Hahaha Daniel! If you’ve got a good working BFS save your money! These are just recommendations for people starting out in the genre or maybe are looking for an upgrade that won’t break the bank. That being said thank you for your support of the channel and for sharing your joke 😆. Cheers good sir!
Hey Donnie! Ah ok I don’t have much experience with those rods but they look like they should be able to do what you want. Which reel do you think you’re gonna go with? Cheers my friend!
Great video as always Peter. Thank you. I'm in the DWU camp still, but I have an Acura coming for the spring. I am looking forward to you getting your hands on a Micro Monster and perhaps the iFishband Clamber to take a close look at those. You really are good at this.
Hi cal! That’s awesome to hear and I’ve said to others I don’t think you can really go wrong with any of the DWU variants. The differences between them all are not big but just enough to make them all unique. As far as the micromonster goes I’m not sure I’ll go down that route as it’s so similar to the Acura with the exception of the two missing bearings that I’m not sure it totally warrants picking one up. The clamber may be something to consider as it’s a metal framed reel which is a pretty significant difference from the reels in this video. That being said, I know other RUclipsrs have reviewed the reel so I’m not sure me adding my voice is going to add a lot of value for you guys. I’m not saying I won’t do it but I honestly think these reels for the money are a much better value for everyone. Things to consider… 🤔 in any case I appreciate your comment and feedback! Cheers cal!
Hey Adrian! Yea I figure these videos come seasonally and hadn’t really seen one in a while… plus with the group growing so fast I just wanted to crank something out to help newcomers. Cheers to you and the channel/group you created!
@@TheConstantAngler hey Adrian! Yea that’s definitely one good way to put these reels to use. I gotta get out and try surf bfs someday. I got that deep spool all ready to go as well but I’ll probably swap the stock shielded bearings back in before I do haha. No sense in getting salt all up in the roros. Look forward to those videos and seeing how the Acura holds up!
There are very few guys on all social media platforms that I TRUST to give a honest review and your at the very top! Bought my first DWU back in late ‘21 -early ‘22 based on your reviews and I just love it, even though it grenaded on me last October (didn’t stop me from buying 2 more this year though!). I actually prefer the DWU for 3.5g’s and lower over my Curado BFS. Anyways, I just seen the Acura on sale for $37 and actually hesitated on it until I watched this and the tear down video…have one coming now! Damn you!!1😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Hey will! Wow… thank you for the kind words and for the vote of confidence… getting to read comments like this is really quite humbling and brings me a sense of pride that people are able to get good value and education from the content I’ve made. I think your assessment of the use of the DWU compared to the Curado bfs is spot on and I am a bit curious as to how the DWU grenades on you. That’s pretty crazy to hear! I apologize for sharing the Acura on sale haha but I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how much better it feels over the DWU. Kind of crazy and seems like magic sauce was added but the Acura is pretty darn awesome. I think you will be extremely pleased with having spent that $37 haha. 😆 so I guess maybe I’m not too sorry for sharing 😆. Jokes aside, thank you again for the kind words… I greatly appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts my friend. Cheers to you!!!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL I should have said ‘I grenaded the DWU’ instead lol. I was fishing heavy cover with a weightless TRig and had the best day on the water I’ve ever had - 18 Largies and smallies all over 4lbs but less than 6. I don’t know what happened but it sounded like a bearing or gear was grinding but when I disassembled it, I found nothing broken or worn 🧐.
Hey Donnie! Just a FYI, this is a bit of an older video now. I have a new buyers guide that was for last year but even that is a bit dated by now as well. It still has good info but depending on what your wants and needs are the info might be a tad old. Ooc, what is your budget, and what lure weights are you looking to cast? Cheers my friend!
I have the KK VE2 and i've paid 77 USD for it. I can cast those 3 grams lures vary far, no backlashes (break at 2,5). For the money it's a good choice if you don't need throwing less than 3 grams, as with 2, the cast it's not straight, so you loose precision (the lure goes a lot to the left side). I love the fact that it's a little over braked as i have total control over my cast, sometimes when there's no wind, i don't even use my finger to stop the spool and i still can cast 25 m to 30 m. In fact it's so good wit the casting distance that i have zero problem using it with a 5-15 grams rod. I think that if used with a 2-10 grams or less, i can cast even further.
Hey there! I would agree with your observations which is why I included the ve2 in my buyers guide =). It really is a set it and forget it style reel but unfortunately doesn’t cast down to the 1-2g weights accurately and as far as the other reels in this guide. There is definitely a bit of a trade off with the ve2 and imho the reel is skewed towards beginner to intermediate casters but I think will also appeal to the person looking for convenience. I appreciate you sharing your findings and opinions!!! Cheers! 🙌🙌🙌
From your videos, I think you are from So Cal. I wonder if there are enough interest to do a meet and greet for all of the So Cal viewers. It be fun to test out some gears too. keep up the good work as always my dude.
Hey there! Yep you’re correct. Socal born and raised. Yea, I’m not quite certain on that. I know one or two folks have expressed interest in fishing together but I don’t know about a meet and greet. Definitely something to consider! I think there are some other IG based BFS guys in socal that do meet and greets as well if I’m not mistaken. I think “finesse anglers” on IG? I’ll be straight up though in saying I don’t really think I’m anyone to have a meet and greet for viewers haha. I don’t think my channel is that “big” or “popular”? Would be cool to hang out and fish with whoever is free though!
Great insight from your reviews !! My picks in order are #1- Doviello Acura HICC-50 (both gear ratio's), #2- Kingdom Micro Monster (both gear ratio's) the 7.1:1 comes with 2 spools, #3- Doviello BMC 100 . Honorable mention is the Piscifun Spark Pro. I have no experience with the DWU series or the Black Night #1 or #2. I have been through several other budget priced reels ( Seanight-Falcan 2, Doviello CT-150, Piscifun Spark) while not tru BFS reels they did have shallow spool options. I have also stepped up above the $100 dollar mark in the Daiwa Tatula TW-80 & Alphas 800-S, which as you know are more robust !! and they are better suited for my style of fishing. But I still luv and will continue to use my Budget reels !! Keep up the good works !!
Hey Scott! Thanks so much for the kind words! I do agree that in general Japanese branded reels do hold up better. Also, this buyers guide was released at the very end of 2022 and things have changed a bit. My number 1 pick is still the Acura but it has gotten much better because the price has dropped so much. I’d probably leave off the valiant eagle 2 and throw in a few other choices. Maybe it’s time I redo the guide soon… cheers my friend!
Thanks for sharing! I had BK2 and now I have a DWU. I think they're pretty good. Not only that, but I like DWU more because of its quality finishes and friendly breaking system. I'm looking forward to another BFS reel, and you just answered my doubts. Thank you very much for that. Keep up the good job!
I think the soloking Acura from Amazon is one of the best choices in that under $80 range they have 11 ball bearings I think and I’m gonna get the 7:1 with both spools in case I need a little more line and throw a heavier bait but I love fishing moving baits for crappie and catching them on light tackle is a blast instead of a jig pole up and down in one spot I’m excited to get started with this new equipment in bfs rods and reels and retire my ultralight spinning tackle lol
Well, I am pleasantly shocked, do not feel the need to buy another reel! I have your number 4 Valiant Eagle II and your number 1 pick, the Soloking which I haven't tried out yet as I have been battling the Flu and Pneumonia for the past 3 weeks, I already have put RORO bearings in the Soloking and can't wait to try it out.
Daniel, first off please get well soon! Flu and pneumonia together does not sound like an enjoyable experience… hoping for the best my friend! Secondly, that is definitely awesome to hear regarding your reel choices and upgrades! I actually quite like being able to go from a “set it and forget it” style of fishing to a “yolo maximize distance” setup lol. I feel like the Soloking really responds well to the roro bearing upgrade. Anywho, I wish you a speedy recovery and thank you as always for contributing your thoughts and experiences!
