Fluorocarbon has come a long way since its introduction to the angling world when it was essentially used as a leader. However, fluorocarbon line is now commonly used as a main line on many reels.
Fluorocarbon fishing line has a reputation for backlashing or birdnesting when casting bait casters and spinner reels. Fluorocarbon is made from PVDF, which creates a lot of line memory that contributes to backlashes. However, modern fluorocarbon lines have improved on this greatly.
Without a doubt, fluorocarbon lines have some great features to fishing, but as with any fishing gear, it has a specific application and is not without its troubles. Backlash or birdnest when casting is one of the disadvantages of this line.
Why Does Fluorocarbon Cause Backlash Or Birdnest?
To understand why fluorocarbon line tends to backlash, you need to know what causes backlash.
The main cause of a backlash when you cast is a reduction in speed of the lure, and the reel continues to spin much faster, releasing too much line.
The line then overwinds on the spool of the reel, and you end up with the dreaded birdnest on your reel that can take you an hour to untangle!
Fluorocarbon line is denser than monofilament line, which causes it to move through the air differently. The velocity of the line will reduce much quicker through the air than with monofilament line, and the lure could hit the water much sooner than you expected.
The rapid slowing of the lure and the line in the air during the cast can catch you unawares, and before you know it, your reel is a tangled mess of line!
When anglers experience the tragedy of a birdnest, they more often than not use every cuss word they know and learn a few more to express their displeasure for the dreaded overrun event!
Why Is A Backlash Difficult To Untangle With Fluorocarbon?
A backlash with fluorocarbon on your reel is a particular nuisance because the line kinks very easily, which can damage the line and cause it to break when you finally sort out the birdnest and hook into your biggest fish of the day. Time for more cuss-words!
The knots on tangled fluorocarbon can pull extremely tight, making it feel like you have the dexterity of an elephant doing crochet when trying to undo the mess!
So other than expressing your intentions to go fishing with dynamite instead of a fishing rod, what can you do to minimize your fluorocarbon line becoming a nesting site for the local birdlife on your reel?
How To Reduce Backlash Or Birdnest With Fluorocarbon Line
There are a few steps you can take to minimize falling foul of a birdnest on your reel. One thing you need to be aware of upfront is that a backlash with fluorocarbon does not only happen to beginner anglers, but it can be an event that can happen to experienced anglers.
However, if you are a newbie angler with fluorocarbon, you will have more tangles on your reel than an experienced angler. You are in for a torrid time if you are a newbie with a bait caster reel AND fluorocarbon line!
Backlash can occur on a spinner reel with fluorocarbon lines, but the bait caster requires different basic casting techniques, making it more prone to birdnesting.
Here are some strategies and techniques you can use to limit the backlash when using fluorocarbon lines.
- Get your casting technique right with monofilament line. Use monofilament line to practice your casting and get your technique and timing right, especially with a bait caster reel. Once you are confident with your technique, progress to fluorocarbon, hold your breath, and give it a go!
- Don’t cast into the wind with fluorocarbon. Casting into the wind will dramatically slow the line down during the cast and increase the likelihood of a backlash.
- Use the brake system on the reel. When you first start casting with fluorocarbon line, set the reel brake as high as it will go, and as you get a feel for the line, reduce the brake on the reel. This will take you time to become accustomed to the line with fewer birdnest events!
- Start with a heavier lure. A heavier lure will help to pull the line through the air during the cast and reduce the possibility of an overrun or backlash on the reel. Once you are confident with a heavy lure, try casting with progressively lighter lures.
- Adjust the spool tension on the reel. Tightening the spool tension will slow the spool down faster during the cast. Your cast wont be as far, but it may save you the frustrations of an overrun. To test the spool tension, set the tension so that the lure will drop to the ground at a medium to slow speed, pulling the line off the spool as it goes. Reduce the tension on the spool as you become more proficient.
- Practice casting with fluorocarbon. Don’t try to learn casting with fluorocarbon when you are out on the water. Practice at home when you have some spare time in the evening after work or on the weekends. Use some weights or split shots on the line to simulate the weight of a lure so you can practice on land without damaging your lures or snagging the neighbour’s washing.
Fluorocarbon may have some difficulties, especially for anglers new to this type of line. However, fluorocarbon’s benefits an angler make it worthwhile persevering with this line to learn how to use it.
Fluorocarbon will give you a better feel on the line for what your lure is doing, and when a fish shows interest and the line is almost invisible to fish in the water.
If you are having trouble using fluorocarbon line on your reel, try using it as a leader, with a monofilament line on your reel until you become familiar with fluorocarbon!
How To Remove A Backlash Or Birdnest On A Reel
When faced with a birdnest, you can count on a good hour to get the reel untangled. That depends on how hard the backlash was in the first place.
Unfortunately, there is no secret sauce that I can give you to help with untangling everything other than slowly untangling the line one knot at a time. However, you can find some advice online on dealing with this.
I tried some of these tips, and sometimes it’s a hit or miss, but I’ve gotten pretty lucky using these tips: