I love my BFS reels. They have been my go to since the fishing has been tough on my lake. I have two aldebaran bfs reels and they are great. I am a shimano guy, but I am not opposed to trying different stuff. Great video!
I am a big fan of the 22 Aldebaran, even though I have only had it out a couple of times, as I just got it. It will replace the Gekkabijin on my UL rod. Honestly, I am considering collecting all the different BFS reels from at least Diawa and Shimano over time. One that I look forward to you reviewing will be the new Diawa ss air that they just announced for this year. It should be interesting to see where it sits between reels like the Steez air and Gekkabijin.
Thank you for the comparison, very interesting! For a second part I wish you could do another comparison, same reels but fully customized this time, with the Roro spool for instance. Since I added the AX23 to my Gekka it is so perfect that I am wondering how any other reel could perform better. Also, initially purchased this spool for short range casts, but doing a kind of distance contest between the 2 spools, got very surprised by the result as the Roro won on this one too.
I'm from the USA I Just got into BFS, I got the Daiwa Gekkabijin Air TW and the Silver Creek AIR TW I'm going to be using them to target lake run brown trout, Big panfish and Smallmouth bass. I got them to replace my spinning gear.
saw you on a different U TUBE channel doing a hunting video think it was 906 love your video's thanks for sharing your knowledge and insight on the outdoors.
Hey man I really enjoy you content. Very informative for sure. I do have a question, do you use your SLX reel bone stock with no upgrades when throwing 3grams and under?
Upgrades will help with 3gr and under. If casting in streams or short range, upgrades will definitely help. The Roro CB26 is a great spool for it. If casting open water, you could get away with new spool bearings
I tend to keep reaching for my 22 Aldebaran over everything else now. Seems to be able to handle it all from ultra light to power bait finesse. Best money I’ve spent on a reel by far. Great comparison vid! Tight lines.
@@HobieWanKenobi I’ve put mine well and truly through its paces. Caught European perch to just under 4lbs and pike to just under double figures and it’s not put a foot wrong. Plenty of power there to play with.
Nice video. Will bookmark and keep it close to hand in the future! Would you be so kind to recommend a few options for freshwater big lake perch fishing (from land)? I currently have a DWU, but I am having trouble with casting distance.. Thank you. Love your videos!
Thank you for the video! I just got a Daiwa Silver Creek and am looking forward to messing around with it. my plan was to get a Gekkabijin next, but that might wait till after I get an Aldebaran.
@@HobieWanKenobi I am planning on getting the gekkabijin, but it would be nice to have the aldebaran as well. My downfall is that I like to try everything!
@@Joshua-jh8yc ...that's my downfall too 😂. I have more reels than I know what to do with. Selling them is the obvious answer but...where is the fun in that?
@@HobieWanKenobi I understand somewhat! I started upgrading my collection this year, and now have a few spinning combos that are decent, but only got used a couple of times during the season.
Which are your top 2 for versatility? As in, when you said “if I had to pick one it would be the Alde”… I want to use it for stream (trout) and finesse bass fishing. 1 gram and up to whatever it can handle (7g, maybe?), or as large of a range as possible.
I really appreciate how easy your videos are to digest. They have rekindled my interest in fishing over thay few months. After watching every single reel review you've posted, I have one last question. In your opinion, do you think it'd be a itd be a better upgrade to get a 22 aldebaran or a roro spool for my slx bfs xg?
Glad to be able to have inspired you to get back into fishing. If you have a separate use for the SLX BFS and the Aldebaran BFS, I would get the Aldebaran BFS. If you are on a budget or, do not mind switching spools, the Roro CB26 would be a good choice.
@HobieWanKenobi thanks for the suggestions. I wound up splurging on a calcutta conquest after watching the phenix bfs review a few more times. Buy once, cry once, lol. I'm absolutely in love with it. Much like you found, I have much better distance with this combo over the slx. Now I need to pick up a 5'-6' stream rod. I'm interested to see how the new Kistler/Aaron Hunt 4xl 6' rod performs in reviews. I'm probably going to pick up a rays rod for now.
Super informative video bud! Learned a lot. You are very clear in the way you explain things. Any spool upgrade recommendations for the kast king zephyr that you’re aware of? Im sure it will handle small mouth lures just fine. I also wanted to try it with some crappie lures the lightest I would go is 1/32.
Thanks for all these great videos. Do you know of a spool that fits the gekkabijin that would give it more line capacity ? I would like to do some wading for smallies and maybe some light bass lures when lake fishing. I was casting a 1/10 ned the other day and spooling all the 10 pound braid I currently have on it quite easily. Same thing with a whopper plopper 60.
An Alphas spool? I forget all that they do an various models, but it's an alphas frame iirc. If it has spacers you can look up how to remove them and for sure use an alphas spool, just make sure the diameters match up.
I think there is something on AliExpress but, not certain. I am not sure if you can make an Alphas SV TW spool fit like mentioned. The sideplate spacer would be easy. I would have to look at the frame. If there is a spacer, it would be possible.
I hope in the next five years we see clicking drag standard in most casting reels. It is just a feature I miss now when I don't have it. I am still torn between buying a BFS reel now (probably an Aldebaran BFS) or waiting to see if anything semi-BFS comes out, like a new Aldebaran 30-50 MGL. I use 7lb fluorocarbon, and I feel that is right at the top of line diameter for a BFS reel.
I use 7lb a lot and I find the capacity to be enough for my fishing. I usually use ned rigs and finesse plastics with my BFS reels when bass fishing. If using bigger hardbaits, could run out of line I suppose. The Daiwa SV reels have good lightweight casting ability with a little more line capacity
Awesome content, much appreciated! What are your thoughts on Abu Garcia? Their JDM lineup has some very interesting models and between my Revo ALC-BF7 and Scorpion BFS I feel like the Abu has a slight edge in short range casting sub 3g lures.
