Been running the zephyr for months now with a 1/64 bullet weight and a small straight shank hook with 1" swims and jigs set up texas rig. I found 10lb braid works fairly well and reduced alot of back lash compared to flouro or mono. Also I found setting the brake down and not forcing those casts increased accuracy tremendously.
Thanks for the video. I just got the Zephyr along with the Kastking finesse rod. I usually fish spinning reels but wanted to try my hand at BFS style fishing with a baitcaster. Learning curve is steep but this video is a great help. Will start practicing utilizing your suggestions.
I'm surprised how well this reel performs. I was casting 1.5-2g lures with no issues at all. A couple of small backlashes, and overruns, but other than that, it worked beautifully. When casting with the wind, I was casting those tiny 2-2.5g plastics close to 30-35 metres. I couldn't believe what I was seeing 😂 the 1.5g was flying out there too. But keep in mind, I was casting with the wind and that wind was strong. How about accuracy? When I was casting right up to the bank which was about 10 feet away, In was able to get my lures within a couple of inches of the bank, and also right in close by structure. Skip casting under jetty's, and over hanging trees? You bet! This reel is quite the performer. If you don't want to throw plastics or lures heavier than 4 grams, this is the reel for you
Here is another Kastking fact. If you run their amazon reviews through an accuracy checker you will find that 90% or more of those reviews are fake. Why is that?
Heres a real fact... competing companies have shills that spend their days going on various social media and comment sections to talk bad about competing companies
And I do not work for any reel company. Just looking out for consumers where I can. I would question any reviewer on any product. Its the right thing to do
Was looking at this lastnight reminder set! Already found my issue kastking dont have a medium light or light telescopic blackhawk rod. Looking forward to seeing what rod you pair it with.
The rod looks like it has a great action for casting such light lures. However, the handle being so small could make accurate casts difficult. Trying to cast a pencil size rod with a tiny little handle has to be tuff to cast accurately.
Would you recommend this reel as a first time buyer of bfs? I’ll be throwing a 1/16 and 1/8oz so a little heavier for crappie roadrunner and small under spins
@@H8er-Maker Too bad because he could have a decent channel if he properly channelled his attitude towards people. You gotta get a thick skin to be on youtube
@@lakrabid Exactly, if you put yourself out there you gotta expect sum people are gonna judge your content. I watch this guy cuz he does find sum decent reels from China, Korea & other places I would never look. But everytime I comment with the slightest hint of opposition it gets weird. He's ez to troll.
used my zaphyr for the first time sunday paired up with the silver needle 2, couldnt fault it, had perch and a Zander on them, just dont use the silver needle with gloves on in the rain or it may slip from the hand!!!
The problem is your cast man. You're making a huge arcing motion. The lure doesn't get out there based on your strength, it's how well you load up the rod. You're swinging in such a wide arc that you're not loading the rod up at all. This also helps tremendously with backlashing. There's a reason split grips were invented, use them.
I dont get this. With 2lb test on a spinning reel you could toss that thing at least 2x as far. Is this just to see what's possible or something? I mean on a spinning reel you could just whip it as hard as you can. Anyways as a feat of prowess I must say this is pretty impressive. I'm just too utilitarian, I guess.
@@joekuhl3500 Lol. You probably call em fairy wands. I just won a bank fishing pred tourney using only spinners. Go back to the Googans. They have more junk to sell you.
" I had a feeling you'd pop up in the comments " , the reel is not very good , you seem to have a vested interest in it 🙂. reading comments below it's a bit sad because the reel leaves some viewers the impression that bfs is Pain and not worth it ,which is totally not true. It's just... this reel🥴.
@@robb158 I can understand why a cast test video can make BFS fishing look like a pain, but if one is using lures where your setup is optimized would be fine. A day fishing say a 2.5 gram lure and up all day on 4 lb test line would not look anything like this video here. That's something that people should be clear about! With that said, why do you think this reel is not very good? Have you used it?
