text: how do i cast a line? i recently tried fishing while on holiday with a new telescopic rod i bought. i found trying to cast out impossible, even with a weight on the end of the line. the line would get caught, or just tangle up. it looked so easy when others do it. is there a knack?or do i have a crap reel. in the end i had to just lower the line down into the water over where i was sitting. ryan g makes a very good point when using a telescoping fishing rod. it's very easy to get your line wrapped around the rod unintentionally. other than that you should check to see that your line is wound properly onto the spool and not tangled onto interior working parts. this happens often on spin-cast reels that are spooled with too much line. when reeling in your line keep a slight pressure on it by holding it between your fingers. it helps the line to spool evenly and helps detect light bites.  best of luck.