In classic black with an XT7 spool finished in silver, the ST models from Shimano are packed with far more advanced features than you’d reasonably expect to find on a Baitrunner at this price point. Line lay is good thanks to our Varispeed oscillation which involves an oval and a square gear, computer engineered to interact perfectly. Incorporating a gutsy 4.6:1 retrieve, double handle and the equivalent of 5 ball bearings, the ST is available in both 6000 and 10000 size models. If you’re looking for a quality entry-level free spool reel, look no further than the new Baitrunner ST.
If you are on a tight budget and you are looking for a reasonable quality baitrunner type of reel for your carp fishing, then look no further.
Can you believe this price? The Okuma Interceptor Pro Baitfeeder normally sells for around the fifty quid mark.And that’s a bargain price for a quality reel.
Now, North West Angling Centre have gone quite mad and are offering it at under thirty quid.
For a baitrunner style of reel that offers 2 ball bearings, a double handle and a micro drag, along with a 5 year warranty, this is an ultra reliable baitrunner system at an ultra silly price.
It even comes complete with a spare spool. I mean, come on, you could spend that much on boilies for one session. And some.
Strictly speaking, a baitrunner reel is a reel using technology developed by Shimano. In fact, the term ‘baitrunner’ is registered as a trademark by Shimano (see http://www.ipo.gov.uk/), and has been since 1987, and so reels by any other manufacturer using a similar system should be called ‘freespool’ reels and not baitrunners. However, anglers have used the term baitrunner to describe this type of fishing reel for years, much as we tend to say the word hoover when, strictly speaking, that is a brand name, and we should say vacuum.
So again, what is a baitrunner reel?
Shimano Baitrunner DL 10000 RA
Well, a Shimano Baitrunner reel has an extra facility as well as the normal drag function. Most fixed spool reels use a clutch system either on the front of the reel spool or at the rear of the reel body. This is tightened or loosened and allows a running fish to take more or less line in order to prevent breakage of the main line when playing a large fish.
The baitrunner is an extra clutch facility that can be used to let line flow freely from the spool when the bale-arm is engaged. However, with a turn of the reel’s handle or by flicking the switch back into the engaged position, normal clutch tension is again applied.
What’s the point of this? Well, when you have positioned your rods in their rests and set your alarms and swingers etc. if you are using them, you can simply set the baitrunner to the free spool position. Now if a fish moves off with your bait or is hooked by a bolt rig, the line can be pulled freely from the reel and sound your alarm. Had the line still been fixed, then the rod could have been pulled into the water or the line may have snapped causing distress to the fish at best. As soon as you hear the alarm you can turn the reel handle or flip the baitrunner back to closed and your fish is on.
A baitrunner still has the normal clutch settings and this, as we said earlier, is set to control the tension during playing a fish. However, there is another setting that controls the freespool tension which is usually at the back of the reel below the baitrunner switch but in front of the rear drag right at the back of the reel. This can be set a little tighter when there is any danger of a fish running off into a snag whilst on the baitrunner setting.
To set up a baitrunner reel properly, the angler’s rods should be supported on a rod pod or rod rests and not held by the angler at all. This way there is no movement of either rod or line until a bite is registered. Flipping the baitrunner lever into freespool mode allows line to be taken with very little tension and the bite alarm will alert the angler. On the strike, the angler makes a small turn of the reel handle or switches the baitrunner lever out of freespool mode again thus reverting back to the clutch tension set by the ordinary drag. I personally tend to hold the spool still using tension from my fingers during the strike and then when I know the fish is on, start to reel to re-engage the baitrunner.
Baitrunner reels were designed to be used with a bolt rig. These rigs were in turn designed to scare a fish as it picked up the bait and felt the hook or tension in the line, causing it to bolt off and hook itself against the weight of the lead, hence the name bolt rig. If no baitrunner is being used, a large carp bolting off could easily pull a rod into the water or snap the rig or main line, causing distress and injury to the fish, let alone the damage or loss to the angler’s tackle box!
Rigs of course should be designed to come apart and or break away in an incident like that. I will talk about safety rigs and carp care in another article.
A Shimano Baitrunner Spool reel is Shimano’s method of incorporating a baitrunner system on some of their larger and Big Pit Reels. It is a free spool system enabling the angler to set the spool into a free running mode with just half a twist of the front drag. This means that when you do get a run, all you need to do is to check the spool with your finger to hold it still and then, with half a twist back, loch the spool down into fighting mode again.
