P
Phil Hackett
Guest
Recently I bought two Okuma Interceptor IBF 40 reels (baitrunner type) for chub and barbel fishing, on the strength of two other larger Okuma baitrunners reels I’d bought last season for bream and tench fishing.
These reels are the midsize of the range this company makes and have a spool diameter of 400 millimetres, holding 180 yds. of 10lbs line. They have 3 bearings in their construction, come with a double handle and two spools, one polished aluminium, the other black carbon. The finish is metallic smoky silver and gives the appearance of a reel of far greater cost than they actually are at ?29 99.
Under real conditions (playing fish) they perform as good as any reel I’ve ever handled. The clutch is excellent and slips with effortless ease at the tension I’ve set it. No jerkiness, no snagging, just slipping away as the fish pulls against it. The line lay on the spool is good and the roller on the bailarm, whilst large, is not overly large and actually rolls quite freely, even though it has no bearings in it, using instead a bush system.
Its hard to say anything bad about these reels in the 4 months I’ve had them and even if after two seasons they wear out, at ?29 99 each they are not at a price that will break the bank to replace are they?
So if you’re looking for a baitrunner type reel of good quality, for short to medium work, at very reasonable price, I’d seriously look at these reels first.
For longer distance work have a look at the larger sizes 50, 60 range. I use the Okuma Renegade 50s for bream and tench at distances of 90 yds. And have done for the last two seasons with no ill effects to the reels or fish.
These reels are the midsize of the range this company makes and have a spool diameter of 400 millimetres, holding 180 yds. of 10lbs line. They have 3 bearings in their construction, come with a double handle and two spools, one polished aluminium, the other black carbon. The finish is metallic smoky silver and gives the appearance of a reel of far greater cost than they actually are at ?29 99.
Under real conditions (playing fish) they perform as good as any reel I’ve ever handled. The clutch is excellent and slips with effortless ease at the tension I’ve set it. No jerkiness, no snagging, just slipping away as the fish pulls against it. The line lay on the spool is good and the roller on the bailarm, whilst large, is not overly large and actually rolls quite freely, even though it has no bearings in it, using instead a bush system.
Its hard to say anything bad about these reels in the 4 months I’ve had them and even if after two seasons they wear out, at ?29 99 each they are not at a price that will break the bank to replace are they?
So if you’re looking for a baitrunner type reel of good quality, for short to medium work, at very reasonable price, I’d seriously look at these reels first.
For longer distance work have a look at the larger sizes 50, 60 range. I use the Okuma Renegade 50s for bream and tench at distances of 90 yds. And have done for the last two seasons with no ill effects to the reels or fish.