Hi Gisli! Thank you so much for the kind words. It’s very humbling to hear you’re able to get value and education from my video. I’m curious to know if you’ll be purchasing any of these reels and if there are more questions you might have about them. Cheers!
Hey Donnie! No unfortunately I have never used a proficiency reel. I think for what you described in your other earlier comment any one of the dark wolf 100 style reels might work out for you. That being said, the smaller 50 size dark wolf ultra variants would also suit what you want to do. I would recommend taking a look at the Soloking Acura pro reel and find a matching UL BFS rod. If you are looking for a budget bfs rod you can check out the Handing Magic L rod on Amazon. I would recommend the casting 56UL size. Cheers my friend!
I think the double down rods are a good choice and will serve me well with those reels from Amazon I should be set at least something to get started with thanks for the video and the help and as you know true happiness can only be found by keep god first and keeping the main thing the main thing amen
Well I’ve been bass fishing for 40 years and I’m pretty handy with a bait caster but I’m a pretty avid crappie but not very good with spinning tackle as I own 2 now but I love throwing roadrunners and fin spins like underspins so was thinking how much fun If I crappie fish just like I was bass fishing just down sizing baits casting to them as if I was bass fish bc I’d much rather eat crappie of course so needing tacking to throw 1/16-1/8oz lures and lighter action rods and I know it’s gonna be a blast as the crappie are in shallow waters this time of the year so easier to catch on the move plus I will throw jigs by them self but can make them same weight
Thanks. I'll stay with Lews reels. Good quality and price. I only buy when an item is on sale. From February to November I fish 4 days a week. I've never had a Lews fail me. My price range is $100. to $200. for my reels.
Hi Mike! First off, thank you for sharing you thoughts with us. I really am encouraged to see people wanting to discuss things and have conversations. Just to touch on the topic of lews, I actually haven’t looked too much into their lineup yet. I’ve heard they use Korean OEMs to manufacture their reels and, if so, I definitely think that that’s a positive. Do you happen to know if they have BFS specific offerings available right now? If so, I’d love to check them out! The other thing I wanted to touch on is that I never meant this video to be an end all be all buyers guide of sorts. Rather it’s more to help people who don’t want to spend a ton of money getting into the BFS world. So with that these reels being under $100, I feel, are really good solid options for people want to take a look at BFS. I think you’ll actually be surprised by these offerings. While they are made in China the Dark Wolf Ultra, Genius and Acura are actually made by one OEM and have been doing quite well. I myself own the Acura and Genius and have owned the Dark Wolf Ultra. None of them have failed on me yet. I’m of the firm belief that no reel is perfect and can always improve in some way shape or form. I also believe that people all have their different requirements and so having more options to choose from is a good thing. In any case, thank you again for chiming in and sharing your thoughts! Cheers Mike!
Hey Mike! Appreciate the kind words. I’m actually quite surprised and humbled by the positive feedback I’ve been receiving from folks. Makes me think I’m doing something right. Will work on continuing that trend and helping folks make better informed decisions about their gear. Cheers!
Great content as always! Love your channel! Bought a Soloking Acura based on your recommendation and I'm pretty happy with it. Never tuned a reel before but now I wonder which upgrades would be the most sensible for a beginner like me. Could you tell me what you think? Thanks in advance and greetings from Austria
Hi there! It’s so awesome to see that people around the world are getting value out of these video reviews. Thank you so much for the kind words. To answer your question the only significant modification the Acura might benefit from, imho, is the replacement of the spool bearings. To be honest though, I don’t know that you actually “need” to do any modifications as the reel is quite good out of the box. However, if you plan on casting lures around 1g then I suggest looking into replacing the bearings. I do have a video showing how to do this but it does involve a bit of fine adjusting as there is a small circlip on the spool that needs to be removed. Please watch the video and judge for yourself if you think you can try the modification. It may be easy for some and not for others. I will link the video in another comment to you. Thanks again and hello back from the US! Cheers!
Here you go! There are several other videos touching on the specific bearing I like called the Roro SiC BFS ST bearing. They are a hybrid micro ceramic bearing that have an oring on the outer housing to absorb vibrations and noise but also help secure the bearing and seat better into the frame of the reel. ruclips.net/video/SWdW23vxMCQ/видео.html
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL Thank you very much for your answer! I'll think about replacing the spool bearings, but if it's only relevant for casting lures under 2 grams it won't be a significant benefit for me. All the best and merry Christmas Konrad
Hi Konrad! My pleasure! You can always do the modification in the future as well to get the extra performance if you ever want. I also have a teardown video if you ever want to get into your reel to clean and maintain it. Cheers and happy holidays to you!
Very helpful and thanks. By the way, I would like to let you know my picks from those reels you mentioned. My no.1 pick is valient eagle as it is the smallest and easy to use. Casting distance was good enough for my fishing. My second pick is Acura at the moment but not tested enough yet. I don't like Dark wolf ultra as it is too big for me and had too much line trouble. Anyway I was so shocked when I got V. eagle and felt that I dont need expensive Aldebaran anymore. I changed handle and knob with carbon, which made me feel perffect. I just hope the manufacturer will make clutch bar a bit higher than now.
안녕하세요 무구씨! ^^ thank you for the kind words and yes that is exactly why I included the valiant eagle 2 in this list. While it doesn’t cast nearly as far as the other reels it makes for a headache/backlash free reel. Some will very highly appreciate that while others may not. CDM reels have been very impressive to me lately and I think some people still don’t look at them seriously but that, imho, has changed dramatically over the last year or two. Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts! I very much appreciate it and cheers! 감사합니다~~~
Hi Paul! The current version of the DWU made some changes to the ftb brake system. They are no longer a dynamic style system but are now static. Essentially they made the brake shoes not able to move. This change is not a bad change and makes the LH version of the reel work as intended. Even though the brake system is no longer dynamic it works well as they strengthened the magnets on each of the brake shoes. You will have no issues with a RH or LH version of the DWU. It’s my pleasure to help you out and I am very appreciative of your kind words and support! Cheers Paul!
@@paulgiannetto5317 yea they still work but I suggest looking into adding additional magnets to your brake shoes if you find the braking on the weak side. The issue is that on the older LH reels when your spool is playing line out, instead of the shoes moving outwards towards the spool to provide additional magnetic braking force, they actually move inwards. If you look for the channel “Fishing Discoveries” they do a really good job of explaining why. To remedy this, you can add additional magnets and/or try to prevent your brake shoes from moving by putting just a tiny bit of the tip section of toothpicks into that channel where the brake shoe springs are. This will permanently move the brake shoes to their outer most position and prevent them from moving inwards. Let me know if you have any further questions and cheers! TLDR your reel is still good but your brakes might be a tad on the weaker side.
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL Hi Thank you for your advice. I have added the extra magnets so should be okay. I have had them for a while but not used them. Thinking of moving onto the Accura reels so may use the DWU for sub 5 gram lures ie. trout and panfish and use the Accura's for my bass bfs fishing. I take it that you don't rate the Kast King Kestrel Elite given the price?
Hey Paul! If you want an extremely lightweight reel that has a very rigid frame, doesn’t backlash much, and won’t be casting very lightweight lures then the kestrel is a decent option. I think the Acura is a much better value though. The two reels are at different ends of the spectrum imho. Tbh the Acura and DWU are pretty much the same in terms of performance as they are virtually identical reels. The Acura just has 2 spool options and 2 different gear ratios over the DWU. Another option is the valiant eagle 2 which is essentially a carbon reinforced nylon frame version of the kestrel. Both the kestrel and valiant eagle 2 shine in that they hardly backlash. The downside to that is that the casting distances for lower weights isn’t as good as the DWU and it’s variants. So… it really all depends on what you want as each reel has its own small strength. I hope that helps Paul! Cheers!
