Buckethead905
Well-Known Member
Just wanted to post my experience with a line creep issue and how it was remedied, as well as some contributing factors that go along with the issue.
Bought a couple MR3's two years ago.. To start with the reels were half decent, very smooth drag, but had the creep issue, especially at increased depths. I noticed about half way through the first fishing season it was almost like the cork finally broke in and the reels were fantastic, absolutely no line creep regardless of depth, speed, etc, they were really great. That lasted all the way through to the end of last season when the creep started to come back. This I could understand as the reels were yet to be serviced and the cork was likely needing to be re-oiled and the reels serviced. In the off-season both reels were serviced according to islanders instructions and stored with the drag off. I should also add that the powdered graphite is essential to use to eliminate line creep in these reels.
Fast forward to last week.. Now both reels have been sitting, freshly serviced, for 6 months with the drags off. Get out on the water, and both are creeping like day one from the store. I'll be honest when I say I got a little pissed off having known both were ready to go for the year. So I finally get pissed off hearing the reels click away as we troll along... I decide I'm going to crank that drag down so tight it won't have a chance to creep. 10 minutes later I take the drag off to check the line, reel it up, put the line back down, go to crank the drag down again and voila! The drag knob is now unbelievably smooth and NO line creep! So I go to the other rod, crank the **** out of drag on that reel too, back it off, and absolutely no line creep.
So I started thinking and theorizing about what it could have been that remedied the issues. My thoughts are that when the reels were new, as well as after being serviced and left with drags off, the oil does what it's supposed to do and plumps up the cork drag system, making it supple and hydrated. I believe that the issue with that is the cork surface doesn't hydrate/absorb all at the same rate and has somewhat of a bumpy, uneven texture (as it's supposed to, to a certain extent). So the reels being new, or recently serviced, have had little pressure against the cork drag system, resulting in reduced surface area/friction, creating line creep. After cranking down the drag, I believe it may have created a flatter, more even cork surface that is equally well hydrated and now operates under the principle of greater surface contact/friction.
Both reels can now be left at fish-fighting tension (maybe a half turn more), trolling from 2.5-3 mph SOG, at 200ft on the rigger, with zero line creep.
First spring of the year, first trip out!
Cheers!
Bought a couple MR3's two years ago.. To start with the reels were half decent, very smooth drag, but had the creep issue, especially at increased depths. I noticed about half way through the first fishing season it was almost like the cork finally broke in and the reels were fantastic, absolutely no line creep regardless of depth, speed, etc, they were really great. That lasted all the way through to the end of last season when the creep started to come back. This I could understand as the reels were yet to be serviced and the cork was likely needing to be re-oiled and the reels serviced. In the off-season both reels were serviced according to islanders instructions and stored with the drag off. I should also add that the powdered graphite is essential to use to eliminate line creep in these reels.
Fast forward to last week.. Now both reels have been sitting, freshly serviced, for 6 months with the drags off. Get out on the water, and both are creeping like day one from the store. I'll be honest when I say I got a little pissed off having known both were ready to go for the year. So I finally get pissed off hearing the reels click away as we troll along... I decide I'm going to crank that drag down so tight it won't have a chance to creep. 10 minutes later I take the drag off to check the line, reel it up, put the line back down, go to crank the drag down again and voila! The drag knob is now unbelievably smooth and NO line creep! So I go to the other rod, crank the **** out of drag on that reel too, back it off, and absolutely no line creep.
So I started thinking and theorizing about what it could have been that remedied the issues. My thoughts are that when the reels were new, as well as after being serviced and left with drags off, the oil does what it's supposed to do and plumps up the cork drag system, making it supple and hydrated. I believe that the issue with that is the cork surface doesn't hydrate/absorb all at the same rate and has somewhat of a bumpy, uneven texture (as it's supposed to, to a certain extent). So the reels being new, or recently serviced, have had little pressure against the cork drag system, resulting in reduced surface area/friction, creating line creep. After cranking down the drag, I believe it may have created a flatter, more even cork surface that is equally well hydrated and now operates under the principle of greater surface contact/friction.
Both reels can now be left at fish-fighting tension (maybe a half turn more), trolling from 2.5-3 mph SOG, at 200ft on the rigger, with zero line creep.
First spring of the year, first trip out!
Cheers!
