You’ve got to be concerned when a company re-vamps
a classic fishing reel.

If it’s not broken, why fix it?

The Shimano Baitrunner D, a new version of the Baitrunner Reel,
is being distributed to tackle shops.

The old model, the Baitrunner B, is a classic.

Baitrunner even became a generic name, like how when people say, "Give me a Kleenex," they mean a tissue.

“The reel’s a bait-runner,” your buddy says.

You know what he means: a spinning reel that can be free-spooled
to let out line, especially for fishing with live bait.

Until now, little has been changed on the Baitcaster since the original debuted in 1989, after Shimano's forerunner, named the Triton SeaSpin,
hit the market in 1986.

Why mess with
a classic?

Because reel
technology has
come a long ways
in 20 years, the
company says.

The new look
and feel of the
Baitrunner D are
the most notice-
able changes.

The handle features
a larger, oversized grip, and the reel is more compact and lighter.

The new model includes a lot of technology the company developed
on other reels through the years.

The technology includes, for example, the Propulsion Line Management System, a spool-lip meant to cast line more evenly for distance and fewer tangles: Fluidrive II gears to maximize tooth contact; Super Stopper anti-reverse, for better hook-setting; and so on.

But the reel also includes improvements unique to Baitcasters, such as the  increased adjustability of the free-spool drag.

The Baitrunner D comes in four models for 8- to 20-pound mono or
15- to 80-pound braid.

A new, smaller size is offered: the 4000, made for 8- to 12-pound mono or 15- to 40-pound braid.

The model numbers were changed, and a comparison with the old numbers, from smallest size to largest, from top to bottom, follows:

New Baitrunner D               Old Baitrunner B
4000                                   Unavailable
6000                                    3500
8000                                    4500
12000                                  6500

Like the old version, the price of the Baitrunner D isn’t bad.

Re-vamped? Yes.

A ton of changes noticeable to the angler? Probably not.

If messing with a classic makes you nervous, maybe that's a relief.

A peak at some of the fishing blogs showed that anglers were at least excited by the look of the reel and some of the features.

But like the bloggers said, the proof will be in using the reels:
They couldn’t wait to fish with one.

If the reels work at least as well as the original, the Baitrunner D will become the new standard in bait-runners.

For more information, visit the Shimano Baitrunner D Web page.