Hey strawhatz! PS nice name haha love their music. Currently, all DWU reels have the “fixed” or static fake ftb system. You can still modify them back so they are dynamic but LH reels do not work properly if made into a dynamic system as the braking system was not mirrored properly. Hope that helps and cheers!
Good video! All except the KK are BK ll variants. I feel several others a good. But the BK ll and variants have set the standard of late. I will say KK doesn't realize I am on Bb and I don't get the customer service of known social media testers
Hi Charles! Yep the bk2/dwu variants are all great reels. The differences between them are so slight but it’s kind of those details that make some better than others. Just out of curiosity but what is bb? Also, I don’t think my experience with their customer service was based on this channel. I purchased the reel with my personal account and I don’t think they knew who I was at the time. In the future I’ll probably make purchases on other accounts just to keep things honest haha. Cheers and thanks for sharing your feedback!
Yep! It’s definitely a good problem to have haha. Really nice getting to almost tailor what you want out of a DWU variant. Seeing how popular these are and how common they’ve become I’m actually really excited to see what’s on the horizon. CDM reels are getting really good lately and I’m hoping the big JDM guys are gonna start sweating bullets and bring out innovations or changes to keep up with the market demand. Such an exciting time to be in the bfs game!
Hey hunter! From my understanding the bmc100 is another great reel from Soloking. I have been a long time fan of the Acura as you can tell. Cheers my friend!
Hi, How would you rank those reels for lure weights between 5 and 9 grams? I realize that most would consider that range heavy for bfs but it’s the most useful range for my personal fishing I think (Baltic sea). I’m new to baitcasting reels and having a hard time wrapping my head around what makes a reel suitable for those still quite light but heavier than “true” bfs lures. Or does it even matter as long as there’s enough line on the spool for longer casts? Would the kk valiant eagle2 still feel overbraked or would that actually be an advantage for heavier lures? Leaning towards the tsu genius just for its looks at the moment.😊 PS.: Great channel, I’ve watched several reel tear-downs just for the entertainment.😁
Hi Sven! Thanks for the questions and also for watching the videos! I’m glad you were able to get some value out of the channel. I’ll try to help answer your questions so first off just a warning, typically BFS reels do not have much line on them. Usually, you will want around 50m as the spools are shallow and cannot physically hold much line. The reason for this are to keep the spool as light as possible to aid in lightweight lure casting. For your lure weight range 5-9 all of these reels will be suitable imho. In your case, it actually might be advantageous to get the Soloking Acura as it has the option to have two spools; a shallow and deep spool. While the ve2 might be better suited to heavier weights due to the strong brakes I believe the Acura may be a better overall reel for your purposes. The ve2 will not feel overbraked for heavier lures though so either way you probably won’t go wrong. I will say though that people generally have more QC concerns with kastking reels overall. I personally have experienced some issues but their customer service has been very top notch. I hope that helps answer your questions and cheers my friend!
Thanks for the detailed answer, it’s very helpful and highly appreciated! I’m actually quite relieved that I’m not looking at the completely wrong reel category altogether.😊 Considering your advice from both the video and your comment, I’m going for your #1 or #2. Head says Acura for all the reasons you mention, heart says Genius. I’ll let you know who wins.🙂 Anyway it’s reassuring to know that any of your top 4 budget picks would work for my weight range. Also interesting to learn that the VE2’s overbraking would not be an issue for heavier lures. So much to learn. After a decade of fly fishing I’m excited to try something new. I’m intrigued by the technical aspect of light lure baitcasting. Looks like fun! Cheers and tight lines!
@@sven2793 hey Sven! If you’re comfortable with ordering from aliexpress they have the Acura on sale there now. If you do choose it please consider using the affiliate link below as the channel gets a small kickback from your purchase. Cheers my friend! Acura s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mtQZzQ8 Genius s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mLJl4Io
I went with the 2 spool Acura (through your link🙂). Mostly for its versatility but also because the price was better. Browsing for some braided line now. You should do a video on budget bfs braid. Starting out I’ll probably turn a lot of line into incredibly interesting looking birds nests anyway. So no point in using expensive line I guess.
@@sven2793 hey Sven! Thanks for the vote of confidence and for the video idea! I’ve actually been looking for some good budget braid myself and am still on the hunt. I thought I had found one but then it seems like it’s oos so… on the hunt again… cheers my friend!
I love cheap BFS reel but most aren't that great, but decent for the price. Save up the money get a good BFS reel. Kast King Kestrel Elite big disappointment for the price, it's better to get Curado BFS or SLX BFS. You know you get quality reels. Kast King quality control needs to setup to game.
Hey there! To a large degree I agree with you. The Japanese manufacturers are definitely producing high end quality items. That being said, a lot of people can’t afford the prices they’re asking and that’s where these budget oriented reels come in. This guide is basically for reels that are around $60-80 USD which is about half the price of the Curado or SLX BFS. For the price these reel ask, the performance they deliver is actually really surprising. The CDM brands are getting close to Japanese quality and actually some of their OEMs manufacture products for the Japanese brands. So… I’m not sure things are so cut and dry as everyone is in a different place and has a different perspective on things. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and opinions and am grateful for your support! If you have more opinions about the subject I’d love to hear them 🙌. Cheers!
u dont need 5kg of drag on a bfs reel which is usually loaded with 10lb or lower line ..... its more important how quickly that drag engages without a hesitation stop
Hey there! Thanks for sharing! Yep, agreed the smoothness of the drag is definitely important. Manufacturers can be a bit odd in the specs they advertise. I wish I could pick kastkings brains and ask them a million questions about their products but I don’t have those kinds of connections unfortunately. That being said, if a reel’s drag washers are catching a thin layer of drag grease on the drag washers will help smooth out the engagement of the drag. Anywho, thanks for chiming in and I appreciate you sharing your thoughts! Cheers!
@@The_Multi-species_Angler haha I totally hear you… I find myself habitually opening up the aliexpress in hopes something new I haven’t seen before will pop up 😂. It’s funny that the app is so much better than the desktop web browser client. Cheers!
Hey ricky! Imho it is but others might not agree as everyone has different needs/wants. Im also curious to see how much these reels will be discounted as well for the lunar new year. One downside to lunar new year is that most shops in china close to observe the holiday so shipments get delayed. One of the pluses for the Soloking is that they sell on the US Amazon site as well and they typically reflect any sale prices they have on aliexpress as well. Hope that helps!
Hey yep! Hahaha yea I think the cast-x came out after this list was made iirc… I should redo the list tbh as it’s a bit old in the tooth now. Still relevant but getting a bit outdated. Anywho, cheers my friend!
Why is 11lbs of drag a good thing on a reel that most people will be throwing line rated under 10lbs. What important on BFS reel is quality of drag not the strength.
Hey Eddie! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and comments. Just out of curiosity are you referring to my statements about the valiant eagle 2s drag? In any case, the reason I say that a bit higher drag strength is a good thing is because people use reels for different things and I believe some might use these reels for slight heavier duty applications. They’re not really designed for it ofc but with a bit extra drag you might be able to land a larger fish. I do agree that the smoothness of the drag system is very important but I’d say most reels nowadays have fairly smooth drags and if you have one that catches or comes on suddenly you can always go in and lightly grease your drag washers to help smooth out the drag curve. I really do appreciate you taking the time to watch the video and chime in! Cheers my friend!
