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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | I recently bought a conventional rod and reel for the days when 10 hrs of fly casting has me numb, or the days when 30 mph wind makes fly casting more work than fun. I got St. Croix Premier and a Calcutta, which I put 80 lb Power Pro and a MI flouro leader on. Today was the first day I had it out and I cast DCG's, a Believer and a Grandma.
About four hours into it, I launch my DCG, MI leader over the horizon and to the bottom of Lake St. Clair. I checked my line, and the bottom 4' or so was frayed. It wasn't knot failure, as you could see where the line had frayed and snapped. I attached my leader to the PP with a Bimini Twist which is a 100% strength not and I could see a length of Power Pro attached to my leader as it flew through the air, so for sure, it was not knot failure.
What happened here? The rod was properly strung and all that, and like I say, it was only the bottom four feet or so of line. I'd like to cast my new rod tomorrow again, but I'm a bit afraid I'm going to launch a $25 DCG and $10 leader again.
Can anyone help me out here? |
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| check your guides with a Q-Tip for cracks.
Did it happen on a backlash?
Don't use 80 pound power pro...breaks way way way to easy. |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | No, no backlash. Brand new rod; guides looks good to me.
Are you serious about the PP? I can't imagine breaking being a problem just casting for a couple of hours. |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | Power Pro was the best braid 5 years ago, Try the NEW BERKLEY BRAID, or BERKLEY TRACER braid, this braid is a 8 / strand weave braid, it is round, will not have sound going thought the eyes of a rod, the color stays on the line not on your hands, and your hands will stay dry. Buy 2 boxes of Berkley braid and get $8.00 rebate. Suffix has a 6 strand weave and is also a very good line.
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | I'll give it a shot, but I guess my question is why did it fray? I mean, I can't imagine PP being of such poor quality that it frays and snaps, brand new out of the box like this.
Has anyone heard of this happening before? Breaking like this with no fish on it, no snags, open water fishing and just breaking after four hours? |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | I don't think Power Pro is necessarily the BEST line out there, but I REALLY doubt what you explain would have happened, especially that fast due to the line quality. I would be willing to bet you have a cracked guide, likely the tip top. Do what the guest said, and run a Q-tip around the guides and see if it catches at all.
If the guides aren't the problem I don't know. Maybe you got a really bad batch of line, but it seems unlikely.
curleytail |
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| Also check the line guide on the reel. If it is a calcutta B, I have seen the plastic inserts in those get a hair line crack in them as well.
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Posts: 814
| I think Curlytail is right on, it has to be either the rod tip or the first couple of guides, you MUST use a q-tip because it only take a microscopic burr or hairline crack and you WON'T be able to see this with the human eye. I really don't think its the levelwind guide because you said it was the last 4 feet or so so unless your using a really short rod, where you line snapped should never see the levelwind guide. If any part of the q=tip comes apart that's where your problem is. |
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Posts: 463
Location: Sw Pennsylvania | zebra mussels??? |
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Posts: 1504
Location: Oregon | Has nothing to do with the Power Pro...............I have used PP exclusively for a decade without a single problem. Is it possible the line was frayed on your way to the lake, while in the boat? I doubt you will see the same problem again.
RM |
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Posts: 130
Location: Chicago | Same thing happened to me on Webster last fall and lost my favorite spinnerbait, not sure if it was the line or my failure to re-tie every so often, nothing is invincible I guess, now I pay a little more attention. All in all it has been good for me and continue to use it. good luck! |
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Posts: 46
| 80 pound is not to thin im sure 90% of musky fishermen on here use 80 pound braid. |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | Found it!
When I posted this thread, I had just gotten home from the lake and and had only looked at the eyes and not thoroughly inspected them. I wanted to get this posted and get as many guys looking at as possible as Dad and I are fishing in the morning. So taking the time to look at it, I found a burr on the frame of the tip guide. The ceramic is intact, but there's a pretty good burr there. You can feel it without even having to run a Q Tip over it.
So thanks for the quick replies. Live and learn I guess. Lake St. Clair is one DCG richer tonight! |
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Posts: 311
Location: Ontario | At least you dealt with the isse before a fish dealt with it for you. You'll be loaded for buck for next time, good luck. Good job on carefully checking your gear, that's an important habit to get into.
Edited by JBush 6/25/2009 4:36 AM
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | Yeah like I say, live and learn. This is my first rod that I've not built myself, so I made the assumption that everything was smooth and good to go. I gave it a quick once-over when I brought it home, but didn't check each little guide with a fine tooth comb. I will from now on. |
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Posts: 909
| Now replace that leader with a new STEALTH TACKLE LEADER! LOL!
Brian  |
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Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek | You can order a new tip guide off of SC's website for $5. |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | call THORNE BROS and get a FUJI SIC TIP.
Edited by PIKEMASTER 6/25/2009 2:16 PM
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | muskie24/7 - 6/25/2009 8:51 AM
Now replace that leader with a new STEALTH TACKLE LEADER! LOL!
Brian :-)
Yeah, gonna. I just "geared" up this week and the MI leaders are the only flouro leaders within 300 miles of here, and they were at Gander. I've got myself started for now. Took the rod back tonight, and got the same model, as well as getting a Bull Dawg Super Mag 8' rod and another Shimano.
My Dad is in town this week on business so we're fishing, and I wanted to be geared when he got here so we could have two guys casting in the boat and raise more fish than if he was casting and I was fly casting and not seeing crap. So I was limited to what Cabela's and Gander had. I'll call Thorne's and fill in the rest. |
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Location: Grand Rapids, MI | esoxfly - 6/26/2009 12:13 AM
muskie24/7 - 6/25/2009 8:51 AM
Now replace that leader with a new STEALTH TACKLE LEADER! LOL!
Brian :-)
Yeah, gonna. I just "geared" up this week and the MI leaders are the only flouro leaders within 300 miles of here, and they were at Gander. I've got myself started for now. Took the rod back tonight, and got the same model, as well as getting a Bull Dawg Super Mag 8' rod and another Shimano.
My Dad is in town this week on business so we're fishing, and I wanted to be geared when he got here so we could have two guys casting in the boat and raise more fish than if he was casting and I was fly casting and not seeing crap. So I was limited to what Cabela's and Gander had. I'll call Thorne's and fill in the rest.
I don't believe what I'm hearing... baitcasters and cowgirls? I haven't been over there in 10 days but has Detroit (hell) frozen over? |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | LOL! Had to Will. I've got my Dad here right now fishing, and two buddies coming later this summer. I can't be much of a "guide" for them only seeing a fish or two a week on a fly. Heck, I saw four today (two on 8's) and that's more than I've seen since the opener on the fly. I need to get some fish in the boat, and learn the lake and learn the fish before I start relying entirely on flycasting.
Worry not, I still carry three fly rods in the boat, and still prefer to fly cast. But it's tough to get motivated to go fishing when you're NOT expecting to even see a fish, and then you read on LSCN all the guys who've been muskie casting for three weeks boating two or three fish every time out, making it look easy and I'm just looking for a follow! lol I need to slime the boat. |
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