I’ve recently decided to jump  in to baitcasters. I’ve been dialing the resistance for my lures and I’ve been casting well and far. I rarely if ever have a birds nest. However…..my braid consistently gets knotted on the spool. Sometimes it will dig in to the line in the spool and it’ll have a “catch” which stops my lure midair. I’ve switched from light braid up to 30lbs in case the string diameter was the issue, but I’m still having the issues. I get about 10-15  minutes of casting and then these knots and catches start happening. I’m beside myself because I’m really loving my bait casting but I’m lost to what I’m doing wrong. I can find tutorials about the birds nest, but nothing specific about these issues. Help! Please!!!

You need to spool it differently than other lines.  Here's how:

 

 

Sounds like your backlashes are going deeper than you're chasing.  

Braid is so limp, it makes 180-degree backlash loops that you can't see.  

When you pull the line to where the backlash jams the spool, best to use a plastic toothpick to pick the line and find the backlash loop.  

Line dig is Not the issue, I think you're reading buried backlash loops the wrong way.  

Line dig is something different - it occurs with high cranking loads, that is, hooked up to big fish using big drag - if you haven't been doing this, there's no way you're getting line dig.  

I just use 12 pound test Sufix Siege on my baitcasting rig. strong and casts like a rocket.

 

nothing wrong with using old school mono on a baitcaster. 

I prefer 50lb braid on baitcasters. 
 

It’s important to wind it pretty tight onto the spool. Also, here’s a really good tip for when you’re new. Start with  fresh, full spool of line: 

 

1. Tie the end of the line onto a tree or something 

2. Open your spool and walk backwards about as far as you want to be able to cast. 
3. Put a piece of electrical tape on your spool 

4. Reel your line back in as you walk back towards the tree. 
 

Now, you’ll never backlash farther than 1 cast-worth of line into the spool. It will save you a ton of time picking out backlashes. 

I don’t use a lot of braid but it’s the least tangling line I’ve ever used on a bait caster , except around the rod tip occasionally. Somehow all my backlashes come out, which I can’t say for floro or mono . I think just the thin diameter seems slick enough to untangle, and I’ve never experienced the dig in I read about. 
 

One thing you might try is some 50 lb, I love the tactx on my catfish rigs . Maybe the heavier line is less prone to knot 

Your drag is likely too tight. Loosen it up some and the line won't dig. You need much less drag than you think

I also use heavier braid (50lb min.) for frogs & larger topwater lures. Never had the issues you’re describing. Never cared for the lighter braid on baitcasters myself.

If the braid digs down into itself it’s too loose on the spool and dry. The level wind worm gear on the reel may not be fast enough the overlay small diameter braid.

Tom

I only use braid on one combo but had digging problems occasionally.  I was spooling like Glenns video but still had problems.  I ended up doing 2 things that seem to work.  

 

I went to 50 pound braid.  It's the same diameter as the 12 pound Mono I use.  Also, Tom mentioned too loose on the spool, as well as dry.  After I spool a reel with braid I tie a big deep crank on, like a 8XD, let it trail behind the boat until almost all of the line is out, then reel it back in.   This puts a bunch of pressure while reeling and also wets the line.   

 

I tried several brands of Braid but ended up using Sufix 832.  I don't think the 832 is necessarily better.  The other braids I tried were 30 pound test.  I think my dislike was at least in part to the smaller diameter.  

You can decrease the amount of dig in by using thicker braid like 50lb versus 20-30lb also spool it on under pressure like others have mentioned. The final point is never thumb the spool & pull back to get a snag unloose. That causes the braid to dig in. Instead loop the braid around a wooded dowel or pair of pliers or something else before pulling the snag loose. 

Use 50lb spooled tight. Get  suffix 832 or better yet vicious no fade braid.

I fish a lot of braid and another trick is pull a little line out after the cast if possible and have it line up with the levelwind, then hold the line taught as I take out the slack.  The line guide relation to where it is on the spool when you begin reeling again seems to influence the amount of backlashes over time.  It's hard to do on every cast, but the habit every few makes dig go away for me even with 20-30lb line.

 

scott

One of the biggest problems people new to braid run into is keeping it tight on the spool, especially while fishing. Working a lure (stop-and-go retrieve, hopping a jig, ect..) introduces "loose spots" on your spool over time. As soon as I notice my line getting a little loose on the spool, I turn and cast as far as I can, then pinch the line in front of my reel and reel the line back up under tension. Depending on what and how I'm fishing, I might do this every 6 or 7 casts, or every 20-30. 

The kind braid matters as well and I dont mean brand specific.  For spinning gear I like a light, whispy braid, but casting gear I want something that's has some stiffness to it. 

Just like spinning gear, you dont want to take up loose braid with casting gear, while its minor, the line will dig.  

Personally, I would rather use 0.012 diameter mono than 0.012 braid unless I need 50 pound test line.   If you get a reel that is specifically designed for braid,  the levelwind will move faster so the line lay crosses over itself rather than being parallel.  I use the Diawa Silver Wolf SV TW PE Special which is basically a BFS Zillion with a faster levelwind.  I use 0.004 diameter (10 pound) braid on it with no dig in.

@Tennessee Boy, 10 lb braid? Lawdy that’s bear huntin with a switch. I don’t even go that thin to floss my teeth 

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

@Tennessee Boy, 10 lb braid? Lawdy that’s bear huntin with a switch. I don’t even go that thin to floss my teeth 

I don’t hunt bear with it.  I use 0.006 diameter 15# braid most of the time but 10# works fine on the reel. 😆

Learn to "sweep set" with PE line...

Most 10 lb braid breaks around 17-18lb when tested. For most open water situations that’s more than adequate.

I can break 15 inch lb braid very easily. The first time I spooled it up I broke it several times in a row just popping a snag to free it. Too many rocks around here. I wouldn’t even use the 10 lb for bluegill 

U have an old Abu Garcia round Pro Max reel that has a level wind that is much faster. This results in the line going onto the spool at a slight angle which makes dig in nearly impossible. I forget what they called it but the level wind had a symbol on it like XXX,  cross-winding maybe? I dont recall, but it does work great for braid, even thinner braid is fine with this reel.

@Hytekrednek It was called triple cross line laying system, IIRC.