Hey tanner! All of the reels on this list can technically throw a 1/32 oz lure. The question is how far. The ve2 is probably the least capable of the four in terms of ultra lightweight lures. Additionally, your rod and line used make a huge difference in the distance cast. I hope that helps and HNYE!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL a respectable distance such as being capable of casting from the boat to the bank accurately crappie fishing. 45’ or so give it take
@@tannermccalister9841 hey tanner! Hmm imho 45’ is a bit far for any bfs reel. I’m not even sure a spinning setup can do that? I’m not saying they can’t or that bfs setups can’t I just don’t have any testing to show that they can. I feel like a more accurate range would be 20-35 ft for the top 3 reels on this list paired with the right rod and line. The ve2 would be something like 15-25 ft and not very accurately due to its overbraked nature. Hope that helps!
@@tannermccalister9841 yep! Paired with the right rod and 0.6goh or there abouts. One thing to remember is that you’ll need to really dial in your setup and also get your casting technique down. Also, don’t overspool your reel. Ideally you’ll want 50m or less line. The last thing is if you’re finding you want to eek out a bit more distance look at upgrading the spool bearings or cleaning out and re-lubricating the entire reel. Often times manufacturers will gob extra grease where you really only need a fine coating. Hope this helps, remember to be smooth with your casts and cheers!
Hi free range! I actually have never heard of the S version of the phantom. Thank you for sharing that reel model. Do you happen to know if it’s sold on aliexpress or amazon still? I did a quick search and could not bring anything up unfortunately. I wonder if the name might be slightly different in some way? Look forward to your response and cheers!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL The S is a less expensive version of the Phantom. The REEL Test does a nice phantom review. I don't like the S as much as the original phantom
I have a KR phantom which was upgraded to the Black Knight and then Black Knight ll. Bass bonsai did review all three. Piscifun always look like a poor reel and was not purchased or reviewed
@@charleshunziker359 I actually don’t know all that much about piscifun as it always seemed like a more budget oriented Chinese amazon brand. That being said, it seems they, just like most CDM brands, are moving up in the world and may deserve a look. I’ll have to check them out but not too sure they have any BFS specific reels per say…
@@ronfrederick9983 hey ron! Thanks for the comment! Just out of curiosity and because it’s been a good long while since made this video is there any chance you can clarify a bit about what you have an issue with? Thanks again and cheers my friend!
Hey nasaman! Thanks for taking the time to comment but I’m a bit confused as to which reason that might be? Tbh, I don’t think one option is superior to the other but more that there is a best fit option for everyone. There’s no worries if that fit isn’t for you and the great thing about having all of these options on the market now! Would love to hear what that specific reason you’re talking about is though! Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL My main issue with BFS is that it's trying to sell you a solution to a problem that already has been solved. Spinning = lighter lures, Baitcasting = heavier. The prices on BFS gear are absolutely insane too, even if you look at the "budget" ones. I also really hate baitcasters personally so take my opinion with a grain of salt 😅
@@nasaman23 hey nasaman! Thanks so much for explaining your view point! I will have to respectfully disagree though or I guess maybe suggest looking at things from a slightly different perspective? BFS is filling a niche that was previously only filled by UL spinning gear that is very true. However, I think BFS offers some advantages and some disadvantages compared to UL spinning, at least imho. I’ve been a UL spin angler virtually my entire life and I’ve never been able to be accurate with my casts. I was always able to get decent distances but never able to be accurate. I just am not a very good spinning angler. However, with BFS I am able to get quite accurate casts and very easily. It did not take much time for me to learn how to be fairly precise. This is just one of the advantages that I can think of right now. Of course, you do get backlashes which you don’t have with spinning but there are pros and cons to both styles of fishing. Imho, it’s a very enjoyable way to casting the same lures that I used to cast as a spinning angler and it’s really reignited my passion for fishing. Previously, I had become quite bored and disillusioned with UL spin fishing… So these are just a few of my personal reasons for looking to bfs fishing and using this style over spin fishing. To touch on your point of insane prices, I’m not sure that I see that? I see plenty of great budget bfs reels you can get for under $100, the same I see for spinning reels, and likewise for rods as well? If you ever decide to give bfs a try let me know and I can do my best to try and help you get into a good budget friendly setup! That being said, I hear what you’re saying and your personal preference is definitely valid! Still, the offer is on the table if you ever decide to give it a try! Thanks so much for taking the time to explain your thoughts and cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL I definitely see your point in BFS being easier to have pinpoint accuracy but as a relatively new fisherman, I feel like I can cast just as well with my spinning setup. I do give the advantage of casting heavier lures to a baitcast setup but I hated having to deal with backlashes as a beginner. I know that it can be a fun way to fish when it works but I don't want to have to deal with extra stress on the water with having to pick them out or retie. Maybe one day I'll try to get back into it but for the moment, I have plenty of time to master spinning. Thanks for your reply
@@nasaman23 hey nasaman! Thanks so much for your response! I totally hear you and agree that backlashes are no fun. They have the potential to cut fishing sessions short depending on whether they can be picked out. I’ve picked out so many that I think I’ve become fairly proficient at it and “knock on wood” haven’t had a session ruined recently yet… that being said, I still always take at least two setups just in case lol. If you do ever decide to give bfs a try let me know! There are some reels on the market that tend to not backlash and have relatively trouble free casting. In addition to that there are ways to setup your reel to reduce any instances of backlashing. The downside is that is does reduce distance a bit. As with everything there is a trade off for the convenience. Anywho, thank you again for sharing your thoughts and insights! Cheers my friend!
Why do I have the feeling that even before watching this video I am going to spend money on a reel I really don't need? LOL
Hahaha Daniel! If you’ve got a good working BFS save your money! These are just recommendations for people starting out in the genre or maybe are looking for an upgrade that won’t break the bank. That being said thank you for your support of the channel and for sharing your joke 😆. Cheers good sir!
Yes I saw that one on Amazon as well the rods I’ve pick is the Jenko Double Down bfs rods
Hey Donnie! Ah ok I don’t have much experience with those rods but they look like they should be able to do what you want. Which reel do you think you’re gonna go with? Cheers my friend!
Great video as always Peter. Thank you. I'm in the DWU camp still, but I have an Acura coming for the spring. I am looking forward to you getting your hands on a Micro Monster and perhaps the iFishband Clamber to take a close look at those. You really are good at this.
Hi cal! That’s awesome to hear and I’ve said to others I don’t think you can really go wrong with any of the DWU variants. The differences between them all are not big but just enough to make them all unique. As far as the micromonster goes I’m not sure I’ll go down that route as it’s so similar to the Acura with the exception of the two missing bearings that I’m not sure it totally warrants picking one up. The clamber may be something to consider as it’s a metal framed reel which is a pretty significant difference from the reels in this video. That being said, I know other RUclipsrs have reviewed the reel so I’m not sure me adding my voice is going to add a lot of value for you guys. I’m not saying I won’t do it but I honestly think these reels for the money are a much better value for everyone. Things to consider… 🤔 in any case I appreciate your comment and feedback! Cheers cal!
Great video. Did something similar few years back. Great shout out to the group. Thanks for the shout out.
Hey Adrian! Yea I figure these videos come seasonally and hadn’t really seen one in a while… plus with the group growing so fast I just wanted to crank something out to help newcomers. Cheers to you and the channel/group you created!
Can’t wait for my Acurra to come. Any day now. Going to use it in Saltwater due to the two spools and being able to use heavier braid when needed.
@@TheConstantAngler hey Adrian! Yea that’s definitely one good way to put these reels to use. I gotta get out and try surf bfs someday. I got that deep spool all ready to go as well but I’ll probably swap the stock shielded bearings back in before I do haha. No sense in getting salt all up in the roros. Look forward to those videos and seeing how the Acura holds up!
