There is a lot to learn about casting and bird nests happen due to a problem in your cast. Usually, it is where there is too much spool coming off the line. Quite simply, you want the spool to stop with the lure and you will learn this with experience.

Here are 3 ways that you can improve your casts to prevent this;

1. Use your thumb to control the spool Learning how to control the spool is a big part of casting. You can practice casting in a field or other large area and dont need to be where there is water. You should start by making sure that the tension is set so that when the lure hits the ground, the spool turns no more than a quarter turn. Keep on casting to learn how to control your spool - use your thumb to stop it feeding the line by pressing down on rim once the lure has stopped.

2. Buy a reel to fit your hands As above, If you have good thumb control then your casting will be much better, so get a reel that fits right. A higher price doesnt always mean better and ergonomics will play an important part in your decision. Once you master how to cast, you can then look into other features that are available.

3. Make sure the rod tip follows the lure After casting, you should keep the rod tip pointing in the trajectory that the lure is following; if you drop the tip before or when the lure hits the water then you might find that extra line is being spooled off, even though the lure has stopped. This will also cause bird nests. It can also happen if you have too much movement in your wrist after casting.

You should find that a baitcasting reel is great fun and very rewarding although you will have to get some practive in first With a some practice, you can easily overcome the problem of backlash when casting. Don't be put off by it and if you are still having problems, practice some more and re-read these 3 tips.

The truth is, these are the fishing reels that you will get the most enjoyment out of. As you would expect though, there are a wide range of specifications and features to consider which can make it hard to choose the right baitcasting reel to suit you.

You should always look at the following three things;

1.

Retrieve Ratio

- This is quoted on all reels and is a standard ratio representation. It is there to show the amount of line you get back on the spool in one turn of the handle. You should expect to see most baitcasting reels giving you a 5:1 ratio or more; this means that you get 5 spools of line for 1 handle turn. If you end up getting anything faster than this it obviously makes the retrieve a lot easier and less tiring.

2.

Bearings

- These are present in all reels and they are usually there are several anti-friction bearings used. They are there to do just that - remove as much friction as possible. This will directly impact how smooth the reel is when casting and retrieving. The number of bearings will differ between reels and a higher number does not always mean it will be smoother although it is a good indicator.

3.

The frame

- Typically, most reels are made using aluminum or graphite although it is not uncommon to find both used in different places, for example an aluminum frame and graphite sideplates. The best is of course aluminum although there are different grades available too - look out for cold forged aluminum frames (and spools).

These are 3 important things that you should consider when you are looking to buy baitcasting fishing reels. There are indeed a lot more than these that make up the reel, and all manufacturers will add their own features and systems. These will however serve to be a good starting point.