Shimano Baitrunner 4500B...

[bjorn2fish 4,612]

Howdy all,Just back from a fish at the Onka (Perry's Bend). Caught 3 Bream, unfortunately all too small 24cm and 27cm 1 was tiny about 15cm that I caught on a hand reel I threw in just for kicks.Anyway I'm off today to get my birthday pressie a rod and reel. Looking at a Shimano 4500B reel and rod combo. I will be fishing the Onka mainly and might venture over to the Port noarlunga Jetty at some stage. Not targeting any particular fish but I assume a lot of Bream.What do you think, is this reel the right reel for the job? Just new to fishing but love it so much that I figure I need a decent rod n reel, my Mrs can also use my other rod when she's keen.Any suggestions will be great.Cheers

[rangfish 1]

G'day mate are you looking at something to lure fish or to bait fish? And also are you looking to chase mainly bream or are you going after other species?

[bjorn2fish 4,612]

Well I'm new to fishing so will probably do a bit of lure fishing and bait fishing. I'm bait fishing at the moment but really liking lure fishing as an option.Will definitely be chasing Bream, but would like to go for other species too... Haha let me guess... too broad

[rangfish 1]

Well if you are looking at chasing bream and also using lures, I would recomend something like a Shimano Stradic 2500 size reel another very good and reliable reel is a Shimano Symetre. I would then match this up with a 2-4 kilo rod, Pfleuger makes my favorite rods. The best Pfleuger rod for its price is a Trion by a mile, but if you want to fork out the extra cash you could go for a Pfleuger Asaro rod these are really good rods. The other rods that I have found to be excellent rods and a good price would be the Shimano Catana or the Shimano Starlo Sticks rods. Then you will need line, If you know how to tie a Double Uni knot I would most certainly go for some good braid, Sunline and Finns are my two favorites. I would go for 4Ib braid and then match it up with some 6Ib Sunline FC Rock Flurocarbon for leader. In the end though it all comes down to what you like and also what you are most comfortable with, I hope this info helps mate, good luck and I hope you find the right combo for you.

[bjorn2fish 4,612]

Thanks for the advice, very much appreciated.What ever I end up with I'm sure I'll have a lot of fun.Cheers and have a great day.

[acousticjase88 0]

g'day mate i own a Shimano baitrunner 4500B and its a sweet reel! however i personally wouldnt be using it for bream....This thing is my salmon rod which i use with my 12ft Daiwa Sensor Surf rod! its also what i'd be using when targeting school mulloway....As mentioned above, the Shimano Stradic 2500 would be sweet! i recently purchased one and paired up with my Berkley Drop shot 3-5kg graphite rod , i can vouch, it is sweet! i use it for flicking soft plastics and other light baits or lures,.. love it!...The baitrunner is good but if you are mainly gonna hit the onk for bream, go the light gear for sure and take the time to learn some sweet knots I'd save the baitrunner til you find yourself targeting some bigger species....ive put the reel on a shorter 8-10kg rod before and trolled and also live baited off a boat, so its a good alrounder too....suppose its depends what you can see yourself doing more of...just my 2cents worth.

[bjorn2fish 4,612]

Howdy, I was looking at the Baitrunner 4500 as a bit of an all rounder as it has the baitrunner function (good for bream right?) and also the larger size so I could go for the larger species too. At the moment I can only justify getting 1 decent rod and reel, down the track I can see myself getting more specific rods and reels for different jobs for sure, just not yet.Cheers for ya input, I always take good advice on board.

[rangfish 1]

I would say that a 4500 is way too big for bream mate. But the Stradic that I mentioned comes with two spools so you could always spool one with 4Ib braid for Bream and the other with 10Ib Sunline braid for Mullies and Salmon.

[bjorn2fish 4,612]

Stradic 2500 sounds like a good option...hmmm I have to do some thinking.

[Station49 33]

The 4500B is probly a bit excessive if being used for the onk only. Somethin like a 2500 size would be better suited and depending on the reel could also be used for lure casting a bit easier.

[Peelin 0]

hmm beginer eh? well if you're keen on a bait runner and a bit of an all rounder as well then how about a 3500 size, small enough to be a big bream/ST etc reel and big enough to handle the odd snap salmon and mullie. Also worth looking at is the Okuma epix baitfeeder in the same size, also a sweet reel.For line again as a beginer and Im guessing not practiced with braid I'd recomend something a bit heavier than 4lb and reckon 4-6kg fireline would be a good intro. 6 kilo fireline is still heaps thin compared to similar breaking strain mono and cheaper than the braid mentioned above for when you have to replace it after suffering the almost inevitable beginers braid blues. In my experience it is pretty easy to handle.Finally for a rod, again I suggest something a bit different, I'm guessing you will be predominantly shore based bait fishing, so I'd be looking at something 7 to 7 1/2 feet long with a soft tip and powerful butt as light as your chosen line class allows eg for 6kg line get a 4-6kg rod, also make sure it feels comfortable and balanced in your hands with the reel on.A combo like this will be great for soaking bait, capable of landing anything your likely to hook and will happily toss around all but finnese lures, it will be user friendly and a good stepping stone to more specialised gear, if looked after it will also last forever so after you get some experience you can set a bait then pick up your new set up, something just like rangfish described above would be ideal i reckon , and have a crack at flicking little plastics, blades & hard bodies at some stonking onka bream.

