KastKing Kapstan & Elite Saltwater Spinning Fishing Reels

Holy smokes we put this one through the ringer this past weekend and it got the job done! I got one of these for my in-law almost 3 years ago now, for in-shore fishing for reds and similar, 4000 size. We did a 24hr off shore fishing trip and this was his secondary setup, for casting misc, and i put on 30lb braid for him ( i should have gone put on stronger braid looking back). Fast forward to the trip, he has 2 of the best fights on the entire boat for the whole trip, the first with a 5ft+ shark that took 20+ minutes to wrangle in. Several times in the fight the deck hands were yelling "He's under-gunned! He's under-gunned!" They really thought he was gonna lose it, he fought that shark almost all the way around the boat (a big boat i might add), minding the 30lb braid, so he couldn't hammer the drag like he wanted, so he had to let the shark just strip line over and over and over, really putting some strain on that drag system. It worked great! Second fight was with the King, 52" & 30lbs, very similar fight, but he got that one in a little faster. He says the reel held up well! It was still smooth after 2 absolutely punishing fights that it really wasn't sized for. On the kingfish pic you can see the little 4000 reel he was using in the right side of the pic. Bad ass little reel, I kinda want one for me now and I'm back here looking for me 3 years later writing a review. Very good value for what you're getting, the drag held up to some serious abuse even 3 years later. Just a sweet little reel. Highlight of our trip.

Great reel, a little heavier than expected but not bad. Very smooth, great drag and cool looking too! 😉 lol

Very smooth and very strong the drag is phenomenal

Very nice real!! It is a monster, and that is ment in a good way.cIt cast great, retrieves smooth, looks expensive and works like a higher priced reel. The support team is another big plus!! I had problems with uneven line on spool tilted down from back to front. This reel has no extra seems to even it out and they gladly replaced it. Hats off to KastKing support for doing the right thing because it was the right thing to do. Well done!!

Very smooth and robust. Heavier than I expected when compared to a saltist, slammer, etc. Good build quality and is sealed, have had no issues from stripers to flathead catfish.

Great reel. Smooth and pretty looking!

Good

I don't know that I've ever written a poor review, but this product deserves it. Out of the box, the reel is sleek and smooth. It's not until you line the spool do you realize the line isn't evenly distributed on the spool. It's bunched up at the bottom of the spool, limiting the capacity of the reel. This also causes a reduction in casting distance. The spool is also very rough at the top which inhibits the line from peeling off the reel. The 2nd time I cast the line, it formed an awful nest that was impossible to untangle. Lastly, the bail contacts the drag screw on the top of the spool when the spool is at its peak height. This should NEVER happen on any reel, much less one that costs $150. Do not purchase this reel.