KastKingRoyale Legend II Baitcasting Reels, New Compact Design Baitcaster Fishing Reel, 17.64LB Carbon Fiber Drag, Cross-Fire 8 Magnet Braking System, Available in 5.4:1 and 7.2:1

I used this reel most of the season throwing different lighter spinners and crankbaits. The reel is still just as smooth and solid as the first day I used it. My other reels I have used are Abu Garcia Revo's which are also very nice reels but not anywhere close in the same price range. I often fish rivers and streams from my kayak and I am not a big fan of using very high end stuff from the kayak incase of any unforeseen occurrences. The higher dollar equipment stays on my big boat. With that said I did fish at least once a week from start of Spring through end of Summer from my kayak using this reel and a couple other Kast King models. Of the 3 models this one did seem to perform better for me. All 3 models were within $10 of each other. One of them was a lower gear ratio for deeper diving crankbaits.My 16 year old son has really just started taking an interest in fishing and he was able to use this caster with very little trouble also. After helping him adjust it correctly to the lure he was throwing, he was able to cast it accurately and at a good distance pretty quickly. If you are looking for a solid well performing bait caster and you don't have an unlimited budget, I would recommend checking this one out.

My reel arrived on time and was packaged well.Earlier this year I wanted to get a BFS reel and bought my first KastKing. Because of the low price I was very surprised how well it performed straight out of the box and how well it handled a season of fishing. That made it an easy decision to go with them again when it came time to upgrade the baitcaster on my medium setup.Again, I was impressed straight from the box.1. Smooth casting. Not only did I have controlled casts with heavier jigs but I was able to get good distance with my light floating jerkbaits. I was even able to cast some of my ultralight lures that I use on the BFS!2. Easy to adjust so changing lure sizes is quick.3. Sturdy but with a low profile. It is a good size if you plan on throwing baits all day.Another small thing that I like is that the spool is easy to remove.and lock.back in place. There is a release lever (shown in second pick) so no fumbling with screws or other removable pieces.

After I got used to it and got the settings right it works like a charm. Caught 50+ fish on it in first few months. Well constructed and operates easy. Just learn how to cast them and adjust them or none of them will work for you. This was my first one and I figured it out pretty quick. Would buy brand again. Great price.

Smooth little reel

Great reel

This reel is silky smooth and easy to tune in for casting. Out of the box this thing looked great, set it up with some 25lb braid and top shot of 25 mono for local shore fishing...nothing to big, maybe a few sharks, guitarfish, calicos, etc...and maybe the oft halibut or bonito.....small stuff.This reel slings out line like a fat kid loves cake.....big time! Make sure to dial it in just right and you are going to love this reel. I did not take it apart and grease it like I do most reels out of the box as I wanted to see what it was like for most people. I may not have to do so, at least not immediately with this thing, thats how smooth it is and confident i am it was made right. Maintenance down the road is going to be done but rest assured it is good to go out of the box.Final update: this little reel is the little engine that could. It performed flawlessly and was easy to adjust drag in the moment while I was battling a 35lb bat ray behemoth. Mind you, this reel is spooled with only 25lb braid and 25 mono topshot. It's paired with the kastking telescopic heavy power rod and the two work well together. This has now earned my respect and confidence when traveling and fishing. If you have ever hooked into large rays and sharks, you know they pull extremely hard and can run forever! This thing clamped down on the fish and was easy to adjust during the fight. It has a nice decently fast retrieve as well. Twice the fish went on mad runs and I was able to gain back line quickly to avoid a spooling.-Tight line ya'll

Solid reel for the price

I have the 200 version of this baitcaster as well and this one performs just as good. I originally got the Brutus and didn't feel like it was as good a quality for only 6 bucks less this one is really nice and I expected to last.Update: it's now April 2024, my thumb bar broke, and now waiting for a response from the company. Still a great bait caster.Update #2: Company responded by replacing it under warranty, but I have to pay shipping…….All I really needed was the Thumb Bar, Part No. 38 on the schematic and a new S6 screw.I would like the company to take my design change under advisement though. If you notice in the pictures, the thumb bar has two screw posts, and the clutch lever has only one hole drilled where it should be 2. I think if they did, this probably would be eliminated for this reel.I also would like to say that the reel is still very good. I had it tuned perfectly when this happened and I am a very new beginner.