KastKing Rover Round Baitcasting Reel, Perfect Conventional Reel for Catfish, Salmon/Steelhead, Striper Bass and Inshore Saltwater Fishing - No.1 Highest Rated Conventional Reel, Reinforced Metal Body review and price compare 2025
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Product overview
Brand | KastKing |
Material | Aluminum |
Hand Orientation | Right Hand |
Color | A: Right-Rover50 |
Handle Material | Stainless Steel |
Bearing Material | Stainless Steel |
product features
- by entering your model number.
- BULLET PROOF - The hot Rover reel just became hotter. The KastKing Rover round baitcasting reel has been reinforced with thicker hard anodized aluminum side plates, CNC machined spool, precision cut brass gears, all alloy flawless level wind, industry-first stainless steel worm gear, patented metal idle gear, stainless steel shaft and other components for superior durability and corrosion protection.
- MORE POWERFUL - You will love the stronger, more powerful KastKing Rover round baitcasting reel with a superior carbon fiber drag system. With its newly designed “Cymbal Washer” System, KastKing Rover now offers up to 30LB of smooth drag.
- SUPER SMOOTH - KastKing Rover reels have premium MaxiDur double shielded stainless steel ball bearings (6 + 1 BBs on Size 40-60, 4 + 1 BBs on 70 - 90) for smooth operation.
- VERSATILE - KastKing Rover is a perfect conventional reel for trolling, bottom fishing, and other techniques used in freshwater and saltwater (Size 40 – 60 with 2-pin centrifugal brake that is good for casting). The oversized nonslip EVA grips, line out clicker alarm, easy access thumb bar spool release (40-60 sizes) and the classic look are everything you would expect of a round baitcasting fishing reel.
- FISH INTO THE FUTURE - KastKing Rover conventional reels are built with functionality, quality, and are built to last. KastKing Rover Series deliver fantastic design, power, and performance at an affordable price. Anglers who want an affordable, dependable levelwind round baitcasting reel to add to their trolling reel fishing tackle will appreciate the low price and high quality of a KastKing Rover.
Product Description
Saltwater Baitcasting Reel with All Metal Body
Attractive anodized red side plates and spool made from high-grade aluminum, precision machined brass worm shaft, and stainless steel components give superior corrosion protection, even in saltwater.
KastKing Rover conventional round baitcaster reels offer all of the necessary tools for trophy hunters to go after the big ones. Whether you are after giant catfish, carp, walleye or trolling offshore fishing for large saltwater species, or wreck fishing for bottom feeders, KastKing Rover is the perfect weapon to conquer the beasts of the deep.
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Superior Carbon Fiber Drag The Rover carbon fiber star drag fishing reel series delivers fantastic power that can't be matched by trolling or round baitcasting reels by other brands. Combine a Rover loaded with KastKing braided line with KastKing carbon fiber rod for a fantastic trolling rod and reel combo. | New Thicker Outer Shell Attractive anodized thicker side plates and spool made from high-grade aluminum, precision machined brass worm shaft, and stainless steel components give superior corrosion protection, even in saltwater. | Oversized T Handle (70-90) The Rover is equipped with 3.6:1 gear ratio, fatigue reducing weight saving design, and single oversized T handle nonslip grip for maximum control. |
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Super Smooth KastKing Rover reels have premium shielded stainless steel deep race ball bearings (6 + 1 BBs on Size 40 - 60, 4 + 1 BBs on 70 - 90) for smooth operation. | Stainless Steel Worm Shaft Steady and smooth stainless steel worm shaft offers KastKing Rover superior corrosion protection and power. | Clicker Line Out Alarm Rover features a clicker line out alarm and a reliable centrifugal braking system that delivers even, constant pressure on every single cast. |
KastKing Rover conventional round baitcaster reels offer all of the necessary tools for trophy hunters to go after the big ones. Whether you are after giant catfish, carp, walleye or trolling inshore fishing for large saltwater species, or wreck fishing for bottom feeders, KastKing Rover is the perfect weapon to conquer the beasts of the deep.
