# help!! how do you stop a tangle on a baitcast reel



## kemical

help, please,, i have recieved a new abu garcia black maxx reel as a fathers day gift, and i went to sports authority today and i added a powerpro 15lb green braided line,, and each time i cast,, OMG!! IT GETS ALL TANGLED UP,,  i already had to cut it about 5 times to untangle everything, and finally i have it clean no tangles, but how do you keep it from tangling up, is there a way im supposed to tweak this type of real?

please help!! this is soo frustrating. thanks guys ](*,) ](*,)


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## jkbirocz

Practice....I know that is not what you are looking for, but that is the best answer I can give you. I have been using baitcaster since I was 10, and am soon to be 23, and I still get backlashes more often than I'd like.

A few tips would be to dial in each bait to the reel. By this I mean hold your rod at a 45 degree angle or so, and adjust the centrifugal brake and magforce until your bait hits the ground without causing a tangle on freespool. Practice in your yard with a 1/2oz weight and keep your thumb on the spool, pressing harder when it seems the line is going out too fast. Also, do not try to launch huge casts, start slow and you will get it. 

Its not quite as easy as the pros make it look, keep at it and you will be fine.


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## kemical

thanks for the tip,, will try tomarrow,,lol its inda too late outside right now,, if a neighbor see me right now,, there gonna wonder the da hell is wrong with me,,lol,, but thanks agian,,


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## kemical

i found this online,, i love youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfsmJWyi6l0


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## cyberflexx

pull out enough line for 1 cast.. then put black electrical tape on the line on the spool, so the tape goes around the spool in the same fashion the line does when its reeled in.. this way if u backlash, it only goes that deep and not ruin the spool .. used a 1/2 oz spinnerbait and set the brakes and tension knob to where the bait will free fall very slowly to the ground and not over run the spool. practice and more practice..... Dont sling the bait hard.. go easy, let the bait flow off the rod and not a hard thrust with wrist.. 

that is exactly how i learned how to use a baitcaster... I been using a baitcaster for 7 yrs now and i will not go back to an openface reel, only if i have too.. baitcasters are so accurate if u know how to use them.. my fav is a roll cast.. i just make a small oval with my rod using a quick flip of my wrist and the bait slings to where i want it..


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## minicuda

i recently started to use a bait casting reel. it is very frustraiting at first takes a while. setting the brake as stated above is a big key in learning. after you set it sit on the couch while watching tv. throw on a good size weight. hold you rod tip high with your tumb on the spool and let the weight ( i used 1/2 oz i think )fall while your thumb is still lightly on the spool try to stop it right before it hits the floor. do this over and over when your watching tv. when you can do it without looking or thinking about go out to the back yard and start casting.


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## Tompatt

i have one...i dont really like it. im sticking to my Spinning and other reels.. :mrgreen:


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## redbug

I use casting reels for years and like what they can do for you. spinning gear is fine and using one only can limit your fishing success.
You need to get out and practice. the more you use the reel the better you will get. 
I found that when I started I would get a lot of backlashes I started out with cheap reel, when I stepped up to a quality reel the number of backlashes dropped. 
I would suggest that you start out with 20lb test MONO if not 25lb test. the heavy line will make getting the tangles out easier.
If your reel has both a tension knob(on all reels) and a magnetic brake, set the brake half way.
As stated above set the tension knob so that your weight drops at a steady rate and your spool stops when the weight hits the ground.
I would suggest a sidearm cast to start, that style is the easiest to learn. don't try to force the cast. be smooth as you can keep your thumb on the spool and use it to control the speed of the spool and a a brake when your weight hits the ground.
after MANY attempts you will see that the harder you cast the more reel speed you generate, that doesn't mean more distance , just more backlashes. 
start out with a target distance of between 20 t 25 feet as you get better start to loosen your tension knob a bit and see that you can cast he same distance with less effort. After that move your target farther and repeat the same steps. 
Soon you will be able to cast very light lures a good distance with your bait casting gear. (I throw 1/16oz weighted T-rigged finesse worms on 15lb test without back lashing) 
I hope this helps, just remember it takes time and practice with a lot of patience 

Wayne


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## Nickk

First off pull off that line, 4/15 Power Pro is too thin to be a managable beginning baitcast line. Grab some Trilene XT 12 or 15lb, crank the brakes up to 3/4 and get the spool tension right.


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## BassAddict

yup once you set the reel tension right for the lure you are useing youll be fine.

