After scouring through youtube for reviews and finalizing a few options. I've finally decided to get this reel after watching your video. Got mine through aliexpress. Its gonna be a long 2 weeks to get to me. Shoutout from Malaysia! Thanks and have a good one!
Hey linc! That’s awesome to hear! The reel is quite a good one with the one small downside, in my particular model, of the slight geariness on the retrieve. Other folks I’ve spoken with have said they don’t have this but a few have said that they are also experiencing this. Hopefully you get a model without it. Also, thanks so much for your support and for taking the time to comment! I greatly appreciate it and hope you also have a wonderful weekend! Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL hey thanks for the heads up regarding the issue on the retrieve. I'll have a look at it when I receive mine and hopefully there's no issues on mine.
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL Hey ya! Just got the reel! While everything was great, mine do suffer from a slight geariness as you mentioned. Its unfortunate but its working fine without issues at all. Just spooled it up with 6lb braid and I'll bring it out for a spin next tuesday. Can't wait!
Hey linc! Yea mine still has the slight geariness as well =\. However, like you said it does not affect the casting performance at all. Let us know how you like the reel! Cheers my friend!
Just picked this up with the Kastking Max Steel UL/L twin tip for $96. Originally wanted the blacked out Valiant Eagle 2 to match the colors, but for the same price I couldn’t pass it up. I’ll have to live with the mismatched color scheme.
@@foundingfather5100 hey founding! Imho, the pro is a much better reel than the blacked out original ve2 model. The star drag, brakes, spool weight and drag clicker are all done better vs the original. Good pick up! Hope you get good use out of your new setup! Cheers my friend!
@ thanks, brother! It’s my first jump into the BFS pond, and your videos were a big help to guide me. I watched others as well, which is why I went with the this over one of the DW variants. Almost went right to the JDM Aldebaran knowing it would be a tank for years, but decided to slowly enter instead of dive right in. Thanks again! Your videos are top quality as is the content.
Hey John! Haha no problem =). You’re the only other person I know currently with this reel. Hopefully it will eventually come to aliexpress but until then I’ll have to find a cheaper way for people to get one as the reel is quite good imho. Cheers my friend!
@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL hopefully there will be a cheaper way, if I wasn't a little ahead at the time I wouldn't have been able to grab one at that price for sure. I think it's a good reel and I am not disappointed even though I went the expensive route. I just find it funny that I jumped on it so I could take it on my trip up north and actually received it the day I got home lol. Oh well, I will be fishing again soon enough. Great video, it was nice to see the reel in action.
@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL I purchased this reel after your recommendation on another comment section. I was able to find it on aliexpress, should be here next week.
@@JF-qc6po hey JF! Nice! Good pick up because I am just finding out that the kk aliexpress store now is not shipping these reels to US residents… They seem to have stopped sale similar to what they did when the Kestrel Elite was first launched and able to be had at a lower price than what KK USA was listing it for… Hope you are able to get yours. Cheers my friend’
@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL I did see something mentioned about not available to us residents but wasn't mentioned when I went to actually put in my cart to purchase. It's currently in transit so we will see when it gets here.
I greatly lookforward to the upcoming sub 1 gram casting shootout! I just got back from a month long BFS and fly trout fishing trip to North Carolina. The star of the trip was the AA which I got based on your review just before I left. Thanks!
Hey Jay! Right on! I really hope you were able to get one of the AAs that has no issues or at least were able to fix those issues fairly easily if you did. I had hoped to film the sub 1g shootout this week but were in the middle of, surprise surprise, another massive heat wave so it’ll likely have to be filmed next week. Anyways, I greatly appreciate you stopping by and telling us about your adventures and experiences! Your trip sounds like it was a really amazing one. Cheers my friend!
Hey channel! Haha it’s definitely a great product. The geariness can be improved but everything else I’ve experienced so far regarding the reel has been wonderful. Cheers my friend!
Great unboxing and review of the reel,thx for that ! About the breaks,could you feel they adjusted the strength down ? And if so,is there any sign what they could have done with the mechanism? Im interested in the reel,but scared that it might be still over-breaked. It would be interesting if you're able to create a backlash ,and how high can you set the breaks up for let's say 5g total lures on the regular ? Thx in advance !