KastKing Rover conventional reel’s saltwater features include premium shielded stainless steel bearings (Rover 40 through 60 feature 6 shielded stainless steel ball bearings plus 1 instant stop anti reverse roller bearing - (Rover 70-90 have 4 +1 Ball bearings), brass precision gears, stainless steel components, oversized nonslip left hand or right hand handles, drag with up to 30 lb. of smooth carbon fiber drag, flawless levelwind, audible line out alarm, ergonomic thumb bar line out release, rock solid construction, and the classic look of a quality round baitcasting reel.
Rover's large line capacities easily handles the lengths of braided or monofilament line needed for those applications and targeting species.
The Rover carbon fiber star drag fishing reel series delivers fantastic power that can't be matched by trolling or round baitcasting reels by other brands. Combine a Rover loaded with KastKing braided line with KastKing carbon fiber rod for a fantastic trolling rod and reel combo.
If you are searching for an affordable trolling reel, conventional reel, offshore fishing reel, inshore fishing reel or saltwater fishing reels, a KastKing Rover star drag fishing reel with carbon fiber drag washers is your fishing tackle answer.
Please Choose Specific Model Size to View Specs.
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Model | Left/Right Handed | Left/Right Handed | Flash Silver/Spindrift/Black Rhino/Fire Engine Red | Left/Right Handed | Glacier White/Sea Spray/Dark Star | Great White/Pelagic Blue/Blacktip/Predator Red |
Frame | Graphite | Graphite | Reinforced Nylon | Graphite | Graphite | Graphite |
Gear Ratio | 5.4:1-7.2:1 | 7.2:1 | 7.2:1 | 6.6:1-8.1:1 | 6.5:1-7.2:1 | 5.4:1-6.5:1-7.2:1-9.1:1 |
Max Drag (LB) | 17.64 | 17.64 | 17.64 | 17.64 | 17.64 | 17.64 |
Brake System | Magnetic Brake | Magnetic Brake | Magnetic Brake | Magnetic Brake | Magnetic Brake | Magnetic Brake |
Ball Bearings | 5+1 | 5+1 | 7+1 | 7+1 | 7+1 | 11+1 |
Reel Weight (OZ) | 7.2 | 7.2 | 6.0 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 7.5-7.6 |
IPT(in per turn) | 22.4-29.8 | 29.8 | 28 | 26.1-32.1 | 26.9-29.8 | 22.5-26.9-29.8-37.7 |
Mono Line Capacity (LB/YD) | 10/130, 12/110, 14/90 | 10/130, 12/110, 14/90 | 10/140, 12/110, 15/90 | 12/120, 14/100 | 10/130, 12/110, 14/90 | 10/125, 12/110, 14/90 |
Braid Line Capacity (LB/YD) | 40/130, 50/110, 65/90 | 40/130, 50/110, 65/90 | 20/270, 30/140, 40/115 | 50/120, 60/100 | 40/125, 50/110, 65/80 | 40/125, 50/110, 65/80 |
product description
product details
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- Date First Available : January 25, 2018
- Manufacturer : Eposeidon
- ASIN : B0799Q1GYB
important information
Important information
Legal Disclaimer
Warning: According to Proposition 65 of California Law this product can expose you to chemicals including lead which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
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Questions about KastKing Rover Round Baitcasting Reel, Perfect Conventional Reel for Catfish, Salmon/Steelhead, Striper Bass and Inshore Saltwater Fishing - No.1 Highest Rated Conventional Reel, Reinforced Metal Body
Q:
How much 30lb braid will the 60 hold?
Answer: Hi Juan,
Answer: A lot!
Q:
What kast king model is comparible in size to the abu 7000?
Answer: I would say the Rover 60.
