Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 18

Tangle-Free
FISHING
by Tyler Frantz
photos by the author
"Let me tell ya buddy, these spinners ain't cheap!"
"No kidding-neither are the flies I keep donating to
the trees."
When it comes to tangles and lost tackle, it is safe to
suggest generic versions of this conversational exchange
have been muttered in angst among anglers on a good
number of Pennsylvania waterways throughout the years.
If anyone ever planted a hidden camera on me during
"one of those days," they would be impressed (or at least
entertained) by my unique ability to carry out fully audible
conversations with myself. Often, this self-reflective banter
is enthusiastic, albeit a tad less than delicate.
The truth is, whether fishing for the first time or with
decades of experience, anglers are going to have some
backlashes and break offs along the way. These sporadic
slipups are part of the fishing process, but it is still extremely
frustrating in the moment.
So, to cut down on tangled lines causing unnecessary
temper flare-ups, let's explore some of the most common
culprits of creek-side conundrums, as well as savvy tips for
negotiating these maddening afflictions without losing your
lure or your mind.

Reel issues

Raise your hand if you have ever created a mess at your
rod's base with a calamity of line. Me too. It happens. Pushbutton spincast reels bind, baitcasters bird nest and openfaced spinning reels sometimes jump the spool.
I have distinct, childhood memories of my father
repeatedly threading the lid off an old reel I somehow kept
wreaking havoc on with my destructive, little fingers. After
the pocketknife hack job and cut line tackle box stuffing
subsided, my reel was good to go for at least a few more
casts before Pops had to kill the motor again for additional
emergency surgery.
Likewise, I have sheepishly handed over braided line
baitcasting rods to charter boat mates due to my own

inconsiderate back spooling, simply because I did not keep
enough tension (or attention) on the line, and the results were
not pretty.
For these reasons, I prefer an open-faced spinning reel
whenever possible, especially since it is easiest to fix problems
quickly when complications occur. It is also important to match
the suggested line size and line amount to each respective reel, so
it spools and unspools efficiently.
If your line jumps off the reel, you may have too much line on
the reel, or the line could be too heavy. A lot of pre-spooled rod
and reel packages tend to include heavier line than necessary.
Consider re-spooling with fresh line, and pay attention to how
much you are adding. It will make things go a lot smoother.

Get the net

While kayak fishing on Pine Creek late last summer, I lucked
into a beautiful Brown Trout on a stickbait I was using to target
Smallmouth Bass. My biggest mistake was scooping the writhing
fish with a cloth net I packed in my kayak. By the time the fish
was unhooked and released into the water, I had three sharp
treble hooks to cut out of the mesh fabric and missed a really nice
stretch of fishing in the process.
That is why I have begun swapping out all my cloth nets for
rubber nets. A rubber net is more convenient for removing hooks
from the net and are less harmful to the fish. It is a win-win all
around with less headaches and a quicker return to the water.

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * September/October 2019

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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019

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