturers now market lines for icefishing that will stay limp in cold conditions. Stay away from that cheap $2 blue stuff - way too stiff.

Good luck this winter.

[jimbo]

mono line is made from nylon,a plastic.
it will absorb water & loose the memory & become limper than when it was dry. ( flouro don't absorb water, so they stay as stiff as when they were dry-- hence, line coils are hard to come out while fishing ----- ? i think i'm right here?)
your reel line will soon remember the tighter coils of your spool too.
any water make scense, esp warm water.
but just check for twisting coils as you add new line & flip your stock spool over