Abu Garcia seems to release some pretty good tackle in the Japanese market. I haven't used an Abu BFS reels in a while, mostly because they seem to be kinda stale the past few reels. The rods always piqued my interest.
Great breakdown! Dam… I didn’t even know that Shimano had a BFS version for almost all their live… I have the Curado BFS, and I thought that was their only BFS. So that’s cool, I guess they’re not available in most shops because I’m always on tackle warehouse website and I don’t see all those options. Or Dicks, or many other shops for that matter. I live next to tackle direct in NJ and they have a real good selection of all brands and even they only carry the Curado BfS.
Most of those reels are available in the Japanese market. Digitaka.com is a reputable place to buy from. With the current exchange rate, kinda hard not to. I have a video on how to order from Japan.
Hobie I want to use a BFS specifically for light bass jigs, most of the time around 3/16, what reel do you recomend ? Also using 5 and 7 pound test flouro, thanks.
Is the 22 Aldebaren Still a good performer with the new stuff out now? I bought a castking Zephyr just to see if I would like BFF. I upgraded the bearings which I think made it worse. I have to use the brakes on 10 and I get lots of backlashes.. Mostly pan fish with slip bobbers and jigs, and you can't cast it a short distance at all for some reason. I'm using 6 lb braid with a fluorocarbon leader. Some times it cast just fine. Then 5 minutes later you'll get three backlashes in a row. I'm looking for something that will consistently cast light stuff without trouble.
Are your slip bobbers going all the way down to your jig? If there is dispersed weight on your line (think split shots up from a hook), it will make casting difficult as the rig spinning in the air causes rapidly changing amounts of line to be taken off the spool during the cast, causing backlashes. The Aldebaran is still a great BFS reel
@@HobieWanKenobi You got a good point there. That's why I switched to slip bobbers but it is about a foot above the lure. I have a small split shot in the middle.. I think I'll pull the trigger on a Aldebaren
@@DixieNormous1 Ok. Try a different configuration with the slip bobber and give it a go. There is a discount code K63 that works at Digitaka.com for the Aldebaran
Great video Hobie-Wan Kenobi . We know all these big brand BFS reels can cast down to 2 grams quite easily . I asked before in another video when you first got your Aldebaran 22 bfs . I said i dont expect an answer now but will ask you again when you have had more time with the reel . So it went like this . Im gonna come from a different angle . Something we forget sometimes getting caught up in the newest and latest . Fun factor !!! Which BFS reel gives you the most fun on the bank ? Which BFS reel do you enjoy the most ?
Outside of the joy of getting a new reel, I think the Silver Creek AIR TW does. It's easiest reel to get super accurate shots. The Aldebaran BFS is great and gives me more accuracy potential too but, backlashes are a little more frequent when I am pushing the boundaries than the Silver Creek.
@@HobieWanKenobi Excellent . I am currently waiting on my Silver Creek Air TW and my Gekkabijin Air Tw to arrive from Japan . Looking forward to getting them out on the water . I appreciate you taking the time to reply . Tight lines from the UK .
It's basically casting lighter lures with a baitcasting reel. There is a lot more to it than that. Here is an article I wrote about it: tackletour.com/reviewbaitfinesse.html
Great video, I was also surprised with the Kestrel elite this year and after adding the roro bearings it's been my go to reel for trout fishing. If you want to save some money you can look at the valiant eagle II as well, it's the very same reel and specs just has a graphite frame instead of magnesium and sells for 60.00 right now. I added the same roro bearings to that reel as well and have been only fishing the kastkings this winter and pulled in some very big trout on them. The Aldebarans are still in my top reels also and I like to fish them as well. You all are probably pretty cold up there right now but still looking forward to some more creek fishing videos
@@HobieWanKenobi it's the very same weight spool with a little different design in the porting, I weighed both of mine and they were both withing .1 gram and are interchangeable between reels. The braking system is a little different on the valiant eagle II as well allowing the brakes to be slightly weaker but I still find myself never going over around 4 even with the new bearings. I kind of felt robbed that I spent as much as I did on the Kestrel and could have got all the same specs so much cheaper, but at the end of the day I really like how solid the Kestrel feels also
@@HobieWanKenobi to be honest I don't hate the brakes as much as others, I find it allows me to throw a little harder in the high winds and I can't even remember the last time I had an overrun or backlash lol. I changed up my casting style a little with these and can still get the super light baits a good distance as well as my small cranks. I also think the small spools feels awesome when casting but that's personal preference I guess
Good informations and tips like everytime, appreciate your videos since I often do trout fishing and you are a real expert for trout and panfish. Here in Europe baitcasting setups are not so common for trout fishing.
That's tough. The Kestrel impressed me quite a bit. The SLX is about $70 less expensive. Another thing to add is that KastKing made the Valiant Eagle II that is basically the Kestrel without magnesium frame.
Really most BFS reels can handle panfish duties. If using light panfish jigs, I'd lean toward the Gekkabijin AIR TW or, if on a budget, try the SLX if using 1/16oz heads plus trailer. May need to get some micro bearings to help out a little.
Bonjour et merci pour se retour d'expérience très intéressant .. je pense également que la friction de la ligne sur les cône de départ de certain moulinet procure une différence sur les lancés de leurre très léger même à courte distance . Quand pensez vous ?... Cordialement , Alain ..Depuis la France .
