Tackle Tuesday... Shimano Baitrunner ST-RB

This entry was posted on 16th September, 2014

Shimano Baitrunner ST-RB Review

The original Shimano Baitrunner ST was without doubt one of our best selling reels, let alone Baitrunner reels, of the past few years. At around £50 in price it offered tremendous value for money and was the perfect choice for those who wanted to own there first Baitrunner, but didn’t want to spend a fortune on it.

So, you can imagine our surprise when we heard these reels were being discontinued, however after a quick phone call to Shimano it was a case of ‘fear not’, as they weren’t being discontinued, they were actually being upgraded! A sigh of relief later and we’re now able to introduce to you, the Shimano Baitrunner ST-RB, the better looking, smarter brother of the original ST.

With this new range there is a choice of four sizes– 2500, 4000, 6000 and 10000. Many, as I’ve already mentioned above, will see these reels as an entry level-models, as they come with just the single spool, but they feature loads of features that you would expect when buying the higher end reels from Shimano, so you get a lot for your money.



The single-ball-bearing reels feature a hybrid aluminium body and spool instead of the XT-7, giving the reel additional strength and protection. Other upgrades include the switch from Varispeed to Aero Wrap II, with 2-speed oscillation. This gives the reel an improved line lay against its predecessor, which results in smoother and further casting.

An AR-C line management system, Super Stopper II, Dyna-balance and Varispeed features are also included in the new models. Each reel also comes with a strong, silky-smooth rear drag and long-life bail arm spring, plus a sensitive responsive free-spool mechanism.

The smaller models would make a great choice for the match or river angler when fishing feeder tactics for bigger specimens, and need the extra security when the bites are savage. The 6000 and 10000 models will sit nicely with Carp and Predator anglers who like to fish with higher-diameter mono or heavy braided lines.

Buy The Shimano Baitrunner ST-RB