mitcheel avocet reel

Question
Dear Mark
    I was very pleased to fine your site. Hope you can help.
     I purchased a Mitchell Avocet 5500ul reel for my wife to use trout fishing.  I have been using a Mitchell 300 for 25 years.  Got it from my dad who used it many years first.  Anyway, the Mitchell Avocet works great except on a somewhat regular basis the line rolls off in big tangled spools. Sometines a third or so of the line will come off and hang in loops in front of the reel.  I've tried putting the line on three or four times and it always comes off while fishing.  I'm using 4lb. line.  Any sugestions?
                                  Thanks
                                   Larry  

Answer
Hello Larry! Thanks for asking.
 The Avocet is a great little reel but it does suffer from a malady that many spinning designs do: there is a ridge on the spool and or the drag knob that line can get caught on or wrapped around.
 I have a number of Shimano reels that this happens to as well. Most recently I purchased a beautiful little Pflueger ultralight and the same thing occurred on 3 out of five casts.
 The remedy? Well...you could toss the reel or you can work with it.
 What typically causes the problem occurs with the first  few cranks of the handle. Usually, fishing with ultralight lines means ultralight lures and rigging. Having no weight or tension on the line for the first few turns of the handle allows the memory of the line( or gravity if you are holding the rod and reel upright) to miss-wrap the spool and either allows a loop to get caught under the wraps or the set of the light line to get caught on the ridge or groove on top of the spool/ drag system. Both will result in a mess on the next cast as the line moving off the spool catches on the loop and drags a tangle with it.
 So here are a number of fixes for you:
    A) Make certain you provide tension on the line prior to or simultaneously with the first crank that trips the bail.
    B) Modify the drag knob to prevent the line wrapping it.
    C) Pay close attention to both of the above occuring.
    D) Get a different reel...(bet you could find a Mitchell 308 ultralight on e-bay!)
 On my little Shimano AXULS, I just file off the little ridge that is on the drag knob and the problem occurs about 98% less.
 Another thing to try is to use the softest line possible. Ande 4lb. is nice...( I usually use 2lb for the trout) Limp in this case is better! (Although it does mean a bit more stretch and slightly less hook setting power).
 Also be certain not to overfill the spools you use. Fill them to approximately 1/8 th of an inch from the spools rim.
 Any or all of these little suggestions may just end your frustration...
 Larry, I hope that helps you a bit... le'me'know if it all works out! If not, we'll come up with something!
 The fishing is great and the catching is getting better all the time! Get out and enjoy it!
                     Your friend-
                        Mark Rimmer, AllExperts.com