Zephyr Bait Finesse Baitcasting Reel, Carbon Fiber Fishing Reel - Drag Clicker Version, 7.2:1 Gear Ratio Fishing Reel - 5.6oz Lightweight Bait Finesse System Freshwater Saltwater Casting Reel

Works as advertised. Paired with Ugly Stik Elite 7' UL rod and 8lb Power Pro, handles 1/8 oz lures no problem. Anything lower (eg. 3/32oz) and you're limited to overhead casts only. Managed to haul in panfish and even a small pike no problem, the drag ran smooth. It backlashes as any other baitcaster would, and I was able to unravel all but one, which was produced by hooking a bush behind me with the brakes at 50%. I did not experience the issue of line getting caught between the spool and frame as other anglers have. There is a clicking sound in the spool every time the anti reverse bearing catches, which is a little annoying if you're jigging, but does not affect the function. I've only used it for a month, so I cannot speak on the longevity of the reel. 5/5 - wish it was built a little more solid, but it's perfect for the $100 price range.

Bottom Line: The KastKing Zephyr is an absolute game-changer for ultralight and Bait Finesse System (BFS) fishing. It throws tiny lures effortlessly, feels amazing in the hand, and punches well above its weight class when fighting surprise monsters. Performance Breakdown: Ultralight Casting: This reel throws lightweight lures down to 1/32 oz perfectly. The distance you get on micro-baits is incredible.Ergonomics & Feel: It has an awesome, high-quality feel in your hand. The operation is smooth, crisp, and comfortable for all-day casting. Fish-Fighting Power: It regularly handles bass up to 6 lbs with total ease and control. The Ultimate Stress Test: I recently hooked a massive 9 lb bass on this setup. While the reel ultimately landed the fish, it was a major struggle that pushed the gears and drag to their absolute limits. It is built for finesse, not heavy cover monsters, but it survived the ultimate test. Final Verdict: I am so impressed by the performance, price, and capability of this reel that I already bought two more. If you want to get into BFS fishing without breaking the bank, this is the reel to buy.

Good for the price.

OK there are a lot of mixed reviews on this reel! Mainly complaints on the line getting behind the spool. Others saying it' prone to backlash. Here's what my experiences have been! I spooled it up with 24lb bliss (yes I said 24lb it's diameter is only. 007) to a 7' 8lb. leader (just before it went into the reel) Dialed in the reel with a 1/8 oz. Jig and commenced to throw that 1/8 oz. Jig further than I ever thought possible! I ran this setup for probably 2000 casts catching well over 100 1 to 2lb bass. Very minimal and mild backlashes. Had a absolute blast! Had the wild hair to respool with 6lb mono and try 1/16 1/32 jigs. Setup the reel according and was equally impressed. BUT then I threw a little too hard after backing the brakes off a little more than I should've and I'm talking about the worst birdsnest ever! Procided to pick it out and realized in fact the line did get behind the spool! Had to pull the side cover and remove the spool to get the line unwrapped from the spool shaft, not that big of a deal! The backlash however was a goodun indeed!!! After bout 5 minutes of trying and hearing the growing number of birds chirping overhead I gave up and grabbed another rod! I've been fishing for over 45yrs. And love it! This was my first bfs reel. My honest opinion of this reel is that this is a awesome reel if you want to try out the bait finesse system style of fishing! For the price on Amazon you can't beat it. I've saw them on sale for as low as 40 bucks. Now!! The most important thing is the rod you put this reel on! It can make or break your day!! Bfs will definitely bring the thrill of fishing back to life! Sadly bfs is just now gaining popularity here in the US so you're choices of rods are sadly limited and a quite pricey, unless you're willing to buy from alybaba or whatever their name is. I choose a Dobyns seirra ultra finesse 701c from tackle warehouse. Little pricey but a excellent rod for this! Bfs makes those little bass feel like more than twice their size and was the most fun I've had in a long time! Let's face it your going to catch a lot more little ones than you are monsters so why not make them feel like monster! Keep your hooks sharp and your lines wet!

Okay first I have read all the reviews. I have stage 4 cancer and take a few drugs so I’m not too steady. I’m letting you folks know this because using reels like this are hard for me to use. Okay now the reel. I only had the money to purchase one. I took it out of the box and looked it over. Very nice looking. I only use Berkeley fire line. Period!! Filled the reel with 14 pound line. I put it on a 7 foot ugly stick. I went fishing. People said that you could not use a small lure so I picked a small bass pro 2 3/4” square bill. Small lure. I cast it the first time and I had a birds nest. I adjusted the button on the left side to to half way. I adjusted the button on the right side till you could hit the release button and it dropped to the floor and stopped. I cast it again. And it cast good but still a little backlash. I turned the button on the right side a little bit more and tried it again. Man it cast so sweet. I cast it about 100 times and never had a problem again except when I hit a tree over my head that I didn’t see. Lol. A week later I went fishing again and I wore this reel with that same crank bait and never had a single back lash. I truly love this reel. It’s so smooth after you set it up correctly. It takes time to get it correct. Take your time and play with it till you get it correct. It’s really worth the effort. All I can say is that when I get some more money I’m purchasing another one. Also don’t throw it so hard. I just swing it and it just cast so smooth. I love this reel