Front Drag reels for barbel fishing with no baitrunner......

[Tim Marks]

I never use Baitrunners these days.

I find them awkward and restrictive. In the past I’ve had original 3500’s from new and then GT4000’s. They were okay for piking but not much else. For most specialist fishing I’ve used fighting drag reels since about 1990 and they are much better. More versatile in how you use them.

For my Thames fishing these days I use front drag Okumas 6000 inc reels. So far, faultless. And they are cheap.

 

[Terry Harman]

Never owned a fighting drag reel would actually like to try one

 

[Terry Harman]

I reckon I'll have him converted to 'pins by the end of the season!!

You got more chance of getting handcuffed to a ghost

 

[Rob Mitchell]

I can't stand baitrunners, I guess the only reason for that is I like to feel connected to the fish through my left hand on the front of the reel and my right index finger slowing the spool simultaneously.

I use ss2600 and 1600s exclusively. A lot of people say they 'wobble', I have 4 and I have not felt any kind of wobble at all. The quick drag is super sensitive and you can easily set it to 'run' off.

Sold all mine, they feel like wobbly relics compared to Okuma Inception 6000’s, which are simply a better reel IMO. The SS look great and I wanted to love them but just couldn’t get past their flaws. I found the retrieve wasn’t great for getting the lead up quickly on the rocky tidal as well.

I felt like a mug for paying £150 a reel (with QD caps) for the SS2600’s to be honest when I bought 3 of the Okumas for £135, I’ve now got 6 and use them for Barbel, Pike, Carp.

So, to the OP - the Inception 6000 gets my vote. Light, great quick drag out of the box, wide metal rimmed spool with great line lay, smooth, good retrieve, and a really positive bail arm click which is nice when you’re lobbing heavy leads/feeders.

I find baitrunners totally unnecessary when a quick turn of the spool does what you need, and you instantly get used to just picking the rod up and cupping the spool on a strike.

 

[Haydn Clarke]

I never use Baitrunners these days.

I find them awkward and restrictive. In the past I’ve had original 3500’s from new and then GT4000’s. They were okay for piking but not much else. For most specialist fishing I’ve used fighting drag reels since about 1990 and they are much better. More versatile in how you use them.

Agreed. I love my Jap-made Shimano Stradic X reels and they seem to command a far higher price second hand now than I ever remember paying fro them new, which leads me to think I'm not the only one.
The fighting drag is almost like a manually operated baitrunner anyhow, just turn it right down when the rod is in the rest and a half turn back when battle commences.

 

[Chris Thomson]

Cardinal 55 , if you know you know

 

[Richard Isaacs]

Cardinal 55 , if you know you know

Swedish classics

 

[Kevin Brown]

Cardinal 55 , if you know you know

Ironically I sold these for the first Shimano baitrunners

 

[Adam Francis]

Thanks for all the replies, lots of opinions which are always welcome.

I use these type of reels on a handful of trips so I didn't really want to spend top money so I ended up with a pair of Okuma pit reels that balance the rods nicely.

I had a lively fish last week on the set up just under 10lb, I cupped the reel on the strike as someone mentioned. I had set the drag so that it only needed a slight adjustment when playing the fish, I always slacken off when the fish is in close anyway so wasn't too different tbh - again good advice.

The extra power reeling in did make a difference so I'll see how I get on with these before deciding whether to spend more later on.

Thanks everyone and enjoy your fishing.

 

[Terry Harman]

Ironically I sold these for the first Shimano baitrunners

No foam in the butt rings ?

 

[Kevin Brown]

No foam in the butt rings ?

First saw the foam thing in the early eighties at Waveney Valley , I did a use it occasionally
back then .

 

[Neil Smart]

Sold all mine, they feel like wobbly relics compared to Okuma Inception 6000’s, which are simply a better reel IMO. The SS look great and I wanted to love them but just couldn’t get past their flaws. I found the retrieve wasn’t great for getting the lead up quickly on the rocky tidal as well.

I felt like a mug for paying £150 a reel (with QD caps) for the SS2600’s to be honest when I bought 3 of the Okumas for £135, I’ve now got 6 and use them for Barbel, Pike, Carp.

So, to the OP - the Inception 6000 gets my vote. Light, great quick drag out of the box, wide metal rimmed spool with great line lay, smooth, good retrieve, and a really positive bail arm click which is nice when you’re lobbing heavy leads/feeders.

I find baitrunners totally unnecessary when a quick turn of the spool does what you need, and you instantly get used to just picking the rod up and cupping the spool on a strike.

I had just the one Daiwa and was amazed how much the rotor was off centre. Thought it was just a one off, felt better for the guy that bought it that it was a built in feature.

 

[Terry Harman]

First saw the foam thing in the early eighties at Waveney Valley , I did a use it occasionally
back then .

Line clips finished the foam off

 

[Rob Mitchell]

Thanks for all the replies, lots of opinions which are always welcome.

I use these type of reels on a handful of trips so I didn't really want to spend top money so I ended up with a pair of Okuma pit reels that balance the rods nicely.

I had a lively fish last week on the set up just under 10lb, I cupped the reel on the strike as someone mentioned. I had set the drag so that it only needed a slight adjustment when playing the fish, I always slacken off when the fish is in close anyway so wasn't too different tbh - again good advice.

The extra power reeling in did make a difference so I'll see how I get on with these before deciding whether to spend more later on.

Thanks everyone and enjoy your fishing.

Good to hear. When I bought the Inception 6000’s I had sets of Daiwa SS2600, Emblem 45scw, Baitrunner 10000RB and the old Baitrunner 4500GT’s. I’ve since sold all of them except the emblems, which I’ll be eBaying soon as well!