Shimano SLX BFS On The Water Review (BFS Fishing)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 พ.ค. 2021
- #baitfinesse #bfsfishing #SLXBFS
Hobie-Wan Kenobi does an on the water review of the Shimano SLX BFS. Casting a variety of usual finesse bass lures such as a NED Rigs, Shakeyhead, small crankbait and weightless fluke. This will be a good BFS reel for a beginner and expert.
The SLX BFS is a finesse baitcasting reel designed to cast lighter lures such as NED Rigs, shakeyheads and other lightweight bass lures. The SLX BFS can also cast mid-weight panfish jigs as well.
A benefit of having a BFS reel is to have the ability to fish light lures with 7-10lb flurocarbon line without having to deal with line twists and other issues spinning reels can have with flurocarbon. The ability to engage the spool instantly and control line during the cast like with a normal baitcasting reel while using light lures allows a softer presentation and, more prescise lure placement.
The Exciting Drag Sound (reel clicks when line is pulled out via drag) sounds similar to a spinning reel sound and allows the angler to know how fast a fish is running. I personally think it sound more fun than it is functional. The sound of a big bluegill ripping drag and hearing the reel go "buzzzzzzzz" on a BFS reel is a real joy to fish.
Outside of finesse fishing, the Shimano SLX BFS can be used for casting and pitching Texas Rigs and other mid-weight bass lures. The lightweight, shallow spool allows the minimum line required to fish and keeps the total weight of the spool low. That will allow effortless pitching which allows low trajectory and better accuracy. Keep in mind, the reel has a capacity of 8lb/50yds so long casting with 12lb fluorocarbon will not happen.
A full review series on the Shimano SLX BFS and Shimano Curado BFS will be coming. I will be comparing the two reels and doing a SLX BFS vs Curado BFS video as well. Be sure to subscribe and comment below what you want to see next.
I do a lot of BFS fishing and have many videos going over BFS fishing techniques, BFS reels, BFS rods and everything else.
An easy How to BFS fish guide is in the works as well.
Rod used is the Dobyns Sierra Ultra Finesse Casting Rod. It is a newer BFS rod released by Dobyns. I have a full review series on the rod. It is a great choice for finesse bass fishing. Light enough power to cast light baits and enough backbone to have confidence to land fish hiding in cover.
The Dobyns Sierra Series BFS rod and a few Shimano SLX BFS will be available at Bait Finesse Empire. - กีฬา
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What features do you look for in a BFS reel?
Decent cast length, a clicky drag and if possible, lighter than 150 g. Casting light lures is obvious, so I didn’t write that. I also like if they’re easy to service, but no low profile BFS reels are simple reels, at least not compared to ISUZU BC420SSS or similar round BFS reels.
@@Benjamin-S Clicking drag reels add a little more to maintenance. I have some take apart videos that show taking reels apart. It isn't too hard after you do it a couple times.
@@HobieWanKenobi I'm pretty used to reel maintenance and working on reels, but I hate working on reels with many small parts that are finicky to get back into place (like getting the spring to stay in the dent in the clicky drag). That's why I want a low maintenance reel. I love the Aldebaran BFS, especially with the Conquest BFS brass gears inside it, but man is it a pain in the a*s to service.
I never made the brass gear swap. My 8.1 is butter smooth and I like the speed.
@@HobieWanKenobi I fish worse with an 8.1:1 gear ratio. I naturally want to speed up. Unfortunately my duralumin gears feel rough, they have developed a gear buzz after 2,5 years.
Great review, solid info....!
Light spool and brakes that adjust with a noticeable effect on spool control.
The brakes were very responsive to changes on the dial.
Thanks for the review. The SLX and Curado BFS reels may be the key to BFS entering the mainstream in the US.
That is what I hoping happens.
I’ll be watching your review of the SLX, Curado, and Scorpion BFS before I make my purchase. Thanks!
What lure weights are you casting?
I just received my Sierra rod and I love it, great choice on the rod.
