Best Baitrunner Reel

JackD818 · #1 10-15-2004, 10:55 PM

The Shimano 4500b bait-runner series is just a great all round spinning reel. It has bait runner and drag adjustment for the bait runner for all you eel crazies like me. I previously owned the Penn Captiva AL6000 bait-runner series and it was very disapointing...broke while i had a 28 incher on the line...(baitrunner wouldn't turn off) I had to reel in by hand...the bail also basically fell apart in my hand. But I replaced it with the shimano and it has definitely withstood the test and then...(caught about 20 stripers on it this past month.) Not only for eels and stuff but i use for trolling (sometimes) and some deep sea...just love it! Definitely some fun times ahead with it. Highly recommend!

merrillizer · #2 10-16-2004, 12:26 AM

I agree on the Penn Captiva. I think the drag is rubbish on those reels.

Brandon-K · #3 10-16-2004, 04:37 PM

My Dad uses that same shimano baitrunner, it works great. The only prob. we have had with it is that the bail came apart, just hafta fix it.

merrillizer · #4 10-16-2004, 07:07 PM

I use Okuma Epixor EB's, and havent had much of a problem. But I generally dont beat em like I do my other reels. But I can say I have had a friend who's Epixor EB (EB50 or sumthin) had a bail problem. It was an earlier model, but the bail would close on cast and you'd hear what sounded like a gunshot when the line snapped and his new lure went flying lol. He lost quite a few new lures at the Honey Hole this Spring lol

youngsalt · #5 10-18-2004, 08:28 PM

Live liner 5600 is sweeet for eels.
You can reel in the eel with the bait drag, letem run when he takes, then flip it to the fighting drag when you're ready to set the hook.

JackD818 · #6 10-18-2004, 08:58 PM

That truely is the greatest feeling in the world! Is that the penn live liner?

youngsalt · #7 10-19-2004, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackD818

That truely is the greatest feeling in the world! Is that the penn live liner?

Oh yes it is. That bait drag literally is music to my ears.
Yes that's the penn

nacholibre · #8 09-27-2009, 05:55 PM

I have a shimano 4500 baitrunner and the shaft came out of the reel while casting,can anyone tell me what could it been the reel is like a year and half old.is it worth it to get it fix or is it easy to fix can anyone reply with advice thanks.

River Rebel · #9 09-28-2009, 06:39 AM

We have tried a lot of bait runners and we have put them through a lot this year we used a lot of Okumas and all the bait-runners stopped working, a few shafts bent . Penn is a no go. We are now running with the new shimano 8000 bait runners. They have handle bass up to fifty pounds and false albies and all ground fish so far this year. The 4500 are great also but they are no longer being made the 6000, 8000 etc are the new replacements

Sudsy · #10 09-28-2009, 05:47 PM

If the question is "what is the best baitrunner?" then the answer is the Shimano Thunnus. It's a beast, guys use it for tuna. I've got the 12000F and can skip keeper size bass across the top with it.
The negative is that it's heavy, forget plugging.

River Rebel · #11 09-29-2009, 07:36 PM

Point has been onboard my boat with that reel and he has boat numerous Id say more than fifty stiped bass over 30 pounds and I don't recall the number but he also landed several blue dogs in the up to 200 pounds.

clopes · #12 09-29-2009, 10:44 PM

Same here on the penn's they suck. Shimano was a great replacement but I still don't like the secondary drag as nothing compares to a open bail and a finger on the line. I've lost many fish letting the line go clamming or eeling with the pole sitting in the holder instead of holding onto it. The saltstriker cabelas brand was a little more sensitive but again didn't last me a whole season.

njstripernut · #13 10-17-2009, 06:52 PM

I have used Shimano and Okuma. I love the Shimano, you can keep the okuma...

jerseystriper · #14 10-18-2009, 06:25 AM

I just want to throw a reel into the mix. Is it the best Bait runner I doubt it, but it is a very nice reel for the money. This reel will also outcast most or all of the others listed. I had tried one of these and they will cast a country mile-it's the Tica Abyss TF Series Long cast spinning reel-abit heavy though. Some of the best casting spinning reels (longest) just happen to be the Tica's. To bad they are not the most durable, but for under a $100 you can buy a few.

These reels are about as smooth as you can get(when they are new) I have also seen a few Ticas down in NC (Uncle's) that are a few years old and well abused working just fine-but I have also seen some less then a year old that were junk. One thing is Tica does(as I'm told) have a pretty decent warranty policy.
For the toughest I agree with Sudsy-Thunnus but a day of casting will feel like you were at the gym doing curls and military presses

It's also to bad that Shimano has about 6 different BaitRunner reels in Europe(maybe more) this also goes the same for other makers. The only reason I can imagine that they don't offer these reels in the US is many of them are used in freshwater for monster catfish, but also many of these models are small and light-go figure

DarkSkies · #15 10-20-2009, 01:19 PM

I gotta cast my vote for the shimano 4500. I know they're not being made anymore, but you can get them used online. I really like the metal, hate the plastic of the newer reels out there. One of the reasons I won't buy another Penn. The Thunnus is great, but we fish rivers a lot. IMO for the surf guy when you get to the point where you need a reel like the Thunnus, you have graduated to bigger fish and should start using the conventionals to turn those bigger fish. Just my .02.