Hey Rod! I can assure you that the reel is not overbraked like the first version. I’ve been casting a 0.56g weightless plastic worm on it without any issues. As far as I understand, the spool weight has been reduced from the first version. They may have also reduced the magnet strength but there’s not really any good way to test or verify that. Yes, I have had some backlashes with this reel and when I cast my 1g weightless plastics the brake dial is typically right in the middle setting. Imho, this reel is able to cast what they are claiming. Regarding 5g lures I never tested that but I believe they rate the reel for up to 10g lures so I would assume it is capable of casting 5g without much issue. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
Nice review!! Would you recommend cleaning some of the grease off when you get a new reel or any maintenance when you first get a new reel? Thanks David
@@All_is_Outdoors hey all! Really it’s up to the individual imho. It’s always a good thing to do a “pretune” but a lot of reels nowadays are great right out of the box. I enjoy doing it for some reels but lately I have just been wiping off excess grease from the spool/spool bearing. Thanks so much for the kind words and cheers my friend!
Hey Patrick! Haha I think I’m going to be waiting until spring for any chance at another big one =\. Fingers crossed but I am not going to get my hopes up haha. Cheers my friend!
I have a buddy in Guam that can get me one for pretty cheap. He can get almost any CDM reel or JDM reel over there. Pretty affordable for the most part
Hey ad! Right on! If so, I say go for it. If you don’t one the slight geariness then this reel performs quite well. It can cast with the best of them and the drag system is really well tuned. Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL it's seems like a decent reel. But! At a similar price, the Doviciello... aka Acura is just a bit better deal I think. And nobody has very many complaints that I've seen on that bad boy either. Thanks for the videos ! Helps me out a lot in evaluating my ROI on rods and reels
@adwhite804 hey ad! I will agree that the Acura pro is a better value for money. However, the AP can’t cast sub 1g lures like some of these newer reels that have a smaller diameter spool. So, you have to weigh and consider what is important to you. Also, imho this reel does feel quite a bit more premium than the AP. Don’t get me wrong I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the AP to anyone looking for a great deal of a reel but if you want something a bit nicer, has a wonderfully tuned drag, and can cast under 1g then this reel should be on your short list imho. Either way you’ll be getting a great reel regardless. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
Hey Carl! Thanks so much for the kind words! The rod I was using in the video is one that is currently only available on taobao. It is called the sembo spirit c592UL. I am hoping to see it available on aliexpress sometime soon? But I do not know… the rod is build very well and uses a Toray T1100 blank and has Fuji SiC guide inserts. Hope that helps and cheers my friend’
After watching video. I am very tempted to buy this reel. Seems like a great value for the $. But here’s my question: I have an Ark Gravity bfs and love love love it. Feels high quality, easy to dial in, casts light baits a long way. So, if I buy the Kastking, is it gonna feel comparable in terms of quality and ease of use? Its nearly half the price of the Ark, so if it’s even somewhat close I think I will pull the trigger on the Kastking for a second bfs rod I have that needs a reel. Thanks!
@@DavidBronstein1961 hey David! Imho, this reel will feel better in some aspects like the star drag and drag setting. As far as casting light lures goes yes it will definitely do that and with the added benefit of not having to take off the side plate to adjust a rotor. Kastking did a really bang up job with this reel imho. While the frame material isn’t carbon fiber like the gravity, the sychron material feels rigid, is lightweight(but not too lightweight), and does not feel hollow like some of the ultra lightweight entries coming out on the market. I think you will enjoy this reel if you do decide on purchasing it. I was extremely surprised with the reel. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
Hey jano! This definitely has better brakes(ie not overbraked) and the drag/star drag are leaps and bounds better than the original. I’ve really enjoyed using the reel and will likely keep it in the long term stable right next to the silver feather and cormorant. Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL Awesome! It's worth while stepping up from the VE II, then. Appreciate the feedback! I can't justify picking up the Cormorant, but VEII Pro is much easier on the wallet.
After using it, do you think they did anything about the overbraking situation, Peter? Also, what were the rods you were using in the video (especially the first one with the split grip!)? Great video as always my friend!
Hey Dan! This “pro” version of the ve2 is definitely not overbraked like the first version. They finally managed to get this one right. Imho, it is better than the kestrel bfs which was also better than the ve2/ke. Hope that helps clear that up? As far as the rod goes, it is a Sembo rod called the Sembo Spirit and also not available on AliExpress AFAIK. This one is a 592UL with Fuji SiC rings and a Toray T1100 40ton blank. I can’t confirm if the guide feet are Fuji but Sembo says the rings are SiC at least. I picked this up for around $77. Pretty fun rod with some good bend and capable of casting 0.56g. Not the most sensitive rod I’ve used but it is fairly nice. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
Hey bill! The first fishing clip and intro were using a rod by Sembo called the Sembo spirit. I used the 592UL version and unfortunately it doesn’t seem to be available on aliexpress just yet. The specs for the rod are quite good for their asking price of $77, which is what I paid for it on taobao. It uses a toray t1100 40 ton blank and Fuji SiC guide inserts. I cannot confirm if the guide feet are genuine Fuji but they look to be stainless steel. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
Soloking acura or histar aurora air ? Whichever one can cast under 2 grams better. I have a 4 year old zephyr i want to replace and a son who i want a reel for . thank you very much .