The line guides to factor into casting performance. The size and position of the line guide can cause a lot of friction, reducing casting performance. Most manufacturers realize this and minimize the effect quite a bit
The 34mm Clamber spool has an internal diameter of approximately 27mm. This is about 8.48 circumference, and with a gear of 6.6 we get almost 56 cm. Alphas\SilverCreek\Gekka has a gear of 8.5-8.6 and a 28mm spool, with an inner diameter of about 22. We get about 59cm. Total difference within 1.5-2 inches or 3.5-5cm. I fish with 34mm spools, and 28. The latter is definitely more convenient when using 2.5 grams and below. But on sinking wobblers 40-50mm there is practically no difference. Now I'm still waiting for REVO ALC and Zenon LTX, I'll look at them on the stream.
The new BFS reel is also amazing, but in Japan, there is a tuning of ABU2500 and 1500 in the 70's so that you can throw 1g or less without any problems.
@@HobieWanKenobi In Japan, they also sell gears that are modified for high speed and offset and low-down frames. ABU is popular because many people who fish mountain stream trout in Japan use the old style.
I have the aldebaran bfs 22 and the slx bfs I cannot get consistent bass fishing 3-6grams with the aldebaran without having to adjust brakes and really make sure techniques perfect or I get dig ins or backlashes it’s like it’s to senstive , I pick up my slx combo and I just fish … and I don’t notice any performance difference between the two…. With the aldebaran getting me bad dig ins and constantly playing with it im thinking of selling and importing a curado bfs as my second bass outfit , thoughts on this before I pull the trigger ?
I sent my Aldebaran BFS tension knob to have the smallest amount of side movement in the spool. The brakes on my Aldebaran BFS are usually higher than on my SLX BFS.
hi mate. I want to play bfs at rock salt water. Initially wanted to buy aldebaran because it is very light. but after seeing your video, slx is more suitable for playing in salt water. I am very sad.
thank's your video i have one question I am considering either 23 conquest bfs or daiwa silver creek, 23 conquest not realease yet but i think it same 22 aldebaran bfs so, I'm going to use around 5g of bait. and hope cast fly distance 50ft... what recommend 22 alde bfs? or daiwa silver creek air?
Either reel will cast 5gr very well. The Silver Creek has a little more control casting short range. The Conquest will more than likely feels more refined. Silver Creek will cost less money. Can't go wrong either way. Digitaka.com has the Silver Creek in stock. The Conquest may be hard to purchase for a while.
I’m kinda new to bfs but I’m extremely interested and want to purchase one set up but I want an all around set up.. I’ve tried looking you up on Facebook to try to message you because I don’t have Instagram. So I figured I’d just get on here and ask you here.. I’d like to be casting mostly ned rig baits and small plastics.. would the SLX be appropriate for that and which sierra series rod would you pair that with? Or if you have another recommendation I’d love to hear it.. I wanna make a purchase but there’s so much content on bfs I figured I’d just ask the right person and that would be you!
The SLX BFS and Dobyns 701c would be a nice combo. I like the Cashion Icon BFS 610ML a little more but, either rod will work. Digitaka has the SLX BFS in stock the last I checked. There is a January discount code of E42 as well.
@@HobieWanKenobi I appreciate you taking the time to respond to my question.. I’m gonna check the Cashion out and may go that route. I appreciate the discount code as well! Thanks for all you do!
@@HobieWanKenobi fount it and watched it. Please test more of these budget options tho of reels and rods so we get more ppl interested in bfs and try it out :)
I do once in a while. That market is pretty saturated with TH-camrs that spam content to get views. I'm not saying I am better than them, I just like to create content that actually helps people, not clickbaiting and overhyping products because the company pays me to. I refused paid offers from a few of those companies because of their ways.
@@HobieWanKenobi I need a recommendation for the best budget BFS rod for 1/16-1/8 oz lures. I'm currently using Shimano Sensilite but it seems to have trouble loading anything below 1/4 oz. Any suggestions?
@@HobieWanKenobi I think $100 is my max for a rod. I went out today with my Shimano and it really had trouble with an 1/8 oz lure. I'd love your suggestion on something that can handle a 1-2 lb bass but still light enough to load 1/16-1/8 oz. Thanks - and thanks for all the great videos! I'm in Raleigh, NC area.
Tackle Warehouse has the Dobyns Sierra Series BFS rods on sale last I checked. They were a little over $100 but, definitely a fun rod that will fit your needs. The 700c will cast slightly lighter lures than the 701c.
Thanks for the interesting video! I am from Ukraine and baitcasting isn't very popular in my country, but now it started to grow. Mostly we like to fish perch and zander from the riverbank, it's more often large rivers and lakes and we need to cast it's far. So we using long extra-fast action spinning rods from 7`2`` to 9`9``. most common lure tests of rods 1-7 or 2-10 grams, we use only PE braided lines, Like PE # 0.4-0.8, with fluorocarbon leaders and small soft baits on jig heads or offset hooks with round changeable lead (don't know how this rig type called in USA or elsewhere). So now I have a really uneasy issue. To find suitable baitcasting rods with a similar specification. Some of us are buying Japanese rock fishing rods, but they are mostly near 6`, and have a high value. So, please, maybe you can help and give some advice, what rod can I buy? even if it will be a bit expensive. Because I newbie baitcasting rods market. Thanks
Extremely helpful video brother, thanks! 🙏🏼 I’m new to your channel, and I’ve just now subscribed. I’d really like to see you do the same thing you did here with today’s video, but for BFS Rods please! 🙏🏼 Tight lines, ~ Manny ~ 🤙🏼
The Conquest BFS is a great reel but the gear ratio is a little slow. I think Hobie mentioned a gear swap for increased speed. It reminds me of my Calais 100A bass reel . It was a work of art but only brought in 24" of line per turn so I only used it for Crakbait fishing only. The Conquest only brings in a little under 27" per turn. Most BFS reel's bring in over 30".
