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[dave c]

Hey guys happy holidays.  I've been out steelheading half a dozen times now with nothing to show for it.  Ive run into a disturbing trend lately.  When getting hung up I am breaking my main line 90% of the time.  This puzzles me.  I run 15lb Maxima Ultra Green main and 10Lb M.U.G. leader. My Main line is only a year old.  When steelheading i use jigs, fish skinny water first, adjust float fish deeper, etc etc etc, so hang ups are inevitable and while losing jigs to snags is a bummer losing everything including float (drennans) is absolutely heartbreaking.   The only thing that makes any sense is that the frequent adjusting of float is weakening the mainline (Friction?).  I use a toothpick to secure float, i also use pencil lead on mainline, could the sliding of the lead also weaken the line?

[FlyFishin Magician]

This is a very common problem when fishing too deep.  Your lead might be getting caught on the bottom (i.e. rocks) which results in your mainline breaking.  You could try using a sliding lead set-up with the lead attached to an independent swivel (which is what I often use).  Some people use surgical tubing with this technique - that way, the lead will pull out and you can recover your line.

I found that catching on branches (e.g. casting too far across the river and catching a tree - anyone done that???) is a sure fire way to lose everything - even if it's just the leader that's hung up.  I've broken off 12 lb. MUG mainline when just my 8 lb. fluorocarbon is caught on a branch!

Either way, I doubt that your 15 lb mainline is a problem.  Inspect your mainline on a regular basis - run your fingers down the mainline to ensure there are no abrasions.  I do change my mainline every year, but I'm not sure that I need to.  Of course, the amount of wear on your line will depend on how often you go fishing every year.

Good luck and happy holidays to you as well... 

[river walker]

Try placing a bead between th knot and lead. Also toothpicks can indeed fray the line especially if it's being slid up and down.
Also take a qtip, rub it on the inside of the guides to see if there us a crack in the ring insert. This will also cause breakage

[FlyFishin Magician]

Try placing a bead between th knot and lead. Also toothpicks can indeed fray the line especially if it's being slid up and down.
Also take a qtip, rub it on the inside of the guides to see if there us a crack in the ring insert. This will also cause breakage

I forgot to mention that!   Thanks for posting!

[4TheKids]

X2 on the cracked guide. I lost 2 or 3 full setups until I realized the problem.

[Noahs Arc]

I'd switch from toothpick to rubber bobber stoppers. You'll never look back. I lost everything a few times back in my toothpick days. Especially against a hard plastic Drennan.

The cracked guides is a good thing to check like others have said.

I also chop off 10ft of main line every couple trips as well.

[dave c]

Tks for the responses guys.  I do in fact place a bead between lead and knot. I'll defiinitely check my guides.  May go to rubber stops, since i noticed on my last break off yesterday that the line broke off inside the float only an inch down from the toothpick. Cheers

[losos]

I'd switch from toothpick to rubber bobber stoppers. You'll never look back. I lost everything a few times back in my toothpick days. Especially against a hard plastic Drennan.

The cracked guides is a good thing to check like others have said.

I also chop off 10ft of main line every couple trips as well.

You're right I use one rubber stopper above and one below the float. That way the line has to break above the float to lose it.

[bigblockfox]

x2 for the bobber stoppers. keep the jigs off the bottom. they are bottom magnets. fish the run with something that floats so you can gauge how deep the bottom is. then move your float down a bit and try the jig.

[firstlight]

Try doing a breaking test with both lines in hand.
Maybe you just have a bad batch of mainline?

[Spawn Sack]

I had this happen to me today too! Float went down in a fishy looking seam in the canal, set the hook only to realize that it was a snag, went to snap off the jig and the mainline broke However for me this rarely happens, normally the leader breaks as I typically run 5ish lbs less breaking strength on my leader than my mainline. I think the odd time your lead gets caught up not your hook. However you said this is happening 90% of the time, which is way too often IMO. As others have said check your eyelets and if you don't know how any fishing shop will check for you.

When fishing jigs etc with short leaders for steelhead I dont like the set up of having your lead dangle off to the side on a piece of surgical tubing, 3-way swivel, etc, I guess it's just a confidence thing. I like the weight to be straight up and down on the mainline and rig mine up the same as Dave C with pencil lead or split shot. The only down side is if your weight gets hung up and doesn't pop free, you are going to have to snap your mainline.

If it were me having this problem I would take the rod to a shop and have them closely examine the eyelets, if they checked out I would put new mainline on. Aside from that just make sure you are not dragging bottom with your weight in other words fishing too deep. With jigs esp you should be 2/3 -3/4ish down in the water colum. If my jig hits bottom I immediately abort the cast, reel in, and shorten up.

[dave c]

I had this happen to me today too! Float went down in a fishy looking seam in the canal, set the hook only to realize that it was a snag, went to snap off the jig and the mainline broke If it were me having this problem I would take the rod to a shop and have them closely examine the eyelets, if they checked out I would put new mainline on. Aside from that just make sure you are not dragging bottom with your weight in other words fishing too deep. With jigs esp you should be 2/3 -3/4ish down in the water colum. If my jig hits bottom I immediately abort the cast, reel in, and shorten up.

I was fishing the canal as well.  Did several drifts with no hangups then right down the middle of the run got snagged.  Was fishing proper depth.  Must be a new structure there as I fished it during coho run with no problem.  Lost 3 jigs, 3 sets of terminal tackle and two drennans.

[zap brannigan]

Use a cotton swab to check for cracked/broken guides, rub it around and if it catches anywhere on the ceramic there's a crack.

skip the rubber float stop save money by using dacron(fly backing) and tying uni knots below and above your float and a good 6-7 turns  also change your mainline every 6 months its a small investment that pays off in the end, line exposed to the elements over and over will wear and crack and be broken down by UV exposure change it out and have peice of mind.

[scouterjames]

skip the rubber float stop save money by using dacron(fly backing) and tying uni knots below and above your float and a good 6-7 turns  also change your mainline every 6 months its a small investment that pays off in the end, line exposed to the elements over and over will wear and crack and be broken down by UV exposure change it out and have peice of mind.

Save the $1.25 for rubber float stops, but buy dacron (if you don't fly fish).... AND change the mainline every 6 months?  Yikes!  Wish I could get out fishing enough to expose my mainline to the elements enough to have to change it every 6 months! LOL

[zap brannigan]

Well just think of how many bobber stops you can get out of a small roll of Dacron using 6 inch pieces for the 4-5 dollars it costs.