Baitcasting perfectly every time is a myth, even for seasoned anglers. In fact, those of us who are human occasionally backlash the baitcaster so badly we want to cry. Picking out a terrible tangle may sound meditative, but it’s not likely to get you closer to nirvana. Wondering how to fix a backlash faster? Never fear! I learned a trick that will make cutting out a bad bird’s nest a thing of the past.
How to Fix a Backlash On a Baitcaster
This trick came from all those glitter boat pros who never seem to backlash. That only means they’re so used to doing it that you don’t even notice the fix. Here’s the trick:
When you backlash, don’t start pulling line out of the spool. Instead, press down on the spool with your thumb hard and start reeling on top of the bird’s nest. I know it sounds backwards, like it’ll never work, but trust me on this.
Once the line is reeled up over the backlash, recast and the line should come out as if you knew what you were doing the first time. For particularly bad bird’s nests—more like an eagle’s nest—you may need to repeat this process one or two more times.
Cast with Confidence
With this technique in your bag of tricks you’re free to teach friends and family how to throw a perfectly dialled-in baitcaster. However the lesson goes, at least you won’t be embarrassed by picking away at a terrible tangle for an hour.
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When you backlash, don’t start pulling line out of the spool. | Feature photo: Ben Duchesney
