Shimano Baitrunner OC

Shimano baitrunner 8000OC – I own two 8000OC reels we use them weekly. Loaded up with 50lb braid. We haul in nice size fish regularly without issues. Then something big like a 1.2mtr black tip shark hits. The reels work brilliant and handle anything thats thrown at them... never had a single issue with either... wash them off with fresh water after every fishing trip. Spray with lanolin lightly. Good to go following weekend.. Show details

Talica 16 2 speed – Thought I would buy a great reel for my wife. For our annual holiday to FNQ fishing. Her Diawa Saltist 30. 2 speed at eight years old was working well but showing signs of its age. Bought the Shimano from Ottos NSW on their recommendation. What a disaster low speed failed on second day. Rang Shimano told to send it back. Though it might not be… Read more

covered by warranty. and might take a week to look at. Since had to purchase another Saltist from Ottos. In my view I wasted $600.00. The Saltist @ $400.00 is a much better reel.

Top quality as always from Shimano – Purchased the Shimano Baitrunner 6000OC from BCF Caloundra and have been using it in my kayak to catch snapper and sweetlip for over a month now. The baitrunner function lets the fish take the bait and run with it which makes it super easy for trolling without worrying about the drag being to tight or loose. With a simple flick of a lever you are… Read more

onto your main drag and the hook sets into the fishes mouth. Really handy for trolling hard bodies or soft plastics. The quality of the real is awesome and is smooth to reel in any fish even after being under salt water a few times it looks brand new. Very happy with this purchase from BCF for 130 bucks.

So far so good – I had a Shimano Baitrunner 4000d which was a disappointment. . I'd returned it to Shimano in Sydney 3 times and the first 2 times it was returned quickly and without hassles. The third time.... still no hassles in fact quite the opposite. The service manager decided not only to return my repaired 4000d but also gave me a new 4000 oc which he… Read more

believes will better suit my type of fishing. So far I've only used the reel a few times but it made easy work of two Mangrove Jack,39cm and 52cm. It feels very smooth and only time will tell if it fills the bill for me. To be honest, I feel cofident that it will.

Nearly a full range owned now – I have a full range of baitrunners and look after all my gear as it gets a pounding. I fish every week from top charter boats. I like to fish fairly light but am aware that big fish can take my baits at any time. I own a 6000 OC, 8000 OC, 12000 OC and an 8000 D. ALL my baitrunners are used for floating baits down in 50-100m depths with currents… Read more

or drifts meaning that often I have out well over 200m of line to get to the bite area.

The reels have all performed perfectly and apart from removing some grit that stopped the 8000D bale arm functioning and regreasing/oiling occasionally, I have had great use of the 8000D since it came out about 4 years ago and superb performance from the OC range this year. I use braid on everything.

Fish range from Spaniards, Amberjack and Snapper/Pearlies with fish over 10kg fighting hard in deep water and the spannos stripping 50m+ of line out in one run.

As I fish light I do not try and overpower the fish which the reels have not been designed to do. Playing the fish is a breeze and all the drags have performed faultlessly so far. I use the 12000 OC for kingies and put the drag full on with 50lb braid. Ambers over 10kg have been caught on all the other models and some huge snapper as well.

Apart from the 8000 D bought in Singapore all the others have been bought on Ebay where you will get about 30% off retail prices.

I am over 60 and have always cared for my gear - look after it and it will look after you!

Reliable workhorse (after an upgrade or 2) – I purchased a Shimano Baitrunner OC (6000 series) recently and have found it to be very reliable so far. I haven't had a chance to really stretch it, but so far it has been solid. This particular reel has been spooled up with Rovex 20lb backing and 150 yards of 20lb Power Pro braid. Small bullsharks, threadfin salmon and school jew are the targets. Hence the baitrunner feature. Upgrade the drag to some carbontex washers and you have a winner  Show reply

Beware: 10 year warranty is worthless! – After being a reliable shimano customer for the last 25 years, i am disappointed to have to post this review. However, i feel its fair to warn people before they spend their hard earned cash buying a reel that won't last with a warranty that the manufacturer refuses to honour. I purchased a baitrunner 6000d about 18 months ago from bcf. I have… Read more

for many years had shimano reels with no issues. The reel has seldom been used as it was purchased for my wife. After every use it has been lovingly rinsed in fresh water, dried, and put away. The reel has never suffered any abuse, dunking, or sand ingestion.

So imagine my dismay when the reel seized during use, then the spool stopped rising and lowering to feed line on. Being an obvious defect, i figured sometimes there is a lemon in the batch and therefore returned it to my local bcf store where it was purchased to make use of the "10 year warranty" that is offered with the product.

