All In A Twist

The thinking carp angler offers his opinion, insight and advice every week exclusively here in Angler’s Mail. Col will help you become a wiser angler.

- Colin Davidson

THE biggest cause of tackle loss on any carp fishery today is line twist.

You see, line that has become twisted will get caught around rod rings when you lob your rig out, resulting in crack-offs (the line snapping), especially if you give it the big ’un.

It’s more logical to prevent an end tackle cracking off by reducing line twist than it is to focus on how safe your rig is in the event of the line snapping.

Line twist is an inevitable result of the line being wound onto a fixed-spool reel at a 90-degree angle to the first rod ring. Multipliers, on the other hand, sit level with the rod rings, enabling line to be reeled onto the spool in a straight path, without it twisting.

Anyone who has ever trotted double maggot will know that line twist is not a problem unique to carp anglers, and it is noticeable that the build-up of twist has become more of a problem than ever before.

Carpers of yesteryear weren’t casting anywhere near as far, or as often, as today’s modern breed of fanatics, and they definitely weren’t catching as many fish, the line on the reel getting far less action.

It’s worth noting that lines in the 1980s, such as Sylcast and Brent, were much less supple and resisted twist more than the limp lines that are around today.

If you have ever been infuriated with your line constantly wrapping around the tip ring and looking like a pig’s tail, rather than hanging smooth and straight, you need to understand why line twist happens. You’ll then be able to prevent it occurring, or at the very least reduce how quickly it builds up.

Roll with it