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Whats the point in a bait runner reel?


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There is no difference between bait runners and front drag systems. Both can be adjusted from peeling line off to barely able to turn. The only difference is that a bait runner switches between 2 different pre set drag settings with the turn of a handle, where as a front drag is a broad manual adjustment.

 

What you are trying to say, is that you see no point in using a free spool function at all when carp fishing, and to that I would say, firstly it depends on the situation, and secondly there are enough deliberately argumentative and contentious posts on this forum as it is, without questioning if a free spool function, which in various forms is as old as the invention of the reel itself, is worth using or not when carp fishing, or if it may be bad for the fish.

 

Ask yourself this; when you hook a fish, do you want the fish to be able to choose for itself how much pressure and tension it can put on your system before you pick the rod up, or do you want some control over this?

 

I can think of many fishing situations where everything from practically no resistance, to fully locked up would be preferable.

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There is no difference between bait runners and front drag systems. Both can be adjusted from peeling line off to barely able to turn. The only difference is that a bait runner switches between 2 different pre set drag settings with the turn of a handle, where as a front drag is a broad manual adjustment.

 

What you are trying to say, is that you see no point in using a free spool function at all when carp fishing, and to that I would say, firstly it depends on the situation, and secondly there are enough deliberately argumentative and contentious posts on this forum as it is, without questioning if a free spool function, which in various forms is as old as the invention of the reel itself, is worth using or not when carp fishing, or if it may be bad for the fish.

 

Ask yourself this; when you hook a fish, do you want the fish to be able to choose for itself how much pressure and tension it can put on your system before you pick the rod up, or do you want some control over this?

 

I can think of many fishing situations where everything from practically no resistance, to fully locked up would be preferable.

Somebody get out of bed the wrong side? How is my post argumentative or contentious??? Obviously you don't know me or have read any of my posts. Yes i don't agree with completely free spool, this forum doesn't give you the right to say im argumentative or contentious, everyone has the right to their own opinion

 

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Apologies, perhaps a little abrupt. No offence meant. It's just that saying there's no point in free spool reels is, to me, akin to the sleeping while fishing, discussion. Also opening with things like "there's no point" and questioning them from a fish safety POV is a tad argumentative.

Again, genuinely no offence meant.

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Hi guys, i don't see the point in a bait runner, i think it looses you fish and makes you lazy. Yes i undo my front drag but only so it just lets line off so as to not pull rod in. I see people with these on their reels just so the alarm screams and looks good. I personally think you should be paying attention and not letting the fish run or run into a snag or weed anything else really

 

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anyone who can not do exactly that on a bait runner/free spool reel needs to get lessons in how to set up their kit IMO of course :wink:

as to the second part of the statement, i have seen people loosing off the front drag to do the same thing, one chap loosened it so much that on the take his spool flew off. so have a good think and then tell me that there is no point in incorporating a safety feature that takes noddys out of the equation. :wink:

no offence intended of course :lol:

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anyone who can not do exactly that on a bait runner/free spool reel needs to get lessons in how to set up their kit IMO of course :wink:

as to the second part of the statement, i have seen people loosing off the front drag to do the same thing, one chap loosened it so much that on the take his spool flew off. so have a good think and then tell me that there is no point in incorporating a safety feature that takes noddys out of the equation. :wink:

no offence intended of course [emoji38]

Horses for courses really

 

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I have both . After using a free spool facility it took me ages to get used to my Big Pits .

 

When I used free spool the other week it felt strange too .

 

I prefer my big pits but yes , horses for courses I Spose and a place for everything .

 

I think beginners tend to get em cos they may seem easier as the fish is usually already hooked .

More experienced all round anglers maybe don't consider they need bait runners ?

 

Once again . Each to his own .

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I guess Bait runners are for Noddys and us really good mega anglers use Big pits .

 

I have Bait runners and used many years ago, then i could not imagine ever using anything else , Big pits seemed to much faffing around , i now have Big pits and have been using them for years and now could not imagine using bait runners again.

 

They are both as good as one another and do the same job equally as well, IMO its just personal choice.

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Blooming heck, you lot think you've got it hard?

