I found a KastKing Baitcaster combo for $70 online and wanted to see if it’s a good beginner combo? If not, can you recommend a good rod combo for a beginner?
Posted by blowinginthewind21
I found a KastKing Baitcaster combo for $70 online and wanted to see if it’s a good beginner combo? If not, can you recommend a good rod combo for a beginner?
Posted by blowinginthewind21
10 Comments
Beginner or cheap? There is a difference.
I wouldn’t get a bait caster as a beginner they have a steep learning curve
A lot of the kastking stuff is good, but look at the reviews and see what people think. If it’s your first rod, definitely go with a spinning rod, a decent one is a lot cheaper and baitcasters can be difficult to use. Your first rod doesn’t have to be expensive, even like $50 will get you something that’s quality for the price and budget friendly.
Love all of my stuff from them. Rod, reel, tackle storage, tools. You’ll get a wide range of opinions on them, but for me, the product has been really reliable.
I bought in for no other reason than I wanted the sweet purple Royale Legend Pro spinning combo. It’s gorgeous, and I highly prefer the rubberized grip versus cork or foam.
Haven’t tried their less expensive rods / reels, so maybe that would influence my opinion.
I would just go with shimano or daiwa to avoid spending more money in the future
Yes, KastKing is great for beginners. Don’t spend a lot until you know you like fishing …but I’m warning you, you’re going to spend a LOT if you like it
I have two of their spinning combos and a Zephyr finesse spinning reel.
They feel and work great.
I also have a Shimano Sahara and a JDM Daiwa Legalis and a Presso and Sensilite rod.
The rods are UL so it is hard to compare but they work well.
The reels compare well against the Shimano and Daiwa for smoothness and ease of use.
TBF, their older gear had a bad rep. But from what I can see in my personal experience, they are serious players in the budget segment that make a credible choice in the mid range.
So much hate for gear made in China is reflexive and political.
I am a retired commercial photographer and I saw this same narrative in the photo field. “All Chinese gear is crap”. And loud wails about manufacturers moving manufacturing to China, Vietnam and Thailand.
China can and does make some excellent products. They also make garbage.
Just like every country.
I fished as a kid and teenager but I’ve only fished a handful of times since I was 13 or 14, I just got back into it after 15 years because my wife was interested. Ironically I’m hooked. I go shooting, I play Warhammer, Magic the Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons, but fishing is the only hobby I’ve had where I can truly relax.
I just got a bait caster from Pflueger a month in and I really wish I had got a spinning reel instead.
I like my bait caster, it’s cool, but it’s finicky and only really works for certain kinds of roles.
Fishing a bobber was bad, trying anything low-weight won’t work, softer baits get lost on cast. It’s solid for bass fishing on a boat, but I don’t really do that. I tend to bank fish local ponds and that’s just not really what a bait caster is best for.
I could have spent my $80 on a better spinning rod and had some left over for reel, hooks, baits, and lures.
I think I’m gonna return it to Scheel’s and just get an ugly stick even though I do really like it because it just is a little too much for me at this stage in my angling journey.
I have a lot of KastKing rods and reels, both spinning and baitcasting, and they have all been performing well.
As others have said, don’t get a baitcaster to start with. There is a learning curve to working the reel during a cast, and you don’t want to be learning the casting motion AND how to thumb the spool all at once. Get a medium action spinning rod, a 2000 or 3000 size reel (I like 2000 for medium, I like to run as compact a setup as possible for a given rod), spool it up with some 8lb mono, and start learning!
As far as KastKing recommendations, if you’re trying to stay within budget, I like the Spartacus spinning reels on their low end. I have one on a catfish setup, and it’s nice for the price and has a pretty good drag. The Spartacus rods themselves ain’t bad either.
If you can splurge, I also have a Royale Legend Pro spinning reel on a medium rod, and that reel is super nice. Smooth retrieve, quiet, great drag, casts phenomenal. Great color too.
Kastking is a decent brand
Baitcasters are a terrible place to start, get a spinning rod/reel. An Uglystik GX2 spinning combo will do ya well.
Lastly that ad kind of looks like Temu/some Chinese ripoff I’d double check that