I was almost immediately advised that due to my "washing the reel in fresh water," it was not covered under warranty as i had "washed gunk and salt water into the reel causing it to seize." the store manager said he would speak to the shimano rep and contact me with their response. I received a call today confirming "shimano will not honour the warranty as the gears have stripped due to being washed in fresh water. You can pay to have it sent back to shimano for a repair at your own cost, we cannot tell you what this will cost until you send it back."

As a long time customer of what i believed was a premium product, i am truly disgusted by the response and refusal to honour a warranty issue. Why does the brand offer a warranty they have no intention of honouring? I hope this story serves as a warning to those planning on purchasing a shimano product.

Do not expect service or warranty if it breaks

First dabble into Baitrunner reels - and I like it! – I purchased the Shimano Baitrunner 8000OC fishing reel last Saturday due to the fact that I am really starting to enjoy my live baiting and dead bating and soaking up the quiet time in between. The reels that I have been using for this pursuit were mainly those with forward drag knobs at the spool side which usually led to frustration when a large… Read more ·  4

fish was playing with the bait eg: Jew / Shark... Knowing that this could head to some mishap while working with 40lb braid near fingers etc - I finally caught the urge to buy a bait runner due to the cost and overall simplistic need of it.

I purchased the 8000OC due to the fact that this reel while being of a 8000 size is honestly no great deal larger than my old faithful Shimano 6000 BX reel - the 8000OC is a nice feel in the hand and weighs a little more than the old Shimano 6000BX however gives me the capacity of line I need and that handy feature of bait runner while fishing at night.

Aesthetically the 8000OC is far more pleasant to the eye than the old model it took over from, however the fact that the old model was as good as bait runner still stands function wise. The new 8000OC basically puts some modifications in technology and looks while retaining its old classic form and function without sacrificing style - for these sensitive new age fishers out there.

Internally the 8000OC is complex, something of a mix between a fallen tall tree and 2 streets worth of power lines mixed in for good measure. I loaded up the reel with 200 meters of 40lb PE (under-backed the rest with 40lb Mono) line on the same day I purchased it and initially felt that the feel had lost some of its smoothness from the shop. I opened it up and as per every reel I have purchased and sure enough they're filled with that cheap see through greenish tinge 'environmentally friendly' grease and not a drop of oil at all. I added some Inox MX3 grease into it and oiled all pivoting parts, however I will bed this reel in and then completely strip and service it with good grease and oils and it will be 100% again.

Use of the reel is completely straight forward - cast your line out - reel some back in to reduce slack and then flip down the bait runner bail at the rear of the reel. There is a tension knob for how the line feeds out from the revolving spool - this is another drag in essence to reduce unecessary run of line in the current when your line is out. Simply enough its a great self managed system that takes the hassle out of managing the line yourself. Simply when a fish picks up the bait and heads off - you can lift the rod and reel without spooking the fish as the line will keep feeding out and then at the time you judge correct can turn the handle half a revolution and it will engage the spool at your pre-set drag instantly - this is fool proof and as easy as pie in the dead of night, unlike forward dragged reels with their drags set off / wound out...

With further use and some large fish (fingers crossed) I will suspect that the reel will get a little rougher with time and as I upkeep maintenance that I will see further into the reels aging I suspect that this reel should keep me going quiet nicely into the distant future, as its a well made and put together reel internally it is complex however the main gearing is big and well set. Shimano have skimped out on a few things like a necessary line roller bearing (which most reels come standard) and possibly a bearing or two here and there internally however it presents as a no fuss, no frills reel that will provide years of service with the right amount of care. Shimano Aust also warrants the reel for 10 years - this is a pretty good service, so far with my reels they haven't needed it at all.

The Bait Runner series comes in a swath of sizes from 2000 to 12000 size, so there is a size for every fisherman's venture - this 8000 size is good enough for heavy inshore work like live baiting to outside work for Snapper to Jewies.

I left the reel on the rod that came with it - luckily it was a Shimano Blue Water 'Pure Graphite' that was laid out with Fuji Guides and is rated 8 - 10kg's - a perfect combination of brute strength and finesse to cast out smaller offerings precisely.

Price Paid - $189.00 with Shimano Bluewater Pure Graphite 7' Rod (20121222). Strong XT7 body, cold forged spool - with propulsion management, 9kg of drag, aesthetics, smooth 'no wobble' winding, Water resistant sealed drag with 9kg's of available pressure, looks and feels strong and worth every cent, Maintenance port is way off the pinion or drive gear - grease goes nowhere near the gearing when injected. No bail line roller bearing & bail wire should be a little smaller, T bar handle should be more ergonomic, rear live bait drag should be a little more robust / concealed,