TackleTour

Somehow I'm getting reviews of the newest Kast King reels on my Facebook page.
Has anyone here tried them?

The Spartacus/Assassin platform is the only one worth bothering with IMO. It is an excellent performing reel for dirt cheap. Definitely a good budget or starter baitcaster. All too often entry level reels have linear magnetic brakes and require a lot of spool tension and 'lob casts' to cast without backlashing. A lot of these linear mag entry level reels are harder to learn on than a centrifugal reel and I know more than one angler that has been turned off baitcast reels because if their experience with these reels. The Spartus/Assassin has a 6 pin centrifugal brake and a linear magnetic making it a dual brake reel. The magnets are super weak but the centrifugal brake works really well and produce long, smooth casts. You can even get a 14.6 gram shallow spool for $10 for the platform if you want something more finesse capable than the stock 18 gram on the Spartacus. The Assassin also has. 14.6 gram spool but is a ported version of the Spartacus spool and is not shallow.

I used to recommend the Pfluger Templar as a beginner reel for the Doyo centrifugal brake but that reel is no longer on the market. The Spartacus is the next best thing and probably better. It's my "what reel for under $50 for a beginner" canidate.

If i had one, i'd throw it in the water to create structure for bass that's all those worth for me

One of those KK reels has a very interesting centrifugal brake. It is actually more of a mechanical brake though because the pins are in the side plate and come in contact with the spool shaft as it spins. I sent a guy a long message on youtube.com asking more about it, he said we are glad to do a video on our "long standing centrifugal system" and then never heard from him again.

DirtyD64 wrote:One of those KK reels has a very interesting centrifugal brake. It is actually more of a mechanical brake though because the pins are in the side plate and come in contact with the spool shaft as it spins. I sent a guy a long message on youtube.com asking more about it, he said we are glad to do a video on our "long standing centrifugal system" and then never heard from him again.

I still can't believe they have the audacity to call that thing a 'centrifugal' brake. Avoid the Royal Legend and Stealth reels. The Spartacus or Assasin are the only reels worth a crap IMO and only as beginner/budget reels. Stay away from the Speed Demon too. It's a $70 8+oz plastic reel with linear mag brakes that looks like a plastic Steez. The reels looks like someone described a Steez to them over the telephone. $70 is Fuego money. I don't care how fast it is. That ratio is a gimmik.

LowRange wrote:

DirtyD64 wrote:One of those KK reels has a very interesting centrifugal brake. It is actually more of a mechanical brake though because the pins are in the side plate and come in contact with the spool shaft as it spins. I sent a guy a long message on youtube.com asking more about it, he said we are glad to do a video on our "long standing centrifugal system" and then never heard from him again.

I still can't believe they have the audacity to call that thing a 'centrifugal' brake. Avoid the Royal Legend and Stealth reels. The Spartacus or Assasin are the only reels worth a crap IMO and only as beginner/budget reels. Stay away from the Speed Demon too. It's a $70 8+oz plastic reel with linear mag brakes that looks like a plastic Steez. The reels looks like someone described a Steez to them over the telephone. $70 is Fuego money. I don't care how fast it is. That ratio is a gimmik.

Described a Steez over the phone, that made me laugh. We are talking voice though, not text right? What I cannot understand is how one of these companies can't just open a damn Shimano/Daiwa and flat out do what the do. If I was building the cheap style reels, I'd put 2 bearings on the main shaft, 2 spool, 2 pinion, a decent anti reverse, and a decent brake. Make it where it can fit DIY 1016 spools and you'd make bank for budget anglers. Build a Curado K style that can hold Daiwa spools, not sure how the international patents work though.

There isn't a single reel they make that i've seen to be a value over a top tier MFR.
They may be competitive in the 20$ price range..they may offer a 40$ price that others don't.

But they are junk when they get in the 60$+ price range (particularly their spinning reels)

I have a speed demon on loan and if you turn the brake up it hits the spool..lol

I gave away a reel that the gent cracked the handle sideplate...and know of a few assassin reels that suffered the same..