Reel porn :) I love my Alphas Air TW, as well as my Curado BFS although built quality of the Curado is far inferior. It’s time for ABU to bring their newest version of a BFS reel that fits todays standards….they lost track but I still fish the ALC BF7 and enjoy it. Well done Hobie 👍
That was only the reels not mounted on a rod 😂. One of my Alphas AIR TW reels became buzzing pretty quick. I wouldn't mind Abu trying another low profile BFS reel
So many posting "BFS" in their titles just to attract YT searches. ML rods and line over #12 PE are not BFS combos. Hobie-Wan is a purist. Hope he stays this way. Kudos!
i have the aldebaran bfs 22 ...cant find a bfs conquest anymore retail price on digitaka for like maybe year half or 2 years now.. im sure a new one is coming soon..if they make a dc conquest style cardiff im buying it and ill never buy a bfs reel ever again some are selling the 2017 bfs conquest new on ebay for like 1k$
@@HobieWanKenobi you were right new BFS conquest...its like a aldebaran but in a round reel lol ..i wish they made its dc like cardiff back then..maybe the next conquest or they bring the cardiff dc back
My Aldaberen ('23) is my favorite out of my three. I can't believe the effortless and mindless casting I do with it.
Mines gotta be the 23 Calcutta Conquest
Similar casting with the two reels but, the Aldebaran is a little more free casting
I love my BFS reels. They have been my go to since the fishing has been tough on my lake. I have two aldebaran bfs reels and they are great. I am a shimano guy, but I am not opposed to trying different stuff. Great video!
You should try out a Daiwa BFS reels, you won't be disappointed.
I am a big fan of the 22 Aldebaran, even though I have only had it out a couple of times, as I just got it. It will replace the Gekkabijin on my UL rod. Honestly, I am considering collecting all the different BFS reels from at least Diawa and Shimano over time.
One that I look forward to you reviewing will be the new Diawa ss air that they just announced for this year. It should be interesting to see where it sits between reels like the Steez air and Gekkabijin.
I am excited to get my hands on that new Daiwa. Most looking forward to the new braking system
Thank you for the comparison, very interesting! For a second part I wish you could do another comparison, same reels but fully customized this time, with the Roro spool for instance. Since I added the AX23 to my Gekka it is so perfect that I am wondering how any other reel could perform better. Also, initially purchased this spool for short range casts, but doing a kind of distance contest between the 2 spools, got very surprised by the result as the Roro won on this one too.
Great suggestion! Roro makes some pretty nice spools.
I'm from the USA I Just got into BFS, I got the Daiwa Gekkabijin Air TW and the Silver Creek AIR TW I'm going to be using them to target lake run brown trout, Big panfish and Smallmouth bass. I got them to replace my spinning gear.
Glad to hear it!!! Those reels will fit your needs quite well
saw you on a different U TUBE channel doing a hunting video think it was 906 love your video's thanks for sharing your knowledge and insight on the outdoors.
Could have been me. Thanks for watching
Hey man I really enjoy you content. Very informative for sure. I do have a question, do you use your SLX reel bone stock with no upgrades when throwing 3grams and under?
Upgrades will help with 3gr and under. If casting in streams or short range, upgrades will definitely help. The Roro CB26 is a great spool for it. If casting open water, you could get away with new spool bearings
I tend to keep reaching for my 22 Aldebaran over everything else now. Seems to be able to handle it all from ultra light to power bait finesse. Best money I’ve spent on a reel by far. Great comparison vid! Tight lines.
I really like the Aldebaran BFS. I definitely need to put some heavier line and punish it with some hardcore bass fishing
@@HobieWanKenobi I’ve put mine well and truly through its paces. Caught European perch to just under 4lbs and pike to just under double figures and it’s not put a foot wrong. Plenty of power there to play with.
@@makeorwellfictionagain3553 European perch are a bucket list fish of mine. They just so massive compared to perch in the USA.
Love your handle
@@damnitman1969 😂 Thanks
Nice video. Will bookmark and keep it close to hand in the future!
Would you be so kind to recommend a few options for freshwater big lake perch fishing (from land)?
I currently have a DWU, but I am having trouble with casting distance..
Thank you. Love your videos!
The Daiwa Gekkabijin AIR TW is a great BFS reel to get controlled distance.
Hands down! Perfect video! Really understand everything you’re talking about! Just ordered the kestrel really appreciated
The Kestrel is a decent little reel. Hopefully it puts pressure on Daiwa and Shimano to get more performance for the money.
Thank you for the video! I just got a Daiwa Silver Creek and am looking forward to messing around with it. my plan was to get a Gekkabijin next, but that might wait till after I get an Aldebaran.
The Gekkabijin is pretty nice. I like having the Gekkabijin stock spool for open water and using the Roro AX24 for stream fishing.
@@HobieWanKenobi I am planning on getting the gekkabijin, but it would be nice to have the aldebaran as well. My downfall is that I like to try everything!
@@Joshua-jh8yc ...that's my downfall too 😂. I have more reels than I know what to do with. Selling them is the obvious answer but...where is the fun in that?
@@HobieWanKenobi I understand somewhat! I started upgrading my collection this year, and now have a few spinning combos that are decent, but only got used a couple of times during the season.
@@Joshua-jh8yc I have only a couple spinning reels. They get used for ice fishing
Which are your top 2 for versatility? As in, when you said “if I had to pick one it would be the Alde”… I want to use it for stream (trout) and finesse bass fishing. 1 gram and up to whatever it can handle (7g, maybe?), or as large of a range as possible.
The Aldebaran is more versatile for me. I handles all types of fishing quite well. The braking system is a little faster than most BFS reels
I really appreciate how easy your videos are to digest. They have rekindled my interest in fishing over thay few months.