@@rawrfishing Yes I do own the reel actually and left a unflattering review of it on Amazon , where I noticed you gave it glowing reviews. ( The reel is no longer for sale on Amazon? Maybe it's just out of stock) ,But I can post the review in the comments if you'd like? Rawr be honest please , are you affiliated , related or stand to profit from the sale of this reel and other kastking products you endorse?
@@robb158 my experience with it is great. Plenty of my videos fishing it with very little problems. It's certainly no JDM reel, but put against a non JDM reel, it certainly pass and deserve flying stars based on my fishing adventures. I do not get paid from KastKing. I have given the Valiant Eagle BFS reel a thumbs down if that means anything to you...
@@rawrfishing Fair enough , I'll take you at your word that your not affiliated with kastking in any form. And thank you for giving context by saying it's certainly no jdm reel. Context that I found missing from your review on your channel & in your Amazon review. Context is everything , don't you think? It's like going on Yelp & finding people raving about a fast food joint like it's a 3 star rated Michelin restaurant. Kastking do make some good products of which I own ,like some of their fishing rods, ( calamus). But the issue I have with the zephyr ,is that it's over priced in the US market for what it is ($70 amazon), the drag is too powerful and not smooth. The braking is barely acceptable and a detriment to the inexperienced. There's a gap between the spool & the body on the left side where the line occasionally gets stuck. Is this experience in line with the tsurinoya/seaknight/gh100? ( I wouldn't personally know as I don't own those other reels). Would you recommend the zephyr to a beginner moving from spinning reels to bfs or do you think this experience might be a little frustrating for them?
Any chance you could recommend me a BFS setup that i could cast 1/4 oz blade baits and stuff like Lucky Craft Bevy Cranks or Ultra Rippin Raps. I was thinking this reel with 4lb Fluro but have no idea about rods. Im open to something different though. Trying to stay on a budget, seems you can build a BFS setup pretty cheap
Thank you sir. I almost buy this reel sir, but the sale is over... And then i saw kastking Valiant Eagle, may i ask ur suggest? Can valiant eagle cast 2gr lure ultralight? Thanks you so much, regards from overseas viewers. Edit : sory for my bad english.
I vertically fish 40ft to 50 ft down directly under an anchored boat with lures as light as 1/32 ounce on 4lb test braid. With a spinning reel the line comes off in coils and therefore I loose touch with the lure on the drop. With a casting reel the line would come off straight. Would the Zephyr be an appropriate reel for this application? ... is there a better choice you would recommend?
I'll just say you get what you pay for. I sent mine back. Feels horrible, line gets behind the spool, handle has a bunch of play. I didn't expect much, but it didn't meet my requirements. Small r&d budget with a huge marketing budget just isn't the way to produce quality components. Just save up and buy a decent reel. I don't care how cheap it is. If it's not enjoyable to fish what's the point.
My favorite KastKing is no long available without waiting for a month pluss.. The assassin was and is a phonemail reel for the money.. Ref; 1st Timothy 9: I would not seek thy woman , drugs , or drink !! Thy hast a fever for the fishing and thy would spendth thy coin on new rods, reels , bait and tackle. Thy does have an addiction just not one of normal man.. 😂 😂 😂 God Bless , Tight lines & Bent Rods..
Whos here using their BFS for skipping lure with 11 grams?? Bec. I tell u, it skips like a dream!!!!! . I dont use my BFS for tiny lures. . Skipping is more fun. . 🤣
I did it for 2 reasons... just to see if the Zephyr could do it... and because I CAN... lol
What action rod do you recommend with these (trout magnet & Zephyr)?
I'm waiting for Kastking to get them back in stock. They sold out before I could order one...
@@ownvideofootage feather light
Been running the zephyr for months now with a 1/64 bullet weight and a small straight shank hook with 1" swims and jigs set up texas rig. I found 10lb braid works fairly well and reduced alot of back lash compared to flouro or mono. Also I found setting the brake down and not forcing those casts increased accuracy tremendously.
