Help....Spinning reels and line twist????

[The Eyes_Have it]

It doesn't matter which spinning reel I use or even which line. If I cast for an hour it will ALWAYS twist. I swear, if I could throw 1/8 oz. jigs with my bait casters, I'd never pick up a spinning reel?

[Mike]

I own a Pinnacle deadbolt which gets terrible line twists. I've tried different line manufactures and styles but doesn't seem to matter. I haven't stopped the problem but I've improved it vastly by having my daughter walk down the block with the line then reel it back up with light tension. I do this prior to every outing.

[Hawgeye]

First of all, many of the line twists can be avoided on spin cast reels if you close the bail by hand instead of using the reel to automatically close the bail. As for getting out line twists, about every third time out, I let out about 150' of line behind the boat while traveling 2-3mph,without anything on the end and reel it in. Takes out all of the line twists.

Jigs tend to twist line up if you jig for extended periods of time.

Suggestion, try getting in the practice of closing the bail by hand without reeling shut...it has helped me immensely.

[Tailgunner]

Line twist on a spinning reel is usually caused by two things; 1. trying to reel in line against the drag when you are not gaining line,or 2., using a rotating lure like a spinner without using a snapswivel. For almost all applications i use a small in line swivel about a foot up the line, then a plain snap at the lure, works great!

[bytemelitely]

Try this, take the spool off the reel, attach it to a cordless drill and spool it straight off the line spool just like you would you baitcaster. Or next time your are trolling let off 100 feet or so without anything attached to the line and reel it back in. These methods work for me.

[moonfish]

yes i have the same problem with my reels lately. it seems absurd. i noticed that the lighter lures you use the more noticable it becomes.

[River_eye]

I never seem to have much problem with line twist. I usually close my bail by hand, but that's just a habit, a good one maybe?

Also, I take extra care when setting my drag. I use 8-10 lb most of the time, so my drag can be set fairly tight. No need for a 3-4 lb. walleye to be taking line off of your spool.

[ufda]

I second the swivel a couple of feet up the line when using jigs. I don't think the twists come while jigging, but when reeling up off the bottom (which one normally does quickly. A straight ball bearing swivel with two rings as the snap is extraneous. I also find two other things; my wifes' reel (same set up and everything) twists more as she uses her drag a lot while mine is tightened down quite a bit and I back reel and second, I get less twist when I use Fireline rather than mono. Since I am putting a swivel on I then use 2 feet of Flourocarbon.

[Melonbob_ON]

The letting your line out with nothing on it trick always works for me. Another one that may seem obvious to some is to lay the spool of line flat, label up while spooling up. spool about 15' on the reel, then drop the tip. If your line twists up, flip the spool label down and continue reeling in. another trick is to throw the spool of line into a bucket of water while filling your reel.....(:

[DonC]

When you spool line on to the reel, make sure that it is coming off the line spool the same way it is going on to the reel. For the new generation twist buster reels, hold the spool vertical with the line coming off the spool on the bottom. Always check to make sure there is not a loop on the reel after you close the bail before you start reeling the line. The other suggestions posted are good.
Don

[flyman]

What is the theory behind closing the bail by hand = less line twist? Just curious. I never close by hand and have had no problems with line twist.

If it is a twist problem, you may have a reel with a roller that doesn't roll well when under load (or even when not under load). Also, it is very easy to get a lot of twist when spooling up. One of the first things I like to do with a new spool of line is let it all out to untwist and then bring it back in. I also soak it overnight so that its memory will adjust to my spool faster.

I've found that sometimes people get "wind knots" (loops of line comming off the reel, or small loops on the reel) confused with line twist. Some reels have better (even) line winding, which helps decrease wind knots. Also, small jigs in windy conditions (lots of reeling in slack w/no resistance) seems to perpetuate this problem. In those conditions, I always make a long cast and reel in pinching the line every so often.

Hope some of this helps.

[czy42strokes]

I haven't tried this yet, but a friend boils water and puts his spool in it to remove the memory and twist associated with it. he says it works great, but I wonder what that does to the integrity of the line.