Do You Make This Common Mistake While Casting? [VIDEO]

http://the%20biggest%20casting%20mistake

Did you know that one common casting error could cause your line to leader knot to unravel or break?

Even worse, this one casting error could be responsible for you flinging an expensive lure off, it could cause you to randomly break your line at the leader, and even worse… it could cost you a lost fish.

Now, I know what a lot of you anglers are probably thinking right now… how hard can it be to tie and knot and cast correctly without breaking it?

And although the act of casting a line can seem very basic, there are many small aspects of casting that can have a very big impact.

So this post and video will be a continuation of the prior fishing tip about casting longer distances with less effort.

However, this casting tip is focused on a common mistake made while casting that is seen across anglers of all different experience levels…

So what is the #1 mistake when casting?

When an angler casts any fishing knot through rod guides.

Why This Is Such A Costly Mistake

The act of casting fishing knots through guides can significantly weaken the most important connection in your line system (assuming you use a light main line for maximum casting performance tied to a heavier leader to withstand the strong and sharp jaws of many saltwater species).

Why?

Because every time your line to leader knot slams up against a rod guide (or guides) during a cast, the friction from the repeated impacts will cause wear and tear… and eventually the knot can unravel or break prematurely.

Now, although the wear and tear is small to start, the continued knot abuse on the guides can create a big problem for anglers in the form of casting off their lures or losing the biggest fish of the day.

Of course, this wear and tear compounds even quicker the further your knot gets reeled into the series of guides (as shown in the picture below):

casting knots mistake

As you can see, the knot in this picture will hit three different rod guides if it was casted from this position… so just a single cast will create three impact zones that can cause harm to the knot.

And I assure you, doing this over and over again will eventually weaken and potentially even break your line right at the top of your knot.

Note: This can be especially troublesome for those of us who use the super-slim FG Knot because the first braid coil (closest to the lure) is the most important part of the knot… if it gets compromised (breaks or get’s nocked lose), then the whole knot could fall apart.

How To Protect Your Knots [Video]

The great news is that protecting knots is very easy to do… it’s all about just being aware of the issue and minimizing the amount of friction that gets applied to your knots.

This video explains tips on how to ensure that your knots stay strong:

Sign up for FREE to receive the latest saltwater fishing videos, tutorials, product reviews, and fishing product discounts!

Conclusion

When using line to line fishing knot to connect your main line to your leader, make sure to not make a habit of casting your knots through the guides.

Because although the impact of the knot on the guides is small, the repeated abuse can cause a lot of damage over time.

Best of all, this is an easy problem to fix because it only requires just a little more line out of the rod when casting and/or a shorter leader.

Click here to see a post that shows the most effective leader for targeting redfish, snook, and trout when fishing with lures.

Related Post: This One Casting Tip Can Significantly Increase Your Casting Distance & Accuracy.

P.S. – If you think your angler friends or fishing networks would enjoy seeing this, please Tag them or Share this with them. You Rock! Pa-POW!

Related categories:

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

11 Comments
newest
oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
glen
2 years ago

nice video… thanks for the tips… My problem that occurs occasionally is when I make a cast somehow I get a bird nest of line all tangled up, it could be 30′ or more from my bait and sometimes a really good cast distance wise will have this bunch of line that certainly won’t won’t pass through the rod tip guide and needs to be unraveled, meanwhile my bait is hanging out there temporarily out of my control.. maybe reeling the knot past the guides is the cause … you’re opinion please..mahalos

Anonymous
3 years ago

my line breaks when fighting with a fish what arm i doing wrong

Gary Rankel
7 years ago

Good stuff, Luke, and, having the knot not pass through the guides also reduces wind knots.

Levi
7 years ago

What about surf fishing? There’s no way I can get away with such a short leader!

Brad
7 years ago

I’ve found that I can greatly reduce the wear put on my knots due to guide impact by coating them with Loon UV knot sense. Superglue also works pretty well but you run the risk of gluing your fingers together.
I like to start the day with a longer leader because I know between changing lures and fish like snook causing line abrasion my leader is going to get cut down significantly during the day. Starting with a longer leader allows me to spend more time fishing and less time tying on leaders.
The Loon UV knot sense provides a thin, clear, hard coating to my FT knot that allows me to make hundreds of cast without wearing out the knot and without sacrificing casting performance. I use a very thin, very limp Dyneema braid and I have never had an issue with knots wearing out since I started using this method.

Luke Simonds
7 years ago
Reply to  Brad

Thanks for the tip Brad. My only concern about using hard setting glue is that some of them can end up causing more harm than good because knots will condense and change shape when placed under a lot of strain, and if it’s coated with a hard glue and then condenses further, then the glue could crack and end up leaving sharp edges inside the knot which could end up damaging the line.

Sounds like it hasn’t been an issue with the Loon product, just something for others to be aware of if experimenting with different glues.

Fish On!

Tommy Parsley
Tommy Parsley
7 years ago
Reply to  Brad

Yeah I see what you mean. There are certain knots that help prevent that. I’ve always used what’s called a Yukotan knot, and I’ll put 2-3 feet of leader on. I normally use 20, 25, and occasionally 30lb leader, and have not had a problem with it breaking. Yet. However, if you are having problems with it breaking, but the knot isn’t the issue, be sure to check your guides individually. Look for epoxy, scratches, and nicks in the guide itself. That can fray the line, and cause it to break first cast. I hope this helps.
Good luck out there!
Tommy Parsley

Ralph Lassiter
7 years ago

I’d like to see how you cast with 18-28″ of line between the rod tip and the lure. Seems like you loose a lot of accuracy. Do you have some tips?

Luke Simonds
7 years ago
Reply to  Ralph Lassiter

Here’s a post showing a casting tip that allows for greater accuracy and even added distance while using less effort: http://www.saltstrong.com/articles/how-to-cast-a-spinning-reel-farther.

Chris Lutz
7 years ago

It’s also costly in that larger diameter lines tied into knots, repeatedly going through guides, tends to knock out the inserts of the guides. Now you need repairs.

Luke Simonds
7 years ago
Reply to  Chris Lutz

Good point Chris! Thanks for sharing the added tip.

STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!

Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.

Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:

Other Fishing Tips You May Like :

How To Catch Redfish In Murky Water (And Big Tides)

Do you fish in areas with murky water and big tidal swings? Then you're going to love this interview. Capt. Ronnie shares so many secrets about catching...
See Full post
20 comments

This Is The Best Artificial Lure Color For Clear Water

How do you know what a fish sees when they look up at your lure? Based on conditions, choosing the right lure color comes down to...
See Full post
25 comments

Bubba Fishing Net Review (Top Pros, Cons & Tips)

Looking to get a new fishing net? See the top pros and cons of the Bubba Net, as well as some tips for using nets to land fish in general.
See Full post
10 comments
11
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x

Get Instant Access To “The Inshore Fishing Manifesto” PDF Now

You’ll automatically be emailed a private link to download your PDF, plus you’ll be added to the Salt Strong Newsletter.
(Please double-check your email below to ensure delivery.)