If you’re fishing in Lake Charles, chances are you’ve encountered backlash at some point or another, either while casting your line or reeling in your catch. Backlash happens when the spool of your baitcaster goes faster than the actual reel and creates a tangled mess of fishing line that no one wants to get caught up in. Thankfully, you can easily remove this nasty fishing hazard from your favorite baitcaster with these easy steps!

What causes backlash? And how can you avoid it?

Backlash is a result of your spool spinning faster than the line is able to come off the spool. If the line comes to a sudden stop or slows down, the spool doesn’t always register that and will keep spinning quickly. This causes the line to bunch up and create a nest-looking clump around the spool. Some factors include wind, not putting enough pressure on the spool to slow it, and line selection can play a huge part in reducing backlash.

One method to avoid backlash is making sure that your spool tension knob is in good quality. This is the piece that is responsible for putting more friction on your spool to slow it down when needed. Making sure that you adjust your tension for each different cast is important.

Some reels have breaks that push on a metal ring to slow down your spool towards the beginning of a cast.

The best way to avoid backlash is making sure that your thumb doesn’t leave the spool. Keeping your thumb on the spool will allow you the greatest amount of control when casting. You’ll be able to feel the backlash starting to happen and will know when to add more pressure to your spool or loosen up if needed.

Fixing Backlash on a Rod

When fixing backlash, you’ll want to be careful not to break your line or get it more tangled. The most important thing to remember is NEVER pull hard on the line. Doing this will dig the line deeper into the spool – making an ever bigger mess than you started with.

For easy to fix bunches, you’ll want to keep your thumb on the spool to keep it from running and gently pull your line out, away from the spinner. Additionally, you might need to turn the spinner a bit to get the line to untable, so do a half-turn and pull a little bit. And then repeat as needed.

If the backlash is a little worse, then you might need to break out the tweezers to help. Don’t use anything for cutting or with a sharpe edge because this might break your line. Some stores even sell special tools for detangling fishing lines!

Visit Lake Charles Tackle to get the most out of your fishing trip!

If you’re unfamiliar with backlash, or if you need advice on how to eliminate it once and for all, call us at 337-479-2999. We have top-quality fishing rods for sale that can reduce the risk of backlash and we can also show you how to fix any issues you might be having with your equipment. Visit our shop to learn more about fishing rods and stock up on all your fishing needs!

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