BaitCast PROBLEM! Help!

[MrFish]

Hello Everyone,

Hope all is well and that the fish are treating everyone nice. i ended up defeating my curse that i mentioned in my first post under the welcome section :mrgreen: :razz:

I recently got setup with my first baitcasting rod. The setup is a Browning BS110hb spooled with 30lb power pro braid. The Rod is a 7' bass pro Graphte series that is Medium with a fast tip.

Now that my basics are given im having problems with casting. 80 percent of the time i make a cast the line almost locks. here are the steps i make before a cast.

1) set the tension knob based on the weight of the lure. Making the bait fall at slow motion.

2) i usually leave my brakes set at 5-7. ive been playing around with them to see what works best. 7 being more forgiving.

3. push down the button holding onto the spool at 10 oclock.

4 smoothly follow through till 2oclock and release at either 1 or 2. while aplying a bit of pressure with my thumb.

5. stoping the spool with my thumb before the line hits the water.

After 20 feet of line comes out the reel locks and stops letting out line and i end up with a big birds nest.
I end up spending more time fixing birdsnests than fishing and i hate it. but i do like the feeling of the smoothness when im reeling in a fish.

could someone provide be better casting tips. and help me set the rod properly?

could it be the braid? Should i put on mono?

i really dont understand whats going on.

I believe this teqnique seems to be okay. could someone help? My sidecast is alot more forgiving, however one of my fishing spots on shore doesnt provide me with enough room to sidecast a 7' rod.

Thanks in advance.

 

[efka]

seems like its either the knot on line or the line wraps somewhere on one of the guides.

throw out your lure and when it locks inspect the line

 

[TRINIBOY]

I was thinking the same it sounds like there is a know somewhere on the spool. Either that or your overpowering on the cast but I have a suspicion it's a hidden knot

 

[MrFish]

Thank you for the replies guys!

i dont think there are any nots because before i reel in i hold onto the line with some tension before it gets to the spool so i have a tight wrapped line around my spool. but not too tight.

Also i dont believe the line is tied around one of the guides.

perhaps i can show one of you guys sometime or something.

 

[efka]

if you get bird nests that means the spool is not jammed. the problem is in line, it gets stuck somewhere somehow.

 

[Clab]

I've had braided line dig into my spooled line from the tension of fighting a fish. My suggestion is cast gently to the point of stoppage and closely inspect where your line wraps the spool. Look for overlaps as well, not just dug in line. If there is line crossing over the line trying to unspool it will jam.

 

[MrFish]

Sometimes i do see that my spooled line isnt straight and it has little sqiggles about hald a centimetre

 

[efka]

try to describe your problem more clearly.
you said that the reel locks yet gives you bird nests because the reel still spins, how is that possible.?

 

[chris f]

try this out get a lure or weight let it on the ground, you need some space release your spool button walk out the line as much as you can not all the way down but close, while reeling and walking back to where you started reel up your line.I do this every once and a while, gets the line back in order.I find when i use lures of greatly different weights the line loosens up, so i do as mentioned above and the line gets tightened up again.

 

[point defiance]

I think its your overhand casting style and also because of your braid. Baitcasting is definitely a different creature. I say its mostly your casting because you say that side casting is easier for you. Hard for me to explain in writing though but practice with maybe a heavier lure or weight and switch to mono.

 

[GuitarBuildingAngler]

I had braid on a baitcaster of mine with no issues. Whenever I had bird nests I found it was more of a lack in skill casting then an actual reel or line problem.

First off, I would un-reel all the line and then put it all back on smoothly. This way you know you are starting from ground zero.

Next, get a heavy lure. Set up the tension accurately to this lure weight. Do a light cast (power wise) and let the lure do the work. Pay attention to using the tip of the rod do give you your release momentum.

If after that you are still having issues, report back.

 

[MrFish]

try to describe your problem more clearly.
you said that the reel locks yet gives you bird nests because the reel still spins, how is that possible.?

Im sorry if im not clear. im still new to this.

When i apply thumb pressure sometimes my line will spool its self but in the wrong direction causing like a lock effect. meaning the line comes out so fast that it spools from underneath. I believe this is over run. WHen i apply to much pressure the line on my spool gets back lashes and gets really loose on the spool. making a really easy to remove backlash. just having to pull with tension on the line and the problems solved. Other times i cast and i get like a lock when the line stops giving out line after 20 feet. i dont know what the problem is.

 

[MrFish]

does leaving a certain amount of line from the lure to the rod tip make a difference?

 

[AaronKrick]

I have an idea. Cast and when it locks just stop everything. Don't touch the reel handle. Look into the spool and you might find line in a V shape around your line that is supposed to be out. If so get a finger nail under the V and pluck it out.

 

[NADO]

Hey mr fish. It sounds like the line is coming out too fast. The spool jamming after 20' of line is happening after the birds nest has already occurred. If the spool jammed before a birds nest formed there wouldn’t be a birds nest because the spool needs to be spinning to get a birds nest. Just try using your thumb more on your casts to slow the line down and gradually increase the distance of your cast as you get better.

 

[MrFish]

ill give it a shot. if it keeps persisting ill try to get a video and pictures of whats going on.

Hey mr fish. It sounds like the line is coming out too fast. The spool jamming after 20' of line is happening after the birds nest has already occurred. If the spool jammed before a birds nest formed there wouldn’t be a birds nest because the spool needs to be spinning to get a birds nest. Just try using your thumb more on your casts to slow the line down and gradually increase the distance of your cast as you get better.

 

[efka]

read this and this

btw did you use any backing on the spool so the braid line won't slip?

 

[fishfight]

This was how I learn to deal with bait cast:

1. start with thicker 12-15lb mono line. do in purpose to create back lash and learn to untangle.
2. study these 2 video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0meQkt1cee4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgJThgKpZ6s



3. Try to use thicker line 50lb braid or 12lb mono for baitcasting reel
4. use heavier lures.

You might need to re-spool, to ensure your line tide at the start of the spool will not slip.

Hope this will minimize bird nest.

 

[Knuguy]

Just use a good spin/cast reel! :razz:

 

[AaronKrick]

Just use a good spin/cast reel! :razz:

Ik it's so much easier! Lol