Tangles are not only mundane and a pain to sort out but they can also affect the performance of the fishing rig, such as affecting the way the bait is presented to the fish leading to fewer bites, or damage the end tackle which throws up a whole host of other problems. Tangles are likely to lead to knots and twisted line and hook lengths, which will weaken the material and may lead to a line break when fighting a fish. Losing a large fish because of a line break is annoying in any case but if it is because of a tangle occurring because of laziness, it is even more annoying. 

Tangles are an inevitable part of angling and whilst it is unlikely an angler can eradicate them totally there are steps that can be put in place to minimize the chance of tangles in the first instance. 

A key piece of advice is not to leave the fishing pole set up for extended periods of time. Leaving the reel on the pole with the end tackle still on and the hook simply put through a pole eye is not recommended since the hook may come off the pole eye and lead to a tangle. In addition, leaving the line exposed may result in other things getting tangled up in it, such as general garden shed clutter. The hose pipe, the lawn mower cable, the extension leads etc. etc. there are many things in the ‘average person’s’ shed that may cause problems and lead to tangles. 

Poles should always be put away, ideally in a padded holdall or even a length of drainpipe, when not in use. Reels should always be removed from the pole and stored in a safe place. To stop the line coming off the spool the line should be clipped in to the plastic clip, i.e. the line clip, on the side of the reel spool, or an elastic band should be placed around the spool trapping the line and keeping it in place. Putting the reels away not only prevents line coming off the spool, which is likely to lead to a tangle, but it also protects the reel which should prolong the life of it hopefully leading to years of trouble free use. 

As well as the main reel line the other parts of a fishing rig that is prone to tangles are hook lengths. As they are likely to encounter weed, rocks, vegetation and other underwater debris in use hook lengths often take a bit of punishment during a fishing session. Because of this it is advisable to change the hook length and have a new one every session. However, to save time on the bank it is advisable to tie hook lengths at home, and it is these that need to be correctly stored and dealt with to prevent tangles away from the fishing bank. 

Hook lengths should never be tied and simply thrown in a tackle box as these are likely to tangle up, rendering them almost useless. Hook lengths can be coiled up and put in a small plastic sleeve to stop them coming uncoiled when not in use. Many tackle stores sell a wallet containing several of these sleeves allowing the angler to prepare many hook lengths and keep them in a safe place. 

An alternative to a plastic sleeve is to use a winder, which is essentially a plastic frame with an anchor point for the hook to pass through. The remaining hook length is wound around the frame, hence keeping it tight and preventing tangles, before the tag end is passed through another anchor point keeping everything in place. A winder can store multiple hook lengths and is a good way of storing hook lengths. Winders are readily available from many tackle stores, and whilst they are not that expensive, it is possible to make homemade varieties using empty cotton reels or even pieces of cardboard cut in to strips. 

Monofilament and wire leaders are other pieces of end tackle that are also prone to tangles, however to keep them from tangling up they can be stored in the same way as hook lengths, i.e. using plastic sleeves, a store bought winder or a homemade equivalent. 

Ultimately, tangle prevention when fishing tackle is not in use is best achieved by being tidy and ensuring everything is stored in a neat and ordered manner, and all items that are more susceptible to tangles, such as reel line, hook lengths, monofilament leaders, wire leaders etc. are tightly secured and not left dangling in thin air.