There are very few guys on all social media platforms that I TRUST to give a honest review and your at the very top! Bought my first DWU back in late ‘21 -early ‘22 based on your reviews and I just love it, even though it grenaded on me last October (didn’t stop me from buying 2 more this year though!). I actually prefer the DWU for 3.5g’s and lower over my Curado BFS. Anyways, I just seen the Acura on sale for $37 and actually hesitated on it until I watched this and the tear down video…have one coming now! Damn you!!1😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Hey will! Wow… thank you for the kind words and for the vote of confidence… getting to read comments like this is really quite humbling and brings me a sense of pride that people are able to get good value and education from the content I’ve made. I think your assessment of the use of the DWU compared to the Curado bfs is spot on and I am a bit curious as to how the DWU grenades on you. That’s pretty crazy to hear! I apologize for sharing the Acura on sale haha but I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how much better it feels over the DWU. Kind of crazy and seems like magic sauce was added but the Acura is pretty darn awesome. I think you will be extremely pleased with having spent that $37 haha. 😆 so I guess maybe I’m not too sorry for sharing 😆. Jokes aside, thank you again for the kind words… I greatly appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts my friend. Cheers to you!!!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL I should have said ‘I grenaded the DWU’ instead lol. I was fishing heavy cover with a weightless TRig and had the best day on the water I’ve ever had - 18 Largies and smallies all over 4lbs but less than 6. I don’t know what happened but it sounded like a bearing or gear was grinding but when I disassembled it, I found nothing broken or worn 🧐.
Thank you for this video this is exactly what I needed to know I have this reel in my cart now just needed a little push I’m gonna get 2 for starters
Hey Donnie! Just a FYI, this is a bit of an older video now. I have a new buyers guide that was for last year but even that is a bit dated by now as well. It still has good info but depending on what your wants and needs are the info might be a tad old. Ooc, what is your budget, and what lure weights are you looking to cast? Cheers my friend!
I have the KK VE2 and i've paid 77 USD for it. I can cast those 3 grams lures vary far, no backlashes (break at 2,5). For the money it's a good choice if you don't need throwing less than 3 grams, as with 2, the cast it's not straight, so you loose precision (the lure goes a lot to the left side). I love the fact that it's a little over braked as i have total control over my cast, sometimes when there's no wind, i don't even use my finger to stop the spool and i still can cast 25 m to 30 m. In fact it's so good wit the casting distance that i have zero problem using it with a 5-15 grams rod. I think that if used with a 2-10 grams or less, i can cast even further.
Hey there! I would agree with your observations which is why I included the ve2 in my buyers guide =). It really is a set it and forget it style reel but unfortunately doesn’t cast down to the 1-2g weights accurately and as far as the other reels in this guide. There is definitely a bit of a trade off with the ve2 and imho the reel is skewed towards beginner to intermediate casters but I think will also appeal to the person looking for convenience. I appreciate you sharing your findings and opinions!!! Cheers! 🙌🙌🙌
From your videos, I think you are from So Cal. I wonder if there are enough interest to do a meet and greet for all of the So Cal viewers. It be fun to test out some gears too. keep up the good work as always my dude.
Hey there! Yep you’re correct. Socal born and raised. Yea, I’m not quite certain on that. I know one or two folks have expressed interest in fishing together but I don’t know about a meet and greet. Definitely something to consider! I think there are some other IG based BFS guys in socal that do meet and greets as well if I’m not mistaken. I think “finesse anglers” on IG? I’ll be straight up though in saying I don’t really think I’m anyone to have a meet and greet for viewers haha. I don’t think my channel is that “big” or “popular”? Would be cool to hang out and fish with whoever is free though!
Great insight from your reviews !! My picks in order are #1- Doviello Acura HICC-50 (both gear ratio's), #2- Kingdom Micro Monster (both gear ratio's) the 7.1:1 comes with 2 spools, #3- Doviello BMC 100 . Honorable mention is the Piscifun Spark Pro. I have no experience with the DWU series or the Black Night #1 or #2. I have been through several other budget priced reels ( Seanight-Falcan 2, Doviello CT-150, Piscifun Spark) while not tru BFS reels they did have shallow spool options. I have also stepped up above the $100 dollar mark in the Daiwa Tatula TW-80 & Alphas 800-S, which as you know are more robust !! and they are better suited for my style of fishing. But I still luv and will continue to use my Budget reels !! Keep up the good works !!
Hey Scott! Thanks so much for the kind words! I do agree that in general Japanese branded reels do hold up better. Also, this buyers guide was released at the very end of 2022 and things have changed a bit. My number 1 pick is still the Acura but it has gotten much better because the price has dropped so much. I’d probably leave off the valiant eagle 2 and throw in a few other choices. Maybe it’s time I redo the guide soon… cheers my friend!
got KK VE2 black edition for 65$ today , thanks for video
Hey Vitali! My pleasure! Hope you enjoy the reel and cheers! 🙌🙌🙌
Great video. I'm still ready to send you the MM 7.1 new in box as compensation for 2 drag clicker installs on AG MGX2 reels
Joseph send me an email buddy! Bfsfishingchannel@gmail.com
Just subbed, look forward to seeing more of your content
Hey Joe! Much appreciated for the sub and for the kind words! Hope you can continue to get good value out of the channel and cheers my friend!
Very nice, 👌 learned a lot on different types and cheapest bfs reels.
Hey there Runo! I’m glad you were able to get some value out of the video! Cheers my friend!
Thanks for sharing! I had BK2 and now I have a DWU. I think they're pretty good. Not only that, but I like DWU more because of its quality finishes and friendly breaking system. I'm looking forward to another BFS reel, and you just answered my doubts. Thank you very much for that. Keep up the good job!
Thanks so much for sharing and my pleasure Fabiano! What reel will you pick up next out of curiosity?
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL I'm inclined to pick Genius or Acura, probably the last one
@@fsanfo I think that’s a great choice! Can’t really go wrong with any of these but I really do enjoy my Acura reel. Thanks again for sharing Fabiano!
I think the soloking Acura from Amazon is one of the best choices in that under $80 range they have 11 ball bearings I think and I’m gonna get the 7:1 with both spools in case I need a little more line and throw a heavier bait but I love fishing moving baits for crappie and catching them on light tackle is a blast instead of a jig pole up and down in one spot I’m excited to get started with this new equipment in bfs rods and reels and retire my ultralight spinning tackle lol
Hey Donnie! I think you will enjoy the Acura pro. It’s a great reel and performs very well. Let us know how it turns out for you! Cheers my friend
Thanks for all the tips.
My pleasure John! I’m curious to know if you plan on picking any of these up?
What a great video and channel!
Thanks doc! Much appreciated!
Well, I am pleasantly shocked, do not feel the need to buy another reel! I have your number 4 Valiant Eagle II and your number 1 pick, the Soloking which I haven't tried out yet as I have been battling the Flu and Pneumonia for the past 3 weeks, I already have put RORO bearings in the Soloking and can't wait to try it out.
Daniel, first off please get well soon! Flu and pneumonia together does not sound like an enjoyable experience… hoping for the best my friend! Secondly, that is definitely awesome to hear regarding your reel choices and upgrades! I actually quite like being able to go from a “set it and forget it” style of fishing to a “yolo maximize distance” setup lol. I feel like the Soloking really responds well to the roro bearing upgrade. Anywho, I wish you a speedy recovery and thank you as always for contributing your thoughts and experiences!
Thanks Needed this info. Fantastic channel 👏
Hi Gisli! Thank you so much for the kind words. It’s very humbling to hear you’re able to get value and education from my video. I’m curious to know if you’ll be purchasing any of these reels and if there are more questions you might have about them. Cheers!
