Monofilament fishing line, especially older lines, can develop annoying curls or “memory loops” that can wreak havoc on your fishing experience. These curls can make it difficult to detect bites and affect lure presentation, particularly when jigging or bottom fishing.
Here’s a handy trick from Chas Champagne, creator of Matrix Shad and Vortex Shad soft-plastic lures, to quickly remove these curly cues and straighten out your line on the go:
What You’ll Need:
- Your fishing rod and reel with monofilament line
Steps:
- Remove your lure: Take off any lures or terminal tackle attached to the line.
- Open the spool and release line: With the lure removed, open your reel’s bail and gently pull out a length of line.
- Let the line trail behind your boat: While the boat is idling or moving slowly (5-10 mph), let the line trail behind the boat in the water.
- Maintain tension for 5-10 minutes: Close the bail and allow the line to be pulled taut behind the boat for 5-10 minutes.
- Reel back in: Reel your line back onto the spool, and your previously curly line should now be straightened out.
Why it Works:
The gentle pull of the boat combined with the surface tension of the water acts as a natural line straightener, effectively removing those pesky curls. It’s important to maintain a slow boat speed (5-10 mph) to ensure the line stays submerged and receives enough tension for straightening. This process also helps untwist the line, which can occur from jigging or retrieving lures.
Prevention is Key:
While this trick is a lifesaver in a pinch, regular line changes are the best defense against curly cues. Chas Champagne recommends replacing your line once a month, depending on how often you fish. Fresh line offers optimal performance and helps you avoid these line management issues altogether.
The Bottom Line:
Don’t let curly cues ruin your fishing trip! Use this quick boat trick to straighten out your line and get back to catching fish. But remember, prevention is key – make sure to replace your line regularly for the best fishing experience.
Image/Source: MS-Sportsman
