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.