Answer: Yes that would be correct
Q:
Anyone know how this reel handles with big river cats
Answer: I caught a 63 pound blue cat using this reel. 80pound braid and 20 pound drag. The reel handled the task. Excellent reel for the money.
Answer: They are alright so far I have used light drag and let them get tired but I believe the reels will handle a good fish biggest I’ve brought in so far is 35 pound cat
Q:
Is the RX90 good for casting and retrieving ? Or only trolling and bottom fishing?
Answer: I wouldn't to big Rx 70 is the best size for casting surf 20 or 25lbs test line goes on nicely its about the same size as ambassador 7000. If you must remove level wind.
Answer: it cast excellent.
Q:
Do this reel come in left hand
Answer: Yes, they come in left or right hand retrieve. The Left hand for the particular model you are looking for may be currently out of stock.
Q:
number to call for parts for my rover 60
Answer: 1-855-830-7430
Q:
What mm is the handle? would like a power handle but cant use anything bigger than the 60. also already looked on the kastking website.
Answer: I like the handle size, works good for me! I have caught some pretty big Catfish with mine!
Q:
How much mono cap can the rover 50 hold
Answer: close to 200 yards depends on the diameter of the line larger line like 40# test less than 10# test
Q:
Is there a size 50 for right hand?
Answer: Yes
Q:
do it have free spool button?
Answer: The link goes to the Rover 80. it has a free spool button on the case. look at the 4th picture down which shows the back of the reel. The free spool button is the chrome/nickle plated rectangular button on the left just above the LB/YD marking. It is similar to an older Abu Garcia bait caster
Q:
Can i catch 100lbs catfish with the 70 ?
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: Catching a 100# is depending on a lot of things. hook, swivels, knots Obstructions, current and some extra hands. 30+ cat are all my 70 has tackled but with the stars aligned I would try mine on a beast like that. I doubt 2 people on this have every seen one much less caught one near that size. I never have . Good line ,set the drag, ty good knots and get you one. Post a picture
Answer: The reel will handle the biggest catfish you can hook.
Answer: Have caught 80lb drum on the R-60 so I don’t see why not.
Answer: yes you can it will work fine. Use a 40 to 60lb Braided line will do the job
Answer: I would say yes as long as you know how to fish
Q:
Can i fish sturgeon
Answer: Hope so! I've been catching and releasing sturgeon here in Idaho for 30 years. My biggest has been 9' without a boat with an Abu
Answer: I would get a bigger reel. This is good for smaller fish. But would work if it had to.
Answer: Yes I think this rod will certainly take a sturgeon. I have caught 90 lb catfish with that reel.
Q:
Is the R80 reel the size of a penn 309 ?
Answer: It is similiar in size. The Rover 80 is a little wider than my Penn 309.
Answer: Pretty close
Q:
When will the 60L be back in stock?
Answer: Who Cares, it will break in no time. Garcia a much better option for a little more $$
Q:
is this reel good for constant salt water use
Answer: Hi There,
Answer: don't know about salt water but it works good in fresh water
Answer: I've only used it in Fresh Water. In that arena, this is a Great Reel. Performance is on the level with Penn!
Answer: Perhaps if you don't need a strong drag and you are careful to rinse it after each use. I have replaced mine because the drag wasn't strong enough and got worse to the point of not being useable.
Q:
i have a lamiglas lx90xhcgh 9, x11 and plan on using for lake trout .land lock salmon and strip bass what reel would be best?
Answer: Cast king rover 40
Q:
which model would be good for fresh water and inshore Pier fishing?
Answer: I do very little fresh water fishing so I can't be of much help there. I imagine though it would be fine for lake fishing and should be perfect for inshore pier fishing. I use this primarily for bay fishing and shallow ocean fishing for fluke. Works great for that.
Answer: The KastKing 40 has served well in those applications. I’ve landed catfish upwards of 30 pounds, 15 lb black bass and 38” red fish. All on the same reel.
