Final update: this little reel is the little engine that could ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxSlytCJqozTF7EbdP4LWP-HUXf9WRDJ0e . 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 25 lb 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 spooling.
I just bought that same set up about a month ago and use 8# J-Braid x4 to a 4# mono leader. Fishing for bass and trout at the same time this combo works out great for me. Haven't had any issues with the little Zephyr, only time will tell. Thanks for posting!
I have the zephyr with upgraded abec 7 bearings, and this reel fishes like a dream. Also, I have this paired with the 7’4 dobyns bfs rod, it’s an excellent combo.
your gonna give Scott Martin's channel a run for its money in production value. Nice vid. I started with one bfs to be able to throw smaller crankbaits last year and now have 5 bfs combos. so far biggest fish caught is a 19" striper using the slx bfs with a 3lbs varivas mono. Definitely more enjyobable fighting fish with them than regular baitcasters.
They are fun actualy using mine on a $8 , 4' 6" zebco hotcast rod. Lol Cast 1/8 oz no problem 25 yards. Msinly fishing bank and creeks with lots of trees . So using a low roll cast mainly. Will eventualy get a better rod but kinda becoming fond of the green grasshopper rod its two piece and packs well for camping. The reel is set spool tension just to stop side to side play and brake usualy set between 6 and 5. Using 8lb pound yellow braid to 6lb florocote leader. Defitnly a great camping setup
@@jamiehegarty_ I've caught some smallmouth bass on it . On the smaller streams and in the thick stuff more pan fish . Realy depends on where I am fishing and what lake feeds my fishing spot.
@@jamiehegarty_ yea I got the zephyr with the drag clicker. Lol Honestly the rod seems to do ok. It might be though that since the rod is only $8 that I take more chances with it . Been very lucky with leaders only broke off a couple times.
Hello Jamie. I want to let you know that I watch lots of fishing UA-cam channels and your videos are excellent. I like the way you present your adventures, and equipment reviews. Keep up the good work. Thumbs up and I am a new subscriber.
I was going to pick one up but found a slx bfs for $140 the same day I was going to put in an order. I'll probably still pick one up for another setup. I'm in love with bfs. 🤭
I’ve only been trying to learn this new combo for the last two days, but I have the Zephyr on a 7 foot Shimano Sensilite and I am having a really difficult time getting distance without backlashes. Adjusting to these light weight lures is proving to be a tad difficult. So far I keep the spool tension high and back off the brakes. This seems to give me less headache. Any tips?
I’ve been using the brakes at around 4 and I adjust the spool tension depending on what size lure I’m using and also if it’s windy. I’ve also learned that having the right rod helps a lot, i use a 7’ ultra light works best for me. The ultra light really helps load up on the light baits!
Two gram lures are about the max on the low end of the weights the zephyr can throw. I've been using it for 2 years going unto the 3rd . Current setup is the zephyr with 12 LB spiderwire with a 10 LB fluoro leader ,(helps with the backlashes ) on a 5 ft ultralight spinning uglystik. Caught my pb largie off a bridge had to lift the fish up 10 + ft , had to point the rod down tighten the drag and reel down , had a blast .
For me personally the sensalite is a little too stiff for really light baits. I use mine for all my bass spinning applications and it works great for bass and it’s a panfish monster!
Going unto my third season fishing for largie with the zephyr , it was my first reel ever, never fished in my life let alone knew how to baitcast but i learned with the zephyr. Ive caught tons of fish , pbs at 6 pound largemouth . Real trick to the zephyr is throwing braid with a fluoro leader . Helps with the backlashes .
Wow that’s awesome man! That 6lber must have been a crazy fight on the bfs! I hope to get some that big on mine! And yes braid to leader is definitely the way to go! Great for sensitivity!
It's a budget entry level bfs reel and it performs really well , that 6 LB was a blast until I had to land it up unto a bridge , thankfully the braid to fluoro knot held and the rod didn't break since I pointed it straight down and tightened the drag , ultralight is the best at making small fish feel big and big fish huge. Teaches you to learn to fight a fish and not rely on horsing them on a heavy rod . God bless and have a great evening
I personally hate this reel. IT BACKLASHES SO MUCH. no matter what line. After about 5 to 10 casts. Or less. This reel is horrible. The brakes do not hold in place even after adjustments. Shimano SLX BFS casts further and has same features. But its way smoother. Quality is certainly lacking. The reel inside components are cheap and unreliable. The reel after 20 casts just kept spinning even though i stopped the reel. Pulled the line off. Grinds after 20 casts all the time too. Just cheap to me.