 

I can remember the day of fishing an open bail arm on your reel, probably the original reason for the line clip on your rod, just in front of the reel seat :wink:

 

 

From that I went to using the rear drag on Abu Cardinal Ultracasts instead of open bail arm, to the baitrunner system.

 

 

Now that was fun, trying to judge when to close the bail arm either manually or by winding in!

In fact I still use open bail arm frequently for pike fishing, on my Baitrunners.

 

The baitrunner is effectively a safety feature, to stop the fish dragging your rods in, and that is what I use it as, either from the baitrunner lever at the back, or the front spool baitrunner facility, the further out I fish, the tighter the tension, unless snag fishing when it is tight!

 

In fact on many runs I actually get to the rod before any line has been taken off the reel.

 

From Baitrunners I went back to front drag on big pits (Aerlex's), and had no problems. However when I went back to 10000 size Baitrunners, I did have a calamity on my first run back, I hadn't tightened the baitrunner enough, so ended up with a major birds nest.

That sorted I soon got used to the baitrunner again. Since then I have once again gone back to front drag baitrunner, again, no problems.

 

Playing fish off the drag, or clutch, and allowing line to be taken off the baitrunner does cause line twist, one of the major reasons I stick to back winding even now.

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Some.

  

Obviously that apology earlier was complete rubbish, really don't get some peoples mentality

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Well i apologised if you took offence at what I said, not for what I said which I stand by. It's a daft argument as everyone else has also said. I don't wish to offend anyone, which is why on this and any forum I refrain from comments and remarks about anyone personally. But I'm sorry, if you write a post stating that you think bait runners cause lost fish, snagged fish, and is a matter of fish safety used by lazy anglers, I'd say a few would be offended by that and are likely to respond in kind. I don't think I was more direct in voicing my opinion than that was I?

 

Anyway, let's leave all that for the girls and get back to the actual subject.

 

I don't use bait runners, but I used to. I do use reels with a quickdrag free spool function and use it every time I'm fishing. Just come back from a quick evening, one rod locked up, two on a if you really can't see any fishing situation where a free spool function is desirable then I can fully understand why you can't see the need for a bait runner or a free spool under light tension. I'll give you one from my experience. Rocked up at my syndicate to find a bunch of fish ripping the bottom up in a spot just over some reeds, no more than half a rod off the bank. I can see a handful of low doubles, and a couple of good 20s. I'm going to be lowering a bait onto the spot, retreating about 2 ft back into the reeds, and waiting for a run. I can't see the rod much further than the middle for the reeds. So I'm going to catch for sure, but I want a 20. The only way of hooking multiple fish from this spot is playing and landing the fish away from the others, so the plan is, rod on the rests, free spool spinning if you breath on it, and a drop off bolt lead. Fish bites, hits lead and hooks up, dumps lead and runs 10 yards into open water, I grab rod, tip high and move 30 yards down the bank, land fish, back up for another. I had a 13, and a 17.11 in under 10 minutes. If that had been on a tight spool and the fish boiled and turned on the spot it would have been carnage, and every fish in the area would have been 100s of yards away instantly.

 

I usually use a fairly light clutch, but tighter than this time. This is just an extreme example. Without the free spool function this flexibility isn't possible.

 

I've also used it the other way round. Tight clutch for the bite, ie snag fishing. Hook up and let the fish kite on a tight line away from the snag, then back off the clutch and allow it to run in open water. All round it's just a nessesary part of fishing. Nothing bothers me more than a clutch that won't loosen off enough. My Windcast Zs are borderline!

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Hi guys, i don't see the point in a bait runner, i think it looses you fish and makes you lazy. Yes i undo my front drag but only so it just lets line off so as to not pull rod in. I see people with these on their reels just so the alarm screams and looks good. I personally think you should be paying attention and not letting the fish run or run into a snag or weed anything else really

 

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If you actually read it properly it states i see people with them letting fish run for the sake of it which i don't agree with, then it states i believe it leads to fish loses etc. Some people have shown me they can be used responsibly but i still don't see it, if you like using them over front drag then great. If someone who does let it run for fun reads it, it may make them think about fish and snags.

 

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