After watching every single reel review you've posted, I have one last question. In your opinion, do you think it'd be a itd be a better upgrade to get a 22 aldebaran or a roro spool for my slx bfs xg?
Glad to be able to have inspired you to get back into fishing. If you have a separate use for the SLX BFS and the Aldebaran BFS, I would get the Aldebaran BFS. If you are on a budget or, do not mind switching spools, the Roro CB26 would be a good choice.
@HobieWanKenobi thanks for the suggestions. I wound up splurging on a calcutta conquest after watching the phenix bfs review a few more times. Buy once, cry once, lol. I'm absolutely in love with it. Much like you found, I have much better distance with this combo over the slx.
Now I need to pick up a 5'-6' stream rod. I'm interested to see how the new Kistler/Aaron Hunt 4xl 6' rod performs in reviews. I'm probably going to pick up a rays rod for now.
I'd look to a proven stream rod over those rods.
Super informative video bud! Learned a lot. You are very clear in the way you explain things. Any spool upgrade recommendations for the kast king zephyr that you’re aware of? Im sure it will handle small mouth lures just fine. I also wanted to try it with some crappie lures the lightest I would go is 1/32.
I don't know if any KastKing aftermarket spools. Spool bearing upgrade will help a little.
Thanks for all these great videos. Do you know of a spool that fits the gekkabijin that would give it more line capacity ? I would like to do some wading for smallies and maybe some light bass lures when lake fishing. I was casting a 1/10 ned the other day and spooling all the 10 pound braid I currently have on it quite easily. Same thing with a whopper plopper 60.
An Alphas spool? I forget all that they do an various models, but it's an alphas frame iirc. If it has spacers you can look up how to remove them and for sure use an alphas spool, just make sure the diameters match up.
I think there is something on AliExpress but, not certain. I am not sure if you can make an Alphas SV TW spool fit like mentioned. The sideplate spacer would be easy. I would have to look at the frame. If there is a spacer, it would be possible.
Happy new year! You are doing a great job 👏 I am learning many things from you and I think you deserve more subscribers😉
Thank you! You too! I get more joy out of helping people out than a subscriber count.
I hope in the next five years we see clicking drag standard in most casting reels. It is just a feature I miss now when I don't have it. I am still torn between buying a BFS reel now (probably an Aldebaran BFS) or waiting to see if anything semi-BFS comes out, like a new Aldebaran 30-50 MGL. I use 7lb fluorocarbon, and I feel that is right at the top of line diameter for a BFS reel.
I use 7lb a lot and I find the capacity to be enough for my fishing. I usually use ned rigs and finesse plastics with my BFS reels when bass fishing. If using bigger hardbaits, could run out of line I suppose. The Daiwa SV reels have good lightweight casting ability with a little more line capacity
Awesome content, much appreciated! What are your thoughts on Abu Garcia? Their JDM lineup has some very interesting models and between my Revo ALC-BF7 and Scorpion BFS I feel like the Abu has a slight edge in short range casting sub 3g lures.
Abu Garcia seems to release some pretty good tackle in the Japanese market. I haven't used an Abu BFS reels in a while, mostly because they seem to be kinda stale the past few reels. The rods always piqued my interest.
What do you consider to be the max weight for BFS lures?
What's the heaviest you use?
I don't draw solid lines for BFS. I use up to a 1/4oz bust, mostly lighter. I just match the rod and line size to the fish I want to catch
Great breakdown! Dam… I didn’t even know that Shimano had a BFS version for almost all their live… I have the Curado BFS, and I thought that was their only BFS. So that’s cool, I guess they’re not available in most shops because I’m always on tackle warehouse website and I don’t see all those options. Or Dicks, or many other shops for that matter. I live next to tackle direct in NJ and they have a real good selection of all brands and even they only carry the Curado BfS.
Most of those reels are available in the Japanese market. Digitaka.com is a reputable place to buy from. With the current exchange rate, kinda hard not to. I have a video on how to order from Japan.
Hobie I want to use a BFS specifically for light bass jigs, most of the time around 3/16, what reel do you recomend ? Also using 5 and 7 pound test flouro, thanks.
The SLX BFS is pretty good with this light bass lures. Handles fluorocarbon great too.
Nice video
Congrats!
What about Scorpion BFS?
I would choose the SLX BFS or the Curado BFS over the Scorpion BFS. Less money for the same performance.
Is the 22 Aldebaren Still a good performer with the new stuff out now? I bought a castking Zephyr just to see if I would like BFF. I upgraded the bearings which I think made it worse. I have to use the brakes on 10 and I get lots of backlashes.. Mostly pan fish with slip bobbers and jigs, and you can't cast it a short distance at all for some reason. I'm using 6 lb braid with a fluorocarbon leader. Some times it cast just fine. Then 5 minutes later you'll get three backlashes in a row. I'm looking for something that will consistently cast light stuff without trouble.
Are your slip bobbers going all the way down to your jig? If there is dispersed weight on your line (think split shots up from a hook), it will make casting difficult as the rig spinning in the air causes rapidly changing amounts of line to be taken off the spool during the cast, causing backlashes.
The Aldebaran is still a great BFS reel
@@HobieWanKenobi You got a good point there. That's why I switched to slip bobbers but it is about a foot above the lure. I have a small split shot in the middle.. I think I'll pull the trigger on a Aldebaren
@@DixieNormous1 Ok. Try a different configuration with the slip bobber and give it a go. There is a discount code K63 that works at Digitaka.com for the Aldebaran
Better ultra light lure distance and accuracy, aldebaran or slx/Curado with CB26 spool? Vastly different?
Aldebaran has more control. The CB26 may have a slight advantage in light lures but, I remember it being slightly wild.
