What is the best way to untangle a baitcaster birdnest?

[okumasheffield]

While trying to be a superstar on the water day by 'skipping' creature baits

I got myself a massive birdnest which took me 20mins to untangle

 

What I did was to try to loosen up tightened lines back & forth until the line somehow went

back to normal

 

Any advises?

Edited August 22, 2011 by Okuma-Sheffield

[ChrisK]

Nope,thats about it....Count your blessings and start pickin away and hope it starts to pull free.

[HTHM]

Don't skip.

Just put your thumb on the spool and push down hard while you turn the handle a bit. Press the button to free spool and pull line out again.Repeat and it will remove the birds nest

[mercman]

I usually pass my rod to my wife and ask her politely to remove the knot.She has far more patience than I

[Lokka]

Had this problem Saturday night with my baitcaster.. I'm new to it and have learned the thumb trick works well. I find braided line in a baitcaster sucks, but that could be until i get better at casting. A few videos on Youtube about backlash helped me figure it out.

[basketclam]

Cut your losses and just cut the line! I haven't got the patience, so I'll usually give it 5 minutes, then off it goes.

[BFSC Kevin]

LOL. Chuck the reel and get a new one

[salmon]

I started by using heavy braid line 50lbs plus until I got the hang of it. I am down to 15 to 20lb braid throwing senkos.

Mono is almost impossible to pull out.

 

Never let your guard down when throwing a bait caster.

I always pay attention to the lure and stop my spool soon as it hits the water

Jose

[okumasheffield]

Don't skip.

Just put your thumb on the spool and push down hard while you turn the handle a bit. Press the button to free spool and pull line out again.Repeat and it will remove the birds nest

 

Skipping is sooo cool

 

gotta look 'professional' even if I dont catch!

[EE_]

For ultimate cure may I suggest you to change the title to: "What is the best way to skip with a baitcaster?

[asdve23rveavwa]

I usually pass my rod to my wife and ask her politely to remove the knot.She has far more patience than I

 

 

LOL!!!!!! That makes two of us! Juli has smaller fingers and more patience. I just pick up one of my other rods and keep fishing

[GoneFishin]

Learning to take out knots is half the fun of learning how to use a baitcaster! But seriously.... everyone's got to learn how... And don't cut your line... unless your going to replace it. Make sure your spool is always full and it will make casting a bit easier and allow you to cast farther. Braid is harder to learn with casting because it's easier to back lash and harder to un-knot but is far superior to mono IMO. I would explain what I do when back lashed but it would just confuse you. So just be careful and don't try to learn to quickly, or you'll be paying for a lot of line..

[jedimaster]

buy a currado

[wallyboss]

Don't skip.

Just put your thumb on the spool and push down hard while you turn the handle a bit. Press the button to free spool and pull line out again.Repeat and it will remove the birds nest

 

 

This is the best way to do it. Just make sure to tighten the drag to the max before doing it. I haven't had any birdsnest yet that I couldn't undo with this techniques. Even with 12 lbs mono that I use for my small crankbaits.

[Garry2Rs]

Pulling out a backlash isn't rocket science, and the thumb trick sort of works, but it might help you to understand that at the point where the line is binding there will be an upside down V of line holding the running line down.

 

To release the tangle, don't use brute force, this might make it worse.

Pull the running line until it stops...Find the V that is holding the running line and pull the V up and to the side...The spool will turn backwards, then stop...Pull on the running line again and simple backlashes will be undone.

 

For more complicated tangles repeat the process. Pull the running line until it stops...Find the V...ETC.

 

Once in a great while I have seen an angler snag another rod or something in the boat with their back cast.

All the power of that cast is now released into the spool and it creates a monster tangle.

 

In this case the best answer might be to remove the spool and slide the tangles off the end of the spool like it was a spinning reel. This sort of thing is best done at home, under good light and with a clear head...grin.

Garry2R's

[pooch]

Garry's got it, follow his instructions and you'll get them out. If you have stubby fingers a corkscrew makes a great knot picker.

[jedimaster]

or use a hook to pull the V's. The other thing is if you doo pull them real tight and your using mono. You should probably just cut the line off.

[NAW]

Cut your losses and just cut the line! I haven't got the patience, so I'll usually give it 5 minutes, then off it goes.

 

 

Not at $15 bucks a spool...

 

I've had some nasty nests, and have always got them out in 5 minutes max. never had to cut line.

[Roy]

I've never needed one but if you must and you do get backlashes from time to time, keep a small crochet hook in your fishing tools. I use one when I'm I'm tying new line to the arbour on a baitcasting reel. The arbour knot.

[Harrison]

Well written Gary. On the nose.

 

I still get professional overrides here and there,

[Jigger]

I find using a spinning rod when skipping lures makes this problem a non issue.

[NBR]

Don't skip.

Just put your thumb on the spool and push down hard while you turn the handle a bit. Press the button to free spool and pull line out again.Repeat and it will remove the birds nest

Works for me if I tighten the drag as far as possible before cranking the handle.

[Terry]

I find the easiest way is not to get bird nests then you don't have to remove them

 

 

and when I am spending a day skipping baits

 

I make a cast farther then I will be skipping and then put a bit of electrical tape on the spool and reel back in and skip till my hearts content ...

 

no bird nests period

[scottyswing]

Here is a quick video that really helps for the bigger nests. Doesn't work 100% of the time.

 

Buying a Curado is good advice

 

Also, the V technique is a good one as well.

 

And lastly, bring a second set up

Edited August 22, 2011 by scottyswing

[johnnyb]

I like the term "professional override" Definitely going to use that....if I ever need to of course

 

I tried the "thumb trick" once....and stripped the gears inside my reel. Now...it was a 12 year old bantam crossfire that I got with the rod for $50 way back when it was new....had never been serviced or even opened....but still. When I held the spool down and gave it a crank, I felt something give....then when it came time to start reeling, the handle turned and the spool didn't.

 

I no longer use the thumb trick.