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I fished almost exclusively with bait runners this year. Mixed reuslts. The penn is not big enough and you cant apply enough drag pressure without bottoming the screw on the larger reels (12-15lb test is the max on that reel you want to go). However they have a good single disk system that works ok. It casts and the baitrunner drag for live eel fishing is great. At the end of the surf season, they became very sticky on cold nights and did not engage. (probaly my fault for not cleaning them but I just rinse them off and I do use them kind of hard.) GBottom line: I would only get the penn for a light action set up.
The Okuma bait runner is big, and smooth and the drag and handle are wonderful....but the ******* bail flips on hard casts. fix that and you have a good reel.
I need to fish more with the shimano only used it a couple times so far it was pretty good but it is fully automatic...the penn is manual. (fully automatic is when you crank, it engages the primary drag, manual you flip a switch)
So...the concept is great (for eeling or live herring with spinning reels IMO) I don't do much spike fishing but they clearly have a place there too.
I like it far better then flipping a bail and letting the line pull thru your fingers...but that is me. Get one and try one you may like it. I wish they made a higher quality reel that had those features...
Now I am on the hunt for a good level wind reel for bottom fishing that has a lever drag for boat set ups for my kids.
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