I sell a lot of ‘baitrunner’-type reels at our outdoors store because that’s what many anglers ask for. However, I believe a freespool/overhead casting reel and suitable rod are far more effective for straylining techniques and I'd like to explain why.

Sure, ‘baitrunner’-type reels are perfect for anglers who like to cast out a lightly weighted or unweighted bait, engage ‘baitrunner’ mode, place the rod in the holder, then sit back – perhaps a cold drink in hand – waiting for the ratchet buzz signalling a bite. And there’s nothing wrong with that (although these same people also tend to hook more snags, rays and eels, and, ultimately, catch fewer fish!).

‘Baitrunners’ also obviously suit fishers with a much more active approach (and let me say right now that regardless of the reel type used, fishers who continually hold their gear and who respond quickly to changing situations usually enjoy greater success). After all, it's really handy to have a spinning reel with an adjustable ‘baitrunner’ mode that’s separate from the primary drag system. However, I don’t like the ‘baggage’ that comes along with it.

Casting with freespool reels does require some practice! 

For a start, while you can change the amount of tension that's automatically placed with the ‘baitrunner’ feature, the ever-changing world of nature means that ‘one size will not fit all’. For example, snapper can be very wary at times, with even the reasonably light pressure exerted by the ‘baitrunner’ mode being enough to alert them that something’s not right upon biting or starting to run off, resulting in a dropped bait.

This is especially true when braid is used, as its excellent transmission properties can warn the fish as effectively as it does the angler to the presence of each other.

However, should one ease the ‘baitrunner’ drag-pressure dial back to address this issue, an abrupt, fast strike afterwards may see your reel with a line overrun and potentially a big problem to sort!

The other drawback is true of all spinning-type reels, not just ‘baitrunners’ styles: it’s impossible to take up excess line slack without engaging the reel in the process (thereby switching it over to the primary drag pressure that’s been set). So, if a fish bites during these frequent adjustments, the sudden pressure encountered often sees the bait dropped and an opportunity missed.

That’s why some of the best strayline practitioners use freespool reels on appropriate 7-8’ overhead rods instead.

What makes a good freespool reel for strayline fishing?

You can’t beat a good star-drag reel for optimal straylining duties. The main reason is due to their casting capabilities, which tend to be significantly better than their equivalent in lever-drag models. Also, star-drags are much quicker to engage and disengage than lever-drags, an important aspect when constantly adjusting line length or to ensure solid hook-ups with the appropriate drag pressure set afterwards.

The spool should be made from a light, strong material and ideally have a thumbing ‘shoulder’. Lightness makes the spool more easily controlled, both during the casting process and whenever any fish suddenly and unexpectedly runs off with the bait. As for the ‘shoulder’, this enables anglers to slow the spool’s rotations rather than applying the pressure directly onto the spool’s rotating nylon. The latter can create friction and heat, potentially causing line damage.

The spool’s overall weight is affected by the amount of line filling it, so be practical about how much line is necessary. Around 200 metres of the chosen line weight will secure even the biggest snapper, but many fishers have another 100 metres or so in reserve to help handle the odd kingfish that joins the party… or perhaps to enable fishing to continue after losing some line to snags or big fish.

I also suggest basing the line capacity on the monofilament option rather than the braid (as already mentioned, mono often works better when it comes to straylining techniques). Line weights from 4-15kg are commonly used, with the situation dictating the line class to a large extent. For example, a clear, sandy bottom and modest-sized snapper might see 4-6kg tackle used, while unforgiving structure and big fish suggest 10-15kg lines will be more effective. In all cases though, the lighter the mainline and trace, the more bites you should attract.

Freespools allow anglers to feed line off for an extra natural descent, or to slip off in the grip of the current, yet remain in good contact throughout.

A fast line-retrieval rate sees the line’s bow and stretch quickly removed, enabling a quicker response and a better hook-up rate. This attribute also enables anglers to spin up fast-swimming fish such as kahawai and skipjack tuna for bait or food if necessary. Around a 5:1 or 6:1 gear ratio usually does the job.

The reel’s right side-plate should be a size and shape that enables the right hand to fit securely and comfortably around it, with the thumb poised just below the gear-engage lever. This helps to allow effective single-handed operation at times.

Similarly, the gear-engage lever’s position is important; just a quick nudge up with the hand or finger should be enough for the lever’s spring to flip across, placing the reel instantly into gear. (As already touched on, lever-drag reel quadrants require a more deliberate sliding movement that takes longer, and it’s also easy to only partially engage if a hasty or wet hand slips off the lever.)

Out on the water

Unfortunately, lack of space prohibits me from going into detail about the freespool casting basics, as knowing and following them will make a big difference to your experience. However, I’ll cover the main ones.

Avoid abruptly flicking the bait out when casting as this will cause a backlash. Instead, you want to have a big casting arc that allows for a smooth, steady acceleration. The following aspects will help in this respect:

•    Use a reasonably long (7’-8’), light-tipped overhead rod ('old school' fibreglass rods are surprisingly good for this!).

•    Position yourself in the boat to enable a big casting arc; this is often made easier if the rod tip and bait are lowered to near the water’s surface.

•    For a similar reason keep the line length hanging from the rod tip to the bait as short as possible. Perching the small sliding ¼-1oz sinker straight on top of the hook (if using one) will make a big difference to this, as will using a knot to connect the trace to the mainline, rather than a swivel.

Have your thumb placed on the spool’s shoulder or on the nylon throughout the bait’s flight to control the rotation speed (called ‘feathering’), increasing the pressure if necessary to suck up any loose coils of line that appear, then jamming your thumb down hard as the bait hits the water. Continue to keep your thumb lightly on the spool and remove any loose line if necessary, perhaps whipping it out of the rod afterwards to help the lightly weighted bait to sink as naturally as possible.

Now, let us continue with the stray-lining technique itself

As the bait descends, leave the reel in freespool with your thumb lightly in position to control it, and begin constantly feeding out line just before it pulls tight to your outfit. This allows the bait to drift slowly down through the water column as naturally as possible, also adding to the retrieval distance afterwards in the process. 

One of the great things about freespools is that it’s possible to do this and keep reasonably direct contact with the bait, unlike spinning reels, which tend to also incorporate the excess line created as it spirals off the spool.

Consequently, you’re in a good position to detect and react to any bites that occur on the way down too, something that often occurs when using straylined baits. These might take the form of a chomp or three, followed by a steady run away… or the line might simply steam off at high speed!

A decent freespool outfit is more likely to outwit the larger snapper when straylining baits.

Whatever form this takes, keep the rod pointing down along the line while lightly controlling the spool with your thumb, and once the line has been departing for around three to five seconds, engage the reel, wait for the line to come mostly tight, then strike firmly if using beak-type hooks or lift steadily if circle hooks are incorporated.

Otherwise, if nothing can be enticed and the bottom is reached, it’s time to ‘walk the dog’. This basically entails keeping the bait moving while also washing around in a reasonably natural way. Again, keep the reel in freespool and if there’s any slack line, flick the spool around to pick it up, slowly bringing the bait back to the boat in the process. Or, if the tidal surge or current is pulling, regularly allow the bait to tumble back a little. Not only will you attract more snapper, you’ll catch fewer sedentary fish such as morays and rays, and you’ll snag less, too.

Occasionally lifting and dropping the bait is also important. Not only does this sometimes place it in a slightly different position – important if amongst the weedy foul, as it may have been hidden before – the movement often attracts the attention of nearby fish, which, more often than not, will come in for a feast!

Freespools. You can’t beat them for straylining.

- By Mark Kitteridge