Here is a good link on how to set em correctly
https://www.fishing-tackle-repair.com/education/baitcaster-setup-101.html


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## Johnny5

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT ROD FOR YOUR LURE WEIGHT, IF YOU DON'T IT YOU WILL BE FIGHTING THE BAIT TO GET OUT AND THAT CAUSES ALOT OF "OVER FISHING" WHICH IS WHAT I LIKE TO CALL A BACKLASH... MAKE SURE YOUR ROD TIPS ARE KINDA FAST AND SPRINGY THATS WHERE I WENT WRONG TRYING TO THROW LIGHTER BAITS, TRY SWITCHING YOUR REELS AND RODS AROUND TILL YOU FIND THE RIGHT COMBO! I GUARANTEE THAT YOU'LL FIND ONE IN A HUNDRED THAT WILL WORK FOR YOU


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## KMixson

I like powerpro line, but learning to cast with it might be making it harder to learn how to cast without getting frustrated. As said in other post, get some mono on it to learn how to cast it first. Use the heaviest mono for the rod/reel setup to keep the line kind of stiff so it does not tangle quite so easily. Then switch back to powerpro when you get comfortable with the mono. I found when I was learning to cast a bait caster to cast overhand and end the cast with the reel perpendicular to the ground. Another thing that works is practice, practice, practice. You will get tired of untangling it an learn to cast it like a pro.


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## freezer

Remember too that when you're setting your brakes set them a little tighter while you're first learning. On windy days I still crank up the magnetic brake. 

Also learn to train your thumb. A buddy told me about this and said I was holding on too long with my thumb. Just think about letting go a little early instead of holding on too late. If you hold on too long you almost whip the lure out and it tugs too hard on the spool. This can cause the spool to start spinning faster than the lure is moving.

Just tighten things up and train your thumb. 

I started using casters last summer and I have been in love ever since.


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## shamoo

The drop rate is very important, thats adjusted with the knob on the side of the reel, I would start with the brakes all the way on than back off till you find your comfort zone, try casting by holding the reel sideway(handles down) this is an easy way to lean how to use your thumb.

When you get that nasty birds nest the first thing to do is turn the drop rate knob all the way in, than pull your line out, it usually comes out with very little picking and no more cutting your line. Most birds nest happen at the beginning of the cast.


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## angry Bob

Don't give up. Get your thumb trained right, and you'll be glad you did. Adding a baitcaster to your arsenal adds alot more versatility to your game.


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## ho_shi

get rid of the braid!!!

mono is the best to learn on

set the brakes fairly tight and practice practice practice

loosen it up just a tiny bit ever so often but not too much

remember most everything weights different and everything will throw different so keep er tight.....


THUMBING!!! to learn the fastest way to thumb grab a jig with no hook or a good weight. Loosen it up somewhat and pitch and flip towards a 5 gal bucket. (you need it fairly loose but dont loosen it too much right now) Keep the bucket bout 5-7 ft in front of you untill you can hit the bucket consistantly and thumb the reel without backlashing. (by short casting this way if you ratnest its a lot smaller). Once you can hit that target then loosen it up a lil more and try again at 7-10 ft. do this untill you can accuratly hit the bucket at about 20 feet or so. Change to a smaller diameter target and work on it too. DOing it this way helps you to acquire the "THUMBing" techniques you need to accuratly throw for distance. This took my backlashes down to about 1-2 every 75-80 casts ...... To further improve after doin that I started fishing or casting at night with lil or no light!! when you cant see your lure you cant judge when to slow it down or thumb it. That forces you to use your thumb more and within a short time you will be a expert at it!!!


THIS WILL NOT COME OVER NIGHT!!!! I FISH 3+ TIMES A WEEK AND HAVE PRACTICED A LOT!!! with patience comes greatness!!!... Now I hardly ever backlash, when I do i only have maybe 3-4 wraps (not deep just side by side) that I can pull a cpl off and fix in nanoseconds. sure i do ratnest some but they are few and far between!!!


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## Jim

Good tip with the bucket ho_shi!


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## russ010

I had a lot of problems with Power Pro 15 on my Daiwa Vientos... Switched to Stren Super Braid 30lb and what a world of difference. Stren braid is not as "stiff" as power pro either. I can cast about 15-20 yards further with braid, but I don't use braid much anymore. Switched over to Triple Fish Fluorocarbon 15lb and it takes care of all my needs. I can still cast about 45-50 yards with a 1/8oz bullet weight, 3/0 Owner Wide Gap hook, and a 7.5" Yum Ribbontail worm


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## Zum

If you were using the power pro 15,the diameter was probably only a 4lbs mono(guessing).4lbs diameter going to be prone to backlash(IMO).Pretty sure a thicker diameter line will be less prone to backlash.
I use 30lbs power pro(8lbs dia),unless it's blowing hard and I have to throw into the wind(perfered),I just use my thumb.Still get the odd backlash but with the 30lbs power pro just pull on the loop and it normally(9 times out of 10)comes free.
I was noticing the colder it was getting the more trouble I was getting in.Happens when your thumb is freezing and try to throw hard.


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