In order to answer your question, I need more information.  Was it the only lure catching bass?  Was it the only one of it's kind with you that day? Is it the first time you spent that much money on a lure? Did the bass jump more than once showing you his new jewelry? Are you positive you have never backlashed that line?  What was the moon phase?  

 

If it was the only lure like you had that was catching bass, there is your answer.  If it was the first time you paid that much for a lure, buy more, it is a law of nature that you will loose the first expensive lure to a fish.  Something about butterflies in Borneo, and Chaos theory, I don't understand the math, but I do believe in the law. 

If the bass jumped numerous times after breaking you off, the bass had evil powers, some bass are worse than black cats, broken mirrors, and aliens from outer space combined.

If you back lashed the line at one time, and applied more than a pound of preasure, getting the back lash out, welcome to the fluorocarbon club.

If you can't find a reason, blame it on the moon.

Personally this is why I never run straight fluoro. I did it once and even the slightest kink created a weakspot waiting to break. Can't tell you how many times it would break like that in a random spot on a hookset. I believe it was Sunline Sniper I was using at the time. Blew through the 300yd spool in a season after multiple respools. Sure, my bad for backlashing. But if a single backlash ruins the spool of line to where I can no longer trust it, that's not a system I can trust. 

2 hours ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

 

I won a bet on the NBA game last night. Took the sting out of it a bit.

 

I may not have survived the night if it would have lost.

 

Wife: "You lost a $25 lure AND placed a bet?"

 

Shocked she hasn't divorced me yet.   

This is why some say I hope when I die my wife doesn’t sell my fishing gear for what I said it cost……..😀

1 hour ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

 

I keep my lure "stored" on top of the reel.

 

I wondered about it myself but where it broke was a good 20 yards of line.

 

Picture I found online to show:

 

I'm sitting here going, "Man I swear that looks familiar...." Its my picture 😂, I must have posted on here few years ago, can't remember why.  

 

Sometimes you lose baits, it sucks... Like everyone else said, the line was somehow damaged.  If it's not a bad guide/tip...It could be darn near anything in the water.  

As others have said line had some damage or a bad guide. Take a Q-Tip and run around the inside of the guide. If it pulls the cotton that is a bad guide.

7 minutes ago, Logan S said:

I'm sitting here going, "Man I swear that looks familiar...." Its my picture 😂, I must have posted on here few years ago, can't remember why.  

 

Sometimes you lose baits, it sucks... Like everyone else said, the line was somehow damaged.  If it's not a bad guide/tip...It could be darn near anything in the water.  

 

LOL, yep it said the source was bassresource.com.   

3 hours ago, Team9nine said:

2-4 year old Tatsu

Are you treating the line? 

You too @HawkeyeSmallie

 

I get a month out of any non braid line before it's too kinky to take to be... the water

5 hours ago, herder said:

I would check the guides for any cracks or nicks, I had one on the tip that I had to use a magnifying glass to see. Also check the edge on the spool for any nicks.

BTW, the significant other does not need to know every little thing  

This is a very likely possibility.  You can also check guide/tiptop rings by twisting a QTip in the rings.  If cracked it should "catch" on the fuzz of the QTip.  

 

FC line is very sensitive to damage by picking out backlashes.  If you did that just before, good chance that's it.  The fix:   Mono

4 minutes ago, Banned User said:

Are you treating the line? 

You too @HawkeyeSmallie

 

I get a month out of any non braid line before it's too kinky to take to be... the water

 

Nope.

 

Other than last night's accident, it seems to be in great shape.

 

Zero coils or anything, not even close.

 

I've been a huge fan of Tatsu.

Have you checked the guides yet? Also check the levelwind.

1 hour ago, Logan S said:

I'm sitting here going, "Man I swear that looks familiar...." Its my picture 😂, I must have posted on here few years ago, can't remember why.  

 

Sometimes you lose baits, it sucks... Like everyone else said, the line was somehow damaged.  If it's not a bad guide/tip...It could be darn near anything in the water.  

I like that Scorpion.

 

5 hours ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

 

I keep my lure "stored" on top of the reel.

 

I wondered about it myself but where it broke was a good 20 yards of line.

 

Picture I found online to show:

 

The front treble hook cuts the line you loose 12’ of line with a 7’ rod.

Jusr trying help out!

Tom

5 hours ago, Banned User said:

Are you treating the line? 

You too @HawkeyeSmallie

 

I get a month out of any non braid line before it's too kinky to take to be... the water

 

Nope - no treatment, ever. InvizX is the other one I use and no different; years on most spools unless I run particularly low from enough reties or end damage. I'm an overspooler though, so I start with as much line as my spool will hold giving me a bit more margin for such things than those that start 1/8 inch or more under the spool lip. 