Answer: I ordered the KastKing Rover Baitcaster and I love to. I’m using mine for Musky fishing and Catfish. I haven’t had any problems with it balling up or casting. I would recommend this reel
Q:
is the Rover 50 or 60 closest to a Catmaxx or Abu Garcia 5500 ur 7000 series?
Answer: If you are looking for a KastKing reel about the same size as an Ambassadur 5500, then I would suggest a KastKing 40. I have the 40R and it works just as well as the 5500. The 50 and 60 are somewhat bigger and heavier. I use the 40R alot., and have gotten great service from them. I hope this has helped you. Mike
Answer: Neither. This reel is far below the quality of Abu Garcia. I would avoid Kastking junk.
Answer: I feel the performance of the Rover is better
Q:
Is the bait clicker loud? Can u hear it if ur not next to it?
Answer: Yes it is! I'm very happy with the loudness of it. I haven't found a way to adjust the tension of the clicker though. It's at a good level where if a good sized fish hits it'll be able to run with it but the river current won't take line.
Answer: I must of got a defective one. Its louder reeling it with the clicker on than when you free spool it and pull it.
Answer: Absolutely!! Very loud!! I believe it's adjustable
Answer: You can hear it from about 15 feet away
Answer: Yes loud good reel
Answer: They wake me up if I doze off on those cool sunny days. I can hear mine on a breezy day twenty yards away.
Q:
is the reel the 70 series?
Answer: This is a 60 or below. The 70 (and above) have a larger handle with a gray knob.
Answer: Yes but you have to choose 40, 70, or 80 when you order...the 70 is pictured
Answer: Yeah I have the R-60 and it has the larger power handle on it which really makes this setup work great for what I use it for. I have mine spoiled with big game 30lb mono and have been vertical jigging big red drum and cobia 30 to 80lbs up from 20ft to 55ft of water. The R-60 works great for this and I don’t see any problem boating fish up to 100+lbs even tho the fish will strip some line off making runs but it has a good drag and holds plenty of 30lb test.
Answer: my reel is a 60 I got a larger handle from kastking
Answer: No 60 great for catfish
Q:
Will it work well with salmon stealhead fishing the rivers ?
Answer:
Answer:
Q:
What reel would be best for yellowtail
Answer: Hi Robert,
Answer: I would go with the kast king 80 or 90 spooled with at least 60# braid and a fluorocarbon leader. Those yellow tails like to head for structure and you may need to horse them out of there.
Q:
What is the line capacity of the size 60 for 25#, 30# mono and does it come witb a power handle
Answer: The Rover 60 will hold about 150 yards of 30 lb mono. It does not come with a power handle.
Answer: Forget 30 lb. This is a bait casting reel not a winch.
Q:
can you get a power handle for this reel?
Answer: look carefully at the pictures, theyre different series of reels. the larger one comes with a power handle
Answer: yes...third party via Amazon...Gomexus for example...must mention Kastking Rover compatibility.
Answer: yes call kasting ask how to order it
Q:
does the rover 40 c0me with a power handle?
Answer: Hi there,
Answer: Mine didn't, and I'm not sure if one is available or not. The very
Answer: No, 70 on up do
Q:
O do alout of paylaken what would be the best size reel i use 25 to 30 lb test
Answer: While this reel will certainly handle those requirements, please note this reel is not particularly precise, nor was it meant for constant cast and retrieve technichues like in bass fishing. I use mine with 65 lb. Braided line for catfish pike and large bowfin. Throw it out and still fish, its fine for that.
Q:
Line capasity
Answer: It all depends on what reel you plan on buying and what kind of line you plan to use? Example on the 60 series reel using mono you can put on 250 yds. of 16# test and if you use braided line 250 yds. of 70# test.
Answer: Depends on reel size
Answer: 16lb mono is 200 yds. 70lb braid 200 yds
Q:
Can i catch 150 lbs catfish with the 80 size ?
