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Dig in issue with braid on frog rod

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I have 50 pound braid and every time I catch a fish the line digs in and I gotta do a little cast and pull out the line until it is free. Is this standard or something I can do about it?

Use smaller diameter backing, maybe

I've had that happen to me. I figured it was normal. 

That's strange.  I use both 50 and 65 pound braid and have caught plenty of bass from the slop on frogs but have never had to do that. 

What brand braid?

  • Super User

Sounds to me like you have too much braid and too little backing.

  • Author

im using suffix 832 and the reel is a lews team custom pro and much more backing and i would be too close to reaching it during a cast and i have watched your video glenn. this was same last year too i thought maybe it was the line or reel but both are different this year and still same problem...

  • Super User

No idea why.  All I can say is I've snagged 40# and 30# and not had to remove dig ins afterwards.  My only suggestion...and it probably isn't needed...is to make sure to keep the braid spooled on tight.  Every so often I hold the line while reeling in to make sure it stays packed reasonably tight.

When retrieving a frog you're going to be reeling the line loosely back onto the spool so some digging is possible but I've never experienced it so bad that I had to pull out line after catching a fish. Maybe if I hung up my lure and pulled hard I'd have to, but not after catching a fish.

It happens. I punch heavy weeds and set the hook extremely hard. it's on the hooksets that it digs in.  I have been using Braid Aide and it seems to be preventing this. In saltwater fishing they will take a new spool, tie the line to the reel and go about 15mph, throw the spool overboard and reel in. This also will prevent the line from digging in. 

  • Super User

The speed of the worm drive has a lot to do with this along with the size of the braid.  Pe models have a faster worm drive to prevent this.

You need to spool the line on as tight as possible when you're first spooling the reel. Take the line thats on there and spool it onto another spool or reel and then wind it back on.

It's the reel, not the line.  When braid first became popular, companies started producing reels with a cross or X pattern of laying the line on the spool. Many still are, they just aren't advertised as such.  Not much you can do about it, but next time you're in the market for a reel, check the worm gear. The farther the groves are from each other, the better for fishing with braid.

  • Super User
25 minutes ago, papajoe222 said:

It's the reel, not the line.  When braid first became popular, companies started producing reels with a cross or X pattern of laying the line on the spool. Many still are, they just aren't advertised as such.  Not much you can do about it, but next time you're in the market for a reel, check the worm gear. The farther the groves are from each other, the better for fishing with braid.

Some reels the worm drive can be swapped out.  The zillion and the alphas are two I am positive about.

  • Super User

You're using an 8 carrier braid with the 832. Try switching to a 4 carrier braid and see if that helps. Bumping up to 65lb. test should help too.

  • Super User

Could be a number of factors as mentioned above. Something else to consider. How lose or tight is your drag? The reason I ask is this...so say your drag is set in a way that when you pull line out or a fish pulls line out you can visually see the braid digging itself into the spool. Most would argue casting or spinning you want some give and take with the drag system so setting to near lock down or completely locked down should be avoided. But look at frog fishing as whole. Heavy cover, usually some bigger fish, having turn them away and out of cover. I would consider tightening down my drag on my baitcaster while fishing. This should eliminate some of dig in from either violent hook sets or fish pulling drag. Just remember to loosen it up some while the reel is not in use.

  • Author

its just weird because this happened on my curado i and now the lews. i took out the line to the backing and reeled it back in super tight will see if it helps but do not think it will. thanks all. 

  • Super User
20 hours ago, OhheyCindy said:

its just weird because this happened on my curado i and now the lews. i took out the line to the backing and reeled it back in super tight will see if it helps but do not think it will. thanks all. 

Try this along with tightening down your drag more and see if this doesn't solve the issue.

  • Author
25 minutes ago, kickerfish1 said:

Try this along with tightening down your drag more and see if this doesn't solve the issue.

ya my drag is locked down all the way as this is my frog rod. i caught some fish today and it was better but still digs in at the point of setting the hook... nothing else to do...i will live with it for now. i will try another line next time... 

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