The guide might be broken and shredding the line.   This happened to me recently.  

10 minutes ago, Bigbox99 said:

The guide might be broken and shredding the line.   This happened to me recently.  

 

I sure hope not. Rod was brand new as of last fall.

 

I'm going to check the guides with q tips as others have mentioned.

 

Fingers crossed.

I found fluoro very brittle and unforgiving. The knot must be perfect and that fluoro line is hard enough to cut itself. I Had a few experiences like you described. I threw out all my fluoro and never looked back. I have not had that mysterious line break since leaving fluoro. I know many on here love it, but I have no regrets leaving fluorocarbon line.

1 hour ago, rboat said:

I found fluoro very brittle and unforgiving. The knot must be perfect and that fluoro line is hard enough to cut itself. I Had a few experiences like you described. I threw out all my fluoro and never looked back. I have not had that mysterious line break since leaving fluoro. I know many on here love it, but I have no regrets leaving fluorocarbon line.

 

I hate it too. My equipment takes a beating, but fluoro can't take a beating.

I sent a V110 onto shore with too much enthusiasm on my cast and shattered the bill. 
 

good times.  On and I hit my friends shallow water anchor once as well.  
 

all good.  Easier to stomach when it’s your own mistake that play the lure. 

On 6/18/2025 at 12:48 PM, Swamp Girl said:

 

I hate it too. My equipment takes a beating, but fluoro can't take a beating.

 

I went through a couple spools of decent fluoro's with bad luck. Not even the cheap stuff.

 

Tatsu is night and day different.

On 6/17/2025 at 11:29 AM, HawkeyeSmallie said:

Went out last night.

 

Tied on a brand new Vision 110. Yes, those stupid little $25 lures.

 

Caught a couple small bass, nothing big.

 

Threw it out, jerk jerk, jerk, fish hits, line breaks around the rod.

 

The rod is perfect for jerkbaits, the line is Tatsu (10 lb) that's never been backlashed. The line was put on last fall and I used it a good amount then and this year. This combo ONLY throws jerkbaits.

 

It wasn't the knot that broke, it wasn't even close to the lure. It broke 40 feet from there, at least, at the rod. Not sure if it was at the tip, I want to say it was somewhere in the guides.

 

Does line, especially fluorocarbon break down from the constant jerking?

 

When I tie a new jerkbait on, I normally just remove around a foot or less line. But that's line at the end, once again this was far from the end.

 

I'm now wondering if my drag wasn't loose enough. I'm wondering if I gave another jerk, AFTER the fish was on and it snapped the line. There's a little give with the drag but not a ton. Rod is the Megabass OneTen Special so it's a great rod with good action.

 

I messed up somewhere unless it was just a fluke. No pun intended.   

 

Thoughts?

 

THANKS!

 

PS Telling your wife you just lost a brand new $25 lure wasn't the play either.

A theory based on a couple assumptions.

You tend to cast the same distance, and then repeat a rhythm of retrieve.  In fact, you said “…jerk, jerk, jerk”.  It sounds like you’re initial jerks may occur with line near the tip, and the tip is imparting friction on this localized area of the line on every cast.  I think we know that friction and flouro are not fond of each other.  This may be why it eventually broke off near the rod tip or as you said “…somewhere in the guides”.

15 minutes ago, OldManLure said:

A theory based on a couple assumptions.

You tend to cast the same distance, and then repeat a rhythm of retrieve.  In fact, you said “…jerk, jerk, jerk”.  It sounds like you’re initial jerks may occur with line near the tip, and the tip is imparting friction on this localized area of the line on every cast.  I think we know that friction and flouro are not fond of each other.  This may be why it eventually broke off near the rod tip or as you said “…somewhere in the guides”.

 

Dang, I like how you think. Outstanding observation.

 

This probably makes the most sense.

 

I still have to check my guides, but with it being brand new, I'm "assuming" everything will be in great condition.

 

This is something to think about. If it's the cause, I might have to respool every season.

 

 

2 hours ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

 

Dang, I like how you think. Outstanding observation.

 

This probably makes the most sense.

 

I still have to check my guides, but with it being brand new, I'm "assuming" everything will be in great condition.

 

This is something to think about. If it's the cause, I might have to respool every season.

 

 

Or after each day of use, retie 12” further up the line.  This will move the area of the line subjected to the days’ repeated rubbing on the tip closer to the lure and out of harm’s way.

Have you checked the guides yet? Also check the levelwind.

Thank goodness this is a bass fishing forum … that my wife doesn’t read.

I’m guessing the knot. If cinched down unevenly or incorrectly the knot can break easily. It’s not just the lighter floro line, either. I’ve had 100lb floro break from an improperly tied knot. Gotta pamper those floro knots!