Answer: That depends on the fisherman. Have you ever caught a 150 lb catfish? The drag of the 80 is 20 lbs.
Answer: The 80 is a beast of a reel. Metal gearing and carbon fiber drag stacks. I would says yes.
Answer: yes if you have better luck than I Reel is capable if line strong enoufh
Answer: Hard to say... There are other variables to consider. Type of rod, line being used, and how you manage drag.
Q:
Is the 70 series a push button or open like the 80 series ? Looking to buy the 70 if it has the button if not im gonna get the 60 series.
Answer: I don't know about the 70 series but I have the 60 and it does have a push bar and I really like this reel. It is smooth and has a great drag system. Buy it you wont be sorry.
Answer: Love it very smooth
Q:
What size reel for 60lb braided line?
Answer: I think any should be fine for the braided line, that’s what I’m using on my caster now
Q:
is this reel good for yellowtail fishing?
Answer: I don't know anything about Yellow tail but I would say yes it would be good. I don't know what the average weight is of a Yellow Tail is but the Rover 60 is a very good reel I use it for cat fishing and have caught 30+lbs with it with no problems. Kastking makes Rover 70, 80, and 90 size reels that you may want to check out. I hope this helps.
Answer: Good for most any kind of fishing if you know how to use a bait caster. If you don't know how, learn!!
Answer: Hi Angel,
Answer: Go for the 70 size or higher. May help if you take the level-wind off (not necessary), but then you have to use your thumb to keep the line from building up in one spot
Q:
where is this reel made
Answer: China of course.
Q:
is this Reel made in from China ?l
Answer: Yes it’s made in China. But the quality is very good. I was surprised I have two of them. Very happy!
Answer: yes, but it is actually really well built.
Q:
is the Kastking Rover 40 reel too big for 5-10 lb fish like fluke, black sea bass, black fish and porgies?
Answer: I personally can't answer that as I've never used it in salt water fishing. I do a lot of freshwater catfishing and i find it to be very capable for hauling in some good heavyweights in the 20 to 30 pound range, and would trust that it could even handle some much larger blue cats probably in the mid 40s, anything larger I'd probably go to a bigger reel.
Answer: I would say a little too big! I have 4 that work great for 20-30lb catfish with 70lb braided line on them.
Answer: No it is not to big.
Q:
What is the weight of the 60?
Answer: The Rover 60 weighs 12.6oz.
Q:
is the 50 good for striped bass up to 40 lbs?
Answer: The 50 only holds 250yds of 50lb braid roughly. Depending on the fight of the striped bass. It is a nice smooth reel and well built, but I would go up one or 2 sizes.
Answer: Definitely
Q:
Can this reel be switched from right to left hand retrieve?
Answer: No you have to order l or r hand retrieve.
Answer: i do not know, I do not believe so. I have not had the time to break it down for inspection prior to use. I belive that kastking will exchange if you ordered the wrong one.
Answer: This real is junk I broke it practicing casting in my front yard and they would not respond to my emails to replace it never even got to use it in the water leaving this to say it is laying in my garage for the past year
Q:
Based on theblb of line and skill, can the rover 90 catch a 80+ pound fish? lets say a flathead cat for example.
Answer: My experience has not been good with this product. The slack button doesn’t always stay engaged. I’ve adjusted it several times. But to,answer your question yes it could catch a large fish.
Answer: My 80 handles it well. All metal gearing and a nice carbon drag stack.
Q:
How much braided does it take?
Answer: Got them all spooled with berkley trilene big game mono. 12lb mono (0.014 diameter) is equal to 50lb braid tho
Answer: I use 200 yards of 30lbs
Q:
How many yards of what pound test can you fit on a 70 90 rover
Answer: I know this is an old question, but I was able to get 250 yards of braid on a 70 size real. But I over filled it a bit.
Answer: We use 20 pound.
