[jecmec]

I bought the new PENN AF4000 Spinning reel and having spooling problems (uneven) and it seems to be more prone to wind knots with braid (compared to my other reels). Anyone out there having same type of issues with this reel? Penn was no help, according to their tech there hasn't been any design related issues with this new reel (but yet when I attempted to purchase a spare spool directly from Penn, I was told the entire lot was rejected and Penn was waiting for a new shipment). :BenNudd:

 

[Jigman]

you can try adjusting the travel of the spool with washers under the spool.. if it loads heavy towards the back or front it's probably possible to adjust... if the travel comes short on both ends then it's a spool size issue.. in which case, it's a design flaw that you'll have to live with or return the thing...

what I try to do before buying any reel is check the travel of the spool to make sure it reaches both ends and also that it has slow ocsillation for braid use.. sometimes it's not "more money" that buys the better reel .. I've seen the cheaper ones out-perform more than a few times when it comes to being braid friendly... the braid is so much thinner that it can skew the reel designer's specs.. but any newer reel should have the capability.. no excuses anymore.. braid has been around for a while now and is popular enough that it's use should be within the design specs...

hope you find a solution ..I know it sucks cuz I've had the issue a few times, and it'll rear it's ugly head when you least want it to..

good luck

 

[zimno1]

could be the braid your using as well. what are you putting on the spool

 

[jecmec]

The first attempt I used 30 lb PowerPro (spooled uneven and got many wind Knots), then stripped it and put on 17 lb mono (still spooled uneven and got some twists but no knots), the third attempt I had 50 lb Stren Superbraid spooled "professionally in the shop" and off the reel to ensure evenness, but still had many wind knots (at least they were easier to "unknot" compared to the 30lb PowerPro). I have been using the Stren Superbraid on my other reels and never had this many knots. I even swapped my reels and used the same rod and plugs in order to help determine if it was; a. the reel, b. plugs (3/4 - 1 1/4 OZ), c. the rod or d. just me - I really believe it's the reel or the way I'm casting, maybe this reel requires some special technique and/or it's just prone to wind knots by some unknown design flaw.

 

[zimno1]

not enough weight distributed from the set-up. 1 1/2 oz weight with 30lb braid may not work on slightly windy conditions. try 10lb braid if you can. you may also have too much/ not enough resistance in the rod , rod flex. your guides may be too small or too large for the reel bail to compensate for direct withdrawal of line. all these factors make for erratic movement in the line withdrawal. but i think jigman has a real good point in that the line will spool on right any way you try it when turning the handle but in some cases with penn 's new captiva's the spool does not retrieve the line (totally) up and down the spool evenly. sometimes weight coming off a spool of braid on a rod with flex too giving will result in what is commonly called Tip Deflection:

When we cast, the rod comes around and we bring the rod to a grinding halt to send the sinker on it's way. Or do we ?

No !

In fact the tip carries on travelling in the direction we sent it in. then it recovers, etc, etc.

This tip deflection sends shock waves down the line in 2 directions. Towards the sinker, and back through the rings towards the reel ! Ouch.

Get a soft rod tip like a fly rod top, or a quiver tip and flick the thing around imagining its your big rod. And then stop it. The rod tip will deflect alot and start repeating oscillations until it smooths and dies.

Now do the same thing and relax the hand immediately after the cast and the tip recovers like lightning.

The detractors will not see this happen, but watch on slow motion video and the rod will play all sorts of tricks.

So as you release, relax the grip in both hands. Takes practice to get it straight away, but the rod recovery speed is improved 100% ( guessed figure, but close ).

 

[Jigman]

one more thing to add: sometimes when a reel loads the line in an un-braid-friendly manner, it can perform better if you take some line off and leave it actually a bit low.. like 3/16-1/4 of spool lip exposed... also because the effects are magified, braid friendly casting techniques need to be magnified as well.... ie: lightly thumb the spool-lip when the cast is going off; be sure to shut the bail by hand; tug the line before starting your retrieve; be very concious of loose loops on the spool; if your working lures that develop slack on the retrieve (like poppers), keep a close eye on it and make long casts once in a while just to tighten up the line by gripping it while you crank it in...

running the line low will help.. not a cure for the flawed reel but can make it more managable..

rock on!

 

[zimno1]

excellent jig, it is mostly this type of thing people experience with braid. the loose line on the spool will give you that bad wind knot cast as well. bravo! we are likely to hear his better performance with braid in the near future. we will fix anyones shortcomings on this site. headbang.gif

 

[Jigman]

thanks Zim, I've been there more then a few times learning to fish with braid.. had some 'reel' bad ones in my day... running them low on line always seemed to help... it takes away some casting distance but makes 'em more managable... some are just impossible when the spool travel is short on both ends.. I've even taken some reels that I liked and shortened the spool by flooding each end with 5 min. epoxy to narrow the spool and it fixed them but that's a bit extreme when there are reels out now that are made just for braid.. even with those I still use all the troubled reel habits that I was forced to learn early on... I haven't seen a wind knot in a few years now but I sure remember what they look like :bigcry:

 

[zimno1]

they are really not knots "or are they?" when the line first winds on the retrieve if it is loose ie; plugging with bombers and light plugs. a loop will form before the braid is wound on semi-tight and you wind the braid onto it and cast again. at the point the braid passes over the loop it takes the loop into the guides and forms one helluva looped knot. easy to undo with enough experience (which like me i'm sure you've gotten) this thread has gotten pretty in depth as i personnally don;t care to talk about my googin days/. plugging with bombers you have to keep your non reeling finger on the braid holding it down on the rod (high up on rod) and walk the plug giving it action violently snapping the rod tip up and down and retrieving little by little but you know that too but for the sake of our new cohort here this may be the ticket (or not)