@@blicky308 hey blicky! I would say that the aurora air will outcast the Acura pro but there is a small chance you may have a QC issue with it. That said, I think the aurora air is so cheap that it’s worth more of a look than the Acura pro. Hope that helps! Cheers my friend!
Hello. And if he compares the Pro version with Valiant Eagle 2, how much better will the Pro be? Is this really a new fishing reel or just a tuning of the original version?
@@РусланЛеонов-ы2х hey there! It is not a brand new product but more of a product improvement. The amount of improvement is quite good though. The reel now can cast under 1g as advertised, there are bearings in the handle knobs, the drag clicker is much nicer sounding(personal preference, and the star drag tuning is very good. Imho, this is the reel that should have been the original valiant eagle 2. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
I ordered this reel from Aliexpress and still waiting for it to arrive. I want to try some BFS fresh water fishing. I live in South Texas where we mostly have salt water fishing. What rod and reel would you recommend for BFS inshore saltwater fishing?
@@BCastilloPhotography hey bcastillo! You should be able to use this reel for salt as they claim that the spool bearings are double shielded but as bearings are wear items you will likely have to replace them at some point. That said, what size fish are you chasing, what lure weights are you wanting to cast and what are your casting requirements ie far distances or short distance accuracy. Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL the setup I was looking to get was for small lures in the 1/16 to maybe 3/8 oz at most. I usually fish for speckled trout, redfish or flounder with 1/8 -1/2 oz lures. The problem is you never know what you might hook on to in saltwater. I usually use a medium fast rod but I'm looking to downsize to ML or L rods.
Hey vluffy! Most definitely. This reel will outcast the Acura and feels more premium for sure. However, the increase in cost also reflects this as well. Cheers my friend!
I like the the reel and everything about it show us how to get one !!!!! Please !!!!! And I'd like to try a cheap glass rod with pistal grip any suggestions would be GREATLY APPRECIATED !!!!
Hey Damon! Haha right on! I am still trying to verify a process and once I have confirmed it works well I’ll get a video out. I will say that it’s probably not the most straight forwards though sadly… Cheers my friend!
@@jskip69r hey js! Haha right on! It’s my “home” lake as well! Haven’t been out too much due to the heat and the fact that I was out of country for a bit but I’m itching to get back out. Maybe I’ll see you out there =). Cheers my friend!
@@leonardokoch5655 hey Leonard! Imho, the two reels are quite comparable and have slight strengths in different areas. Both are great reels imho though. Congrats on the SF! I think you will enjoy the reel very much. Cheers my friend!
Hey Patrick! Haha yea… that lake being by an airport and in the middle of the city makes it hard to get a quiet moment there… Ah well… can’t complain too much as it’s there and available to fish =). Cheers my friend!
Hey redfish! Honestly, I can’t recall experiencing this with the use of braid with the kastking bfs reels. I think I did experience it once when I tried using mono with the original ve2. However, I almost never use mono or fluoro with my bfs reels as I don’t want to run the risk of warping them. I did not experience any issues when using braid with this reel. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
Hey Jacob! Nope. Stretch is actually worse and here’s why. When your line(mono or fluoro) can stretch, the spool can experience different amounts of line tension in different locations. This will cause “hot spots” of tension. Braid will not stretch and will have a more uniform amount of “crushing force” on the spool allowing it to withstand the forces it experiences. That said, technically on a locked drag, if your line breaking strain is very high yes you will likely warp or break your spool regardless of the type of line you are using. Hope that helps explain it a bit. Cheers my friend!
@@BBoyCherryCrow hey bboy! You definitely can but I really don’t think you need to as the reel casts quite well out of the box. Hope that helps! If you still really want to upgrade the bearings and need the size let me know. Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL Thank you very much, I believe you and your suggestion, but I still want to know that bearing size, sometimes bearings also wear out, I want to make sure we can upgrade or just replace when need ☺️ many thank bro 👍
Hey Leo! If price is no concern then I would go with this. It is more refined and a newer design than the DWU. It is also more capable of casting lower weights as well. Cheers my friend!
Hey Jacob! Yea I don’t think that that price is that cheap imho… it’s not worth it for $159… I paid about $85USD shipped so around there is what I’d say it’s worth. Cheers my friend!
Sub 1 gram gang! Seems like fine wine(color reference) the VEII "aged" in a good way to this pro version, a question about the clearance between the spool and chassi, has it been improved?
