How do you set a revo sx to not birdsnest

One of the best explanations:

 

Turn brakes off

Set spool tension

Set brakes to 5

Test cast and adjust

You'll have to thumb the spool to some degree regardless of setup

The revo sx is not forgiving with light baits, cranks etc. You have to do more fine tuning after you adjust the brakes for the specific lure. I've found that anything 1/4 oz and under is hard to cast. If you adjust the brakes too much, they don't cast far, and if you try to whip the bait out it bird ynests. This is all using 12 lb p line copolymer on a cranking rod.

The free spool is pretty good on most of these. A fluid casting stroke is important. Snap casts or muscling one is asking for trouble.

I agree with all comments above, but will add that the line has a lot to do with your casting experience.  If you're having trouble, go to a limp line like Trilene XL in about 15 pound test, Yozuri hybrid copolymer same test (or whatever it's called).  Stay away from flourocarbon.  Braid of about 30+ pound test can be good, too.

 

When all the recommended adjustments and the right line don't work, try a Shimano Curado..  i like them better than Revo's but my son likes the Revo's better.  A lot of this is individual preference, the right line, the right setup, and practice.

The only time I had consistent casting problems with mine was when there was 10+ mph winds.  I then had to crank up the brakes and it often was not the answer.  Otherwise about 30% brake was about all I ever used and it was a good caster in any winds under about 8 mph.

The revo sx is not forgiving with light baits, cranks etc. You have to do more fine tuning after you adjust the brakes for the specific lure. I've found that anything 1/4 oz and under is hard to cast. If you adjust the brakes too much, they don't cast far, and if you try to whip the bait out it bird ynests. This is all using 12 lb p line copolymer on a cranking rod.

X2.  Of the reels I own, my Revo is one of the best casting and the pickiest with respect to technique.  If I've been fishing a long while and am not careful with my arm motion the Revo lets me know.  It's a great reel and will make you a better baitcast user.

Many of the backlashes with the SX occur at the beginning of the cast.  The reel has magnetic brakes that are better controlling the spool at the end of the cast.  If you whip the rod the spool speed at the beginning of the cast will be very high and little braking to help control it.    Hope this makes sense.

How do you set a revo sx to not birdsnest

 

As others have noted, this reel is finnicky but once set, it will throw a 3/8 - 1/2 oz plug a mile.  The first one I bought, I had a hell of a time getting iit dialed in because of the lack of centrifugal braking I was used to in my BPS PQ's.  I set the brake to "5", loosened the spool to where the 1/2 oz. spinnerbait would drop moderately to the water.  I thought I was set, but no no no.  I got "professional overrun" after professional overrun.  Tried everything *except* amping the brake up - I felt like I had it set right.  I now have two of them, and the brakes are jacked up to about 8 or 9 with moderate spool tension, and I rarely have the old pro overruns anymore.  Also, it takes a little while for the reel to "loosen up", so to speak.  I took my 6.4:1 out today for the first time, set it up and got things going.  Initially I was getting decent distance, but not the distance I was used to with my 7.1:1.  After 30 or 40 casts, it seemed to catrch fire, and I was  

getting the distance I was used to.  It's a great reel, just takes a little tinkering to get in the zone...but well worth the time to do so.

 

-EGS

Make the spool tension pretty loose, crank the brakes up to almost max and start to turn it down from there. My sx brakes are almost maxed out and it casts far without problems in this fashion without finicky backlashing (3/4 to near max)

Every size bait is different in weight and resistance when casting..I can't really explain it cause I go by a feel for it..I love my sx and it isn't for anything lighter than 3/8 really with 14lb line on it..that's WhT I use

I attempted to cast the other day with my SX and snagged one of my other rods on my kayak...what a mess