I did the same thing, spooled it with 10lb braid. Did you fill all the way or sort of half way?
Did you upgrade the bearings? I put spool speed bearing in mine, but can't cast lighter than a 1/16 jig head.
Still waiting on that Piscifun Alijos review 🤞🙏
Me toooooo
Thanks for the video. I just got the Zephyr along with the Kastking finesse rod. I usually fish spinning reels but wanted to try my hand at BFS style fishing with a baitcaster. Learning curve is steep but this video is a great help. Will start practicing utilizing your suggestions.
I will be doing a beginners casting guide for BFS in the fall when it gets cooler
I'm surprised how well this reel performs. I was casting 1.5-2g lures with no issues at all. A couple of small backlashes, and overruns, but other than that, it worked beautifully. When casting with the wind, I was casting those tiny 2-2.5g plastics close to 30-35 metres. I couldn't believe what I was seeing 😂 the 1.5g was flying out there too. But keep in mind, I was casting with the wind and that wind was strong.
How about accuracy? When I was casting right up to the bank which was about 10 feet away, In was able to get my lures within a couple of inches of the bank, and also right in close by structure. Skip casting under jetty's, and over hanging trees? You bet! This reel is quite the performer. If you don't want to throw plastics or lures heavier than 4 grams, this is the reel for you
0:20 you assume I have women’s to chase, people to drink with, and drugs to use.
Ha, there’s only fishing in this life for me
Here is another Kastking fact. If you run their amazon reviews through an accuracy checker you will find that 90% or more of those reviews are fake. Why is that?
Heres a real fact... competing companies have shills that spend their days going on various social media and comment sections to talk bad about competing companies
@@THEREELTEST Doesn't take away the fact that Kastking still have fake reviews. Someone with a high IQ should be able to figure that out right?
And I do not work for any reel company. Just looking out for consumers where I can. I would question any reviewer on any product. Its the right thing to do
@@THEREELTEST thats why we trust folks likevyou to give us the dirt
just got my zephyr today, with the updated drag clicker. incredible reel for the money
Thank you for Sharing...
you could get away with just 1/4 spool. i have 4 lb test line 1/4 and i don't use it all :)
Was looking at this lastnight reminder set! Already found my issue kastking dont have a medium light or light telescopic blackhawk rod. Looking forward to seeing what rod you pair it with.
Kastking does have a ML rod. I have the Blackhawk 2
@@alex111683 in a medium light I couldn't find ill look again
The rod looks like it has a great action for casting such light lures. However, the handle being so small could make accurate casts difficult. Trying to cast a pencil size rod with a tiny little handle has to be tuff to cast accurately.
Ive made videos on this rod complaining about the handle
@@THEREELTEST I know; I remember you using it. It is a cool looking rod; but using it has too be hard to do. It just made me laugh
have you consider upgrading the micro bearing, it will help alot.
love that quote brotha!! amen
I think I'll stick with my spinning reels for my finesse fishing
Looks like a BFS is a pain in the a$$. But in all fairness I’ve never tried anything that light with a baitcaster
From your video,i now fall in love with bfs reel...bro review reel from IFishband...CLAMBER HYPER MICRO AND PW100+..awesome reel from IFISHBAND
I can back that up.
The new fishband Clamber Hyper Micro is one amazing reel
They have Just arrived here in the 🇬🇧
You guys 🇺🇸 are missing out.
@@sampit22 where did you find the clamber micro?
UP!!
they are supposed to be sending me one
@@THEREELTEST
Yes. I arranged for you to get one its on its way.
Do y’all think a light rod and 4 pound test work for a trout magnet and bobber
i thought your not suppose to do max magnet brake for lighter lures?