Hey Ricardo! You’re the second person to ask about the spool/frame tolerance. I never experienced issues with braid. The one time I did get slippage was when I tried using mono. I haven’t used mono since and the original ve2 never had issues after that. This reel has not had any issues for me. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
@@mrrazr313 hey mrrazr! The v2pro is a nicer built reel vs the aurora air with a hint of geariness in the retrieve(at least on my copy). Both of those reels will handily outcast the Acura pro at sub 1g weights but the Acura pro may cast higher weights a tad farther. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
Hey Eric! It’s a TPE lure off AliExpress. 55mm and 0.8g it’s made by duoduo. Here is the affiliate link to the product. s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mOt84YY I like to use it in conjunction with a #8 EWG and a 0.8g cheb weight. It seems to be a good option I think because the tail floats a bit and has really great action. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL I know you liked to go camping in your earlier 4 Runner days. For me, if room service is 5 minutes late with my meal, I'm complaining to the front desk lol.
@zankyou101 hey Eric! Hahaha with kids in tow and lots of families it becomes a case of campgrounds with amenities. If I get a chance to go alone though that’s another story. Nowadays though I’m not averse to just getting a motel or an airbnb haha 😆. At the end of the day though as long as you’re enjoying what you’re doing then you’re doing it right =). Cheers my friend!
Hey pancho! From my understanding yes you should be ok as the bearings are double sealed stainless steel bearings. However, I would give your reel a good cleaning periodically to help it last longer if you plan on using it in a salt environment. Also, keep in mind that bearings are wear parts do you may need to eventually replace them if you’re exposing them to salt. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
Love your channel but I’m gonna try one more time and then I guess let this go: your vids would be SO much more pleasing to watch without that horrible background “music” I know royalty-free music is hard to find: no music is better than horrible music. Just my .02.
@@DavidBronstein1961 hey David! I greatly appreciate the love and the request! I actually have lowered the volume of the music quite a bit since the last time you voiced your preference. However, I don’t know that I can just get rid of the music completely. I know you dislike it but I honestly have had no other complaints regarding the music and as I’ve been using since the beginning kind of identify it with the channel 😅. Sorry I apologize that it doesn’t quite suit your taste =\. I greatly appreciate your suggestion and your support though! Cheers my friend!
Hey ich! They got the brakes right on this version! It can actually cast what they are claiming now and quite well! This one has properly tuned brakes. Cheers my friend!
Thanks for all your help
Hey Patrick! Thank you for all of your support and your friendship. Cheers Patrick!!!
After scouring through youtube for reviews and finalizing a few options. I've finally decided to get this reel after watching your video. Got mine through aliexpress. Its gonna be a long 2 weeks to get to me. Shoutout from Malaysia! Thanks and have a good one!
Hey linc! That’s awesome to hear! The reel is quite a good one with the one small downside, in my particular model, of the slight geariness on the retrieve. Other folks I’ve spoken with have said they don’t have this but a few have said that they are also experiencing this. Hopefully you get a model without it. Also, thanks so much for your support and for taking the time to comment! I greatly appreciate it and hope you also have a wonderful weekend! Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL hey thanks for the heads up regarding the issue on the retrieve. I'll have a look at it when I receive mine and hopefully there's no issues on mine.
Hey linc! Sounds good! Looking forward to hear what your thoughts and experiences are! Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL Hey ya! Just got the reel! While everything was great, mine do suffer from a slight geariness as you mentioned. Its unfortunate but its working fine without issues at all. Just spooled it up with 6lb braid and I'll bring it out for a spin next tuesday. Can't wait!
Hey linc! Yea mine still has the slight geariness as well =\. However, like you said it does not affect the casting performance at all. Let us know how you like the reel! Cheers my friend!
Just picked this up with the Kastking Max Steel UL/L twin tip for $96. Originally wanted the blacked out Valiant Eagle 2 to match the colors, but for the same price I couldn’t pass it up. I’ll have to live with the mismatched color scheme.
@@foundingfather5100 hey founding! Imho, the pro is a much better reel than the blacked out original ve2 model. The star drag, brakes, spool weight and drag clicker are all done better vs the original. Good pick up! Hope you get good use out of your new setup! Cheers my friend!
@ thanks, brother! It’s my first jump into the BFS pond, and your videos were a big help to guide me. I watched others as well, which is why I went with the this over one of the DW variants. Almost went right to the JDM Aldebaran knowing it would be a tank for years, but decided to slowly enter instead of dive right in. Thanks again! Your videos are top quality as is the content.
Thanks!
@@patrickhartman6818 hey Patrick! Thanks so much for this. Definitely did not have to but much appreciated my friend! Cheers!
