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I'm trying to figure out whether having a rod outfitted with a baitrunner reel is worth the extra weight of the reels or their complexity.

Those of you having a baitrunner reel, do you use the baitrunner feature often?

Additionally, do you use your baitrunner reels for cast and retrieve fishing or mostly to drag a pinfish behind the boat?

Thanks for your input.

Depends on what type of fishing you do.

I use them regularly, with one spinning baitrunner dedicated as a kingfish / cobia rod baited with pinfish under a bobber or balloon, drifted behind the boat. You have a big king hit your bait at freight train speed, the baitrunner is a huge blessing.

Also use them bottom fishing when targeting cobes / sharks / grouper, though for most part with bottom fish I use a baitcaster with clicker lever vs spinning baitrunner.

Even when drift fishing nearshore vs offshore, I like using a single baitrunner line out far behind the boat to snag cobes that might cruise by.

On the "complexity" note, I've never had one break / give me a moment of problem for whatever it's worth.

I use an Okuma baitrunner. Not sure the number, but equivalent to a 4000. Love it. Been pretty bullet proof. Never use it for casting though. I have it on a 6'5" med heavy and spooled with 20 braid. Mostly use it when bottom fishing reds, or trailing the boat like BBG said. I have caught a 6-7 foot bull shark on it, but we chased him around to accomplish that. His first run would have spooled me. If I was chasing larger quarry, I would move up a size or two, but it has been fine. Caught a 31" cobia too trailing a pinfish. Broke my heart it was 2" short.

John21:6 wrote:I'm trying to figure out whether having a rod outfitted with a baitrunner reel is worth the extra weight of the reels or their complexity.

Those of you having a baitrunner reel, do you use the baitrunner feature often?

Additionally, do you use your baitrunner reels for cast and retrieve fishing or mostly to drag a pinfish behind the boat?

Thanks for your input.

I have two: a 3500 and a 4500. Both are pretty old, now. They work great for live bait fishing, where the dual drag is very useful. The 3500 is sized for trout and reds, plus Spanish trolling. The 4500 is plenty strong for kings and cobia. IMO, the mechanics of the dual drag make it less sturdy for harder core lure fishing, and especially bottom jigging.

I have a straight up daiwa bg for vertical jigging, as the baitrunners aren’t made for that.

EJ


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Shimano Baitrunner 6500's are very popular with the guys who fish for big snook from piers in S. Florida. You can increase the tension on the baitrunner feature, so you can use a good sized ladyfish for bait. Also the drags lock down very tight so you can pull the snook away from the pilings. I have an old one that I use for grouper jigging and grouper trolling. It has never been serviced or let me down.

I'm from South FL, I've had BR for years, nk mostly for drifting live baits offshore or tarpon inshore. I never used them much for snook because we would need something with a bit more drag to keep them out of the docks.
That being said, if you fish live baits and like to put the road down and forget they are very handy. I've never h as d an issue with any of mine.

Ive had a couple of Okuma Avenger bait runners for a few years now. They are cheap but work for how I use them. You might want to try one of those before you step up to the more expensive shimano. You can get them for $40-$60 if I remember correctly. I use mine exclusively in a rod holder, I don’t cast fish with them.

Thank you for all your comments.

I have a Penn SSV 6500 with the baitrunner feature that I used for live bait fishing. It's a pretty beefy reel and a bit too heavy to use casting plugs, did some shark fishing with it too; it was pretty sweet. As far as a bait dunking reel I loved it.

Thanks guys. I think your advice has cost me $200-$300.

John21:6 wrote:Thanks guys. I think your advice has cost me $200-$300.

If your getting up there look at the shimano thunnus. It’s a carbon fiber baitruner

I have used the 3500 and 4500 for years. Just purchased the 8000 model and it’s great for live bait fish’n bull reds and kings.
I also use it deep jigging grouper when little lighter tackle is needed.