baitrunner reel for under $20

[Eli]

(04-06-2014 10:35 AM)mcfly Wrote:  Going cheap for baitrunners is fine IME, I think it's even better, that way if a fish takes your rod & reel (which is definitely going to happen) it won't cost an arm and a leg. I have the Penn baitrunner and almost lost it about half a dozen times last year due to what I think are issues with my particular reel (baitrunner locks up from time to time).

You pretty much proved my point in your second sentence.
Cheapass baitrunners put together in some sweatshop are not going to last and will probably fail when you most need them.

Had my shimano 4500 for going on 10 years and it's yet to fail me in any way...and I use and abuse it on St. Lawrence carp.

$70 gets you a perfectly reasonable Daiwa with baitrunner feature that will last. $20 gets you Chinese trash.

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BTW, the main reason I'm a little (just a little) bothered by this is because it's a situation that is likely to result in a fish swimming around with a rod attached until it dies, not because I care how someone happens to spend their money.