Great video Hobie-Wan Kenobi . We know all these big brand BFS reels can cast down to 2 grams quite easily . I asked before in another video when you first got your Aldebaran 22 bfs . I said i dont expect an answer now but will ask you again when you have had more time with the reel . So it went like this . Im gonna come from a different angle . Something we forget sometimes getting caught up in the newest and latest . Fun factor !!! Which BFS reel gives you the most fun on the bank ? Which BFS reel do you enjoy the most ?
Outside of the joy of getting a new reel, I think the Silver Creek AIR TW does. It's easiest reel to get super accurate shots. The Aldebaran BFS is great and gives me more accuracy potential too but, backlashes are a little more frequent when I am pushing the boundaries than the Silver Creek.
@@HobieWanKenobi Excellent . I am currently waiting on my Silver Creek Air TW and my Gekkabijin Air Tw to arrive from Japan . Looking forward to getting them out on the water . I appreciate you taking the time to reply . Tight lines from the UK .
@@elwooddestiny11blues20 You are going to have some fun with those reels
A little help here what is BFS thank you
It's basically casting lighter lures with a baitcasting reel. There is a lot more to it than that. Here is an article I wrote about it: tackletour.com/reviewbaitfinesse.html
Great video, I was also surprised with the Kestrel elite this year and after adding the roro bearings it's been my go to reel for trout fishing. If you want to save some money you can look at the valiant eagle II as well, it's the very same reel and specs just has a graphite frame instead of magnesium and sells for 60.00 right now. I added the same roro bearings to that reel as well and have been only fishing the kastkings this winter and pulled in some very big trout on them. The Aldebarans are still in my top reels also and I like to fish them as well. You all are probably pretty cold up there right now but still looking forward to some more creek fishing videos
Does that Valiant Eagle have the same spool? I have some creek content to edit yet that I saved for winter videos.
@@HobieWanKenobi it's the very same weight spool with a little different design in the porting, I weighed both of mine and they were both withing .1 gram and are interchangeable between reels. The braking system is a little different on the valiant eagle II as well allowing the brakes to be slightly weaker but I still find myself never going over around 4 even with the new bearings. I kind of felt robbed that I spent as much as I did on the Kestrel and could have got all the same specs so much cheaper, but at the end of the day I really like how solid the Kestrel feels also
@@johnhamel8525 That's good to hear. I thought the Kestrel was a little too brakes for stream fishinf
@@HobieWanKenobi to be honest I don't hate the brakes as much as others, I find it allows me to throw a little harder in the high winds and I can't even remember the last time I had an overrun or backlash lol. I changed up my casting style a little with these and can still get the super light baits a good distance as well as my small cranks. I also think the small spools feels awesome when casting but that's personal preference I guess
@@johnhamel8525 The Kestrel was a big surprise to me. Skips baits well, stayed pretty smooth and...palms great
Good informations and tips like everytime, appreciate your videos since I often do trout fishing and you are a real expert for trout and panfish. Here in Europe baitcasting setups are not so common for trout fishing.
Baitcasting setups aren't common for trout in the USA either 😂. I appreciate you watching the video and commenting.
Nice guide man, keep it up, happy new year 😁😁
Thanks, you too!
In your opinion, shimano SLX bfs or the kastking kestrel ?
That's tough. The Kestrel impressed me quite a bit. The SLX is about $70 less expensive. Another thing to add is that KastKing made the Valiant Eagle II that is basically the Kestrel without magnesium frame.
Great info. What reel would you recommend for solely crappie/panfish? Thanks for any help.
Really most BFS reels can handle panfish duties. If using light panfish jigs, I'd lean toward the Gekkabijin AIR TW or, if on a budget, try the SLX if using 1/16oz heads plus trailer. May need to get some micro bearings to help out a little.
@@HobieWanKenobi Thanks!!
@@swamp_rat_fla1126 No problem 👍
Bonjour et merci pour se retour d'expérience très intéressant .. je pense également que la friction de la ligne sur les cône de départ de certain moulinet procure une différence sur les lancés de leurre très léger même à courte distance . Quand pensez vous ?... Cordialement , Alain ..Depuis la France .
The line guides to factor into casting performance. The size and position of the line guide can cause a lot of friction, reducing casting performance. Most manufacturers realize this and minimize the effect quite a bit
@@HobieWanKenobi Merci pour votre réponse ..Je vous souhaite de bonnes fêtes de fin d'année .Cordialement , Alain.
Thank you for watching. Happy Holidays to you as well.
The 34mm Clamber spool has an internal diameter of approximately 27mm. This is about 8.48 circumference, and with a gear of 6.6 we get almost 56 cm.
Alphas\SilverCreek\Gekka has a gear of 8.5-8.6 and a 28mm spool, with an inner diameter of about 22. We get about 59cm.
Total difference within 1.5-2 inches or 3.5-5cm.
I fish with 34mm spools, and 28. The latter is definitely more convenient when using 2.5 grams and below. But on sinking wobblers 40-50mm there is practically no difference.
Now I'm still waiting for REVO ALC and Zenon LTX, I'll look at them on the stream.
The Clamber casts somewhat odd for me with the 40-50mm lures. Idk why
The new BFS reel is also amazing, but in Japan, there is a tuning of ABU2500 and 1500 in the 70's so that you can throw 1g or less without any problems.
I am not a big fan of round reels. They look nice but, the size and gear ratio isn't my preference.
@@HobieWanKenobi In Japan, they also sell gears that are modified for high speed and offset and low-down frames.
ABU is popular because many people who fish mountain stream trout in Japan use the old style.
@@saikinninpo The gears aren't as fast as modern reel. The Abu reels do look very nice
I have the aldebaran bfs 22 and the slx bfs
I cannot get consistent bass fishing 3-6grams with the aldebaran without having to adjust brakes and really make sure techniques perfect or I get dig ins or backlashes it’s like it’s to senstive , I pick up my slx combo and I just fish … and I don’t notice any performance difference between the two….