Have you had any experience with the proficiency tiny but mighty bait cast reel?? Just found it in Walmart for $35 and thought I may give it a try
Hey Donnie! No unfortunately I have never used a proficiency reel. I think for what you described in your other earlier comment any one of the dark wolf 100 style reels might work out for you. That being said, the smaller 50 size dark wolf ultra variants would also suit what you want to do. I would recommend taking a look at the Soloking Acura pro reel and find a matching UL BFS rod. If you are looking for a budget bfs rod you can check out the Handing Magic L rod on Amazon. I would recommend the casting 56UL size. Cheers my friend!
Another concise video, thanks
Thanks David! Really hoping that this video helps people just looking to get started in the genre! 🙌🙌🙌
I think the double down rods are a good choice and will serve me well with those reels from Amazon I should be set at least something to get started with thanks for the video and the help and as you know true happiness can only be found by keep god first and keeping the main thing the main thing amen
Hey Donnie! I think you should be good to go my friend! Cheers!
Well I’ve been bass fishing for 40 years and I’m pretty handy with a bait caster but I’m a pretty avid crappie but not very good with spinning tackle as I own 2 now but I love throwing roadrunners and fin spins like underspins so was thinking how much fun If I crappie fish just like I was bass fishing just down sizing baits casting to them as if I was bass fish bc I’d much rather eat crappie of course so needing tacking to throw 1/16-1/8oz lures and lighter action rods and I know it’s gonna be a blast as the crappie are in shallow waters this time of the year so easier to catch on the move plus I will throw jigs by them self but can make them same weight
Hey Donnie! I sent you a response on your other comment. Cheers my friend!
Thanks. I'll stay with Lews reels. Good quality and price. I only buy when an item is on sale. From February to November I fish 4 days a week. I've never had a Lews fail me. My price range is $100. to $200. for my reels.
Hi Mike! First off, thank you for sharing you thoughts with us. I really am encouraged to see people wanting to discuss things and have conversations. Just to touch on the topic of lews, I actually haven’t looked too much into their lineup yet. I’ve heard they use Korean OEMs to manufacture their reels and, if so, I definitely think that that’s a positive. Do you happen to know if they have BFS specific offerings available right now? If so, I’d love to check them out! The other thing I wanted to touch on is that I never meant this video to be an end all be all buyers guide of sorts. Rather it’s more to help people who don’t want to spend a ton of money getting into the BFS world. So with that these reels being under $100, I feel, are really good solid options for people want to take a look at BFS. I think you’ll actually be surprised by these offerings. While they are made in China the Dark Wolf Ultra, Genius and Acura are actually made by one OEM and have been doing quite well. I myself own the Acura and Genius and have owned the Dark Wolf Ultra. None of them have failed on me yet. I’m of the firm belief that no reel is perfect and can always improve in some way shape or form. I also believe that people all have their different requirements and so having more options to choose from is a good thing. In any case, thank you again for chiming in and sharing your thoughts! Cheers Mike!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL I read or watch every review I can find. Looking forward to others. Your presentation is excellent.
Hey Mike! Appreciate the kind words. I’m actually quite surprised and humbled by the positive feedback I’ve been receiving from folks. Makes me think I’m doing something right. Will work on continuing that trend and helping folks make better informed decisions about their gear. Cheers!
Great content as always! Love your channel! Bought a Soloking Acura based on your recommendation and I'm pretty happy with it.
Never tuned a reel before but now I wonder which upgrades would be the most sensible for a beginner like me. Could you tell me what you think? Thanks in advance and greetings from Austria
Hi there! It’s so awesome to see that people around the world are getting value out of these video reviews. Thank you so much for the kind words. To answer your question the only significant modification the Acura might benefit from, imho, is the replacement of the spool bearings. To be honest though, I don’t know that you actually “need” to do any modifications as the reel is quite good out of the box. However, if you plan on casting lures around 1g then I suggest looking into replacing the bearings. I do have a video showing how to do this but it does involve a bit of fine adjusting as there is a small circlip on the spool that needs to be removed. Please watch the video and judge for yourself if you think you can try the modification. It may be easy for some and not for others. I will link the video in another comment to you. Thanks again and hello back from the US! Cheers!
Here you go! There are several other videos touching on the specific bearing I like called the Roro SiC BFS ST bearing. They are a hybrid micro ceramic bearing that have an oring on the outer housing to absorb vibrations and noise but also help secure the bearing and seat better into the frame of the reel.
ruclips.net/video/SWdW23vxMCQ/видео.html
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL Thank you very much for your answer! I'll think about replacing the spool bearings, but if it's only relevant for casting lures under 2 grams it won't be a significant benefit for me.
All the best and merry Christmas
Konrad
Hi Konrad! My pleasure! You can always do the modification in the future as well to get the extra performance if you ever want. I also have a teardown video if you ever want to get into your reel to clean and maintain it. Cheers and happy holidays to you!
Very helpful and thanks. By the way, I would like to let you know my picks from those reels you mentioned. My no.1 pick is valient eagle as it is the smallest and easy to use. Casting distance was good enough for my fishing. My second pick is Acura at the moment but not tested enough yet. I don't like Dark wolf ultra as it is too big for me and had too much line trouble. Anyway I was so shocked when I got V. eagle and felt that I dont need expensive Aldebaran anymore. I changed handle and knob with carbon, which made me feel perffect. I just hope the manufacturer will make clutch bar a bit higher than now.
안녕하세요 무구씨! ^^ thank you for the kind words and yes that is exactly why I included the valiant eagle 2 in this list. While it doesn’t cast nearly as far as the other reels it makes for a headache/backlash free reel. Some will very highly appreciate that while others may not. CDM reels have been very impressive to me lately and I think some people still don’t look at them seriously but that, imho, has changed dramatically over the last year or two. Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts! I very much appreciate it and cheers! 감사합니다~~~
Hi. Really enjoyed your opinion on the reels. WI am correct that you advise not to buy the DWU in the left hand version? Appreciate your advise.
Hi Paul! The current version of the DWU made some changes to the ftb brake system. They are no longer a dynamic style system but are now static. Essentially they made the brake shoes not able to move. This change is not a bad change and makes the LH version of the reel work as intended. Even though the brake system is no longer dynamic it works well as they strengthened the magnets on each of the brake shoes. You will have no issues with a RH or LH version of the DWU. It’s my pleasure to help you out and I am very appreciative of your kind words and support! Cheers Paul!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL Hi Thank you for your reply . I have the early version of the DWU in left hand wind so are those the problem ones?
@@paulgiannetto5317 yea they still work but I suggest looking into adding additional magnets to your brake shoes if you find the braking on the weak side. The issue is that on the older LH reels when your spool is playing line out, instead of the shoes moving outwards towards the spool to provide additional magnetic braking force, they actually move inwards. If you look for the channel “Fishing Discoveries” they do a really good job of explaining why. To remedy this, you can add additional magnets and/or try to prevent your brake shoes from moving by putting just a tiny bit of the tip section of toothpicks into that channel where the brake shoe springs are. This will permanently move the brake shoes to their outer most position and prevent them from moving inwards. Let me know if you have any further questions and cheers! TLDR your reel is still good but your brakes might be a tad on the weaker side.
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL Hi Thank you for your advice. I have added the extra magnets so should be okay. I have had them for a while but not used them. Thinking of moving onto the Accura reels so may use the DWU for sub 5 gram lures ie. trout and panfish and use the Accura's for my bass bfs fishing. I take it that you don't rate the Kast King Kestrel Elite given the price?