I've had the royal legend, shishamo, favorite white bird....and tore them apart and played musical parts. All junk....all the same

I agree about the brakes....some that only offer that linaer brake are nooby priced but not nooby friendly.
And that silly squeeze the shaft type additional brake does help a bit

All that said...the daiwa fuego sells for 70$ 7 days a week....i think cabelas is having a permanent sale on it
For 70$ (and i've seen it for 60) That is a reel that one can learn on and grow with. It's a real reel
And the quantum accurist PT is another spectacular reel for the street price (that hurt saying that)

When it comes to the assassin and such....they're light weight...if you get a good one they are smooth for a bit...And baitcasters as a rule are fairly durable due to their design. (boat winches that cost 30$ last for years)
I know a few guys that are paid to fish their products...they need semi monthly replacements.....was relieved to say the least.

I get that daiwa and shimano mark up their products 10x+ in order to keep their businesses in business....
I was worried kastking was offereing products that cost the same at less of a mark up.....They aren't..they really are just junkier products. And they don't have any R&D and don't have any design engineer and I assume they don't have any repair dept (if i had a defect and sent it in...would they really have someone spend the time to open up diagnose the problem or would they just replace it with a reel that cost them 10$ to have made)


I thought last year they were being sold at cabelas or bass pro. Just checked and cabelas only has a rod rack.....guess that didn't go over well
I bet cabelas wanted more than 15% margins....so kastking said...no thanks We sell more reels than daiwa and shimano combined on amazon...and they only take 15% plus shipping and promo fees.

What?! I don't understand all your hatred and poison spewing nonsense. Other "resource" site moderators are better fishermen than anyone on this site and only fish gear they truly believe in. I read all the time how their reels are put to the test and are solid reels for the money. They chime in on all questions regarding KK. Always have nothing but positive things to say. They would never pimp product because they get it for free or the site's creator makes them in order to be moderators. And when you question them or contradict them or make a joke about something they don't like. They have no patience for sarcasm and for good reason. They warn you and flag your account like they did me and others. I learned my lesson.

In fact, I'm switching all my reels to KK. Daiwa's are just overpriced.

^^^ Hopefully you’re kidding. KK is a sponsor of said forum and if you go against any site sponsor they don’t like it one bit.

Finnz922 wrote:What?! I don't understand all your hatred and poison spewing nonsense. Other "resource" site moderators are better fishermen than anyone on this site and only fish gear they truly believe in. I read all the time how their reels are put to the test and are solid reels for the money. They chime in on all questions regarding KK. Always have nothing but positive things to say. They would never pimp product because they get it for free or the site's creator makes them in order to be moderators. And when you question them or contradict them or make a joke about something they don't like. They have no patience for sarcasm and for good reason. They warn you and flag your account like they did me and others. I learned my lesson.

In fact, I'm switching all my reels to KK. Daiwa's are just overpriced.

10/10 bait. Well done.

Rippin-lips wrote:^^^ Hopefully you’re kidding. KK is a sponsor of said forum and if you go against any site sponsor they don’t like it one bit.

Never handed one of their reels, but that rodrack is amazing and is really cleverly designed.

Finnz922 wrote:What?! I don't understand all your hatred and poison spewing nonsense. Other "resource" site moderators are better fishermen than anyone on this site and only fish gear they truly believe in. I read all the time how their reels are put to the test and are solid reels for the money. They chime in on all questions regarding KK. Always have nothing but positive things to say. They would never pimp product because they get it for free or the site's creator makes them in order to be moderators. And when you question them or contradict them or make a joke about something they don't like. They have no patience for sarcasm and for good reason. They warn you and flag your account like they did me and others. I learned my lesson.

In fact, I'm switching all my reels to KK. Daiwa's are just overpriced.

Now this guy could sell a ketchup popsicle to a woman in white gloves!

Thanks guys.