[afishyfish 4]

I agree with the others on a 4500 being overkill. I'd say even set at its's lightest Bait running setting, the inertia in the spool will be way too much for small fish like Bream. I use mine for Snapper up to 10kilos, and it knocks them off pretty easily As others have said a 2500 would be a better option, though I can understand you wanting an all rounder As your fishing confidence grows, so will you collection of gear. I'd suggest you deide on a group of similar sized species you want to target, buy some gear suitable for them, then go on from there If you live south, try asking Waterboy at Anglers Choice on Beach Rd, or you couild try Binks Marine at West Beach ramp, or else talk to the guys at Salisbury tackleworld.Im sure they'd all point you in the right direction

[thefunkychicken 0]

Gday.Anglers Choice do give good advice.Regarding Baitrunners: I've got a big one and I love it, but only for heavy fishing.Regarding Stradics: I've got a 3000 and I love it too. 8lb braid is a great compromise for bream and Mulloway. Just fish it with a very light drag and grip the spool lightly to strike or wind up the drag if you've got lighting hands.I just reckon that a Baitrunner 4500D is a bit big to fish Bream in the Onk. Have you had a look at those Baitrunner 2500FA things? They're a bit cheaper and quite light, might me a compromise there?Good luck with it.Cheers.

[Ranger 48]

I'll echo the above thoughts, and also add a few of my own!In the Onk you'll be chasing mainly Bream, Mullet, School Mulloway.Pt noarlunga mainly Salmon, Gar, Tommies, Squid and Pinky Snapper.The baitrunner is a very versatile reel and well respected reel. Shimano have also released new models of baitrunner to keep up with changes in technology and demand for these reels.I've got a 3500, 4500 and 6500 and I've had a long history with these reels.The 4500 makes for a great snapper reel, and the Victorians (who have smaller snapper than our SA stonkers) swear by them. You wind the baitrunner function to maximum, which gives around 1 kilo of drag, then just set the rod into a holder and let the fish hook themselves, then a quick turn of the handle sets the main drag and you're in fighting mode.The also make for a pretty good beach outfit, although you need to take a little care to keep the reel out of the sand, so that you dont get grit into the lower baitrunner function.I'd consider spooling it with about 10lb-20lb line, although baitrunners aren't really the most braid friendly of reels, so mono or flourocarbon may prove a better choice, and it's also a much wiser choice for beach fishing where abrasion of the line is an issue and a little more line stretch is required.As mentioned, perfect for a range of species, but a bit too heavy for the bream, and not really the best choice for light lure casting. It would do fine tossing 10g+ metal slugs from the beach, jetty or boat though if you are chasing salmon or snook. It'd also be great to set a bait for Snapper, mulloway or Whiting from the beach, jetty or estuary. It'd also be fine for a squid jig off the jetty.I'd look at it as a bit of a general purpose outfit, which will cover a range such as flathead, snook, flounder, salmon, mulloway, snapper and squid.Bream are very finicky, and you really need light gear for them. In fact, if baitfishing for Bream and the wind allows, a little tip...........you can even lay the rod horizontal, with the bailarm open so there's no resistance on the line at all, and just watch for the line to start peeling off the spool. A turn of the handle pops the bailarm to set the hook and you are away.......but don't go telling my secrets to everyone!I would personally consider a second lighter outfit to compliment the baitrunner. Around a 7' 2-4kg high modulus graphite rod, with about a 1500-2500 braid friendly and high quality spinning reel. Load this outfit with 6-8lb braid, which would be suitable as a light lure or bait outfit for bream, and which would also double for yellowfin whiting, kg whiting, tommies, gar and mullet.You can pick up combos like this (Shimano Catana/Sienna) to get you started for under $150, which are more than adequate for the job.These two outfits combined should cover most applications you come across, and a range of local species on bait and lure (or even float), bearing in mind you can interchange the 4500 baitrunner across two or three rods (boat rod, beach rod, estuary rod) dependant on the circumstances.

[Kelvin 2,200]

I have a pair of Bainrunner D 4000s which are smaller than a Baitrunner B 3500. I have caught bream on them but they are a bit big for the average bream.Have a look at the Baitrunner DL 2500.They are the right size for bream. I am looking at getting two myself. They are also cheaper than the 4500 Bs

[bjorn2fish 4,612]

OK I'm back after internet being down for days and also being side tracked by other things.I ended up grabbing a Baitrunner 4500 combo and dedicating it to the larger species, bring on the 30th of November and look out Snapper. Was thinking Christmas is coming up right... wouldn't a lighter reel make a great pressie to sit under the Chrissy tree Thanks for all of your input. Definitely got me thinking straight.