Thanks for the shout out! I didn't see it until the second time I watched. I did finally get the reel and I like it, it was pricey though
Hey John! Haha no problem =). You’re the only other person I know currently with this reel. Hopefully it will eventually come to aliexpress but until then I’ll have to find a cheaper way for people to get one as the reel is quite good imho. Cheers my friend!
@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL hopefully there will be a cheaper way, if I wasn't a little ahead at the time I wouldn't have been able to grab one at that price for sure. I think it's a good reel and I am not disappointed even though I went the expensive route. I just find it funny that I jumped on it so I could take it on my trip up north and actually received it the day I got home lol. Oh well, I will be fishing again soon enough. Great video, it was nice to see the reel in action.
@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL I purchased this reel after your recommendation on another comment section. I was able to find it on aliexpress, should be here next week.
@@JF-qc6po hey JF! Nice! Good pick up because I am just finding out that the kk aliexpress store now is not shipping these reels to US residents… They seem to have stopped sale similar to what they did when the Kestrel Elite was first launched and able to be had at a lower price than what KK USA was listing it for… Hope you are able to get yours. Cheers my friend’
@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL I did see something mentioned about not available to us residents but wasn't mentioned when I went to actually put in my cart to purchase. It's currently in transit so we will see when it gets here.
I greatly lookforward to the upcoming sub 1 gram casting shootout!
I just got back from a month long BFS and fly trout fishing trip to North Carolina. The star of the trip was the AA which I got based on your review just before I left. Thanks!
Hey Jay! Right on! I really hope you were able to get one of the AAs that has no issues or at least were able to fix those issues fairly easily if you did. I had hoped to film the sub 1g shootout this week but were in the middle of, surprise surprise, another massive heat wave so it’ll likely have to be filmed next week. Anyways, I greatly appreciate you stopping by and telling us about your adventures and experiences! Your trip sounds like it was a really amazing one. Cheers my friend!
Great sharing as always and thank you, Bro.
Hey wirin! My pleasure and cheers my friend!
Great video and some good bass!
Hey southwest! Appreciate the kind words! Cheers my friend!
Cool review on the reel.
Hey chris! Thanks for the kind words. Cheers mate!
I subscribed to your channel. I'ma send people your way when I can. Good content on reels.
@@HCBCHEMISTRY hey hcb! Greatly appreciate that and the kind words and most importantly I’m glad I was able to help you out! Cheers my friend!
Waiting to own it
Hey channel! Haha it’s definitely a great product. The geariness can be improved but everything else I’ve experienced so far regarding the reel has been wonderful. Cheers my friend!
Wait for the clip on how to buy it.
Great video, Doc
Hey doc! Thanks so much!!! Cheers my friend!
Great unboxing and review of the reel,thx for that !
About the breaks,could you feel they adjusted the strength down ?
And if so,is there any sign what they could have done with the mechanism?
Im interested in the reel,but scared that it might be still over-breaked.
It would be interesting if you're able to create a backlash ,and how high can you set the breaks up for let's say 5g total lures on the regular ?
Thx in advance !
Hey Rod! I can assure you that the reel is not overbraked like the first version. I’ve been casting a 0.56g weightless plastic worm on it without any issues. As far as I understand, the spool weight has been reduced from the first version. They may have also reduced the magnet strength but there’s not really any good way to test or verify that. Yes, I have had some backlashes with this reel and when I cast my 1g weightless plastics the brake dial is typically right in the middle setting. Imho, this reel is able to cast what they are claiming. Regarding 5g lures I never tested that but I believe they rate the reel for up to 10g lures so I would assume it is capable of casting 5g without much issue. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL thx a lot for the detailed answer.I will order one.
@@RodReel-hh9vp hey Rod! Let me know if you’ve got any further questions and cheers my friend!
Nice review!! Would you recommend cleaning some of the grease off when you get a new reel or any maintenance when you first get a new reel? Thanks David
@@All_is_Outdoors hey all! Really it’s up to the individual imho. It’s always a good thing to do a “pretune” but a lot of reels nowadays are great right out of the box. I enjoy doing it for some reels but lately I have just been wiping off excess grease from the spool/spool bearing. Thanks so much for the kind words and cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL Thanks!! Keep up the great reviews!!
I see another pb coming.
Hey Patrick! Haha I think I’m going to be waiting until spring for any chance at another big one =\. Fingers crossed but I am not going to get my hopes up haha. Cheers my friend!