Would you recommend this reel as a first time buyer of bfs? I’ll be throwing a 1/16 and 1/8oz so a little heavier for crappie roadrunner and small under spins
I'll just stick to spinning reel when using ultralight tackle instead of dropping $500 on a BFS set up just so I can use a baitcaster.
There are leaders... then there are followers
You ain't leading to many followers then
@@lakrabid This guy (Reel test) can't take anyone having a different opinion than him without getting butthurt.
@@H8er-Maker Too bad because he could have a decent channel if he properly channelled his attitude towards people. You gotta get a thick skin to be on youtube
@@lakrabid Exactly, if you put yourself out there you gotta expect sum people are gonna judge your content. I watch this guy cuz he does find sum decent reels from China, Korea & other places I would never look. But everytime I comment with the slightest hint of opposition it gets weird. He's ez to troll.
Hi which model rod is it? Seen they have quick a few that one seems to work well
Great video..anyway.. Will you planned to test new ifishband bfs reel..the Ifishband Clamber Hyper Micro
They contacted me to send me one, we will see if it gets here
Then you might also include a Haibo Mirage and make a VS clip. :-)
used my zaphyr for the first time sunday paired up with the silver needle 2, couldnt fault it, had perch and a Zander on them, just dont use the silver needle with gloves on in the rain or it may slip from the hand!!!
yeah, Im going to go over these types of handles when I do the Poison Adrena Review
The problem is your cast man. You're making a huge arcing motion. The lure doesn't get out there based on your strength, it's how well you load up the rod. You're swinging in such a wide arc that you're not loading the rod up at all. This also helps tremendously with backlashing. There's a reason split grips were invented, use them.
Not with ultra light lures Sherlock
@@fishinfool63 uh.... ESPECIALLY with ultra light lures... I'm on 3 tournament kayak teams and a fishing outfitter at cabelas my guy.
@@keithw096 nothing special about you…and you work at cabelas? That took you down a notch
@@fishinfool63 I think this conversation is a little out of your field. Enjoy your day friend.
@@keithw096 after 13 tourney wins and 16 top tens…your the one that is blowing wind
Would reel would you say is the better budget bfs reel, kastking zephyr or the Fishband GH100?
I dont get this. With 2lb test on a spinning reel you could toss that thing at least 2x as far. Is this just to see what's possible or something? I mean on a spinning reel you could just whip it as hard as you can. Anyways as a feat of prowess I must say this is pretty impressive. I'm just too utilitarian, I guess.
Spinning rods suck, thats why
@@joekuhl3500 Real angler never said that.......stfu.
@@joekuhl3500 tell that to every inshore saltwater guy in Florida. 95 percent of what we use inshore in a spinning setup.
@@joekuhl3500 Lol. You probably call em fairy wands. I just won a bank fishing pred tourney using only spinners. Go back to the Googans. They have more junk to sell you.
It has mag brakes on the inside of the side plate, that may help with the backlashes.
I’m a huge jig guy… would you recommend small 1/8th size baits maybe up to 6gs drop shot or weightless 3in-4in senkos
I have not been able to successfully cast this reel, I have it paused to the zypher 4’6” rod. Any tips?
i had a feeling you would make a vid of this :P
" I had a feeling you'd pop up in the comments " , the reel is not very good , you seem to have a vested interest in it 🙂. reading comments below it's a bit sad because the reel leaves some viewers the impression that bfs is Pain and not worth it ,which is totally not true. It's just... this reel🥴.
@@robb158 I can understand why a cast test video can make BFS fishing look like a pain, but if one is using lures where your setup is optimized would be fine. A day fishing say a 2.5 gram lure and up all day on 4 lb test line would not look anything like this video here. That's something that people should be clear about! With that said, why do you think this reel is not very good? Have you used it?
@@rawrfishing Yes I do own the reel actually and left a unflattering review of it on Amazon , where I noticed you gave it glowing reviews. ( The reel is no longer for sale on Amazon? Maybe it's just out of stock) ,But I can post the review in the comments if you'd like? Rawr be honest please , are you affiliated , related or stand to profit from the sale of this reel and other kastking products you endorse?