Q:
Do any of the models offer a non-fixed spool?
Answer: To my knowledge all of the Rover models are fixed spool. In my research I did see a Youtube that compared the Rover to a free spooling reel that costs more.
Answer: If you are asking if you can quick change to a spool with heavier or lighter line, you would only have to remove 3 screws to do that. Of course you would have to buy extra spool. Spool switching would takes just minutes.
Answer: No
Q:
By chance will the 50R be available in Right Handed sometime soon?
Answer: According to their website and Amazon it’s available now.
Q:
Can i cast the reel without thumbing the spool and not get a backlash?
Answer: Yes, you shouldn't have to thumb the spool until right at the moment the bait hits the water. if it's backlashing in middle of cast the tighten knob just a little on left hand side of reel(magnets) if it's backlashing towards end of cast then tighten knob on right hand side of reel(spool tension)
Answer: I think that depends more on the line than anything. I can do that with braid and have with some mono but if your line is memory prone and is spooled on loosely you may run into a problem but that the case with any bait cast.
Answer: I have an 80 and it was so easy to mag. I bought the magnets off of amazon. It will sling 6+oz of sinker plus bait with no thumb at an incredible distance. No thumb
Answer: I wouldn't recommend casting without your thumb. Practice makes it easier each time.
Answer: No, as with any baitcaster.
Answer: NO
Answer: Yes, it's adjustable.
Q:
What size is equivalent to an abu Garcia c-7000
Answer: I have the kastking round rover 50 & 90. I also have the Abu Garcia c6500 catfish special. having done a fair amount of research on both reels my estimate on size would be that the c7000 would be some where between the kastking 70 or 80 probably closer to the 70 in size
Answer: The 40 is the same as the 7000. I own both and the Rover is just as good if not a little smoother.
Answer: I would think that its the 70 or 80
Q:
I was wondering if all models of the rover have the bait clicker or just the larger ones?
Answer: I know it’s on the 60 I have three of them
Q:
Does anyone know the minimum mono line weight for this reel? cause i tried using 8 lbs mono and it just keeps backlashing and getting tangled in spool
Answer: In my opinion, there is no minimum line size, it's how you have your spool tension set up, if it's back lashing in the reel you may need to add more tension to the spool. I've used 8 lb. line on reels before just make sure your reel is set up correctly.
Answer: line does not matter much, add some weight, adjust the resistance on the other side of the handle, it should barely move on that weight. Then when you throw it you need to put your thumb right before that weight hits water, otherwise the spools inertia will cause it to spin more to give a spaghetti.... practice needed... but two logical points above are the key!
Answer: Any baitcaster will backlash without spool control when casting. Practice and learn to control the spool with your thumb.
Answer: You need to follow the instruction sheet and adjust the reel to minimize that. There is also a learning curve as it takes some practice not to bird nest it.
Answer: None. This reel is junk. Don't buy it.
Q:
What's the line poundage for the Rover 90 mono & braid?
Answer: mono 16/750 braid 70/750
Q:
It works too penn rod ?
Answer: Not sure what you asking here Sir. If it will fit a Penn rod? Penn makes Rods in almost all sizes, it should be easily matched with one of their rods. If it's Penn reel Quality. No. It's a great reel for the price. But, Penn reels are of a higher quality. Don't get me wrong, they are decent, and they should treat a person good. If your looking at a Penn rod, then chances are you are fishing Saltwater, Brackkish water at the very least. It might be worth it to rinse off the Saltwater with fresh after each use.
Answer: It should be your preference, whatever rod you choose, it's great for casting for distance or in close, personally I use an 11' daiwa sealine casting rod for my rxa60's, hope this helps...
Q:
which size would be a good replacement for a Penn 310 gti?
Answer: If you go to your website there is are drop downs where you can choose line weight, capacity, drag, etc and will tell you the size you want.
