ChatGPT might offer an informed assessment but for now I’d love some human experience.

Why in the world would my Pflueger spinning reel launch light lures so poorly? Not fly fishing light, but simple rapala small minnow lures. A few casts and as the lure was heading for the water I saw the knot forming in the line as it was traveling outward.

In previous days the knots formed and I didn’t see them until I was reeling in. These were with light lures also, jigsaw with plastic worms.

What I know…
1. This rod, a seven foot Abu Garcia Vendetta, works well with an antique Daiwa with monofilament line. No knots.
2. The Daiwa reel is far smaller, a 1500 series, and the line is old. Really old.
3. The Daiwa and the Pflueger have been in identical environment for a few years. Outdoor shed, horizontal, Virginia temperature.
4. The braided line is probably five years old.
5. The casts are fine with heavier lures. Today a bushwhacker with one blade, a heavier bushwhacker with two blades, and a simple spoon worked.
6. The braided line shows spirals as it leaves.

I am frustrated.

I have a new Zebco Omega pushbutton reel just delivered from Amazon. I have a simple baitcasting rod. I am not wedded to having the best and coolest equipment. I just want to take the 14-year old dog to the pond and cast in peace. Maybe this is the solution for me.

Any ideas on how to configure the Pflueger and Vendetta?

I’ve fished for decades, less so in recent years, though still a little. I’ve tried many types of reels, ‘open-faced’ spinning reels and the bait casting type. I’ve also done a fair amount of fly fishing, with a fly-rod.

I’m often casting 1/8 oz spinners or other lures slightly heavier. For the most part, I about always use a close-faced reel, simple type. That would be along the lines of the older Zebco 404, or 33 ‘Classic’.

To me it just seems easier to avoid any tangles. I’m often casting for smaller panfish up to bass, trout, at times pike.

About 15 years ago my neighbor was cleaning out the garage. Part of the ‘refuse’ was a handful of rods with reels. I set them aside for later inspection. I took the reels off, fixed one pole with a broken tip, then removed all the old line.

After cleaning and oiling, I have about a lifetime supply of poles & rods. They were the closed-face type.

For most fishing I like 6-8 lb test line, normally rather modest size fish.

You're using braid with light lures? Is that for a certain purpose or is it just because it's what you had? I pretty much only use braid with heavy spinner baits for pike and muskie. I use a lot of 12lb trilene monofilament for bass, and 8lb mono for little stuff like trout and bluegill with 1/8 or 1/4oz lures. Sometimes you'll get a little line memory and birdnesting the first few casts, but if you're careful and put some tension on it for the first few casts it'll settle in and stop going crazy on you. I like an open spinning reel better than the closed type, too, because I feel like it gives me better control and I can see what the line is doing all the way onto the spool.

I also change my line out every season. It may not need it, but the stuff I use is cheap and it's nice to start fresh in the spring.

Full disclaimer...I'm no pro and have no real training or background to support why I do what I do. I've just been casually fishing for years and that's what has worked for me. There are undoubtedly people here who can offer far better advice.

I suspect your are closing the reel bail by turning the handle, instead of using your hand to flip it. This will always in the long run cause more knots and kinks in the line. When using a spinng reel, do not close the bail by turning the reel handle. There is a ton of info about this online from BASS and other authorities.

Spinning rods need a swivel to keep the line from twisting. The line being twisted is what is causing the issues with lighter lures.
The easiest way to make it right is from a boat on the water. Remove any tackle from the line and put the boat in gear with the line in the water. Let most of the line feed off of the spool, then reel it back in keeping it under tension. This will remove the twists.
It can also be done in a large field if doing it on the water isn’t possible.
I never tie braid directly to the lure. I’ll use a swivel and a short length of leader, preferably fluorocarbon, even with 1/4oz lures.

Trapper189 thanks for that video. Every mistake he describes is what I do. A swivel was not attached either, nontypical . And until this year, I did not know to close the bail manually, stiab. Sourdough44, I just received a very spiffy Zebco Omega Pro3 closed face spin casting reel from Amazon which may prove to work well for me.

Clearly I need to follow best practices here. I now have hope.

Might need to untwist the line.... usually done by removing the lure, letting the line out while on the water in a boat, let out damn near the entire spool. Then reel everything back up.

I always do this to any freshly spooled reel. Seems to help.

Andrew