Spinning Reels and Line Twist

[nofearengineer]

Bigbassin144 and I recently had a little discussion about spinning reels and line twist, which really got me thinking. He is a big fan of baitcasting reels, as I also have become over the past year. However, as drop-shot enthusiasts, we find ourselves still using a light spinning combo. Do we just have to accept a future of line twist?
First, let me say that BB and I are on different sides of this debate. He maintains that spinning reels cause line twist, while I say there is no reason for it to occur, and it must just be “operator error.” The truth may lie somewhere in between.
Most of us have had firsthand experience with the nasty mess that happens when your line gets twisted up. It seems like if you have any slack whatsoever, the line jumps into a hundred wrapped up knots. It’s a truly "special" occurrence, second only to the thrill of a nasty backlash on a baitcasting reel. But what exactly causes this line twist, and how can it be prevented?
Basic reel design:
We all know how the spool of a spinning reel is stationary; i.e., it doesn’t rotate like a baitcasting reel. The bail revolves around the spool (funny….”revolving reel” just doesn’t have as nice a ring to it), winding the line onto it. Herein lies a possible source of line twist.
During a cast, the line comes off of the spool in loops, rather than straight off, as with a baitcasting reel. At first glance, one would think this is where the line twist comes from. And in truth, the line is twisted at this point.
Grab a roll of toilet paper if you want an example. If you pull it straight off the roll, as with a baitcasting reel, obviously there is no line twist. However, if you pull the paper over the side of the roll, you can see that for every loop you pull off, one complete twist is imparted to the line. Mystery solved, right?
Nope. What isn’t taken into account is that during the retrieve, the revolving bail acts to put every loop back on exactly as it came off, except in reverse. If it weren’t, you’d be having those line twist problems every single cast, instead of every fifty. So the simple act of casting and retrieving with a spinning reel should not be the cause of line twist.
Where the problem lies is when the number of loops doesn’t equal the number of twists. Anyone who has ever pulled a big extension cord or hose off of a spool like a spinning reel, and then tried to wind it up by turning the spool, like with a baitcasting reel, knows what I’m talking about. A total mess. Some early fixed-spool reels were actually built like this. The reel was cast like a spinning reel, and then the spool turned for a baitcasting reel type of retrieve. Talk about your worst of both worlds. No wonder they didn’t last long.
How do we “accomplish” a difference in the number of loops and twists? Several ways, though most of them involve the drag.
· Continuing to reel while a fish is taking line. It achieves nothing, so why do it in the first place? In my opinion, this high potential to cause the worst line twist problems, because it buries the twisted portion of line deepest in the reel. This causes those “surprise” wind knots, during a cast (snap!), or while your favorite swimbait is sinking to a watery grave on a snaggy bottom.


· Trying to free a snag with the reel. For the same reason as above, this is a very bad idea.


· Pulling line out against the drag, rather than opening the bail. If you need more line to tie up, open your bail! We all test our drag, it’s necessary, but should only be done for that purpose. This shouldn’t be a huge problem, as it is usually right at the end of the line, but it does seem to add up to that “once every fifty casts” disaster. The reason nobody thinks of this is because it happens gradually.


· A lure that doesn’t run true. This is probably the most frequent offender. A crank that tumbles and spins, rather than wobbles. Spoons and in-line spinners; it goes without saying these can twist your line, and upset the balance of loops and twists. BB has even mentioned more than once, a T-rigged worm that spirals on the retrieve rather than running straight. It all adds up.


· A lure that spins rapidly in the air during a cast, and always the same way. You would think it is random, but I doubt it. Over and over, this may add up to a nasty tangle. Notice, this can happen regardless of the type of reel, so this supports my point that baitcasters do experience line twist...they just don't suffer the problems (see below).


Contrary to popular belief, closing the bail mechanically, rather than by hand, has no effect on line twist, though it can be hard on the reel guts, and it most certainly will trap a wind knot beneath wraps of line if you’re not careful. Definitely a lazy habit, and surely accompanied by other bad habits that need to be broken.

So it seems that both BB and I were right about a couple of things, and maybe not so right about others. Yes, spinning reels can be a big pain in the butt with the line twist. However, I think they are just more susceptible to line twist problems, rather than the cause of it. During a cast with a baitcasting reel, the line still on the spool is kept tauter than with a spinning reel. I think this gives the line on a spinning reel more of a chance to spring off and misbehave. It’s probably the reason for the commonly held belief that braid “cures line twist” on spinning reels. The truth is that the twist is still there…braid simply doesn’t react as badly to twist as mono or fluorocarbon.

I have recently decided to use high quality (Sampo) ball bearing swivels on all of my spinning combos where “cast and retrieve” is the method of presentation, but not for drop shot or other “bait” type presentations. The high quality ones are quite small, and I don’t think they will interfere with the action, nor the fish’s willingness to bite. The next time I end up using one (I throw my small X-raps on a medium spinning rod) for an extended period, I will give a status report with my findings.