Glad you enjoy it. It is a great rod
Great info on the bearings. First thing I do with a new reel is tear it down and run them in my sonic cleaner with Simple Green cleaner. Then run the spool bearings dry.
You run stainless steel bearing dry
@@HobieWanKenobi a dry SS bearing is really not an issue in our application. The load and speed that the bearings subjected to in a BFS reel is really not that great that you need to have them oiled and give up performance. If you use the reel in Saltwater or brackish water that is a different situation and oil for sure. Now the aluminum gears on a Shimano bfs reel is a different story altogether I like to slather those guys up with the stickiest grease. I'm trying out Nano-Grease this year. On a different not I'm sitting here debating on putting hybrid ceramic bearing on my 20 Alphas air TW but removing the shaft pin on such a lightweight thin spool has me scared. Replacement spools or the Roro spools are impossible to get ahold of.
@@madmullets If you get a hold of a Roro spool...they are nice. You can preorder on the Roro site
Great review! Thanks.
Thanks for watching!
Glad you said it was more for bass. I made the mistake between the terms or concepts of BFS and ultralight BFS.
People like to hype BFS casting tiny lures and lose touch with using BFS in a functional manner.
@@HobieWanKenobi For me the tiny lures was something I was looking for. I have many tiny panfish in my area. I do have a lot of ultralight spinning gear but was trying to get into bfs ultralight.
@@noobpyrotech9991 depending on what jigs you use, the SLX BFS could don't but, I'd rather a slightly more finesse reel like a Daiwa Silver Creek. Does great with panfish jigs
I like the videos! Not alot of guys giving info here in the states. Just ordered my first bfs setup so I have been taking in alot of info. I went for budget reel on my first setup, but I actually had someone strongly recommend the phenix feather Light casting rod to me over the dobyns. I was curious have you tried that rod? It was recommended as a rod that could cast bfs but still handle a big largemouth.
I have built a few Phenix rods (Mirage and K2). I have not used the Feather. I know that this Dobyns rod is awesome for finesse bass lures. It can also cast panfish jigs as well. The taper is really fun yet functional with finesse bass fishing. I want to get out and get after some walleye with this rod as well. If you check out my Curado video when it premiers, you will see a lot of what the Curado and Dobyns can go through.
Great review - Thanks! What size bearings does this reel take?
Great vid, love your content. I have the scorpion and the slx bfs reels how different is the curado bfs reel? Could you compare?
I will have a comparison video coming soon. I own all three of those reels.
Good review. Pretty much what I assumed. Did you weigh the spool? I've seen 9grams quoted but haven't seen the spool on a scale yet.
I didn't yet. Just over 9gr is what I am seeing from many online sources
nice video. quick question. For a guy who has a "Shimano Aldebaran 16 BFS JDM" BFS setup and some budget :) would you recommend this one as a 2nd BFS setup or something else?
Yeah. It is a finesse reel for sure. I have a ton of BFS setups and I can even fit the Curado BFS or SLX BFS in my lineup comfortably
Solid on the water review...thanks for the information. "I actually have a Scorpion in my pocket" lol
Who doesn't just casually just have a Scorpion BFS in there pocket???
@@HobieWanKenobi or two!
@@anorak_szn That's just too much. 1 reel and some spools with different line to increase versatility without slowing you down too much.
I like your video. I have try this reel today it is ok . The rod you have in this video I have checked on line it is 200$ . Maybe Japanese rod is a more cheap.
Hi - I’m currently using the Abu Garcia Roxani BF8 and a Tsurinoya Dexterity rod, 0.6 - 8gm casting weight. I’m wondering if one of the Shimano BFS reels is going to be a significantly different / better option over what I’m using? I have a couple of the shimano SLX reels, non BFS, and I really like using them for medium lures. Great videos - thank you!
The brakes will be a little better overall. The magnetic brakes Abu Garcia uses work great but, require to be set very specific to each lure and the wind. The FTB Shimano uses is a little more adaptable so, requires less changing to still get good performance.