@@robb158 my experience with it is great. Plenty of my videos fishing it with very little problems. It's certainly no JDM reel, but put against a non JDM reel, it certainly pass and deserve flying stars based on my fishing adventures. I do not get paid from KastKing. I have given the Valiant Eagle BFS reel a thumbs down if that means anything to you...
@@rawrfishing Fair enough , I'll take you at your word that your not affiliated with kastking in any form. And thank you for giving context by saying it's certainly no jdm reel. Context that I found missing from your review on your channel & in your Amazon review. Context is everything , don't you think? It's like going on Yelp & finding people raving about a fast food joint like it's a 3 star rated Michelin restaurant. Kastking do make some good products of which I own ,like some of their fishing rods, ( calamus). But the issue I have with the zephyr ,is that it's over priced in the US market for what it is ($70 amazon), the drag is too powerful and not smooth. The braking is barely acceptable and a detriment to the inexperienced. There's a gap between the spool & the body on the left side where the line occasionally gets stuck. Is this experience in line with the tsurinoya/seaknight/gh100? ( I wouldn't personally know as I don't own those other reels). Would you recommend the zephyr to a beginner moving from spinning reels to bfs or do you think this experience might be a little frustrating for them?
you need full ceramic bearings for spool to make super casts on trout magnets
Any chance you could recommend me a BFS setup that i could cast 1/4 oz blade baits and stuff like Lucky Craft Bevy Cranks or Ultra Rippin Raps. I was thinking this reel with 4lb Fluro but have no idea about rods. Im open to something different though. Trying to stay on a budget, seems you can build a BFS setup pretty cheap
For lures heavier than 1/8 I would go with a tsurinoya df50 or fishband gh100 paired with a tsurinoya agile L rod.
Check out my Begginners Guide to Bait Finesse video
Thank you sir.
I almost buy this reel sir, but the sale is over...
And then i saw kastking Valiant Eagle, may i ask ur suggest?
Can valiant eagle cast 2gr lure ultralight?
Thanks you so much, regards from overseas viewers.
Edit : sory for my bad english.
Rawr is the man! Super nice guy
What is the heaviest lure you would recommend for this reel?
3/8 oz tops
I know your name is THE REEL TEST but could you possibly show us something on the Yamamoto swimming senko
I vertically fish 40ft to 50 ft down directly under an anchored boat with lures as light as 1/32 ounce on 4lb test braid. With a spinning reel the line comes off in coils and therefore I loose touch with the lure on the drop. With a casting reel the line would come off straight. Would the Zephyr be an appropriate reel for this application? ... is there a better choice you would recommend?
I use a Bass Pro CrappieMax for this purpose and it works well for me
I can spit farther than 10 yards... Is this really the best a bfs rod and real can achieve?
And could you throw heavier lures on it like texas rigs and other lures like that?
Do it with 8lb sunline with jerk bait. I bet it goes 50 yards. I like your channel but this was biased to perhaps downgrade this reel.
I'll just say you get what you pay for. I sent mine back. Feels horrible, line gets behind the spool, handle has a bunch of play. I didn't expect much, but it didn't meet my requirements. Small r&d budget with a huge marketing budget just isn't the way to produce quality components. Just save up and buy a decent reel. I don't care how cheap it is. If it's not enjoyable to fish what's the point.
It would be cool if you linked/listed the rod and line you used in the description.
I have a whole video dedicated to this rod. Go look at my Ultimate BFS playlist
its been my experience that kastking make decent rods. But their reels suck balls. Kastking must be paying a lot for reviews of their reels.....
Go watch TyPigPatrol and see if their reels suck.
Best you can come up with? He is also sponsored by Kastking . Give me a sponsorship and I would use kastking all day....