Dang dude. Mine has been pretty good to me so far, I keep the breaks around 4 or 5 and mess with the spool tension knob when i want to adjust and it backlashes sometimes but not really anymore than any of my other reels
@@arnoldsalazar5851this reel wouldnt be so bad if the spool tensioner actually worked. it goes from 1-100 in a single click, so its impossible to dial it in to fish things like micro texas rigs, crappie jigs, or the advertised 2 grams it should be able to cast. the backlashes are nightmare because the line tends to get between the spool and the frame, resulting in your line wrapping around the crankshaft of the spool. i just resorted to using it as a finesse crankbait/finesse jig reel on a medium moderate rod, since most finesse jigs and cranks are around 1/4-1/8 OZ. it works fine in that aspect, but i was pretty disappointed, since the reel should be able to send a 1/32oz crappie jig.
KASTKING-4-LIFE!!!!!!!! WOOOOO!!!!!!!!! THE IREEL AND THE MAG 12 AND THE MEGATRON IS GAME CHANGERS!!!!! WOOOOOOO!!!!!!! BASS!!!!!!! FISHING!!!!!!!! SLAPS!!!!!!! MY NINJA!!!!!!
Final update: this little reel is the little engine that could ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxSlytCJqozTF7EbdP4LWP-HUXf9WRDJ0e . 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 25 lb 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 spooling.
I just bought that same set up about a month ago and use 8# J-Braid x4 to a 4# mono leader. Fishing for bass and trout at the same time this combo works out great for me. Haven't had any issues with the little Zephyr, only time will tell. Thanks for posting!
I just got the left handed one and I’m loving mine so far!
I have the zephyr with upgraded abec 7 bearings, and this reel fishes like a dream. Also, I have this paired with the 7’4 dobyns bfs rod, it’s an excellent combo.
I’ve had my Zephyr for two seasons. BFS is a great way to fish. This reel on a ml rod with 10# braid is my go to flounder and bass rig. Great video!
Bet flounder are a blast on bfs
Very nice bro, and why dont you cook that fish bro ? Is that fish taste bad bro ?
your gonna give Scott Martin's channel a run for its money in production value. Nice vid. I started with one bfs to be able to throw smaller crankbaits last year and now have 5 bfs combos. so far biggest fish caught is a 19" striper using the slx bfs with a 3lbs varivas mono. Definitely more enjyobable fighting fish with them than regular baitcasters.
I've had mine for about two years now and it's been great. I used 6 pound test line on my reel.
Wow bud you should have more subs love the edits
Thanks man i really appreciate it!
They are fun actualy using mine on a $8 , 4' 6" zebco hotcast rod. Lol
Cast 1/8 oz no problem 25 yards. Msinly fishing bank and creeks with lots of trees . So using a low roll cast mainly.
Will eventualy get a better rod but kinda becoming fond of the green grasshopper rod its two piece and packs well for camping. The reel is set spool tension just to stop side to side play and brake usualy set between 6 and 5. Using 8lb pound yellow braid to 6lb florocote leader. Defitnly a great camping setup
That’s awesome man! The shorter rods are definitely the way to go when bank fishing! Are you mostly doing bass fish with it or pan fish as well?
@@jamiehegarty_ I've caught some smallmouth bass on it . On the smaller streams and in the thick stuff more pan fish . Realy depends on where I am fishing and what lake feeds my fishing spot.
Oh nice that sounds like fun! I bet smallies are so much fun on it!
@@jamiehegarty_ yea I got the zephyr with the drag clicker. Lol
Honestly the rod seems to do ok. It might be though that since the rod is only $8 that I take more chances with it . Been very lucky with leaders only broke off a couple times.
Hello Jamie. I want to let you know that I watch lots of fishing UA-cam channels and your videos are excellent. I like the way you present your adventures, and equipment reviews. Keep up the good work. Thumbs up and I am a new subscriber.
Nice video man! Is this in nc? This looks like nc but im not sure where
Thanks man I appreciate it! And yes it is NC!
This is a great video! We’ll done man. Informational but still entertaining too!
I was going to pick one up but found a slx bfs for $140 the same day I was going to put in an order. I'll probably still pick one up for another setup. I'm in love with bfs. 🤭
Im definitely going to check that out. Thanks for sharing 🤙🏻
You should man bfs is so much fun! Glad you enjoyed it!!
@@jamiehegarty_ what rod did you use with the reel ?
It’s the old18 accent! I love it so far, I’m dropping a video about it either tomorrow or Friday!
@@jamiehegarty_ right on! I’ll keep an eye out for it.
I envy your camera footage! that drone makes some bad ass films
Awesome reel,most people dont know how to set it up❗❗ Fish all day with mine backlash maybe twice.
@Jamie Hegarty how has the reel held up? Is it still smooth after 1 year?
what's the lightest weight lures you can throw on this reel?