@@HobieWanKenobi thank you!
Hey bud, love the channel very informative. I have been fishing bfs for a little over a year now and have caught my pb largemouth on bfs (6.5 lbs), which was the most fun catch of my life! I own a slx, a slx dc and love the line of reels. I am currently using a cheap kastking zephyr for my BFS setup and now that I know I love BFS I want to upgrade to a shimano bfs. In your opinion which shimano bfs would be the best option, the SLX A, curado bfs, scorpion bfs or any other that you could think of besides the Alberderan which is out of my price range. I know that I love my slx series reels but I want to spend my money wisely. Thank you bud and I hope to see more videos! Tight lines🤙💪🎣🇺🇸
SLX BFS for sure: www.digitaka.com/items/5/4/2/SLX+BFS
There is a new discount code as well 79J to save a little too. Much cheaper than the Curado BFS or Scorpion BFS
@HobieWanKenobi thank you for getting back to me, I will use your code for sure. Thank you brother. 🤙
I took a break from social media. It's been a long list of replies 😂. Glad to help out
Hey bro,
You just gave me some homework here :D btw, what is the rod that you like the most from Aliexpress for bfs?
And thanks for the reviews !
For AliExpress rods, the Tsurinoya Ares is my favorite. More of a trout rod. Bait Finesse Empire carries quite a few rods commonly seen on AliExpress without the 2 months wait.
How does the SLX BFS compare to the Curado BFS? assuming the SLX version may come in about $70 cheaper, would the extra be worth it for the Curado?
Seems like the Curado may cost slightly less than the SLX BFS. I will be releasing a video comparing the two reels
Light spool, i prefer the one that can cast at least 2gram weight. Side cast wont go to the side as for the brake anything but Doyo magnet and Banax brake.
I will be testing the low end capability of these reels. The SLX seems to be able to cast finesse bass lures just fine. Anything less than that would be a bonus for me.
Hi Kenobi :) I am new to bait casters and I wonder, especially for this particular reel, what is the heaviest lure you can cast with it? can it perform well with a 20gr jig for example? ( Yes I want to cast 3.5gr lures also :) )
I would use a different reel for 20gr. Biggest issue would be line capacity. A Daiwa SV reel would give you the most versatility
@@HobieWanKenobi yes but Daiwa has no drag clicker when fish on :) Thanks for your reply. I won't understand why most bait caster reels don't have this feature.
@@wuquanchi Daiwa has drag clicker in the new Gekkabijin AIR TW. The drag is silky smooth too. Daiwa Steez CT also has a drag clicker
When are you going to start throwing the Geecrack stuff...its kind of interesting and different.
Some of their baits do look nice. I have so many plastics though 😂
Hey Hobie-Wan, I'm looking to grab a reel for the 4-12g range, Scorpion BFS, Curado or Slx bfs? Any difference?
Not really at that lure range. Cosmetics is the biggest difference.
@@HobieWanKenobi thanks! I'll grab whatever is available then!
Do you prefer the SLX BFS or Curado BFS or isn’t there a lot of difference or what are the differences?
Not really any functional differences. I prefer the looks of the Curado but, the SLX is less expensive
Spool, brake system, form factor (Shimano fits better in my hands, don‘t know why), „clickers“, total weight (which is a downer of all dc reels to me) and balance with the matching rod which finally leads to looks (must match color wise). I can’t stand an „optical mismatch“ between a very expensive rod and a decently expensive reel. Nice vid and mostly „in action“. Thanks for this entertainment! Who has filmed you? This must be a kind person to stay with you filming in such poor weather 😀
I don't care too much about matching. I will use Shimano reels on Daiwa rods. My fishing partner filmed me. Filming takes away from fishing time too.