I have a buddy in Guam that can get me one for pretty cheap. He can get almost any CDM reel or JDM reel over there. Pretty affordable for the most part
Hey ad! Right on! If so, I say go for it. If you don’t one the slight geariness then this reel performs quite well. It can cast with the best of them and the drag system is really well tuned. Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL it's seems like a decent reel. But! At a similar price, the Doviciello... aka Acura is just a bit better deal I think. And nobody has very many complaints that I've seen on that bad boy either. Thanks for the videos ! Helps me out a lot in evaluating my ROI on rods and reels
@adwhite804 hey ad! I will agree that the Acura pro is a better value for money. However, the AP can’t cast sub 1g lures like some of these newer reels that have a smaller diameter spool. So, you have to weigh and consider what is important to you. Also, imho this reel does feel quite a bit more premium than the AP. Don’t get me wrong I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the AP to anyone looking for a great deal of a reel but if you want something a bit nicer, has a wonderfully tuned drag, and can cast under 1g then this reel should be on your short list imho. Either way you’ll be getting a great reel regardless. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
Which rod do you have it paired with in the video? Thanks for the great content, keep it up.
Hey Carl! Thanks so much for the kind words! The rod I was using in the video is one that is currently only available on taobao. It is called the sembo spirit c592UL. I am hoping to see it available on aliexpress sometime soon? But I do not know… the rod is build very well and uses a Toray T1100 blank and has Fuji SiC guide inserts. Hope that helps and cheers my friend’
After watching video. I am very tempted to buy this reel. Seems like a great value for the $. But here’s my question: I have an Ark Gravity bfs and love love love it. Feels high quality, easy to dial in, casts light baits a long way. So, if I buy the Kastking, is it gonna feel comparable in terms of quality and ease of use? Its nearly half the price of the Ark, so if it’s even somewhat close I think I will pull the trigger on the Kastking for a second bfs rod I have that needs a reel. Thanks!
@@DavidBronstein1961 hey David! Imho, this reel will feel better in some aspects like the star drag and drag setting. As far as casting light lures goes yes it will definitely do that and with the added benefit of not having to take off the side plate to adjust a rotor. Kastking did a really bang up job with this reel imho. While the frame material isn’t carbon fiber like the gravity, the sychron material feels rigid, is lightweight(but not too lightweight), and does not feel hollow like some of the ultra lightweight entries coming out on the market. I think you will enjoy this reel if you do decide on purchasing it. I was extremely surprised with the reel. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
Hey Peter! how do you feel this compares to the non-pro version. More refined/tuned brakes, better drag, anything else? Appreciate your opinion.
Hey jano! This definitely has better brakes(ie not overbraked) and the drag/star drag are leaps and bounds better than the original. I’ve really enjoyed using the reel and will likely keep it in the long term stable right next to the silver feather and cormorant. Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL Awesome! It's worth while stepping up from the VE II, then. Appreciate the feedback! I can't justify picking up the Cormorant, but VEII Pro is much easier on the wallet.
After using it, do you think they did anything about the overbraking situation, Peter? Also, what were the rods you were using in the video (especially the first one with the split grip!)? Great video as always my friend!
Hey Dan! This “pro” version of the ve2 is definitely not overbraked like the first version. They finally managed to get this one right. Imho, it is better than the kestrel bfs which was also better than the ve2/ke. Hope that helps clear that up? As far as the rod goes, it is a Sembo rod called the Sembo Spirit and also not available on AliExpress AFAIK. This one is a 592UL with Fuji SiC rings and a Toray T1100 40ton blank. I can’t confirm if the guide feet are Fuji but Sembo says the rings are SiC at least. I picked this up for around $77. Pretty fun rod with some good bend and capable of casting 0.56g. Not the most sensitive rod I’ve used but it is fairly nice. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
Nice , What rod were you using in the video? Thanks.
Hey bill! The first fishing clip and intro were using a rod by Sembo called the Sembo spirit. I used the 592UL version and unfortunately it doesn’t seem to be available on aliexpress just yet. The specs for the rod are quite good for their asking price of $77, which is what I paid for it on taobao. It uses a toray t1100 40 ton blank and Fuji SiC guide inserts. I cannot confirm if the guide feet are genuine Fuji but they look to be stainless steel. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL thank you🐟
Soloking acura or histar aurora air ? Whichever one can cast under 2 grams better. I have a 4 year old zephyr i want to replace and a son who i want a reel for . thank you very much .
@@blicky308 hey blicky! I would say that the aurora air will outcast the Acura pro but there is a small chance you may have a QC issue with it. That said, I think the aurora air is so cheap that it’s worth more of a look than the Acura pro. Hope that helps! Cheers my friend!
Thank you so much !!
@@blicky308 my pleasure blicky! Cheers my friend!
Hello. And if he compares the Pro version with Valiant Eagle 2, how much better will the Pro be? Is this really a new fishing reel or just a tuning of the original version?