I’ve only been trying to learn this new combo for the last two days, but I have the Zephyr on a 7 foot Shimano Sensilite and I am having a really difficult time getting distance without backlashes. Adjusting to these light weight lures is proving to be a tad difficult. So far I keep the spool tension high and back off the brakes. This seems to give me less headache. Any tips?
I’ve been using the brakes at around 4 and I adjust the spool tension depending on what size lure I’m using and also if it’s windy. I’ve also learned that having the right rod helps a lot, i use a 7’ ultra light works best for me. The ultra light really helps load up on the light baits!
Two gram lures are about the max on the low end of the weights the zephyr can throw. I've been using it for 2 years going unto the 3rd . Current setup is the zephyr with 12 LB spiderwire with a 10 LB fluoro leader ,(helps with the backlashes ) on a 5 ft ultralight spinning uglystik. Caught my pb largie off a bridge had to lift the fish up 10 + ft , had to point the rod down tighten the drag and reel down , had a blast .
For me personally the sensalite is a little too stiff for really light baits. I use mine for all my bass spinning applications and it works great for bass and it’s a panfish monster!
Going unto my third season fishing for largie with the zephyr , it was my first reel ever, never fished in my life let alone knew how to baitcast but i learned with the zephyr. Ive caught tons of fish , pbs at 6 pound largemouth . Real trick to the zephyr is throwing braid with a fluoro leader . Helps with the backlashes .
Wow that’s awesome man! That 6lber must have been a crazy fight on the bfs! I hope to get some that big on mine! And yes braid to leader is definitely the way to go! Great for sensitivity!
It's a budget entry level bfs reel and it performs really well , that 6 LB was a blast until I had to land it up unto a bridge , thankfully the braid to fluoro knot held and the rod didn't break since I pointed it straight down and tightened the drag , ultralight is the best at making small fish feel big and big fish huge. Teaches you to learn to fight a fish and not rely on horsing them on a heavy rod . God bless and have a great evening
Glad you said it because it was the difference for me!
@@thecluelessoutdoorsman916 I'm waiting for March to come and melt this snow so I can finally time bed fishing , I missed it by a few weeks last year
HiJamie, nice video! I love it and it is very helpful. Will you be at ICAST in Orlando FL? I would like to say hello and thank you face to face.
Great video! Thanks bud! You got a new subscriber!!
What rod are you using here?
Old 18 ascent!
What rod are you using?
What rod you used on the zyphr?
So is bfs for l8ght weight baits???
🔥🔥🔥
🙌🙌🙌
just ordered mine the wait is killin me lol
I added Roro bearings to my KastKing and it casts like a dream now. Love it.
Dang that’s awesome I’ll have to check those out!
Thanks kid I'm buying one
This reel is goated for the price point
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Thomas Melissa Miller Angela Perez Anna
Robinson Sandra Harris Barbara Hall Gary
I personally hate this reel. IT BACKLASHES SO MUCH. no matter what line. After about 5 to 10 casts. Or less. This reel is horrible. The brakes do not hold in place even after adjustments. Shimano SLX BFS casts further and has same features. But its way smoother. Quality is certainly lacking. The reel inside components are cheap and unreliable. The reel after 20 casts just kept spinning even though i stopped the reel. Pulled the line off. Grinds after 20 casts all the time too. Just cheap to me.
Yes I gave mine to my nephew. I just tell everyone to get a Tatula 1000UL spinning reel if your into super light tackle.
Dang dude. Mine has been pretty good to me so far, I keep the breaks around 4 or 5 and mess with the spool tension knob when i want to adjust and it backlashes sometimes but not really anymore than any of my other reels
@@jamiehegarty_agreed man, I have mind dialed in and it’s great.
@@arnoldsalazar5851this reel wouldnt be so bad if the spool tensioner actually worked. it goes from 1-100 in a single click, so its impossible to dial it in to fish things like micro texas rigs, crappie jigs, or the advertised 2 grams it should be able to cast. the backlashes are nightmare because the line tends to get between the spool and the frame, resulting in your line wrapping around the crankshaft of the spool. i just resorted to using it as a finesse crankbait/finesse jig reel on a medium moderate rod, since most finesse jigs and cranks are around 1/4-1/8 OZ. it works fine in that aspect, but i was pretty disappointed, since the reel should be able to send a 1/32oz crappie jig.
I have one and it is great. I only backlash when i make a mistake. It was super worth the $59 i paid.
your setup not even near to finesse fishing my dude....btw nice video, keep it up.....
KASTKING-4-LIFE!!!!!!!! WOOOOO!!!!!!!!! THE IREEL AND THE MAG 12 AND THE MEGATRON IS GAME CHANGERS!!!!! WOOOOOOO!!!!!!! BASS!!!!!!! FISHING!!!!!!!! SLAPS!!!!!!! MY NINJA!!!!!!