@@HobieWanKenobi this is for sure the more grown up attitude! I do mix manufacturers too (Daiwa currently has the best bfs reel with Steez/Alphas Air TW) but it must fit with the colors. I have a Daiwa Steez Hermit rod with orange grip applications which made me order orange tuning parts from Hedgehog Studios Japan just to match an Alphas Air TW to this rod. I know, this is stupid 💁
It all looks really nice though when everything gets put together. I have a custom Alphas AIR TW on a Tsurinoya Ares BFS rod I got from AliExpress.
@@HobieWanKenobi I know....watched every vid and liked it 👍
Glad you liked it.
is the rod more important then the reel in bfs? and when do you think bfs tackle will become more main stream and available in the US.?
I wouldn't say more important but, I think the rod is underrated when it comes to BFS tackle. Everyone talks about BFS reels and how light they can cast. Finding a reel that comfortably and accurately casts the lures you plan on using and also using a rod that loads easy with those weights. Too stiff of a rod makes the angler have to use more force to load the rod, making backlashes more more. Accuracy also decreases too.
BFS will become more mainstream in the US. The Curado BFS will really help with that I believe.
In general, a rod is more important than a reel but with BFS the reel does begins to play a bigger part.
@@RonMTube Good way to put it.
Thinking about pulling the trigger on this reel or the fishband clamber hyper micro ?
What would your opinion be on the situation?
Gladly appreciate your time, thank you.
I would go with the SLX BFS. Better reel and more aftermarket parts
@@HobieWanKenobi thank you brother fish on
What reel did you end up getting?
@@HobieWanKenobi I ordered two Dark Wolf Ultra's off of AliExpress after watching a recent Bass & Bonsai reel shootout against the 22 Aldebaran on YT...
So im thinking why spend $280. dollars At digitaka/asian portal when I can get two reels that cast ultralight lures just as far as the Aldebaran for 1/3 the price.
Now I just have to wait.
I have a couple questions about braided PE, how quickly does it start wearing, getting fuzzy?(ive never really used it much except for my channel cat ugly stik setup)
If PE braid does fray quickly then why use it? because I would think the friction issue would be a problem for BFS ?
(Unless the rod im using has crap guides that are tearing up my braid?)
The reason why I ask is I went fishing three afternoons ago with a Piscifun 'spark pro' model reel outfitted with 15lb PE spider wire on a 5'2 UL Rosewood 'Tracker' model rod and fished for 5 hrs catching a few bass and a 9lb catfish (that put up one heck of a fight) fishing multiple baits/ lures down to 2.5 gm... The spark pro while decent is not a BFS reel by any means, however it is a tough reel but not a BFS reel worth $30. but not $40. anything above 3gms it will cast well, lures lighter than that and its a fight/waste of time... While looking at my line today im noticing its all tore up and rough, it makes noise and hangs up moving thru the ceramic guides of the rod its on... (I am puzzled Now back to the braid question) Are the rod guides tearing up the braid or is that how braid behaves?
Mono does not behave the same, it seems more slippery than braid thru the rod guides, the same 4lb mono is 15lb PE in diameter, I dont know if its worth the added friction which equates to less casting distance and accuracy just to have more reliable/ stronger line?
I thought the goal in BFS was to toss the lightest bait accurately to target hiding fish ?
Either my new rod is jacked, or braid is a waste of time and money.
Any advice I will greatly appreciate you sharing your perspective with us all on this confusing subject of which line is better for BFS braid or monofilament?
Thanks Kenobi have a great weekend... Aloha and fish on
@@krustysurfer For the braid, more than likely your guides. Braid picks up tiny sediments in the water than acts like a light sandpaper of sorts. The guide ring material (if it even has any) on that Rosewood more than likely a soft material and is easily damaged by braid. Add in catching a 9lb catfish and it could have damaged the guides but, probably started before that. Use a cotton swab and run it around the inside of each guide. If the cotton fibers catch or start to pull away, could have damaged guides.
Hi, can you try to put braid on this or on the curado? How many meters can you put?
You can use braid on this reel. The amount depends of the thickness of the line. This reel will hold over 50m of 10lb line.
