Any recommendations?
Even if money was no object?
The last baitrunners I tried was the Okuma Salina and it was OK; but definitely low quality insides and a 2 season reel at best.

I just talked to a fisherman today who likes the Shimano Baitcaster. He even uses his when plugging.

Shimano Baitrunner B's are the most common; Thunnus is a more heavy duty reel.

Daiwa introduced a surf-sized baitrunner to the USA this year called the Sealine Bait-N-Run which is a stepchild of their European Linear Tournament X (CRBB) and S (Freshwater) series (we do not get offered the best tackle, just watered down models if we are lucky).

This is still a good reel, don't get me wrong; the Sealine has corrosion resistant bearings and the spool design is profiled after Daiwa's S-5000T (which again, doesn't mean a hill of beans to Americans but the ST's have one of the longest casting spool designs on the planet - except they're not offered for sale in the USA).

If money were no object I would buy the real deal, a Daiwa Linear X from the UK ($220 and 20+/- S&H) or perhaps go with a Shimano Baitrunner LC ($250 and 20+/- S&H); a Baitrunner with a longcast (LC) spool, it again is not offered for sale here.

I have many Daiwa and Shimano JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) reels that while not baitrunners per-se, have drags engineered to go from a tensioned freespool to fighting drag in under one turn. Not as handy or foolproof as a real baitrunner mechanical disengage but in exchange you get serious weight reduction. Look at Shimano PowerAero's and SpinJoy's and Daiwa Basia, Iso-Entos and a reel that is sold here, the Saltiga Surf. These models, except for the SpinJoy are in excess of $400.00.

If you do not need to place baits over 500 feet from the beach then these reels would be overkill.

If you do choose to shop from the UK or European Union find out if the EU VAT (Value Added Tax) is inclusive of the price; it stands at 17.5% and we do not pay it. Check out Leslies of Luton, they have the best prices for UK tackle I've seen and I look a lot . . .

BTW, over there, spinners are called "fixed spool" reels . . .

my shimano thunnus 6000 is a workhorse. it's abused on a regular basis and works great.

Shimano Baitrunner is good for livelining and reasonably priced. Get the bigger one

ReelinRod: have you looked at the insides of the new Daiwa BaitNRun? I'm wondering if it's as sturdy as the Emblem Pro for canal jigging (6-8oz worst case). I emailed Daiwa for photos of the innards, but no reply :-P

Regardless of cost, the Shimano Baitrunner is the reel that everyone has copied. Having said that the 'B' series is a solid performer. Lots of improvements over the 'A' series. I plugged with the 'A' series for a couple of seasons and the only reason I changed was I began to lose the anti-reverse (not a hard fix, but not something you want to do at 2 am)). At the at point, I found the Spheros 8000 and always have it w/ me when I am out whether fishing it or as back up). I plugged w/ the 'B' series off and on since then and just tend to grab my Spheros most of the time. The lever release is very handy when you reel in too far in the dark and clink in the swivel! Save me having to grab the braided line to pull and slice up fingers (started to wear sun gloves to stop the cuts and use those all the time regardless of time of day).

I use a Shimano Thunnus 6000 off and on as well and find it works great, but it is very heavy and the body is huge with sort of small spool and rotor! Upon close inspection it is the same body as the 12000 and 16000! Lots use them for tuna and they hold up and send them in for service. Baitrunner has tendancy to get tossed after a tuna season of abuse.

Fishing reels now a days wear out from the elements and not because a fish beat the pee pee out of it ..... LOL.

Personally I rather use a conventional outfit if possible because I can get much more drag pressure, no line twist and my thumb is better than any bait runner feature out there. :) You can power in a fish faster, too.

If you want to try out some reels before you buy them give me a holler. :D

I LOVE MY THUNNUS but its not for a lesser man. Its a big bad ass reel.

Cabelas salt striker model # SSBF55 is SURPRISINGLY good... redesigned this season... smooth drag, large comfy handle... landed a 43 pound bass in heavy surf with it no problem...

I own many shimano baitrunners. the 4500 is perfect for chunking pogies, and i use the 3500 on my 7ft for plugging or drifting smaller baits.... never had a problem with any of them, durable reels.

I have bought a few cabela's products over the years and have never been disappointed. I wonder if their stuff is kind of a sleeper product

Shimano Baitrunner B Series, can't be beat, they take a likin and keep on ticking, with a sealed drag, you can do alot with these reels, fishing the surf or boat they are one of the most versitile reels out there and the only thing you may have to do if you take care of your gear is relace the drags every once on a while depending on how hard you fish it. We have 8 or 10 of the 4500's and a couple of 6500's for tuna. We fish them about every day hard and you can not beat the price.

I'm pretty sure that the Cabalas SSBF-55 is nothing more than an Okuma Epixor with a Cabalas label on it. I actually have that reel and it looks great on the outside but if you start to take it apart; it;s pretty cheesey. Dollar for dollar it's an OK reel.
Anybody try a Zeebaas reel?

I used a Shimano 6500 baitrunner on the canal for the last half of the season for drifting eels, and I have absolutely no problems with it. Drag kicks in perfect, and should have enough power for most fish.
Sucks on the beach though, can handle a little sand, and I wouldn't dream of what would happen if dunked. Am looking at a Saltiga Z for next year, because I think It would handle a bigger fish better, though not a liveliner.

I'm pretty sure that the Cabalas SSBF-55 is nothing more than an Okuma Epixor with a Cabalas label on it. I actually have that reel and it looks great on the outside but if you start to take it apart; it;s pretty cheesey. Dollar for dollar it's an OK reel.
Anybody try a Zeebaas reel?

Not bait runner but I did use my skinz glove and finger to simulate a bait runner ;) . Yes, the Z is sweet on bigger fish. Had some well in to the 30s (and perhaps beyond :deadhorse: ) that were handled nicely in the ripping current.

ofcourse the zeebaas reel is nice, but I figured it was assumed that im not putting a cabelas reel ahead of a Zee... just saying that for a 49.00 reel, I've gotten every pennies worth out of it... I own a VS 200, and there are still times that the cabelas reel comes with me and the VS stays home... chunking, kayaking, live-lining... just saying that if you are looking for a bait-runner reel for 50 bucks, this thing is a champion.

Does the Zeebass realy cost 15 boxes of ziti ?