Casting reel problem

I have a Shimono bass casting reel. I am new to casting for bass. My problem
is that every time I cast with this reel I get a birds nest of line bunched
up on my reel. This is very frustrating. My question is how do I properly
cast this rod & reel so that I don't have this problem? I am so fed up with
this happening that I want to give up on casting reels and stay with my open
face reel.
Thanks a lot for your help and suggestions.


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Dave wrote:
I have a Shimono bass casting reel. I am new to casting for bass. My
problem is that every time I cast with this reel I get a birds nest of
line bunched up on my reel. This is very frustrating. My question is how
do I properly cast this rod & reel so that I don't have this problem? I
am so fed up with this happening that I want to give up on casting reels
and stay with my open face reel.
Thanks a lot for your help and suggestions.

Hi Dave,

One of my first not so nice memories of fishing
was doing the same to one of my dad's casting
reels. The trick is all in the thumb:

http://fishing.about.com/od/basicfis...a/baitcast.htm

Do a google search on "how to cast with a casting reel". There
are even videos (I'd post them here but I get a NNTP error
for lines over 79 characters).

You just need a little bit of practice. Sounds
like a good excuse to go fishing!

HTH,
-T

"Dave" wrote in message
...
I have a Shimono bass casting reel. I am new to casting for bass. My
problem is that every time I cast with this reel I get a birds nest of line
bunched up on my reel. This is very frustrating. My question is how do I
properly cast this rod & reel so that I don't have this problem? I am so
fed up with this happening that I want to give up on casting reels and stay
with my open face reel.
Thanks a lot for your help and suggestions.
I have a Shimano casting reel, also. Never have had a problem with the
birds nest but I'm a stickler for reading the instructions that come with
things. Sometimes get more fun out of that then actually using whatever
I've bought. As I remember it, you have to adjust the reel's magnetic drag
so that your line with weight attached just barely free spools off the end
of the rod while holding it straight out. Not enough resistance and I
suspect you get the tangles. It's worked great for me...not at all like
the old reels with no magnetic drag that I used as a kid. I can remember
when spinning reels first showed up at the local hardware store. I used to
stop in almost every day after school to drool all over it. A buddy had one
and could really show up the rest of us. Finally came up with the $2.50 it
cost and until recently never used a casting reel again. Now I prefer the
casting reel for bait fishing for Catfish.

Tom.

"Dave" wrote in message
...
I have a Shimono bass casting reel. I am new to casting for bass. My
problem is that every time I cast with this reel I get a birds nest of line
bunched up on my reel. This is very frustrating. My question is how do I
properly cast this rod & reel so that I don't have this problem? I am so
fed up with this happening that I want to give up on casting reels and stay
with my open face reel.
Thanks a lot for your help and suggestions.

As Tom G. mentioned, you need to adjust the magnetic drag. The best way I
have found to adjust this is to set it so when you hit the free spool button
and let the lure/bait drop to the water (hold lure about 6 ft. off the
water) it does not free spool after the lure has hit and entered the water.
You will need to do this for each type of lure/bait you are casting
depending on the weight of each. Once you start getting use to the feel, you
can use your thumb to slow the spool as the lure/bait hits the water on the
cast.

Those are called professional over-runs, not birds nests!

HTH,
JT

"JT" wrote in message
...

"Dave" wrote in message
...
I have a Shimono bass casting reel. I am new to casting for bass. My
problem is that every time I cast with this reel I get a birds nest of
line bunched up on my reel. This is very frustrating. My question is how
do I properly cast this rod & reel so that I don't have this problem? I am
so fed up with this happening that I want to give up on casting reels and
stay with my open face reel.
Thanks a lot for your help and suggestions.

As Tom G. mentioned, you need to adjust the magnetic drag. The best way I
have found to adjust this is to set it so when you hit the free spool
button and let the lure/bait drop to the water (hold lure about 6 ft. off
the water) it does not free spool after the lure has hit and entered the
water. You will need to do this for each type of lure/bait you are casting
depending on the weight of each. Once you start getting use to the feel,
you can use your thumb to slow the spool as the lure/bait hits the water
on the cast.

Those are called professional over-runs, not birds nests!

HTH,
JT

And now that I think of it, we did call them "a backlash", not a "birds
nest", but I like your name for them better.

Tom G.