bait runners on the beach

i had a two beachcasters and reels stolen out of my shed there a few weeks ago and now i'm stuck with some old one i used to use when i was younger. i need to get new ones and i this time i was thinking of buying a reel with a bait runner for when i'm fishing with a running ledger combined with a bass rod or a 13 footer. can you buy bait runners for beachcasting and if you can does anyone know if they are any good. i was hoping it might help setting the hook better and reduce spooking the fish.

shimano make a big pit baitrunner for catfishing, and big carp and pike fishing at distance. tis a monster of a yoke. it's called the big baitrunner LC. very original!!! shimanos own website seems to be down lately but if you google the reel name i'm sure you'll find plenty of info on it. i've never heard of anyone using baitrunners ledgering from the shore. once the baitrunner device is engaged it gives line extremely easily, and in the topsy turvy world of shore angling, you'd probably be driven mad by line peeling off due to weed and strong currents. using a multiplier set in free spool with the ratchet engaged would work pretty much the same, but has more resistance so could be used in running tides, but does have enough give to allow a fish take line. personally i think the baitrunner is a bit overe hyped, it's perfect for carp fishing for which it was originally designed, where the use of a bolt rig in conjuction with the baitrunner led to self hooked fish. but for pike fishing, the slight drag felt by the fish as it movesoff with the bait often causes it to drop the deadbait. and as i said before the baitrunner doesn't lend itself ideally to shore fishing. in the smaller sizes 5000 or 6000 the shimano baitrunner is a savage reel for spinning and light ledgering. i hope i made some bit od sense in the above ramble?

Patrick

Unlucky about your rods bigbass. Interesting topic this..... I use bait runners for pike fishing during the winter. I have always wondered could they be used in the sea. I'm not sure. Firstly there are not too many bait runners that are up to the test of salt water. Baitrunners are normally used when a fish picks up a bait and moves. This allows you to give the fish some line before you strike. It can help with fish that are spooked easily, though I don't think you get this much in sea fishing where it is predator V prey and takes tend to be hard and fast especially with the likes of Bass and Pollock. They might be a good idea for tope from the shore although I have not seen a baitrunner big enough for the job yet. T

There is only one application I can think of... 8) If you are using a fixed or grip lead with a running trace, you could place stop knot about 2 foot or so up the line. This would allow the fish to take the bait into it's mouth move with the bait. After 2 foot the stop knot would hit the lead hooking the fish. This is a self hooking rig that might help with that improved hook up rate you mentioned. If the sea was calmer you could lenghten the stop knot. This method might work for Bass and Pollock and Maybe Cod. I have not done too much Cod fishing so I am unsure how the take the baits.

I think it might be worth trying especially if you are fishing for Bass in a calm sea... You never know. Maybe in the future this will be the only way to go about getting a nice Bass from the shore.

Kev

thanks lads for the replys. sorry about the delay was down in wexford fishing for the past few days. i think maybe the baitrunner might be good in theory but i'll wait till i hear of someone using one or maybe when some company might start developing some new ideas to incorporate them into shore fishing. its just the fixed spools i have, i mean had (they were robbed) were not the best quality. i don't really understand what the drag system was really for, actually i still dont. could someone please tell me what they are useful for?. when i would cast out i would leave the rod down i flip the drag over to allow the fish to take it and run a bit but every big wave that would come by it would take the line with it and the reel would go mad. i tought a bait runner designed to only give at a certain pressure which u could tune urself at the end of the reel, so it would only give under the harder pressure of a fish instead of the softer pressure of the wave. i guess it might be just wishful thinking, but it would be cool. thanks again

Mac

i often use that tip u gave about using the stop knot with a running trace and it does work really well and really boosts your striking rate. i would definitly recommend it to anyone especially lazy days when ur neck is killing you from staring at the bloody rod tip :) actually that reminds me of another topic i was thinking of over the weekend. (shore fishing electronic bite indicators) i'm really am a lazy bugger. think i'll post it now.

i have one of those shimano yokes they work well and i think they are great for conger or anything that is litely to pull your rod in