Baitrunner 6500b - increasing baitrunner drag (advice needed on how to do this)

[Joe Mc]

Hi All, Hoping some of reel veterans can give me some advice on whether it's possible to increase the baitrunner drag on my 6500b.

I have starting fishing from a rock ledge approx 500m from my house with pretty good results however always looking to improve. I am fishing a break away sinker with dual circle hooks with the rod/reel sitting in a holder so I am wanting the fish to hook itself basically while I try and catch a live bait for my other set up.

I am wanting enough drag pressure to be set the hook but not so much that the rod could potentially get yanked from the holder i.e. aiming for approx 40-50% of the "in gear" drag pressure for the baitrunner.

Any advice on how to achieve this?

[MFB]

Hi Joe,

Have done the following mods to mine http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=8554.0 got the washers from Smooth Drag. I only have the bait runner drag set 1.1/2 turns in (very low) I use for stray-lining snapper light ball sinkers & 8/0 gamakatsu hooks.

Rgds

Mark   

[Joe Mc]

Thanks Mark

I already have carbon drag washers from smooth drag installed in it for the main drag. It is actually the bait runner mode drag that I am try to increase. The water from the ledge I am fishing is only about 2m deep. I am trying to get more drag in bait runner mode to get a better hook set but that will allow the fish to run so it does not pull the rod from the holder.

At present in bait runner mode the fish will run but the hook will only set 50% of the time. I am having decent success but always looking to make tweaks that will improve results.

Did I mention I am using circle hooks so aiming for the fish to hook itself.

[philaroman]

  why would you try to set the hook w/ the secondary "baby" drag -- it's simply not intended for that, or anything close.  I could understand you wanting to beef up the secondary drag a little, if you were fishing in extremely heavy current & its max was not enough to keep line from coming off the spool...  even then, I'd switch to braid w/ thinner diameter (less surface area) rather than mess with the Baitrunner drag range.

if you're far away from your second rod in a holder & you want it to hook the fish all by itself, just set your main/front drag accordingly (i.e., as high as you can, without risking the rod getting pulled out)...  heck, you don't even need or want a Baitrunner for that -- all you need is a calibrated (clicking) drag knob, so you can count the clicks to get back to your optimal fighting setting that you had determined w/ a scale, earlier

[Shark Hunter]

A Senator is perfect for this. Just drive a piece of PVC in and set the drag light with the clicker on.

[Joe Mc]

Thanks guys! I appreciate your input.

Although I don't disagree with your comments I am still keen to know if this mod can be done. After all there are plenty of mods on this forum that are not what the manufacturer intended.

I prefer to set my drags and try not to change them while fishing so if I can increase the bait runner drag just a little more than the highest current setting then it'll suit my needs nicely.

[philaroman]

well, if you're Hell-bent on doing it that way...

1) modify the Free Spool Tension Washers A & B (RD 0693 & 3043): get in there with some extra fine, precise calipers; measure those two parts and everything around them; decrease the ID & increase the OD as much as possible, to get more surface area...  maybe you can get custom-cut CF with a little more density, maybe you can use felt & add an extra felt/steel layer -- you'll have to figure it out yourself, since no one else seems to want this kind of modification.  I'm sure you can bump up the max noticeably, but you're still not likely to get "40-50% of the [main] drag", so...

2) try a longer, more moderate rod with more guides -- the slower blank action should help position a circle hook correctly & the added friction of line going over extra guides should add a little to overall resistance.  If you're not trying to cast far, something intended for a casting reel may work well (Talora, Ugly BWD, etc.)

[Ron Jones]

I've never looked into one of these, but I'd guess that the baitrunner drag is simillar to other Shimano rear drags? If so, maybe you can find a stack from one of them that would work.

I'm going on record to say I agree with Shark Hunter. I've done this with every type of reel I can think of except a fly reel. Just set the drag where it needs to be to set the hook and adjust it for the fight. I understand that isn't what you want, and I hope you find what you want, but I do think it is the best answer.
Ron

[Joe Mc]

Cheers guys. I appreciate your input!

[mackereljoe]

Preset drag knob.  It be as little as under #1 but can increase immediately to about #6.  Turn preset it can go up much higher.

[Joe Mc]

Wow thanks for your post. That would be ideal.

Where can you buy these from?