Waiting for my Curado BFS! This reel might be perfect as a BFS intro for my friend that has an SLX DC.
The Curado BFS will be a good intro BFS reel. Still capable of having good use for experts too.
Hi what reel would you choose between a slx bfs and a scorpion bfs considering the 50euros in price difference?
(sorry for the bad english i'm italian)
I would go with the SLX BFS. The 50euro difference does not justify the Scorpion BFS.
@@HobieWanKenobi alright thank you!
I thought the SLX spool was one mm different than the scorpion spool I think Is the width of the school
I have used all the spools interchangeably
SLX BFS or Alphas SV TW, which do you recommend for casting 4-9g hard body lures with 10lb braid line on 6'4" ML rod?
Either reel would work. I would say the SLX BFS because it has less line capacity. It would take quite a bit more 10lb braid to fill the Alphas SV TW spool. The cost of the SLX is less as well.
@@HobieWanKenobi I would probably need to spool only 50m. Do you still recommend SLX? My main lure is 4g crank.
@@kneegrip Yeah. Or the Curado BFS in you are in the USA
@@HobieWanKenobi No BFS reel is available where I live in Australia. The difference between Curado BFS and SLX BFS is only cosmetic according to a Japanese TH-camr. I guess SLX BFS for 4-6g and Alphas SV TW for above 7g. Hard to choose one of them for 4-10g lures.
@@kneegrip I think the biggest difference is cosmetic as well.
Do you think the new Daiwa alphas sv tw can perform similiar to this reel with bfs lures?
Although I haven't tested it, I am willing to bet the Alphas AIR TW will cast lighter lures than this or the Curado BFS.
@@HobieWanKenobi what about the silver alphas sv tw? I know the spool is deeper but if it can come close to the slx or curado bfs then I'd rather have it cuz of a little more line capacity.
I like the Alphas SV TW. I realized I read your original comment wrong. The Alphas SV TW won't cast as light as the SLX BFS or Curado BFS but, it can still cast pretty light lures. I have a review series on the reel showing casting and such with light lures. Roro also makes an aftermarket BFS spool for it. I think Bait Finesse Empire has a few for that reel.
So which do you prefer the alphas air tw or this one?
I havent tested it for really low end casting like I usually use with my Alphas AIR TW but, I really like it for these finesse bass plastics in the video.
Anybody know where to get parts for this reel? I fell on my reel and snapped off handle
You can use any Shimano handle. Make sure you keep the weird washer thing that makes the clicking sound for your drag washer.
how far can you cast that 1/10 oz lure with this reel?
A respectable distance. I was tossing a tiny weightless fluke and it worked well
@@HobieWanKenobi how many feet? Thx
What you recommend for lure 1-7g, Curado BFS or SLX BFS?
They will cast the same. Same braking system and spool weight. Whichever reel you can get get easier.
@@HobieWanKenobi thank you!
Can I work 1g +2' on Curado?
1gr would not be ideal. You would need micro bearings for sure and a limber rod
I saw that you have both the SLX BFS and the Curado BFS. Would you say that the SLX BFS is less smooth than the Curado BFS? I know the Curado has more bearings but I have a SLX and it isn’t as smooth as I thought it would be
They are pretty much the same reel. Worth saving money and going with the SLX BFS.
What action camera do you have on your chesty?
GoPro Hero Session 5
Nice brother 👍👍🤝🤝
Thank you 👍. Glad you enjoyed it.
How do I get my hands on a SLX bfs reel?
Many Japanese websites have it. Curado is available in the USA
Mine is still on preorder from Japan. How did you get yours already?
Where you preorder from? This is a lefty. Right handed reels come out later from what it looks like.
From Japan Tackle. Had to put money down to reserve it and still no word on it? I also preordered a lefty.
@@EmptyskyPetition IDK. They were on holiday for a while earlier this month
@@HobieWanKenobi You got it from them too?
@@HobieWanKenobi Or it must be because I didn’t get the 8 ratio, I got the 6?