Q:
Will the 60 L be a good reel for catching catfish at paylake go to over 40+ Lbs
Answer: 40.lb to 50lb sould be plenty
Answer: Shouldn't be a problem my buddy used mine to reel in a 32 pound blue a couple months ago
Answer: I don't know if the drag is rated for that weight. Check with kASTKING for limits. It did fine on a 23# Chinook king salmon.
Answer: hell ya!!
Product reviews of KastKing Rover Round Baitcasting Reel, Perfect Conventional Reel for Catfish, Salmon/Steelhead, Striper Bass and Inshore Saltwater Fishing - No.1 Highest Rated Conventional Reel, Reinforced Metal Body
TEXAS : Dropping line from a boat=YES / Casting = No
Fit and finish looked great nice and shiny. Thought I would get more cast distance than my old 1976 Garcia 6000. Since it had a bigger spool and bearings. ....I was wrong. Set spool tension as usual and was getting poor cast distance. Loosened spool and line would bird nest. There was no in between. Reel is missing a key component that their competitors reels have......I know exactly what it is... Also when you push the button to release the spool it doesn't always click, you have to rotate the spool for it to catch and stay depressed. Bird nested some $25 power pro and after the third line change decided to give it up. Would be great if fishing from a boat, but trying to cast out with this was very disappointing. My old 76 Ambassadeur 6000 on a 6 foot rod 2oz weight was was casting as far as this reel on a 12 foot surf rod with 4oz weight. It is what it is, and I tried to make it work, but eventually had to hang it up. Spend the extra 40 bucks and get the ambassadeur 7000. If the bugs ever get worked out, I would maybe give kingkast another try, but as for this real, new and shiny doesn't get the job done.
jcarter : Seem like good reels.
Just received two of these reels today for my lead core setup for trolling. I was able to fit 100yds of suffix advanced 832 12# lead with maybe 30 yards of berkley 20# tuff line for backing. It was all it wanted to take but I like the compact setup. Initially the reels seem really nice for the price. They are fairly smooth and look nice with the red aluminum. The clicker is loud enough but not too loud. They have plenty of drag power as well. I paired them with the okuma classic pro GLT medium 8'6" rods and I'm quite happy with the setup so far. Two brand new rigs for about 200$. I hope to use them later this week and will update my review if I have any problems. I'm quite confident they will work nicely. I would have liked some abu's but at a fraction of the price I'm happy with my choice.
Amberlee : Chop chop
I am a right handed person but have used spinning reels my entire life so I purchased a left handed rover40 because a left hand retrieve is what I'm comfortable with. This is my first baitcasting reel but I have used others. I have found upon retrieval the reel is very very choppy. I have not brought in a fish on this reel yet but hate to think about how the choppy retrieve will play into reeling in a decent size catfish. Upon arrival it was a challenge trying to figure out the drag as there are no instructions. Something that would have been beneficial to a first time kastking owner. I have given the rating I have because overall I'm not satisfied with my purchase.
irish too : I so wanted this reel to be good!
I knew what I was getting and was under no illusion it was the same as a high dollar Swede. I really liked this reel right out of the box. It looked and felt sturdy, appeared pretty well made. It had a pretty smooth action while i was loading the reel with monofilament backer and then some hi-vis yellow braid. I mounted it on a 12' surf casting rod and it went on very easily, good balance. So I was set to go to the beach and catch some fish!
I cast pretty well, got some good distance even though I was taking it easy with that first cast. Then the disappointment came.....It doesn't retrieve worth a crap with any weight on it. I was using a 3 or 4 ounce weight and trying to retrieve it was awful. The retrieve felt very "chunky", stop and starting, like the bearing was bad or missing some of the ball bearings, I don't know for sure since I'm not going to take it apart and void the warranty. I tried adjusting the drag, the spool brake knobs on both sides of the reel.....nothing helped. It was a disaster of a retrieve.
