15 replies to this topic

[Juston.Mack]

        As I'm posting this, I really hope none of you were at the river today to see me during my noob-ish freakout. I recently bought myself a baitcasting rod and I'm still in the beginner stages of learning how to truly use the thing. Anyway, I found myself down by the Grand today, and was casting frogs and rattlers, with absolutely no luck. After a few hours wading the river and casting out, I finally decided to use the ol' hook and worm setup, with the help of a bobber. The first cast in a nice pool and BAM! fish hits! I begin to reel in and the fish gets off. Now, I'm feelin pretty good, so I cast again. Same deal, got a nice bite, but no fish. Like I'd said before, NOOB, on the baitcaster, and I get a little confident and ease the tension on the reel to try to get a bit further out. That was the end of my day. The reel bird nested and I'm sitting here trying not to huck the line into the laptop screen! By far, the most frustrating day of my short-to-date fishing career.

 

I'm positive some of you have some terribly frustrating fishing stories, either with a baitcaster or other types of set-ups right when things were getting a bit interesting. OR, just horror stories in general.

 

If you got em, lets hear em. It always feels better when you talk about it. aha. I know I do now.

 

 

[tuhlapsss]

try tightening the drag all the way up, Then pull as much line off as possible. once it stops do not pull any more. apply pressure on the spool and reel it in about a turn or 2, then pull the line out and repeat until the bird nest is out. This method gets out over 90% of my bird nests. Hope it helps and good luck!

[Juston.Mack]

try tightening the drag all the way up, Then pull as much line off as possible. once it stops do not pull any more. apply pressure on the spool and reel it in about a turn or 2, then pull the line out and repeat until the bird nest is out. This method gets out over 90% of my bird nests. Hope it helps and good luck!

 

This is what I was doing all day, using that method. However, this tangle fell in that 10% range where it was pretty much impossible to work with. Thanks for the advice though. Any tips on patience?

[Clab]

try tightening the drag all the way up, Then pull as much line off as possible. once it stops do not pull any more. apply pressure on the spool and reel it in about a turn or 2, then pull the line out and repeat until the bird nest is out. This method gets out over 90% of my bird nests. Hope it helps and good luck!

I find this method works much better with mono, do you by chance use braided line? I often have to pick mine out. I find releasing the spool better than pulling against the drag. Pulling against the drag often digs my braid into the spool pushing the overlap deeper into the spooled line. Keep tension with your thumb and gently let line out until it stops and you can see the line overlap itself. See if you can pull the overlapped line to get some slack in the loop then try pulling some more line off. You can relock your spool to pick at it just open it again to pull more line out until the birdnest is free. Make sure you hold tension while respooling your line after clearing.

Small baitcasting tip set your spool tension and use the brake function on your reel to try and get that little bit more distance. Set your spool tension with the brakes fully DISengaged, turn them up to full then cast. Turn them down one click at a time until you've reached your desired distance. If you start to birdnest you've decreased the brake to much turn it back to where it doesn't bird nest.

[NiagaraSteel]

Same problem here man. Give it time. Practice in your backyard or in a quite park. It takes hours of straight casting to get a decent baitcasting cast. Don't jerk the rod like you would with a spinning rod. Make a smooth loop, coming back, by your side, and shoot it over your shoulder. I found that overhand casts were easiest and got you the farthest. When practicing use a heavy setup. 3/4 oz is perfect. Just tie on a few bell sinkers or an egg sinker and practice with that. Don't cast very hard either. I'm assuming you know this but always keep you thumb lightly on the spool. Feather it through the cast. Keep minimal slack in the line. A bit shouldn't cause a birdnest. Remember to stop the spool just before it hits the water.

[DILLIGAF?!]

I've had friends who tried baitcasting (i limit myself to spinning and now practicing pinning for the run) that have the same problem. They lived with it...gave it another shot and i'm telling you as soon as they managed and able to learn baitcasting...that's all they use. I just love my spinning gears and i've spent a lot to put them aside for a different one. specially now that I have a centerpin as well.

[NiagaraSteel]

The problem with baitcasters is they can only cast heavy rigs and lures like crankbaits or a float setup. I only bring my baitcaster along to a few places where I know I'll be throwing cranks or something heavy. Otherwise you can cast farther with a spinning setup.

[guest]

not always true--revo SX will cast a paperclip brother--depends on the reel and the caster---some are very adjustable and will allow you to do almost all that a spinner can do,,I have now moved to the fly but I was once a bait chucking maniac..lol

[riverhugger]

We all have those bad days where it just doesn't work out. You'll get past it.

[NiagaraSteel]

not always true--revo SX will cast a paperclip brother--depends on the reel and the caster---some are very adjustable and will allow you to do almost all that a spinner can do,,I have now moved to the fly but I was once a bait chucking maniac..lol

Can you post a video of this

[A2F]

WATCH THIS VIDEO - Trust me, it works! 

 

http://www.bassfishi...s/video.php?v=6

 

 

When I 1st started learning how to use Baitcasters, I too got frustrated when it birdnested! 

Until I came across this video - now, I'm not scared at all to birdnest.

 

Good Luck! 

Rob

[driftman]

WATCH THIS VIDEO - Trust me, it works! 

 

http://www.bassfishi...s/video.php?v=6

 

 

When I 1st started learning how to use Baitcasters, I too got frustrated when it birdnested! 

Until I came across this video - now, I'm not scared at all to birdnest.

 

Good Luck! 

Rob

 

Great video A2F, any tips on how to not get the birdsnest to begin with? lol

[fishy_slayer]

Steped on my abu today...broke

[richardjai]

My abu garcia rod hsa been with me for 14 years. Id be super pissed if I tepped on it and broke it.

[Juston.Mack]

WATCH THIS VIDEO - Trust me, it works! 

 

http://www.bassfishi...s/video.php?v=6

 

 

When I 1st started learning how to use Baitcasters, I too got frustrated when it birdnested! 

Until I came across this video - now, I'm not scared at all to birdnest.

 

Good Luck! 

Rob

What an awesome video thanks a lot man! I love the baitcaster and definitely don't wanna give up trying with this little beauty! Im going to give that trick a try next time, but it almost looks too good to be true!

[Sinker]

I have been fishing for many years and use both a spinning and bait casting reels.  My preference is the bait caster.  As a kid, all I had was a cheap bait caster and I sharpened my teeth as it were on this type of equipment.  I had my share of frustration as a five year old dealing with back lashes as I called them. 

However, it did teach me patience and for that I am eternally grateful.  A funny story - my son who is now thirty five has taken up fishing and as it happens we were shopping for fishing equipment and we picked out a bait casting outfit for him at Bass Pro.  I also picked out an identical one for myself and I must say they were not the cheap models.  Anyway I just assumed he would be happy with it and didn't give a thought to showing him how to use it.  After his first fishing trip he asked me if I wanted it and said it came close to ending up at the bottom of the lake.  I tried to convince him to keep it and even offered to teach him to use it, but he wouldn't have any of it.  He said he wanted a Spin cast reel and that is what he now uses.  I must say he never has any problems with it.

Sinker