With the aldebaran getting me bad dig ins and constantly playing with it im thinking of selling and importing a curado bfs as my second bass outfit , thoughts on this before I pull the trigger ?
I sent my Aldebaran BFS tension knob to have the smallest amount of side movement in the spool. The brakes on my Aldebaran BFS are usually higher than on my SLX BFS.
I’d there a spool upgrade that you recommend for the Aldebaran?
The 2022 Aldebaran BFS casts great out of the box. There aren't a lot of spool options for it.
This is the video I been needing, thank you so much
Glad this video was able to help you out. I feel all my videos specific to certain reels may have caused confusion.
@@HobieWanKenobi I was also wondering if you could recommend bfs rods good for panfish such as bluegill and crappie.
@@visethphaisan7670 I will make a video for that. I have been meaning to make more panfish content this year.
Any idea on where I could find one of those cb 26 spools? Everyone is sold out.
Gotta wait until Roro makes more I guess. Roro sells them and Bait Finesse Empire does too
You definitely need Calcutta Conquest BFS (you should have had one, but it is not on the table, why?) and Alphas Stream Custom to your BFS arsenal !
I have a Conquest BFS. It is mounted on my Silver Creek Glass Progressive. I had the Alphas Stream Custom but, it fell out of my boat.
@@HobieWanKenobi 😢 Alphas Stream Custom is almost a vintage reel now. It’s a big loss…
@@shmaxx00 Yes. That was a couple years ago
hi mate. I want to play bfs at rock salt water. Initially wanted to buy aldebaran because it is very light. but after seeing your video, slx is more suitable for playing in salt water. I am very sad.
Saves you some money. If you are still looking at a reel in the same tier as the Aldebaran, the Daiwa Gekkabijin AIR TW is a sweet reel.
@@HobieWanKenobi thanks mate.
Do you feel necessary to upgrade bearings on Daiwa/Shimano reels to BFS style bearings (Hedgehog, etc)?
Only when casting really light lures
@@HobieWanKenobi light can be subjective for BFS, usually everything below 10g considered light. you mean 1-3g, 1 to 5g, 1 to 10?
@@WarEagleTheBest In realm of finesse, light is like 1-3gr. I find that anything about 4gr doesnt really benefit from bearings except for pitching.
My Aldebaran and Expride 6’3” 2pc came right before Christmas. The Alde is so freaking nice. I’m not quite sold on the Expride. It’s pretty stiff.
Most bass BFS rods are pretty fast in action. I been liking those actions for bass fishing a lot. The Aldebaran BFS is a beast of a reel.
@@HobieWanKenobi I’m thinking the Triza Aello next.
@@cleavedspot You see the new Great Hunting rod coming this spring?
@@HobieWanKenobi I have not.
@@cleavedspot A work of art
thank's your video i have one question I am considering either 23 conquest bfs or daiwa silver creek, 23 conquest not realease yet but i think it same 22 aldebaran bfs so, I'm going to use around 5g of bait. and hope cast fly distance 50ft... what recommend 22 alde bfs? or daiwa silver creek air?
Either reel will cast 5gr very well. The Silver Creek has a little more control casting short range. The Conquest will more than likely feels more refined. Silver Creek will cost less money. Can't go wrong either way. Digitaka.com has the Silver Creek in stock. The Conquest may be hard to purchase for a while.
@@HobieWanKenobi thank you then wait conquest bfs 23 cause i favorite shimano thanks for your answer sir.
@@이오댕-p2h Glad to help
Hobie, It's time to bring out your Rod Arsenal for us to see. PLEASE!😄
That's would have to be a two part series 😂
@@HobieWanKenobi That would be fine with me. I'll wait! 😆
What gear ratio do you usually fish ? 6 or 8?
8 is better for 95% of bfs fishing
I prefer faster gear rations, as the lures do not need a lot of power to retrieve for BFS fishing
awesome breakdown!!!
Thanks. Glad you liked the video.
I’m kinda new to bfs but I’m extremely interested and want to purchase one set up but I want an all around set up.. I’ve tried looking you up on Facebook to try to message you because I don’t have Instagram. So I figured I’d just get on here and ask you here..
I’d like to be casting mostly ned rig baits and small plastics.. would the SLX be appropriate for that and which sierra series rod would you pair that with?
Or if you have another recommendation I’d love to hear it.. I wanna make a purchase but there’s so much content on bfs I figured I’d just ask the right person and that would be you!
The SLX BFS and Dobyns 701c would be a nice combo. I like the Cashion Icon BFS 610ML a little more but, either rod will work. Digitaka has the SLX BFS in stock the last I checked. There is a January discount code of E42 as well.
@@HobieWanKenobi I appreciate you taking the time to respond to my question.. I’m gonna check the Cashion out and may go that route. I appreciate the discount code as well! Thanks for all you do!
No problem. Glad I was able to help out
Who can add a drag clicker to a reel that does not have one?
There are kits you can buy for reels such as the Alphas AIR TW and a few other reels. Pretty easy self installation
I'd like to se a review of the kastkings bfs stuff from you :)
I have a Kestrel video. I use it a few times in videos too. I wrote an in depth article about it on the TackleTour site too.
@@HobieWanKenobi fount it and watched it. Please test more of these budget options tho of reels and rods so we get more ppl interested in bfs and try it out :)
I do once in a while. That market is pretty saturated with TH-camrs that spam content to get views. I'm not saying I am better than them, I just like to create content that actually helps people, not clickbaiting and overhyping products because the company pays me to. I refused paid offers from a few of those companies because of their ways.
Shimano SLX BFS - first day out two 2lb bass!
