How To Use Shimano Baitrunner Reel

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David is a freelance writer. He enjoys fishing as much as you practise. He understands the claiming to pick the best angling rod or learning the lifestyle. He provides a detailed review of the bachelor products in the market. He wants to ensure you make the right decision for your adjacent shopping day.

What is a Baitrunner Spinning Reel?

So what is this reel they telephone call a Baitrunner or Gratis Spool equally some refer to it all nearly? If yous are not familiar with the Baitrunner reel, then let me explicate.

They are used when yous want to fish with either live or cut bait and desire to allow the fish to be able to have the bait and "run" with it before the hook is set.

The Baitrunner was first introduced to the market by Shimano in 1987 and Shimano trademarked the name Baitrunner. Other common names for this style of reel are:

Free Spool
Live Liner
Bait feeder
Bite-north-Run

Shimano Baitrunner OC Spinning Reel | Dicks Sporting Goods

The Shimano Baitrunner OC Spinning Reel delivers improved castability, line lay and durability to saltwater anglers. Built with the signature Due south-Concept design, the Baitrunner is smoothen, silent and strong with a machined aluminum handle, repairable clicker and XT-7 graphite frame, rotor and sideplate.

Cheque Cost

We earn a commission if you brand a purchase, at no boosted toll to y'all.

A Baitrunner reel is designed with both a primary and a secondary elevate system. (see image below)

Baitrunner reel has what is called a "teaser lever" to engage the secondary drag arrangement. When the secondary drag is engaged y'all create what nosotros call a "controlled complimentary spool," meaning that the drag is light enough to allow a fish to take the bait and run with it without feeling the very light drag.

The secondary elevate is typically adjusted with a elevate knob located on the bottom of the reel and only offers a few pounds of elevate or tension. This secondary drag is only designed to keep the reel from unspooling and to allow the bait to swim freely.

In one case a fish takes the bait and starts to swim with information technology, the reel will permit the line to come off the spool very hands — remember there are only 1 or 2 pounds of drag on the reel at this time.

Now all you lot take to do is pick up your rod and wind the handle a unmarried plow in near cases and that will disengage the secondary drag system so that the principal drag can take over and y'all can set the claw.

The advantage of the Baitrunner is that information technology allows yous to fish alive-lined bait without having to adjust the primary drag or flip the bond and hope that too much line falls off the spool and makes a tangled mess.

When to Utilize a Baitrunner

Baitrunners are frequently used by freshwater fishermen for species such as bother and catfish when fishing chunk bait. In fact, when the Baitrunner reel was first introduced back in 1987, it was the United kingdom carp fishermen that were the early adopters of this new applied science.

In the world of saltwater fishing, you will most ofttimes be considering the use of a Baitrunner reel when surf casting or inshore fishing from land for bottom feeding fish, or fishing from a gunkhole for reef fish like snapper or grouper.

A major advantage of the Baitrunner is that it volition permit you to fish multiple rods at the same time. Since a fish tin take your allurement and run with it with some tension on the line, then yous can then easily pick your rod up from the sand spike or rod holder and so proceed to gear up the claw.

Some of the most common species that are targeted with Baitrunner reels are Stripers, Bluefish, Kings, Jewfish, and Snapper.

How to Utilize a Baitrunner Spinning Reel

The primary departure between a conventional spinning reel and a Baitrunner spinning reel is the secondary elevate system. The secondary drag is likewise referred to as the rear elevate on most of the Baitrunner mode reels.

You want to gear up the secondary or rear elevate to a very light setting that is only enough to continue enough tension on the line to go along information technology from getting tangled, but lite plenty that a fish can take the bait and run with it without getting spooked.

The strength of the electric current where yous are fishing is going to be a factor in how much tension you identify on the drag. Once you take bandage the bait, the spool continues to allow line out very slowly and so you lot volition need to tighten the drag a click or two at a fourth dimension until no more line is beingness let out.

Once the fish is running with the bait so yous need to set the hook. Typically I count four-five seconds before I set the hook as I want the fish to have a proficient opportunity to get the bait fully in its mouth.

The concluding thing you desire to do is to set the hook likewise quickly and rip the bait from the fish's oral cavity. Remember the fish has no idea that there is a line attached to the bait as the elevate is and then lite.

As far every bit a hook choice goes, I typically will use a circle hook as they will set themselves then the timing of the hook set is actually not so important.

With that said, I still like to requite the fish 4-5 seconds to make sure that they have the entire bait in their mouth.

Pros

Best for live bait
Fish multiple rods

Cons

ii drags to maintain

Conclusion

If you have decided that your style of fishing is going to include fishing with live baits then I would highly recommend that you get a Baitrunner way reel in your hands and endeavor fishing with it.

Most people that apply a Baitrunner and have been taught how to use it properly swear by them. I have some friends that based on the type of line-fishing they do will not utilize a reel that does not include a dual elevate organization.

Shimano Baitrunner OC Spinning Reel | Dicks Sporting Goods

The Shimano Baitrunner OC Spinning Reel delivers improved castability, line lay and durability to saltwater anglers. Congenital with the signature S-Concept design, the Baitrunner is smooth, silent and strong with a machined aluminum handle, repairable clicker and XT-vii graphite frame, rotor and sideplate.

Check Cost

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no boosted cost to you.

A good quality Baitrunner reel to consider is the Shimano Baitrunner D, read the full review HERE.