Hey Paul! If you want an extremely lightweight reel that has a very rigid frame, doesn’t backlash much, and won’t be casting very lightweight lures then the kestrel is a decent option. I think the Acura is a much better value though. The two reels are at different ends of the spectrum imho. Tbh the Acura and DWU are pretty much the same in terms of performance as they are virtually identical reels. The Acura just has 2 spool options and 2 different gear ratios over the DWU. Another option is the valiant eagle 2 which is essentially a carbon reinforced nylon frame version of the kestrel. Both the kestrel and valiant eagle 2 shine in that they hardly backlash. The downside to that is that the casting distances for lower weights isn’t as good as the DWU and it’s variants. So… it really all depends on what you want as each reel has its own small strength. I hope that helps Paul! Cheers!
I want to get the dark wolf ultra.. mainly for the brake.. just to see how it works..😅
Hey strawhatz! PS nice name haha love their music. Currently, all DWU reels have the “fixed” or static fake ftb system. You can still modify them back so they are dynamic but LH reels do not work properly if made into a dynamic system as the braking system was not mirrored properly. Hope that helps and cheers!
Good video! All except the KK are BK ll variants. I feel several others a good. But the BK ll and variants have set the standard of late. I will say KK doesn't realize I am on Bb and I don't get the customer service of known social media testers
Hi Charles! Yep the bk2/dwu variants are all great reels. The differences between them are so slight but it’s kind of those details that make some better than others. Just out of curiosity but what is bb? Also, I don’t think my experience with their customer service was based on this channel. I purchased the reel with my personal account and I don’t think they knew who I was at the time. In the future I’ll probably make purchases on other accounts just to keep things honest haha. Cheers and thanks for sharing your feedback!
Ohhhhhh I know what you mean now! I get what BB means 🙌🙌🙌
I agree it is in the small details. That is why one will like one over another. Also why opinions will vary so greatly on the variants
Yep! It’s definitely a good problem to have haha. Really nice getting to almost tailor what you want out of a DWU variant. Seeing how popular these are and how common they’ve become I’m actually really excited to see what’s on the horizon. CDM reels are getting really good lately and I’m hoping the big JDM guys are gonna start sweating bullets and bring out innovations or changes to keep up with the market demand. Such an exciting time to be in the bfs game!
I got the acura and the bmc100 solokings so far both are great reels
Hey hunter! From my understanding the bmc100 is another great reel from Soloking. I have been a long time fan of the Acura as you can tell. Cheers my friend!
Do you have a video like these for bfs rods ?
Hey! I do! Here you go!
ruclips.net/video/ZjkVdlaAeFE/видео.html
Hi,
How would you rank those reels for lure weights between 5 and 9 grams? I realize that most would consider that range heavy for bfs but it’s the most useful range for my personal fishing I think (Baltic sea).
I’m new to baitcasting reels and having a hard time wrapping my head around what makes a reel suitable for those still quite light but heavier than “true” bfs lures. Or does it even matter as long as there’s enough line on the spool for longer casts?
Would the kk valiant eagle2 still feel overbraked or would that actually be an advantage for heavier lures?
Leaning towards the tsu genius just for its looks at the moment.😊
PS.: Great channel, I’ve watched several reel tear-downs just for the entertainment.😁
Hi Sven! Thanks for the questions and also for watching the videos! I’m glad you were able to get some value out of the channel. I’ll try to help answer your questions so first off just a warning, typically BFS reels do not have much line on them. Usually, you will want around 50m as the spools are shallow and cannot physically hold much line. The reason for this are to keep the spool as light as possible to aid in lightweight lure casting. For your lure weight range 5-9 all of these reels will be suitable imho. In your case, it actually might be advantageous to get the Soloking Acura as it has the option to have two spools; a shallow and deep spool. While the ve2 might be better suited to heavier weights due to the strong brakes I believe the Acura may be a better overall reel for your purposes. The ve2 will not feel overbraked for heavier lures though so either way you probably won’t go wrong. I will say though that people generally have more QC concerns with kastking reels overall. I personally have experienced some issues but their customer service has been very top notch. I hope that helps answer your questions and cheers my friend!
Thanks for the detailed answer, it’s very helpful and highly appreciated! I’m actually quite relieved that I’m not looking at the completely wrong reel category altogether.😊
Considering your advice from both the video and your comment, I’m going for your #1 or #2. Head says Acura for all the reasons you mention, heart says Genius. I’ll let you know who wins.🙂
Anyway it’s reassuring to know that any of your top 4 budget picks would work for my weight range. Also interesting to learn that the VE2’s overbraking would not be an issue for heavier lures. So much to learn. After a decade of fly fishing I’m excited to try something new. I’m intrigued by the technical aspect of light lure baitcasting. Looks like fun!
Cheers and tight lines!
@@sven2793 hey Sven! If you’re comfortable with ordering from aliexpress they have the Acura on sale there now. If you do choose it please consider using the affiliate link below as the channel gets a small kickback from your purchase. Cheers my friend!
Acura
s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mtQZzQ8
Genius
s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mLJl4Io
I went with the 2 spool Acura (through your link🙂). Mostly for its versatility but also because the price was better.
Browsing for some braided line now. You should do a video on budget bfs braid. Starting out I’ll probably turn a lot of line into incredibly interesting looking birds nests anyway. So no point in using expensive line I guess.
@@sven2793 hey Sven! Thanks for the vote of confidence and for the video idea! I’ve actually been looking for some good budget braid myself and am still on the hunt. I thought I had found one but then it seems like it’s oos so… on the hunt again… cheers my friend!
I love cheap BFS reel but most aren't that great, but decent for the price. Save up the money get a good BFS reel. Kast King Kestrel Elite big disappointment for the price, it's better to get Curado BFS or SLX BFS. You know you get quality reels. Kast King quality control needs to setup to game.
Hey there! To a large degree I agree with you. The Japanese manufacturers are definitely producing high end quality items. That being said, a lot of people can’t afford the prices they’re asking and that’s where these budget oriented reels come in. This guide is basically for reels that are around $60-80 USD which is about half the price of the Curado or SLX BFS. For the price these reel ask, the performance they deliver is actually really surprising. The CDM brands are getting close to Japanese quality and actually some of their OEMs manufacture products for the Japanese brands. So… I’m not sure things are so cut and dry as everyone is in a different place and has a different perspective on things. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and opinions and am grateful for your support! If you have more opinions about the subject I’d love to hear them 🙌. Cheers!
u dont need 5kg of drag on a bfs reel which is usually loaded with 10lb or lower line ..... its more important how quickly that drag engages without a hesitation stop
Hey there! Thanks for sharing! Yep, agreed the smoothness of the drag is definitely important. Manufacturers can be a bit odd in the specs they advertise. I wish I could pick kastkings brains and ask them a million questions about their products but I don’t have those kinds of connections unfortunately. That being said, if a reel’s drag washers are catching a thin layer of drag grease on the drag washers will help smooth out the engagement of the drag. Anywho, thanks for chiming in and I appreciate you sharing your thoughts! Cheers!
Great video
Much appreciated! Hope you were able to get some value and info from it! Cheers!
Are these before or after the upgrades?
Hey! These would just be as is. Upgrading them just makes them that much better imho!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL thanks for the overview still looking was one aliexpress lastnight smh.
@@The_Multi-species_Angler haha I totally hear you… I find myself habitually opening up the aliexpress in hopes something new I haven’t seen before will pop up 😂. It’s funny that the app is so much better than the desktop web browser client. Cheers!
So the acura are the best? Im curious about to know the price from 1/22
Hey ricky! Imho it is but others might not agree as everyone has different needs/wants. Im also curious to see how much these reels will be discounted as well for the lunar new year. One downside to lunar new year is that most shops in china close to observe the holiday so shipments get delayed. One of the pluses for the Soloking is that they sell on the US Amazon site as well and they typically reflect any sale prices they have on aliexpress as well. Hope that helps!