Awesome! My SLX BFS has got a lot of work bass fishing and even for walleye.
@@HobieWanKenobi I need a recommendation for the best budget BFS rod for 1/16-1/8 oz lures. I'm currently using Shimano Sensilite but it seems to have trouble loading anything below 1/4 oz. Any suggestions?
@@charlesl.3897 What budget you working with?
@@HobieWanKenobi I think $100 is my max for a rod. I went out today with my Shimano and it really had trouble with an 1/8 oz lure. I'd love your suggestion on something that can handle a 1-2 lb bass but still light enough to load 1/16-1/8 oz. Thanks - and thanks for all the great videos! I'm in Raleigh, NC area.
Tackle Warehouse has the Dobyns Sierra Series BFS rods on sale last I checked. They were a little over $100 but, definitely a fun rod that will fit your needs. The 700c will cast slightly lighter lures than the 701c.
Are the Daiwa BFS all made in Japan?
They are not all made in Japan. A lot are in Thailand under the direction of Daiwa Japan.
@@HobieWanKenobi Which of the BFS are made in Japan?
From Daiwa, The Steez AIR and the T3 AIR (older reel).
Masih menjadi reel impian, butuh waktu mungkin 6 bulan menabung untuk saya bisa membeli salah satu reel tersebut 😌
Investing in fishing gear can be a lot of effort. If you enjoy fishing, it is worth the time to save up.
@@HobieWanKenobi thank you mister 😊
No problem
Good video
Thanks. Hopefully it was helpful for you
I would like buy anything from daiwa , but they doing ugly line controller, that's why i bought aldebaran 22 ❤️
The TWS is quite nice for BFS fishing. the frame hides it well too.
Thanks for the interesting video! I am from Ukraine and baitcasting isn't very popular in my country, but now it started to grow. Mostly we like to fish perch and zander from the riverbank, it's more often large rivers and lakes and we need to cast it's far. So we using long extra-fast action spinning rods from 7`2`` to 9`9``. most common lure tests of rods 1-7 or 2-10 grams, we use only PE braided lines, Like PE # 0.4-0.8, with fluorocarbon leaders and small soft baits on jig heads or offset hooks with round changeable lead (don't know how this rig type called in USA or elsewhere). So now I have a really uneasy issue. To find suitable baitcasting rods with a similar specification. Some of us are buying Japanese rock fishing rods, but they are mostly near 6`, and have a high value. So, please, maybe you can help and give some advice, what rod can I buy? even if it will be a bit expensive. Because I newbie baitcasting rods market. Thanks
Extremely helpful video brother, thanks! 🙏🏼 I’m new to your channel, and I’ve just now subscribed. I’d really like to see you do the same thing you did here with today’s video, but for BFS Rods please! 🙏🏼
Tight lines,
~ Manny ~ 🤙🏼
Glad I was able to help you. What type of rods? Bass or trout?
@@HobieWanKenobi Both please! 🙏🏼 I’m getting ready to drop some cash on both.
@@RippinThemLipsTV I plan to make a trout video and bass video
@@HobieWanKenobi Heck Yeah! 🙌🏼 Now I don’t have to make the an educated decision I’ve been dreading! 😰🤙🏼
@@RippinThemLipsTV Those videos will be coming to an Internet compatible device near you.
Where's the conquest
Mounted on my Daiwa Silver Creek Glass Progressive.
Why didn't ya put it in the vid.. my fav
@@brewtankoutdoors1432 I will feature it just for you in a future video 😊.
@@HobieWanKenobi lol.. thx
The Conquest BFS is a great reel but the gear ratio is a little slow. I think Hobie mentioned a gear swap for increased speed. It reminds me of my Calais 100A bass reel . It was a work of art but only brought in 24" of line per turn so I only used it for Crakbait fishing only. The Conquest only brings in a little under 27" per turn. Most BFS reel's bring in over 30".
Reel porn :) I love my Alphas Air TW, as well as my Curado BFS although built quality of the Curado is far inferior. It’s time for ABU to bring their newest version of a BFS reel that fits todays standards….they lost track but I still fish the ALC BF7 and enjoy it. Well done Hobie 👍
That was only the reels not mounted on a rod 😂. One of my Alphas AIR TW reels became buzzing pretty quick. I wouldn't mind Abu trying another low profile BFS reel
@@HobieWanKenobi You think the custom drag clicker could have been part of the problem ? I have 2 and they are fine .
@@elwooddestiny11blues20 I don't think it would have a problem
Gekkabijin is special for ajing game.
Yes. I said for finesse saltwater fishing. It does great for freshwater too 😂
AATW FTW
A couple years ago, I would agree. It's kinda falling behind. The gears also have issues as well.
So many posting "BFS" in their titles just to attract YT searches. ML rods and line over #12 PE are not BFS combos. Hobie-Wan is a purist. Hope he stays this way. Kudos!
What is bfs I checked your subscription list and it brought me here. Are you sure 🤔 ml isn't bfs because Shimano says so?
I hear you on that one. It's incredible how spammy BFS content has gotten. Don't worry, my BFS content will stay BFS content.
i have the aldebaran bfs 22 ...cant find a bfs conquest anymore retail price on digitaka for like maybe year half or 2 years now.. im sure a new one is coming soon..if they make a dc conquest style cardiff im buying it and ill never buy a bfs reel ever again some are selling the 2017 bfs conquest new on ebay for like 1k$
I am almost certain 2023 will bring us a new Conquest BFS
@@HobieWanKenobi you were right new BFS conquest...its like a aldebaran but in a round reel lol ..i wish they made its dc like cardiff back then..maybe the next conquest or they bring the cardiff dc back
@@thatonebeone They might make another 50 sized. Some people thought the braking wasn't too great for lighter lures