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+--- Thread: Ice Buildup (/showthread.php?tid=388737)
Ice Buildup - Jaackrabbit - 01-22-2008
My spool is tending to buildup with ice causing my line to twist and tangle up when casting. What is the best way to keep your line clear while fishing steelhead in January in MICHIGAN? (Burrr)
About every 15-20 minutes I cast out (best I can at that point) and reel back in with the line between my fingers breaking off as much as I can as I wind in.(thinking that can't be good for the line).
Is there a better way? Tips? Suggestions?
Also, how often do you change out your line on a given Steelhead season? Ice is killin my line. I'm using Berkley Trilene Photochromic 12 Lb.
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Re: [Jaackrabbit] Ice Buildup - lonehunter - 01-22-2008
What kind of rod and reel are you using ? I was wondering because of the 12# test line .
The balance between your line strech from mono , the give or backbone of your rod and the drag from your reel if properly done , you should be able to use a smaller diameter line with the better results . You should enjoy less line twist , further casts and a lot less weights for better "strike" feel . Last fall I was using 4# , 6#and 8# for the King run[cool] .
These tips will help reduce ice build up but not eliminate it [
]. Most of your line comes with a food-grade silicone coating to help with water absortion (yes , plastic will take a small bit of water and retane it ). You can put some Rain-X on a cloth and hold it around your line when spooling , or spray it on while spooling every couple cranks to stop water or ice from sticking to it .
Carnuba wax your rod and guides to help prevent ice build up , this helps to easily break off any ice build up you may have . No time for the wax job ? , use a chap-stick on the guides it preforms just as good .
Some guys swear by this , I've tried it but only a few times and am not shure if it is any different than non treated line but ...
you can soak your line in liquid fabiric softner overnight and it will make your line a little more flexible and limp .
Browning has a light/medium action rod 9' length for around $50.00 , some come with reels already mounted , depends on where you get them .
St.croix rods start around $110.00 and are fantastic ! I have a coustom built Jim Grant rod that runs 5 times that amount , I like the St. Croix a heck of a lot better !
Places like Dicks sporting goods and cabelas give you a one year guarintee with the St.Croix or you can get a extended 2 year guarintee for a few bucks more , no questions asked , sometimes you don't even have to show the rod , call them with a damage report and they mail you a replacement [cool].
Maxima is what most of the guys prefer that steelhead . Me , I've been using the Yo-zuri Hybreed line for years for spring and fall fishing (tight quarters fishing , elbow to elbow crouds ).
Winter I use a top quality mono but I purchase the big spools . I take 4 or 5 reel spools in my vest for quick changes and leave the big spool in the car incase I run low on line (I can respool line and warm up at the same time ) . Extra reel spools can be bough on E-Bay or at some on-line stores .
The big spools of line last a couple years so over time you save yourself a bundle of cash compaired to buying small 250 yard spools .
Most guys loose there fish when they get them close to landing , why ?
The small nicks in the old line . Over ten or twenty yards these nicks will all have a little give and the line dosen't break , but you concentrate that stress on a nicked up line and within 20 feet one of those nicks will give [pirate] .
New line , minimal nicks , more fish hauled in[cool][cool]
Yes , those zebra mussles and ice flows play heck on a line , there is a lot of respooling to be done [unsure] . I wait untill I know I'de be risking a fish because there is not enough line left on the spool before changing the line .
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Re: [lonehunter] Ice Buildup - Jaackrabbit - 01-24-2008
Used some PAM cooking spray on the eyes, that seemed to help. I'll change out the line to 8 lbs and let you know how it turns out next week.
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