so im looking at a new spinning reel. i have seen a baitrunner and they are more expensive and i dont know the difference. what is the difference and why are they more expensive? should i pay more money for a baitrunner, i normally fish docks, oysters, grass, ext all the places for slot reds and trout and flounder. but i am putting a surf setup together and am wondering if i should get a baitrunner or save the money?
There is no greater fan of fly fishing than the mud minnow.
A bait runner type reel works great anytime you put the rod in a holder or in a sand spike on the beach. I have a Penn Captiva 4000 Bait Runner reel and it has been very nice to use in these situations.
The difference between a bait runner reel and a standard spinning reel is the extra adjustable drag that allows a fish to take out line without feeling much pressure. You cast out as usual and flip the bail over as usual which activates the main drag on the front of the reel. There is an extra lever on the rear end of the reel that you flip which engages the ‘bait runner’ drag, which has a knob below the switch to adjust the tension. You set the tension just high enough to keep the current from taking out line and you are all set. It is like using a casting reel with a bait clicker. When a fish takes the bait, you will hear the clicker on the reel go off when the line is moving out. You simply turn the handle once to deactivate the bait runner drag and engage the main drag. I plan to get one more to replace one of my standard spinning reels. They really work well especially for freelining live bait. I believe Daiwa came out with the feature first, but many companies including Penn and other big ones make bait runner models which all work in about the same manner.
To answer your question…yes, the extra $$$ is worth it if you fish with natural baits whether alive or dead, AND you use a rod holder or sand spike to hold your rod. One other thing…given the same model reel, the bait runner will be a few ounces heavier.
PioneerLouie
Pioneer Venture 175, Johnson 90
Summerville, SC
I’ve got 3 Shimano Baitrunners and I’m very happy with them. Like PioneerLouie said, yes, definately worth the extra $.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
If you are normally in a boat not too a big deal. Save the money.
But in the surf - ya. They will save you from having to chase your surf rod down when you were not paying attention!
Not to mention all the sand that got in it while it skated 30 yds to the suds.
J Ford
stay away from the cabela’s Salt Striker bait runners, my line feed switch doesn’t always switch over, and the thing has only been used a couple of times. A buddy swears by the Okuma Coronado. They are relatively inexpensive and you can get them in different sizes (I think).
Poineerlouie shed some light on the reels…he’s right.
they’re great for dead/live bait.
if you have the money buy them…if not get 2 of something else that still has the durability in the surf.
I like mine…I’d like another 8 of them actually.
I wouldn’t go buying a baitrunner for anything other than sitting for big fish. (over 12#)
if you’re not financially able to get the baitrunner, and want a good surf reel, I’d suggest looking into the Diawa BG60. Its not cool, pretty, or the newest technology… but it is SUPER durable and has outperformed many other reels I’ve owned as far as longevity in bad conditions. and i’ve been harder on my diawa’s than bobby brown on whitney.
xHCFCx
Fish are too valuable to be caught only once.
I’m looking at picking up 2 Baitrunner or Thunnus 8000s for drifting/kiting live baits for pelagics, tarpon fishing, shark fishing, etc. The baitrunner features is definitely handy when you don’t want to fish with conventionals. I like conventionals for trolling but for anything else, I’d prefer to use a spinning reel.
-Capt. Chris Rapchick
yella bote
no motor
I have a shimano baitrunner 8000D and boy do I like that reel! I would definatly recommend it for the extra $$$.
A good way to get around paying the extra cost for the baitrunner feature would be to get some copper rigging wire and wrapping it around the foregrip even to the bail, leave the bail open, and bend the wire to hold the line and keep it from going out as the bail would if it were closed. That way, you’ll be able to fish with your bait out and bail open so the fish could take line out easily when it hits, leaving you to close the bail to set the hook on the fish without messing with the drag knob. The biggest benefit to the baitrunner feature is that you can have your reel in freespool and then instantly have it in your desired drag setting (1/4 of your line test) and NOT have to mess with your drag knob at all so you don’t set it too high or too low in a frenzy of trying to catch that big fish.
If you’re not going to be doing a lot of livebaiting, you could save a lot of money and invest in some copper rigging wire which will do the trick just fine.
-Capt. Chris Rapchick
yella bote
no motor
most of the fishing i do is live bait. i was looking at the salt striker though, fomrinoman do you think its just yours or all?
There is no greater fan of fly fishing than the mud minnow.
I wouldn’t go salt striker. These reels are more complex than your standard spinner. I gave the salt striker I had to someone fishing a bridge for free. just wasn’t worth the trouble.
Shimano replaced one of my 5 year old baitrunners for free last year. No hassles plus I got the new model. Can’t beat it.
6000 or 7000 battle
quote:shimano baitrunners are expensive as h***! i read alot of online reviews and i havent seen a negative comment about hem exvept for yall twos. i think that quantum makes these reels for vabelas's. i might still get one i think, or just the normal salt striker 4000. thnkas
Originally posted by david stemenI wouldn’t go salt striker. These reels are more complex than your standard spinner. I gave the salt striker I had to someone fishing a bridge for free. just wasn’t worth the trouble.
Shimano replaced one of my 5 year old baitrunners for free last year. No hassles plus I got the new model. Can’t beat it.
There is no greater fan of fly fishing than the mud minnow.
quote:
most of the fishing i do is live bait. i was looking at the salt striker though, fomrinoman do you think its just yours or all?There is no greater fan of fly fishing than the mud minnow.
</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>
Yakman, I don’t know anyone else with one. I just have the issue with mine, and it is really not that big of a deal I just have to check before I put the tarpon lines out.