Question for the reel test
What kind of reels does TY use when he goes to the Amazon or Combia getting those massive fish? Ummm it ain't kastking
good afternoon what line did you put on this reel
I put 2lb line on my curado mgl and tied in a trout magnet. That thing casted pretty far!
Had a kast king assassin an it felt like plastic. Have they gotten any better?
In my opinion it feels pretty plasticy.
Still feels like plastic...but a solid performer for the money
I mean did you expect a carbon/graphite reel to fee like aluminum?
@@THEREELTEST no but a least a little more tight feeling for sure. It all just felt loose an flimsy. Kinda like a wal mart special lol
@@kylestokley91 that's exactly how it feels, I own it. Abu garcia black max feels more soild
I just love your videos, but please dont put that much adverting😅...
Im going to put more
😔
Good Channel. Easy on the commercials next time. I find it disturbing.
Hi, I am new to bfs and I was wondering if the shimano SLX would be a good bfs reel upgraded?
There's no spools available for it
@@tylerpolitte8601 that sucks
Your best shot slx mgl
@@Plee92 is it a decent bfs reel?
I made a video about trying the SLX for BFS. ruclips.net/video/o5B_FBxpHAs/видео.html
Is that whataburger?
How did you get the reel to stop squeaking when you wind?
It went away on its own. I guess with more use the whatever grease it had spread itself out
What rod are you using?
Have you tried degreasing the bearings to see if it improves the reels performance.
no not yet
What is the reel handle called I would love the same rod he has
What rod are you using??
Where can I find that rod pls help
What the name of the rod
Please l want know
รอกกับคันชุดนี้สวยมากคับกำลังเริ่มตกปลาอยากจะมีอุปกรณ์ดีๆสักชุดจังคับ ชุดในคริปให้ผมได้ป่าวคับ🙏🙏
Can I use it for a 15gm lure ? This will not be always but just once in a while.
Yeah, but you may cast all the line off
@@THEREELTEST no more bird's nest. Lol. Thank you. I am getting one and will spool it with a 10lb braid.
Why don't u use a left handed model..aren't you right handed?
Has anybody tried Nanofil on this reel?
the trout magnet line isnt the smallest diameter.
Damn no fish in that lske hit the magnet lure
Your not loading the rod right, lower the lure before casting to at least triple your current length
Can you do the old scorpion dc plz
I can't understand why Americans fish with reels for left-handed people when they are right-handed ?!
Because you cast with more balls using your good hand, and so we don’t have to switch the rod every time after a cast.
They have new zephyr with drag clicker almost the same price
whats the rod
Thomas Margaret Jones Elizabeth Brown Anthony
Accuracy depends on your stroke
Perhaps not a good reel for the trout magnet.
Bruh that zephyr reel doesn't have left handle type on Aliexpress just right...:P so i will try the right hand...
they seem to sell out alot but get replaced, you just have to keep checking
My favorite KastKing is no long available without waiting for a month pluss.. The assassin was and is a phonemail reel for the money.. Ref; 1st Timothy 9: I would not seek thy woman , drugs , or drink !! Thy hast a fever for the fishing and thy would spendth thy coin on new rods, reels , bait and tackle. Thy does have an addiction just not one of normal man.. 😂 😂 😂
God Bless , Tight lines & Bent Rods..
Whos here using their BFS for skipping lure with 11 grams?? Bec. I tell u, it skips like a dream!!!!! . I dont use my BFS for tiny lures. . Skipping is more fun. . 🤣
Must be super far if casting a 8 grams lure.
How far this reel can go?
2:32 I like that😍💋 💝💖❤️
Bro, could you just cast already!
i will stick to my illex pepper s210 ul and a spinning reel with my finesse fishing
3rd comment never been this early
Guy never catches fish
I had some spare change so I caught your mom instead lol
😵😵😵😵😵😵He roasted you Andy (BITCH!!!!!!!!!!)😮😮🚨🚨😮🚨😮🚨🚨😵😵😵