Hey bro can it throw down to 2 grams? Thanks
Yeah. Helps having aftermarket bearings like Roro micro bearings but, it's doable with stock bearings
the scorpion is the best bang for buck bfs reel out there, more bearings and better material than the curado or slx bfs
The Scorpion BFS is pretty much the same reel as the Curado BFS, and slightly less similar to the SLX BFS. I have used all three extensively and also take all three apart side by side to compare them.
I always have problems putting back on the side plate on these Shimano reels, these one's no different. :(
The Conquest BFS is a bit tricky as well
what do you think is the best gear ratio fro bfs??
Faster the better for me. Unless I have a dedicated cranking BFS set up, I prefer fast ratios.
@@HobieWanKenobi does Shimano make a 7 speed bfs?
@@ramboj7924 The Conquest BFS is the closest with 6.8. The Aldebaran BFS has a 7.4 but, with the smaller than "normal" 29mm spool, it is more like a 7.
What's the max weight this reel would handle
I honestly haven't tested it but, I see line capacity being the limiting factor. The brakes have a really wide braking profile that would be able handle whatever the line capacity allows.
@@HobieWanKenobi was looking to put it on a ml 5-20g heaviest lures 15g max what do you think
Depending on the line used, you should be fine. Line capacity would be the only issue. An SV spool Diawa would also be another good choice.
Hey mate what yak is that your on.
Hobie Pro Angler 17T
U'ools should be trying Fishband " CLAMBER HYPER MICRO "
I never tried it. I have heard of some people having good thoughts about Fishband.
@@HobieWanKenobi Fishband GH100 is pretty famous CDM copied FTB brake
@@vire559 Never fished it. I saw on that looks like an Aldebaran BFS
@@HobieWanKenobi pretty decent for a 10gram spool with 6 gram lure
@@vire559 The SLX spool is just over 9gr
yo kenobi..have you upgraded this reel at all yet?
You will see very soon what I have done to it.
Is that the 0 or 1 Power Rod? @hobie-Wan Kenobi
This is the 0 power solid tip model.
@@HobieWanKenobi I'm on a budget looking to get a good all around versatile setup for my first BFS combo and I couldn't believe you were using the exact combo of rod and reel I was looking to get...would you recommend the SLX and Sierra 7', 0 power for a good all around first BFS setup? My friend was suggesting I get the 6'9" 1 Power. and Thanks for the video by the way
I prefer the 1 power Dobyns vs the 0 power. The SLX BFS is a great reel to start with. You will not "outgrow" it and use it for quite a while. I have another contender for a bass rod coming soon. I will let you know if that rod is better/how it's different. What lures do you plan on using?
@@HobieWanKenobi I'm still not sure exactly what lures I want to throw I just want a do everything versatile first setup for now for my first one. Hopefully a bit of everything. My lake is heavily pressured fish on the small side bank fishing only. I'm leaning on the 1 power just trying to decide between 691 and 701 I think at this point. Any help or advice is appreciated.
@@HobieWanKenobi 0 power probably fits my lake and maybe I get one later as well, but I don't want to be under powered should I take it anywhere else.
That break dial thing with the Shimanos is annoying...they have had time to refine it.
I have had to play with mine quite a bit on my Aldebaran BFS to get it right
@@HobieWanKenobi by the grace of God my third one was out the box just right
Just like Golilocks...how cute.
Is this Salt water approved?
Yes. Still rinse and all that but, Shimano says "Saltwater Ok".
your rod is huge...
7ft Light powered rod. It is huge compared to my 4'7" XUL stream rod haha.
15 mins for a review? Make it 3 mins. Cut 12 mins non review fishing times out.
I pride myself in providing in depth, practical information to my viewers. Included in the video is a lot of information that a lot of people want to know or, they didn't think of as a consideration for a product. Many viewers prefer the tangible information I collect vs sitting at a table and reading specs, GoPro footage hyping a product up and all that jazz.