Reel review for my montana buddies

[Bozeiceman]

I have been waiting all year to test my new secrete weapon. Today was the day! The reel is a 09 OKUMA EPIXOR 20 the smallest baitrunner I know of. I have it attached to a small jig rod and mounted to my bucket. I am running ten pound test braid to a 0X 15 lb mono leader material.
I was not sure if the drag on the baitrunner would be light enough if a big fish grabbed it. Today was the day! I was fishing shinners here in Mass for Bass and chain pickerel when I looked up jig rod bobbing baitrunner drag peeling set the hook front drag engaged worked to perfection! Not once but over and over...these reels are $75 bucks come with an extra spool and for big trout, walleye, pike and the like are perfection. They are like 10oz not tiny a bit heavy for trout and perch maybe but for fish 2 pounds plus...it is what you want. This is the future for me a half dozen of the setups..I am tired now I need to re rig my leaders tomorrow I go back to get record sized pickerel that chewed (laughed at) 15 pound mono. Torrow its 30 floro...monster chews that and it will be a future of wire leaders.
I will send picts tomorrow of reel,rod, bucket set up as well as some Massachusetts fish.....Not the rainbow rockets of Canyon Ferry but they are fun. Google the Okuma Epixor EB 20. This is beyond sweet.

[kwil226]

Sorry if this is a stupid question but what is the difference between a baitrunner and a spinning reel?

[Bozeiceman]

A "baitrunner" is the Shimano model of a spinning reel that has two seperate drag sysytems. The spool has a drag that is used for playing fish while the rear drag is much lighter and allows you to be fishing a bait with the bail closed when the fish takes bait and swims off with it he feels very little drag...just enough to prevent birdsnest (hopefully) then when you flip the baitrunner lever or turn the reel handle it switches to preset spool drag.
So now when you put you reel down with bail closed you get a hit and the fish doesn't feel resistance or pull you jig rod into the lake...
Shimano makes 3 great baitrunners awesome for salwater but to gig for fresh. The Okuma Epixor EB 20 "BAITFEEDER" is in my opinion a ten pound class reel like for general fresh walleye type fishing. Thing is AWESOME. I used it again today. Perfection.

[Quantoson]

About 10 years ago I bought a Shimano Spirex 4000.  It has the Quick Fire Bail, bait drag and the fighting drag.  I don't use it for ice fishing but use it for pike fishing in the summer.  The fighting drag comes in handy for the monsters. But don't get it too tight because I have broken line when excited by over tighting the fighting drag.  But a it's great reel.

[Bozeiceman]

[fishinforpigs]

Looks like a fun little setup. Thanks for the review, and I might have to look into one of those Baitrunner reels, never used one before

[Bozeiceman]

I've been using it after work...perfection the baitrunner drag is light fish don't drop it bucket doesn't move no rods lost..Just ideal for fishing bait for gamefish..