@@РусланЛеонов-ы2х hey there! It is not a brand new product but more of a product improvement. The amount of improvement is quite good though. The reel now can cast under 1g as advertised, there are bearings in the handle knobs, the drag clicker is much nicer sounding(personal preference, and the star drag tuning is very good. Imho, this is the reel that should have been the original valiant eagle 2. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL In this case, I will buy the Pro version. Thanks for the answer! And I want to wish you fishing luck! =)
@ hey there! Thank you so much for the well wishes and kind words! I wish you much luck as well and cheers my friend!
I ordered this reel from Aliexpress and still waiting for it to arrive. I want to try some BFS fresh water fishing. I live in South Texas where we mostly have salt water fishing. What rod and reel would you recommend for BFS inshore saltwater fishing?
@@BCastilloPhotography hey bcastillo! You should be able to use this reel for salt as they claim that the spool bearings are double shielded but as bearings are wear items you will likely have to replace them at some point. That said, what size fish are you chasing, what lure weights are you wanting to cast and what are your casting requirements ie far distances or short distance accuracy. Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL the setup I was looking to get was for small lures in the 1/16 to maybe 3/8 oz at most. I usually fish for speckled trout, redfish or flounder with 1/8 -1/2 oz lures. The problem is you never know what you might hook on to in saltwater. I usually use a medium fast rod but I'm looking to downsize to ML or L rods.
Better than soloking acura pro?
Hey vluffy! Most definitely. This reel will outcast the Acura and feels more premium for sure. However, the increase in cost also reflects this as well. Cheers my friend!
I like the the reel and everything about it show us how to get one !!!!! Please !!!!! And I'd like to try a cheap glass rod with pistal grip any suggestions would be GREATLY APPRECIATED !!!!
Hey Damon! Haha right on! I am still trying to verify a process and once I have confirmed it works well I’ll get a video out. I will say that it’s probably not the most straight forwards though sadly… Cheers my friend!
Again THANK YOU , I look forward to getting one !
@@damonguyton7552 hey Damon! My pleasure and I hope you enjoy the reel. This one, imho, is a marked improvement over the first VE2. Cheers my friend!
Have you tried ceramic bearings on this reel ?
Hey patrick! Nope not yet. I don’t really think the reel needs it per se as it casts so well already! Cheers my friend!
Haha balboa! My stomping grounds lol
@@jskip69r hey js! Haha right on! It’s my “home” lake as well! Haven’t been out too much due to the heat and the fact that I was out of country for a bit but I’m itching to get back out. Maybe I’ll see you out there =). Cheers my friend!
The drag clicker on VE2 was so quiet you can't tell there pulling drag. I like the louder clicker.
Hey Patrick! This is still a bit on the quiet side but I think it is a more pleasant sounding clicker =). Cheers my friend!
I just bought the silver feather and kastking is launching this 😅. What did you think of the reel, superior to the silver feather?
@@leonardokoch5655 hey Leonard! Imho, the two reels are quite comparable and have slight strengths in different areas. Both are great reels imho though. Congrats on the SF! I think you will enjoy the reel very much. Cheers my friend!
Had to watch again lol im glad i dont live in the city lol all the sirens
Hey Patrick! Haha yea… that lake being by an airport and in the middle of the city makes it hard to get a quiet moment there… Ah well… can’t complain too much as it’s there and available to fish =). Cheers my friend!
Did they fix the problem where the line can go in between the frame and the spool and wrap around the spool shaft?
Hey redfish! Honestly, I can’t recall experiencing this with the use of braid with the kastking bfs reels. I think I did experience it once when I tried using mono with the original ve2. However, I almost never use mono or fluoro with my bfs reels as I don’t want to run the risk of warping them. I did not experience any issues when using braid with this reel. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
simple solution, dont use super thin line
I dont understand why braid is safer than fluro and mono on a locked drag assuming both are the same breaking strain. Wouldnt stretch make it safer?
Hey Jacob! Nope. Stretch is actually worse and here’s why. When your line(mono or fluoro) can stretch, the spool can experience different amounts of line tension in different locations. This will cause “hot spots” of tension. Braid will not stretch and will have a more uniform amount of “crushing force” on the spool allowing it to withstand the forces it experiences. That said, technically on a locked drag, if your line breaking strain is very high yes you will likely warp or break your spool regardless of the type of line you are using. Hope that helps explain it a bit. Cheers my friend!
