birds nest!

[rickmp]

Any tips for unraveling the birds nest i recently got on my baitcasting reel? Is there an easy way that I don't know about?

thanks

Rick

[Grabs]

Cut the line out and start over if its really bad.

[Surface Tension]

Pull the line out till it stops. Look close and you'll see a loop that stops your line. Grab the loop and pull, your spool will be turning backward. When you get to the end of the loop let go of it and pull more line off the spool. You might have multiple loops on a bad rats nest.

[Borch]

Sometimes with a real bad one a backlash pick(or a small phillips screwdriver) can be helpful in getting some of the loops pulled apart.

My fingers are just too big to pick out some of the loops.

Borch

[huskiesplayer15]

Three of the four things I do are not mentioned:

1. Set the rod down for the rest of the day, there probably are a couple eggs in birds nest this good.

2. Take out my clippers and play she loves me, she loves me not.

3. Take the rod and throw it as far I can so the lake has some more structure.

Backlashes suck, I wish we could see a tape of all the backlashes TV Pros get, has to be just hilarious watching them chuck a bait and then all you hear is the magnets spinning.

best fishes
Chris

PS Dont do the last number, in case you thought I was serious.

[rickmp]

Thanks for the tips guys. And no, huskie I didn't think you were serious! I was just wondering if there were some magic secret I didn't know about! Guess not.

[SCUMFROG]

What really bites with bird nests is when a really good one gets going and then stops and all you hear is "snap" and there goes your last favorite lure into the abyss. I hate that.

[mrkastni]

Wow, I am glad it isn't just me that has trouble with those darned things. I tried to get to know my new baitcaster a little better last weekend... One cast, ratsnest, then back into the rod-box. Took a while, including a complete reel take-down to get it straightened out. I am going to test the Scheel's policy that if I am ever not happy they will take it back...

Good luck to those who can manage this tyoe of equipment. Better than I.

Mike

[SCUMFROG]

Turn the screw in so the lure falls very slow. Then start casting. that's what I have to do every year. LOL.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Tighten the drag as hard as it will go... dig your thumb nail into the spool as hard as you can and turn the handle of the reel a couple of times.

What this does is turns the spool from the inside while holding the outer layers of line... You are picking the backlash out from the inside rather than the outside. This will help often to get the backlash out.

Good luck...