Just when I thought I had baitcasters figured out this happens. Hung up a lure with heavy braid to a tree and have to choice but to pull and break the line. I hear the loud snap of the line breaking but can’t find the tag. It’s buried somewhere in the spool which is tightly wound up from pulling on the snag. Any ideas?

Next time bring a wooden dowel with you and wrap braid around dowel and pull. Fornow if it's to far dug in start cutting.

My guess is that you did not notice that you had a tiny loop on the line in the spool and it burned through.

I've had this happen. When it did I took the spool out and just pulled the line off the spool sideways until I found the end them hand wound it back on. Just gotta make a few easy casts after to get it to lay back on properly.

2 hours ago, dodgeguy said:

Next time bring a wooden dowel with you and wrap braid around dowel and pull. Fornow if it's to far dug in start cutting.

This exactly.  

I have never seen line break at the spool. The only way I see that happening is the line was nicked or frayed. Or the guides or levelwind hole are damaged and cutting the line.

On 5/26/2019 at 1:55 PM, dodgeguy said:

Next time bring a wooden dowel with you and wrap braid around dowel and pull. Fornow if it's to far dug in start cutting.

This is what I do.  Braid is too strong to break by hand.  Also I wouldn't want to put that kind of pressure on my reel.  I assume you were pulling without using the rod.

Thanks everyone. Will definitely try the dowel thing next time. Took the reel home and dug through it and turns out there was a small loop which must have cut through the line as I was pulling. Lesson learned.