multiplier?

i've been shorefishing for eight years and i've never used a multiplier.However I'm now thinking of taking the plunge due to the reputation some of the highend multipliers have(daiwa 7ht,penn525 mag).but I'd like to know is it worth it i.e is it difficult to lay the line?,how is it done? are dreaded birdsnests common? and do you have to lay the even when you have a fish on the end of the line?

I lay line by running it between my tumb and index finger and it becomes secound nature after a while. After a large fish you should cast an over head tump to avoid a birds nest. Birds nest are common or uncommon depending on how heavily a reel is tuned and how good a caster you are.

Donagh

My first multi was the Daiwa SL20SH and it is a dream to cast with as it is so simple. The birdsnest comes out of only a few situations;

If you have too much line on the spool, the centrifugal force of the cast throws the line away from the reel as the centre spins too quickly.

If you have a large lump of bait cast into a strong head wind, be ready with your thumb on the spool, as it will start to fluff up.

A bad cast with a poor power build up may cause your spool to nest.

The biggest cause of a birdy is not being ready for the lead to hit the water. As soon as the lead is heading for touchdown, be ready to stop the spool with your thumb. As it hits, slam on the thumb. It doesn't hurt to slow the spool with the thumb just before it hits and then stop it when it does. Most of your distance has already been achieved anyway and unless you are trying to get extreme distances, it won't make any difference.

I now have three multi's; a Penn 525 Mag (a very good reel for both beginners and pro's alike as you can slow down or speed up the reel as your experience grows), a Diawa SL20SH and a Daiwa SL30SH loaded with 25lb Red Ice for my rough ground work. I'm so comfortable with the multi's now, I even use the SL20SH for spinning!

As for the line lay, you can get obsessed by having a perfect line lay, but as long as it is even across the spool, you will be fine.

Check out Neil Mackellow's site mentioned on earlier posts on reel tuning.