I recently built my first bumper spiral. St. Croix C66MM and used Fuji Alconite guides. I got out on the water last weekend and caught a bass or two but I really wanted to put it to the test. I found a ditch with some specks in it and tied on a D.O.A. to see if I could get something going. Caught a few small specks and then caught one of pretty good size. I noticed when reelin him in that it felt as if the line was coming through "sticky" guides. Sort of a steady slippery grinding feel while reeling. Didn't pay it much attention but then I laid into a 6 pound sheephead and really noticed it bad. BTW when they tell you that just before a rod breaks it begins to straighten and point toward the load, they ain't kiddin. I saw this thing straightening just before he wore out. I checked it afterwards and everything seems okay. Anyway, what could be causing this grinding sensation I'm getting when reeling in a bigger fish?
Thanks,
Greg Marshall

Crack in a guide or tip-top, reel problem are two that come to mind.

Check your line for unusual wear or abrasion. If there's any of that, check your tip-top first, then other guides. A piece of cotton ball or a piece of the wife's old nylons usually works for finding a crack that's not too visible. Using magnification of some kind helps, too.

Putter
Williston, ND

Are you using braided line? I have noticed this sensation before when using braids. I'm not sure why it happens, maybe the braid sets up a vibration in the guides.

Regards
Dave

Fishing is Life the rest is just Details

I know that when I hook a king, the braid I use makes a swooshing noise and sound like it is wearing the guides down.. strange.

Most of the sound comes from the line moving along the tiptop, particularly when the line is coming across it at more than 90 degrees. The tubular rod blank acts as a giant sounding board for the vibrations there. Some ceramics are worse in this regard than others and some lines can cause this moreso than others. I've had it happen with the red Cajun line but not with the same rod when using Berkley Trilene, for example.

See the post below on "Dave Hauser's Lost" for more information on how blanks should flex and when they would fail under normal circumstances.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/2007 10:07AM by Tom Kirkman.

I have had the same sensation from dirt buildup on the guides. It is especially bad if you are using braid, and the tip is the major contributor since it is first in line to pickup the dirt. I use Windex and a toothbrush to scrub down the guides often, this takes care of it.

Like Tom said different lines have different sounds running through the guides, Fireline has a rough sound that is different from the whoosh that you get from braid, and fluorocarbon is generally louder than mono.