Okuma baitfeeder line

I’ve been running a avenger 20 baitfeeder reel on a gander mtn med action rod set on a ht jigger stand as a dead stick. I got four eyes on it yesterday and none of them pulled line on it even though one almost pulled the rod off the stand. I am using 8lb ice tech braid and was wondering if the extra friction was causing the problem. I always check to see if I can pull line when I set it on the stand.

You should be able to reduce the drag on the baitfeeder to almost nothing. The line should not make that much difference. If it is already all the way down then you should reoil with winter oil.

I only use it the otter xt pro cabin where it is warm and the reel is never tight when I get reel it. The drag is all the way down. The fish were taking it really slow. Could it be the the extra tenting from the weight of the reel on a pendulum that changes it? I used to put it on a bucket and never had a problem.

I run 8lb mono on mine. usually use with a 3″ ish shiner i have the drag all the way down

I guess I don’t understand how these reels work. I was under the impression that the switch at the back of the reel allows you to turn the drag on and off so a fish can take line off the spool with the bail closed. You’re telling me I have to loosen the drag all the way and flip the switch? What’s the point, I can do that with any spinning reel minus the switch, no? I have one arriving in the mail today.

There are 2 adjustment knobs. The one on the spool controls the drag and the one on the back of the reel controls the “bait feeder” tension. When the switch in back is disengaged the bait feeder will active.

Ok. So you have to loosen the drag down all the way in the front and flip a switch for a fish to be able to pull line, yes? Do I then have to quickly tighten the drag knob and flip a switch before I set the hook? Just trying to understand this, thanks.

No, keep the front drag adjusted as normal, don’t mess with that at all. The only adjustment you need to make is on the rear knob.

whew. Ok that’s what I thought, some of the posts above made that confusing. Sorry for the thread hijack.

Jason, when you check the line when you set it up does it pull out fine? And have you tried pulling it down like when a fish would take line? My guess is the effort to get the rod to swing down is less than the effort needed to pull out line from the baitfeeder (which is very light to begin with). You might want to find a more stable rod holder that doesn’t let the rod rock.

I had the same problem with one of mine it’s not the line I had used mine in snowy crappies and cold weather then I stored it right after in my unheated shack, the next time I had the same issue, all I did was bring it inside and thaw it out, its worked just fine since

I’ll have to bring it in and check it out. Thanks everyone for the imput.