Can i upgrade hybird ceramic bering for it? Can i know size of bearing? Thank you bro ☺️
@@BBoyCherryCrow hey bboy! You definitely can but I really don’t think you need to as the reel casts quite well out of the box. Hope that helps! If you still really want to upgrade the bearings and need the size let me know. Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL Thank you very much, I believe you and your suggestion, but I still want to know that bearing size, sometimes bearings also wear out, I want to make sure we can upgrade or just replace when need ☺️ many thank bro 👍
@@BBoyCherryCrow hey bboy! I will try and take a look a bit later today and get back to you. Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL thank bro ☺️
Hey bboy! Just checked and they are a 834 on the spool and 733 in the side plate. Cheers my friend!
This or dwu???
Hey Leo! If price is no concern then I would go with this. It is more refined and a newer design than the DWU. It is also more capable of casting lower weights as well. Cheers my friend!
Bought it on ali left handed nethrlands
@@bernhardleuvering6349 hey bern! Thanks so much for letting me know! I hope you enjoy the reel my friend! Cheers!
If I get the reel from eBay it's $159usd delivered but yep it's certainly there.
Hey Jacob! Yea I don’t think that that price is that cheap imho… it’s not worth it for $159… I paid about $85USD shipped so around there is what I’d say it’s worth. Cheers my friend!
Sub 1 gram gang!
Seems like fine wine(color reference) the VEII "aged" in a good way to this pro version, a question about the clearance between the spool and chassi, has it been improved?
Hey Ricardo! You’re the second person to ask about the spool/frame tolerance. I never experienced issues with braid. The one time I did get slippage was when I tried using mono. I haven’t used mono since and the original ve2 never had issues after that. This reel has not had any issues for me. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL On the old VE2 it happen 1 or 2 times I think, but I saw some more folks complaining about it.
Hows ve 2 pro compared to soloking accura and histar aurora air?
@@mrrazr313 hey mrrazr! The v2pro is a nicer built reel vs the aurora air with a hint of geariness in the retrieve(at least on my copy). Both of those reels will handily outcast the Acura pro at sub 1g weights but the Acura pro may cast higher weights a tad farther. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNELgot mine today, and love it so much. Its my first bfs reel, but i can throw 1-2gr lures so easy and accurate.. thanks
@@mrrazr313 hey mr! That’s so awesome to hear! Glad you’re happy with your copy! It’s a pretty capable reel for sure. Cheers my friend!
What soft plastic lure were you using? Looks something like a tadpole imitation.
Hey Eric! It’s a TPE lure off AliExpress. 55mm and 0.8g it’s made by duoduo. Here is the affiliate link to the product.
s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mOt84YY
I like to use it in conjunction with a #8 EWG and a 0.8g cheb weight. It seems to be a good option I think because the tail floats a bit and has really great action. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL Thanks for the link and rigging details. I'll take a look at them. How was camping? You take the entire family?
@zankyou101 hey Eric! Yea entire family and extended family lol… Was a good trip but not much fishing sadly. Ah well… next time. Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL I know you liked to go camping in your earlier 4 Runner days. For me, if room service is 5 minutes late with my meal, I'm complaining to the front desk lol.
@zankyou101 hey Eric! Hahaha with kids in tow and lots of families it becomes a case of campgrounds with amenities. If I get a chance to go alone though that’s another story. Nowadays though I’m not averse to just getting a motel or an airbnb haha 😆. At the end of the day though as long as you’re enjoying what you’re doing then you’re doing it right =). Cheers my friend!
Can use for salt water?
Hey pancho! From my understanding yes you should be ok as the bearings are double sealed stainless steel bearings. However, I would give your reel a good cleaning periodically to help it last longer if you plan on using it in a salt environment. Also, keep in mind that bearings are wear parts do you may need to eventually replace them if you’re exposing them to salt. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
thank You for the information
@pancho3321 of course! My pleasure! Cheers my friend!
Love your channel but I’m gonna try one more time and then I guess let this go: your vids would be SO much more pleasing to watch without that horrible background “music” I know royalty-free music is hard to find: no music is better than horrible music. Just my .02.
@@DavidBronstein1961 hey David! I greatly appreciate the love and the request! I actually have lowered the volume of the music quite a bit since the last time you voiced your preference. However, I don’t know that I can just get rid of the music completely. I know you dislike it but I honestly have had no other complaints regarding the music and as I’ve been using since the beginning kind of identify it with the channel 😅. Sorry I apologize that it doesn’t quite suit your taste =\. I greatly appreciate your suggestion and your support though! Cheers my friend!
Most Kast King BFS reel is over brakes....they need to figure out about the brakes system
Hey ich! They got the brakes right on this version! It can actually cast what they are claiming now and quite well! This one has properly tuned brakes. Cheers my friend!
Yes LOL
Hey Patrick! Hope this message goes through but cheers my friend!