spinning reel - bird's nest

[Bartman]

I have a MegaCast spinning reel that loves to frustrate me with birds nest. I've used 10 lb Stren mono, 20 lb Fireline & 12 lb Power Pro and I get the same results with them all. I've come to the conclusion that it is not caused by the line. I have 3 other spinning reels that give me NO problems. When I put line on spinning reels, I put the spool label up in a slightly large coffee can and apply light pressure to the line as my wife or son reels the line on. The nest always happens after a cast, before the bail closes, the line will just fall off the spool in loops. I even tried just putting on 40 yards of line to insure that I didn't have to much line on. I was wondering if anyone out there has had the same problem with a spinning rod and got the problem fixed. If I don't get this resolved, this reel will be a gift to my father-in-law

Thanks
Bart

 

[Hoss]

Re: spinning reel - bird's nest

i have had that problem before. go to an even lighter line. if going to an 8 lb line is to too small. i would get a reel with a larger spool.

 

[Hoss]

Re: spinning reel - bird's nest

also using a braided line instead of a mono line can help

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: spinning reel - bird's nest

I splurged and bought myself a Shimano Stella reel for my 65th birthday. Like you, all my life I have spooled them like you did. While fishing with a friend using the same reel, he commenced to respool his, with the spool rolling on a screwdriver. Of course I told him he was doing it wrong and he just laughed and said I didn't read the instructions that came with it. So when I got home I dug them out and sure enough he was right. The instructions said to spool it with the line on something so that it would come off the bottom of the spool. This got my curosity up so I dug out some more instructions for other reels and found that most of the better reels said the same thing while others said lay the spool down face up. So I guess I need to start reading the instructions. Whoever heard of such a thing? LOL

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: spinning reel - bird's nest

take the guess work out.

"http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchResults?searchOption=products&hvarSearchString=line+spooler&storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&CMID=TOP_SEARCH_GO&x=9&y=14"

 

[gonefishie]

Re: spinning reel - bird's nest

Try thread the line through all the guides and then ties it the the spool. Just to be sure, I ties on a swivel and a short leader on the other end of the swivel tie to a tree or something waist height. Loosen the drag until the line come off very easily, walk away from the tree until the spool is empty. Tighten the drag and reel in as you walk toward the tree.

 

[John_S]

Re: spinning reel - bird's nest

Hmm, interesting. I thought the flat spool install was prefered for spinning reels, while inserted on pencil for bait casters. The method I have followed, was to start from one side and after winding some on to reel, drop the rod tip and see if you are getting line twist. If you are, flip it over. Wind for a little more and recheck. It should be fine now.

PS: I did recheck some reel info sheets. Some reels have it that way, some have it via pencil. Weird?

 

[jtexas]

Re: spinning reel - bird's nest

no matter what kind of reel, the line has to come off the spool in the same manner that it's going onto the reel. Baitcasting spool spins, so the supply line spool has to spin; spinning reel, the line gets wrapped on over the end, so it has to come off the supply spool over the end, in the right direction......I think it has to be mirror image.

Do it any other way, you'll be adding one twist with every revolution.

An easy solution is to let the line trail behind the boat while underway - let it all out (nothing tied to the end), reel it all in, problem solved.

the original question, where line just jumps off the spool......I hate it when that happens.......the line is too stiff, or has too much memory.....just won't lay flat. braided line absolutely won't ever do that. I've heard the same of flourocarbon but haven't tried it.

 

[Nandy]

Re: spinning reel - bird's nest

I guess I have been doing it wrong for the last 34 years. I have always put my spool in a screwdriver. No matter what type of line or reel I have been using. I have never had problems with spining reels and I have only had problem with baitcasters when I am really light.
Go figure...

 

[duckslayer09]

Re: spinning reel - bird's nest

ok... if you look just below your reel handle. you will see a little knob. make sure you have a moderately heavy bait on you line. push the release button and you line should drop to the ground quickly. reel in the line and do it again but this time have you fingers on the small knob.. as soon as you push the release button turn this knob tighter until your line is bearly dropping. but make sure to do this with every bait.. this should solve the problem.

 

[HyperFox]

Re: spinning reel - bird's nest

I use braided on my reels, and really haven't had an issue with birdsnests.. I think this must be a mono line problem. Every time I go out with mono on the reel, I am guaranteed and cursed by the fish gods to have at least 1 birdnest and loose a good 25 yards of line..

I normally load monofilament using a pencil through the spool and with my feet on the spool. Not sure if this is the cause of my birdsnests. Seems to happen when I use triline more then any other line for some strange reason...

 

[bouttime007]

Re: spinning reel - bird's nest

I just stick the spool on a pencil or screwdriver and have someone apply resistance as I reel it in, never had many problems at all with my spinning reels. Plop the spool in warm water before spooling it, it helps with stiffer line.

 

[cc67]

Re: spinning reel - bird's nest

I use spinning reels almost exclusively and hardley ever have a birds nest problem. Some times when I use 8lb test on an ultra light crappie reel it will do that. I always stick a screwdriver through the spool and stick it in a vice and run the line through all the eyes and just wind it on. Been doing it that way for over forty years. I still have (use) my Zebco Cardinal I bought back when I was a kid. (I still am).

 

[AnglersResource]

Re: spinning reel - bird's nest

After you put all the line on your spool, thread the line through the eyes open the reel so the line can flow free.. Then set your rod down grab the end of the line and walk about 100 yards or more with the line and then drop it. Walk back to your rod and then reel in the line, holding the line between yoiur two fingers... Hold with pressure but not too tight. This will then get all the twists that may have come in your line while spooling up the line.. Let me know if this works.