Getting a birds nest when cast against the wind

[Eddie101]

Should I avoid using a baitcaster when casting against the wind, and stick with spinning instead? I've had at least 10 nests yesterday, and even had my line snapped off from having and repairing too many of those. What do you experts suggest? 

[PhishLI]

Describe your setup in detail and how long you've been using a baitcasting rig. You'll get better answers.

[Angry John]

Turn up your breaks or better use of your thumb.  They both work your style makes the choice 

[ATA]

44 minutes ago, Eddie101 said:

Should I avoid using a baitcaster when casting against the wind, and stick with spinning instead? I've had at least 10 nests yesterday, and even had my line snapped off from having and repairing too many of those. What do you experts suggest? 

That was the topic I was discussing few days back when I changed my mind about getting Metanum MGL, what happened to me I used Metanium DC all day and make about 200 cast against the wind (the go home wind), and I never had single backlash let alone bird nest. in my idea if you can use the same reel with braid and fluorocarbon leather if applicable and it will change your life.  it is my idea and I would like to share it with you. you can still play and use adjustments to your reels but that is what works for me. I hope it could be help.

[garroyo130]

7 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

Describe your setup in detail and how long you've been using a baitcasting rig. You'll get better answers.

It took me a while to realize it but often times what I blamed the reel/rod for was an issue with lure weight.

A bait that is hard to cast into wind will sometimes be hard to control even if you are able to cast it. 

[Eddie101]

16 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

Describe your setup in detail and how long you've been using a baitcasting rig. You'll get better answers.

I'm using a 6'8" Medium All-Star rod w/ol'Shimano Calcutta which I've just cleaned/lubed, and I can cast a lot further now which made me "happy". I typically use a spinner gear, but prefer using a baitcaster - which I've used for about, say, 10 years on and off -  for cranking. 

[JustJames]

If you know how to set your reel right and choose proper lure and cast the right way, casting into wind shouldn’t be a big problem, you won’t get distance though.

Set your reel, more spool tension to where  is no loose coil when slight pull, set more brake, start from max and go down from there.

Proper lure, you don’t want anything light and bulky. Underspin, lipless crank, chatterbait are good and pretty effective jig, Texas rig, fat Ika bottom contact are work but gonna be harder to feel the bite.
Cast it right, try to cast it as low as possible, side arm cast is perfect, overhead but you will have to shoot it low not lob cast and sky high.

[MassYak85]

You'll have to play with your brakes (more braking) when casting into the wind. That and/or using your thumb more to slow down the spool. The reason you get a bird's nest is the lure gets slowed down by the wind while the spool keeps spinning fast so it overruns, you need to slow down the spool to match the decreased lure speed through the air. Like other's said once dialed in it shouldn't be a problem, but you won't get as much distance. 

[husonfirst]

55 minutes ago, Bass_Fishing_Socal said:

Cast it right, try to cast it as low as possible, side arm cast is perfect, overhead but you will have to shoot it low not lob cast and sky high.

Or a roll cast.  The point is to keep the lure out of the wind.

[Eddie101]

2 minutes ago, BaitFinesse said:

Just part of life with centrifugal brakes.  If it really bothers you pick up a Daiwa.  I love the free casting nature of my Shimanos but they don't get used ti cast into the wind.  I put them down and pick up the Daiwas for that.

What so special or different about Daiwa? I know they make good fishing gear, but I've no experience with them, unfortunately.

[OkobojiEagle]

3 hours ago, Eddie101 said:

Should I avoid using a baitcaster when casting against the wind, and stick with spinning instead? 

yes

[king fisher]

Same as when fly casting in to the wind.  Adjust your technique, and don't expect the same distance, or pick up the spinning rod.  Depends on how strong the wind, and how much you want to fight it.  Most of the time a long cast is not required to catch fish.

[walleyecrazy]

Turn your brakes up, and keep your casts low is the best advice I could give for casting into the wind. A nice low sidearm cast will help keep the wind from catching your line quite as much. This will help stop the lure from slowing down faster than your brakes can slow down the spool. As mentioned above too, some braking systems just handle this situation better than others. I have a few of the Daiwa Tatula SV's that I can cast without issue directly into 20-30mph winds.

[crypt]

rollcast or sidearm works for me...

[RoLo]

 

The last time I got a 'bird's nest', my lure landed in a shoreline thicket.

Fortunately, the eggs had already hatched.

 

[WRB]

Turn around and cast down wind.

Reel brakes can only do so much. As I recall Calutta's have a 6 brake system. Using every other brake with 3 on and 3 off is the standard setting. Next adjust the spool end play knob to fine tune spool tension so the lure falls on it's own weight and the spool stops spinning when the lure hits the ground is about right. 

You have been casting this reel for 10 years and should know how to cast. Casting into wind takes lots of skill to keep the spool from over running the line as the slows down faster do to the wind. The only way I know is using my thumb to keep the line smooth on the spool. What happens is the lure kites loosing it's weight and stops, the spool doesn't.

Tom 

[Reel]

Get a DC reel

[Eddie101]

16 hours ago, WRB said:

Turn around and cast down wind.

Reel brakes can only do so much. As I recall Calutta's have a 6 brake system. Using every other brake with 3 on and 3 off is the standard setting. Next adjust the spool end play knob to fine tune spool tension so the lure falls on it's own weight and the spool stops spinning when the lure hits the ground is about right. 

You have been casting this reel for 10 years and should know how to cast. Casting into wind takes lots of skill to keep the spool from over running the line as the slows down faster do to the wind. The only way I know is using my thumb to keep the line smooth on the spool. What happens is the lure kites loosing it's weight and stops, the spool doesn't.

Tom 

Before I did the lube job, it was doing fine w/no backlash albeit with a less distance. After cleaning my reel, I can now cast a country mile but with a said issue  I haven't fished for quite sometime due to my hectic work schedule, but I'm fishing more now due to the current pandemic crisis. In 10 years, I probably used the reel maybe less than 30 times so it's still practically new. I'm getting better at it now, and thanks to folks like you experts I'm enjoying fishing again! Many thanks to you, and other great folks here at the forum!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Vilas15]

Turn up the brakes, use a heavier/better casting bait, don't cast into the wind, or use a spinning reel. Simple as that.