Examples of Shimano’s Baitrunner Spool reels are: -
I have seen quite a few questions on web sites and forums lately which ask the question “how do I use a baitrunner reel?”. Having read the answers on quite a few of them, I still wouldn’t know the answer had I not already used one for years. So I am going to try to explain it in easy to understand language. In fact, let’s start with a history lesson. Let’s call it the days before baitrunners. That take us back to when I started out fishing, so quite a while back! If you were float fishing in those days, then you had to watch that float all day. Regardless of the sun light shining in your eyes, if you missed a bite that you had been waiting for all day, then tough. And don’t they always happen just as you take a bite out of your sandwich or you are in the middle of pouring out a cup of coffee from your Thermos?
Of course if you are float fishing, then the bites may come in a little more often depending on your quarry. So all may not be lost. Let’s say however that you are carp fishing on a hard lake where you may have to wait a few hours for a bite. And let’s say you are not float fishing but you are ledgering against the edge of a a lily pad. Now if you get a bite, you need to know quickly so that the carp doesn’t take your bait straight through the lily pads and tangle you before you even know about it.
Well, if you close the bail arm, the fish will feel resistance as soon as it starts to take the bait, if you leave the bail arm open then if there is any more than a breath of wind, you will find a tangle of line when you go to strike. And so we developed the bolt rig. Now, with the bail arm closed, as soon as the fish feels resistance, it will panic and try to make a run for it, or to bolt, but will hopefully in doing so, hook itself against the tension of the weight.
So imagine now an open bail arm, line tearing off uncontrollably and the subsequent tangle. Or alternatively, bail arm closed, reel spinning fast backwards as the carp pulls line from the reel. At best, you grab it in time, at worst, with a big carp, your rod and reel end up in the water behind the fish. Then there is the one thing we really don’t want to happen, the line breaks leaving a fish with a rig in its mouth.
Solution? Enter the baitrunner. The baitrunner reel gives us the best of all worlds. With most reels of this type, if you look at the very rear of the reel, you will see a knurled wheel. This is the usual drag setting. Just above that, there will be a lever which locks forwards and backwards. It’s actually very useful when setting up your rods and this is a good time to try it out. As you feed line up through the rod rings, leave the bail arm closed and push the lever forwards. Now your line will pull easily from the reel with just a little resistance and without tangling and springing off of the spool.
Once you have threaded your line push the lever back again and it will lock everything up tight again. There are two ways to do this, either push the lever backwards or turn the reel handle. This will also have the effect of closing the baitrunner mechanism.
Now set up your rigs, bait up and cast out as normal. When you have you baits in position, place your rod in rests or on the pod and reel in just enough to tension the line slightly. Set up any alarms and swingers you are using and then push the baitrunner switch forwards again.
Now, when you get a take, the fish can run with the bait, hopefully having hooked itself if you are using a bolt rig, it will feel very little tension but enough to control the line coming off of the reel. Your alarm will be screaming away but your reel won’t be churning backwards. As you strike, flick the bait runner back to re-engage it or reel in a quarter turn and you are straight away in contact with your fish. And hopefully, your personal best is on its way to the net.
Good luck. And remember, landing nets and unhooking mats ready first.
Supplied with a traditional Avon-style top section plus a second carrier with three different strength quivertips. The Shimano Vengeance range has been constructed from XT30 carbon fitted with Shimano hardlite guides and reel seat. The Classic has a 1.5lb test curve.
It’s hard to predict what’s going to be a ‘classic’, unless it’s a Baitrunner of course… And this is your last chance to get one.
THE BAITRUNNER AERO RE 5000 LIMITED EDITION, the light carp/barbel/tench/specimen classic.
· Gear ratio 4.5:1
· Line capacity 240yds/10lb
· Aero Wrap
· Cold Forged Gear
· Equivalent of 5 Ball Bearings
· Positive Bail
· Double Handle
· Spare Spool
NEW Shimano Baitrunner ST FA 2500,4000 Sizes RRP £54.99, £59.99
NWAC (North West Angling Centre) have a special offer on the new baby baitrunner ST FA reels at the moment. Not only are they offering them at crazy give away prices but they are also offering an optional double handle for just £11.99.
In classic black with an XT7 spool finished in silver, the ST models from Shimano are packed with far more advanced features than you’d reasonably expect to find on a Baitrunner at this price point. Line lay is good thanks to our Varispeed oscillation which involves an oval and a square gear, computer engineered to interact perfectly. Incorporating a gutsy 4.6:1 retrieve, double handle and the equivalent of 5 ball bearings, the ST is available in both 6000 and 10000 size models. If you’re looking for a quality entry-level free spool reel, look no further than the new Baitrunner ST.
It’s hard to predict what’s going to be a ‘classic’, unless it’s a Baitrunner of course… And this is your last chance to get one.