The cast X is turning a bit green too
Hey yep! Hahaha yea I think the cast-x came out after this list was made iirc… I should redo the list tbh as it’s a bit old in the tooth now. Still relevant but getting a bit outdated. Anywho, cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL that would be good. Maybe an idea for a 2023 wrap up video
@@yep.fishing haha yea! It’s been kind of an up and down year for bfs reels hasn’t it. Crazy that 2023 is almost over!!! Cheers legend!
Why is 11lbs of drag a good thing on a reel that most people will be throwing line rated under 10lbs. What important on BFS reel is quality of drag not the strength.
Hey Eddie! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and comments. Just out of curiosity are you referring to my statements about the valiant eagle 2s drag? In any case, the reason I say that a bit higher drag strength is a good thing is because people use reels for different things and I believe some might use these reels for slight heavier duty applications. They’re not really designed for it ofc but with a bit extra drag you might be able to land a larger fish. I do agree that the smoothness of the drag system is very important but I’d say most reels nowadays have fairly smooth drags and if you have one that catches or comes on suddenly you can always go in and lightly grease your drag washers to help smooth out the drag curve. I really do appreciate you taking the time to watch the video and chime in! Cheers my friend!
Can the elf cast a 1/32oz crappie jig? Or any of them on this list?
Hey tanner! All of the reels on this list can technically throw a 1/32 oz lure. The question is how far. The ve2 is probably the least capable of the four in terms of ultra lightweight lures. Additionally, your rod and line used make a huge difference in the distance cast. I hope that helps and HNYE!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL a respectable distance such as being capable of casting from the boat to the bank accurately crappie fishing. 45’ or so give it take
@@tannermccalister9841 hey tanner! Hmm imho 45’ is a bit far for any bfs reel. I’m not even sure a spinning setup can do that? I’m not saying they can’t or that bfs setups can’t I just don’t have any testing to show that they can. I feel like a more accurate range would be 20-35 ft for the top 3 reels on this list paired with the right rod and line. The ve2 would be something like 15-25 ft and not very accurately due to its overbraked nature. Hope that helps!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL so the #1 reel or dark wolf ultra could pitch around 1/32oz with a soft plastic on it 25-35’ with descent accuracy?
@@tannermccalister9841 yep! Paired with the right rod and 0.6goh or there abouts. One thing to remember is that you’ll need to really dial in your setup and also get your casting technique down. Also, don’t overspool your reel. Ideally you’ll want 50m or less line. The last thing is if you’re finding you want to eek out a bit more distance look at upgrading the spool bearings or cleaning out and re-lubricating the entire reel. Often times manufacturers will gob extra grease where you really only need a fine coating. Hope this helps, remember to be smooth with your casts and cheers!
Has anyone ever done a review on the piscifun phantom s....yes I said S I have one but I have not seen anyone do a review on it. Thanks. Frc
Hi free range! I actually have never heard of the S version of the phantom. Thank you for sharing that reel model. Do you happen to know if it’s sold on aliexpress or amazon still? I did a quick search and could not bring anything up unfortunately. I wonder if the name might be slightly different in some way? Look forward to your response and cheers!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL The S is a less expensive version of the Phantom. The REEL Test does a nice phantom review. I don't like the S as much as the original phantom
Hey Joseph! Ah I see. TBH I haven’t looked much into piscifun as I’m not aware of any dedicated bfs modes? Is the phantom bfs oriented?
I have a KR phantom which was upgraded to the Black Knight and then Black Knight ll. Bass bonsai did review all three. Piscifun always look like a poor reel and was not purchased or reviewed
@@charleshunziker359 I actually don’t know all that much about piscifun as it always seemed like a more budget oriented Chinese amazon brand. That being said, it seems they, just like most CDM brands, are moving up in the world and may deserve a look. I’ll have to check them out but not too sure they have any BFS specific reels per say…
👍🏻Peter
Thanks Chris! Cheers buddy!
No dude, you touch the line because of the way you hold the Kestrel. Seems you are saying everyone is like you.
@@ronfrederick9983 hey ron! Thanks for the comment! Just out of curiosity and because it’s been a good long while since made this video is there any chance you can clarify a bit about what you have an issue with? Thanks again and cheers my friend!
everything the Chinese engineers have done wrong can be fixed ;)
Most things that have been done wrong can be fixed for sure! 🙌
Just one more reason why spinning is superior to baitcasters 😅
Hey nasaman! Thanks for taking the time to comment but I’m a bit confused as to which reason that might be? Tbh, I don’t think one option is superior to the other but more that there is a best fit option for everyone. There’s no worries if that fit isn’t for you and the great thing about having all of these options on the market now! Would love to hear what that specific reason you’re talking about is though! Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL My main issue with BFS is that it's trying to sell you a solution to a problem that already has been solved. Spinning = lighter lures, Baitcasting = heavier. The prices on BFS gear are absolutely insane too, even if you look at the "budget" ones.
I also really hate baitcasters personally so take my opinion with a grain of salt 😅
@@nasaman23 hey nasaman! Thanks so much for explaining your view point! I will have to respectfully disagree though or I guess maybe suggest looking at things from a slightly different perspective? BFS is filling a niche that was previously only filled by UL spinning gear that is very true. However, I think BFS offers some advantages and some disadvantages compared to UL spinning, at least imho. I’ve been a UL spin angler virtually my entire life and I’ve never been able to be accurate with my casts. I was always able to get decent distances but never able to be accurate. I just am not a very good spinning angler. However, with BFS I am able to get quite accurate casts and very easily. It did not take much time for me to learn how to be fairly precise. This is just one of the advantages that I can think of right now. Of course, you do get backlashes which you don’t have with spinning but there are pros and cons to both styles of fishing. Imho, it’s a very enjoyable way to casting the same lures that I used to cast as a spinning angler and it’s really reignited my passion for fishing. Previously, I had become quite bored and disillusioned with UL spin fishing… So these are just a few of my personal reasons for looking to bfs fishing and using this style over spin fishing. To touch on your point of insane prices, I’m not sure that I see that? I see plenty of great budget bfs reels you can get for under $100, the same I see for spinning reels, and likewise for rods as well? If you ever decide to give bfs a try let me know and I can do my best to try and help you get into a good budget friendly setup! That being said, I hear what you’re saying and your personal preference is definitely valid! Still, the offer is on the table if you ever decide to give it a try! Thanks so much for taking the time to explain your thoughts and cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL I definitely see your point in BFS being easier to have pinpoint accuracy but as a relatively new fisherman, I feel like I can cast just as well with my spinning setup. I do give the advantage of casting heavier lures to a baitcast setup but I hated having to deal with backlashes as a beginner. I know that it can be a fun way to fish when it works but I don't want to have to deal with extra stress on the water with having to pick them out or retie.
Maybe one day I'll try to get back into it but for the moment, I have plenty of time to master spinning. Thanks for your reply
@@nasaman23 hey nasaman! Thanks so much for your response! I totally hear you and agree that backlashes are no fun. They have the potential to cut fishing sessions short depending on whether they can be picked out. I’ve picked out so many that I think I’ve become fairly proficient at it and “knock on wood” haven’t had a session ruined recently yet… that being said, I still always take at least two setups just in case lol. If you do ever decide to give bfs a try let me know! There are some reels on the market that tend to not backlash and have relatively trouble free casting. In addition to that there are ways to setup your reel to reduce any instances of backlashing. The downside is that is does reduce distance a bit. As with everything there is a trade off for the convenience. Anywho, thank you again for sharing your thoughts and insights! Cheers my friend!