Hang in there! I FEEL YOUR PAIN.
A couple things I learned that helped as a beginner
1.
Practice on a lawn. It's less frustrating when you get a bird's nest and it doesn't cut into "fishing" time (as long as bird's nest isn't literal
)
2.
Use 12# or greater Monofiliament.
3.
Hold your rod at a 45* angle and set the tension so that once you release the spool the lure falls slowly and the spool STOPS SPINNING as soon as the lure hits the ground. (repeat this process throughout your practice to ensure the reel has not come out of adjustment, which it proably will, slightly, after several casts)
4.
Practice casting at targets rather than on distance. As your aim gets better, gradually move further from the target. Once you've gotten good at aim, you will find the "control" of a baitcaster is greater than a spinning reel.
5.
When you release the lure, turn the palm of your hand face down towards the ground. Depending on whether or not your reel is left or right handed, your handle will either be facing the ground or the sky. Most "off the shelf" models are right-handed and the handle will face the sky with a right handed caster.
6.
Keep your casting elbow against your hip. This is proabably one of the easiest ways to notice a novice. Most of the movement in your arm should come from below the elbow, and most of that movement should come from the wrist. If you try to "throw" the rod with all of your arm, you will have a hard time. FYI - this was one of the hardest things for me to overcome, as I grew up on spinning gear where bigger arm movements gave me longer casts. You really just need to watch the distance the tip moves in an arch which can be created by using the wrist alone. The centrifugal force provided from your wrist during the cast is enough to cast a weightless plastic 30-40 feet easy.
Lastly, figure out how a baitcaster can "enhance" your fishing ability and focus on that. The way I fish and the style I fish lends itself more so to spinning tackle than baitcasting. That said, I own twice as many baitcasters as I do spinning. #-o Unfortunately, it's taken alot of Bass Pro gift cards to realize that.