Okay this might be a question that requires someone actually watching me but let’s see what anyone has to say.

 

I’ve finally mastered my Shimano Citica 200. I have all the breaks off & can cast 99% of the time with no backlash. Getting pretty accurate too.

 

My problem is throwing spinner baits. At least 50+% of the time the line gets tangled up with the blades rendering the thing useless on the retrieve.

I can actually see the thing helicoptering in the air but for the life of me can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong.

I’ve tried straight braid, tried fluoro leader. Doesn’t seem to be a factor.  

Have watched dozens of videos but haven’t found anybody discussing this issue.

 

Any thoughts before I pack these away?

The way I fish a spinnerbaits is I usually do a roll cast (that usually prevents helicoptering) past my target. It also allows the spinnerbaits to enter the water a lot quieter.

It´s not the reel, it´s the way you cast.

The way I fish a spinnerbaits is I usually do a roll cast (that usually prevents helicoptering) past my target. It also allows the spinnerbaits to enter the water a lot quieter.

 

Yep

Thin out the skirt .

A little bit of brake will put some tension on the line and I have had some luck in preventing helicoptering that way.  Maybe you won't be able to cast so far, but, which is most important to you?

I vote to try the roll cast too.

I always roll cast

Another vote for Roll Casting

I'll pile on,

try a roll cast instead of overhand. 

As others have said, roll casting spinnerbaits is the way to go. I like shorter rods when using spinnerbaits for this very reason, but I'll try to help you with your situation. You can do a few things to remedy the situation, the first is to use a roll cast, the second thing would be to add brake, maybe 2 brakes on will help, the third thing is line, fluorocarbon or mono as braid is very limp and on a high overhand cast it won't have enough stiffness to combat to helicopter action of the bait. I don't know what size bait you are throwing but you may want to try something a little heavier, a 1/2oz bait will fair a little better than a 3/8oz or 1/4oz.

Roll or sidearm casting is ideal, but I usually don't honestly have a problem bombing a spinnerbait with an overhand cast either.

Never really had a problem with sb, you can try what the others have said, I'll just add, that I was having problems with helicoptering swimbaits and I realized I wasn't letting the rod do its job, was putting to much on it, just let the rod load up natural and not try and horse it out there.

Roll or sidearm casting is ideal, but I usually don't honestly have a problem bombing a spinnerbait with an overhand cast either.

Yep.

Roll or sidearm casting is ideal, but I usually don't honestly have a problem bombing a spinnerbait with an overhand cast either.

Yelp

In addition to roll casting, don't jerk the cast. Make your cast nice and smooth.

If you're close enough for a roll cast, use the brakes.

Regardless of how you cast a spinnerbait, you can get them to make a pretty quiet entry if you thumb the spool at the right moment before it hits the water.

Seems to me you are giving the lure too much "hang time."  Cast with a flatter trajectory and put your thumb on the spool near the end of the desired distance so the line can't interfere with the blades.  I'll wager your problem will be solved.

Seems to me you are giving the lure too much "hang time."  Cast with a flatter trajectory and put your thumb on the spool near the end of the desired distance so the line can't interfere with the blades.  I'll wager your problem will be solved.

This and I usually give it a stronger toss than needed and rely on my thumb to stop it where I want it. The hard toss should keep it from helicoptering. I have thrown a 3/16 SB with a size 7 trailing willow blade with no helicoptering casting like this.

Let your rod cast!

It could also the your specific spinner bait contributing to the problem. Big blades and a light (3/16 or 1/4 oz) head will not cast as well as a heavier head with smaller blades.

Regardless of how you cast a spinnerbait, you can get them to make a pretty quiet entry if you thumb the spool at the right moment before it hits the water.

This is true for most baits. Instead of stopping the spool when the bait hits the water, stop the spool when the bait is about a foot above the water. This works really good on long casts for me.

I am quite puzzled by your experience. Sure I occasionally get the line wrapped around the spinnerbait wire, but not anywhere near 50 % of the time. It probably happens to me about 0.01 % of the time or less. I use SB's all the time, I have for the past 40 years and I have never been able to come up with a combo to achieve your results. I used to make my own baits and used all kinds of blade combos usually on a 1/4 oz head. The lighter the head combined with larger blades and a side wind will contribute to the SB spinning on the cast. But even then the line rarely gets twisted around the SB arm at least for me. I usually fish from the bank so I often have to improvise in order to avoid bankside obstructions. So my casts are pitching, overhand, roll, backhand, underhand, bow and arrow, and whatever it takes. Since I'm bank bound I only carry one rod so I wind up throwing SB's on the "rod of the day". So I often end up throwing the SB on an outfit meant for another lure. Despite all this I rarely encounter the issue which plagues you.

Thanks for all the feedback!

 

I have been throwing overhead & sidearm but looks like roll cast seems to be the popular consensus.

I do try to muscle the most distance I can get out of my casts & that could be a contributing factor.

I’ll try to find a video that shows the roll cast technique.