your views on mini shimano baitrunners

chrissh · Jun 7, 2015

your views on mini shimano baitrunners

I'm looking at getting a new reel this week for my feeder & Avon rod and thinking of the Shimano 2500 or 4000 baitrunner have any of you out there used these reel are they as reliable as the bigger reels

I will be using the reel for feeder fishing on rivers & lakes for Bream & Tench with and 6 to 8lbs line and casting 30g-60g feeders

xenon · Jun 7, 2015

Cannot offer a comparison, as i only have the 2500 Dl version, but it works very well and has proved itself reliable-definitely recommended.

law · Jun 7, 2015

I saw them online and decided they were the ones I wanted.
Until I went to my local shop and picked one up. They felt like a toy. Real plasticy and cheap.
The ones up from that (cannot remember the model) felt better, but weighed a ton and totally unbalanced my avon rod, which I'd taken to the shop to test reels with.

So I went with the Drennan Series 7 BR90-30. Much better built yet still nice and light.

sam vimes · Jun 7, 2015

Depends entirely on the model in question. I wasn't overly impressed with the DLFAs or STFAs. However, I believe that both have been updated recently.

I have XTFAs in 2500 and Ds in 4000. I find that the 2500s are a bit small for my liking. The handles are too short for me, feels weird. They are only used for light specialist duties, fishing for roach, rudd and perch or when legering on commercials with match type rods.

The 4000Ds are my choice for barbeling on smaller rivers and light carp fishing.

The only other baitrunner type reels I'd give any real consideration to are those made by Daiwa.

terry m · Jun 7, 2015

I have a pair of 4000 DL's that I use solely for river piking. They are excellent. The clutch is superb.

I also have a set of XTEA10K's, the smaller reels are functionally every bit as good as the XTEA's.

Peculiarly, the baitrunner lever is in the opposite position for these to models but does not overly tax me.

barbelboi · Jun 7, 2015

Another option - Try and pick up a lightly used 5000 Aero GTE from fleabay, I have a couple about 16 years old (from when they were still made in Japan) and still going strong - pairs well with a 1.5/1.75 t/c for barbel and not out gunned for carp of twenty plus..........

The Sogster · Jun 7, 2015

I have a couple of 2500xtfa's, nice reels but wouldn't want to use them with lines over 5lb. My only gripe is the line clip. I have the 4000 version also which will handle 8lb line - I mostly use this when barbel fishing.

I have also recently invested in one of of the newer x-aero 4000fa reels. Primarily for the wider spool which I feel will be better for heavy lines of 12lb when carp fishing on a smallish pond.

sagalout · Jun 8, 2015

I have a pair of dl2500fa's, used them a lot over the last 5? years for carp up to mid doubles, and I think they are superb reels. I do not have much to compare them with since before these I had some cheap reals that I binned after 6 months and a pair of Fox Stratos that were so bad Fox gave me money back.

I use them on Maver 10ft powerlite match rods. The only fault has been the original reels had a black/blue plastic bit on the bail arm by the line roller that the line cut into. This has been replaced on later reels with a chrome bit that appears to have cured the problem.

chrissh · Jun 8, 2015

Went out today looking at the mini shimano 4000 bait runner
also looked at the Diawa 4000 bite n run reels now I can't make my mind up both look good reels.
What would you go for the price of the reels are about the same

john step · Jun 9, 2015

chrissh said:
Went out today looking at the mini shimano 4000 bait runner
also looked at the Diawa 4000 bite n run reels now I can't make my mind up both look good reels.
What would you go for the price of the reels are about the same

I have a 400 size Shimano and find it very good. Its got a very smooth freespool. I had to buy a second spool though which added £11 to the cost!!
Does the Diawa come with a spare and does this cost matter to you?

On my last Trent outing back in March I mistakenly took this reel instead of its big brother a 6000 size reel.

I used it nevertheless with the 10lb bs spool and it coped admirably with a scraper double barbel and chub and bream in what as you will be aware of as a yellowbelly is a powerful river.
I must add that I wouldn't use it for this heavy work normally, but for this one off time it worked out OK

tigger · Jun 9, 2015

barbelboi said:
Another option - Try and pick up a lightly used 5000 Aero GTE from fleabay, I have a couple about 16 years old (from when they were still made in Japan) and still going strong - pairs well with a 1.5/1.75 t/c for barbel and not out gunned for carp of twenty plus..........

I have the 5000 GTE's and the slightly earlier 5010's and I wouldn't swap them for any of the latter shimano baitrunners. They still come up on ebay in boxed unused condition !

barbelboi · Jun 9, 2015

tigger said:
I have the 5000 GTE's and the slightly earlier 5010's and I wouldn't swap them for any of the latter shimano baitrunners. They still come up on ebay in boxed unused condition !

I'll see your 5010's mate & raise you these....................

tigger · Jun 9, 2015

Yeaph BB, they're good 'uns n'all but I prefer the 5010's

.

chrissh · Jun 9, 2015

john step said:
I have a 400 size Shimano and find it very good. Its got a very smooth freespool. I had to buy a second spool though which added £11 to the cost!!
Does the Diawa come with a spare and does this cost matter to you?

Both the reels have a second spool they are around the £70 -75
The Diawa is the handle is quick fold and 2 alloy spools

john step · Jun 10, 2015

chrissh said:
john step said:

I have a 400 size Shimano and find it very good. Its got a very smooth freespool. I had to buy a second spool though which added £11 to the cost!!
Does the Diawa come with a spare and does this cost matter to you?

Both the reels have a second spool they are around the £70 -75
The Diawa is the handle is quick fold and 2 alloy spools

Click to expand...

OK. I think you are looking at more expensive editions than mine. I didn't realise. I can't recall the model number of mine without going outside to rummage but I paid about £45 for it new and £11 for the spare spool about 18 months ago.

S-Kippy · Jun 10, 2015

chrissh said:
Went out today looking at the mini shimano 4000 bait runner
also looked at the Diawa 4000 bite n run reels now I can't make my mind up both look good reels.
What would you go for the price of the reels are about the same

Daiwa for me every time but I am a well known anti Shimano heretic. I prefer the wider diameter spools on the Daiwas and use them for just about everything. I have a pair of 4000 size and they are spot on IMO. I like them so much I've just bought another one. They are good,solid,reliable reels .

your views on mini shimano baitrunners

chrissh

Well-known member

xenon

Well-known member

law

Well-known member

sam vimes

Well-known member

terry m

Well-known member

barbelboi

Well-known member

The Sogster

Well-known member

sagalout

Well-known member

chrissh

Well-known member

john step

Well-known member

tigger

Banned

barbelboi

Well-known member

tigger

Banned

chrissh

Well-known member

john step

Well-known member

S-Kippy

Well-known member