I still like their Rover reels, am going to send this one back and try another one. I'm thinking this one is just a lemon. My friend has one and it works like a champ, this one didn't retrieve. Maybe the next one's a charm! If the next one is the same I'll just go to another manufacturer.
Tony O : Purchasing another
The trend these days is to fish the inshore waters of the Northeast with light tackle. With the exception of a few areas holding out, Fluke fishing in particular has gone light tackle and I'm loving it. This is my second KastKing reel (I also own Legend GT) and I like the fight and the peel of the drag light tackle and a 24" fluke will give you.
Out of the box, it has a nice feel to it. Enough "heft" to let you know you purchased something worth your hard-earned dough, but not a chunk of dead weight that'll give you the start of killer forearms after a day of fishing.
The drag runs smooth and the all-familiar star drag makes it easy to set, even after a hookup.
I'm spooled up with 15lb braid backed by a few yards of 30# mono (I use the same for a leader, btw) and I like the balance it gives me on a 7' 1" heavy casting rod (Also a KastKing, but that's another review).
For a solid bay / outside the inlet fishing setup, I'm very pleased and ordering another set up just like this one.
matt Whitt : Im a believer now, buy with confidence!
I'll admit I was a bit skeptical about buying the Rover at first as I have been a hard core Abu Garcia guy for years. I read a ton of reviews and watched a lot of videos so I finally felt pretty comfortable giving them a try. Best decision ever. These reels are the "reel" deal! The reel has an excellent, high quality feel. No cheap parts that I have found. The size and feel of the Rover 60 is very comparable to the Abu 6500. I would advise anyone that is on the fence about the Rover to buy with confidence. Super smooth casting, smooth retrieve, smooth drag. Nice loud bait clicker too! I am transitioning all of my catfish reels to the Rover now! And that says a lot because I'm not a person who likes change, especially when you are battling hard fighting, equipment destroying 60 plus pound catfish!! Buy the Rover, spend half the money, and get what I will say is a just as good as Abu or better quality reel!!!
Albritey : Great reel at great price
Bought the Rover 50 for my Dad’s early Father’s Day present. He picked out the KastKing Rover 50. When it arrived the box was damaged, but the reel and the schematic were in perfect condition. He is retired and just fishes at pay lakes and the Ohio River, his favorite is catfishing. He used the reel today and told me he loves it. He says it casts as well as a Garcia, very smooth. He picked it out off Amazon and says it is worth every penny. He would definitely buy another KastKing
dylangtrue7 : THE WORST REEL I HAVE EVER PURCHASED
The worst reel I have ever seen, And I'm a fishing reel mechanic, the reel is full of gaps all over, the level wind and spool are totally out of alignment, don't even try getting it to align nearly impossible because you turn any of the two side the whole frame would bow everywhere and HUGE GAPS will appear all over the reel, and I purchased 2 and it happened to both reel, ridiculous. and also the gear shift is the worst I have ever seen, completely goes out of alignment when you shift.
John Mauceri : Solid Reel for a Great Price
the KastKing R60 is a great fit for fishing above the needs for Bass Fishing but below Offshore Salt Water fishing. This reel pairs nicely with a 7'-9' rod and 15-30lb test for Reds, Cats, Stripers, Cobia, small sharks, Black Drum, etc. Great for putting on long rods for surf/shore casting. Small enough to not be cumbersome but larger than the standard bass fishing bait casters that have lower line capaccities, etc. The R60 is very comparable to a more expensive Abu Garcia but half to a third the costs. My Reel did not come with any instructions, etc or feature descriptions which would have been nice hence the 4-star rating vs 5-star. most reels come with info on how to care for your reel, oiling needs, etc. also, what all the knobs and brake settings are.
manlius duncan : Reel in the big ones
This is a nice baitcasting reel for the price. I spooked 65 lb braid with a 3 oz disk weight and slider along with a 110 lb clip on barrel swivel, 50 lb mono leader and a 7/0 hook. Obviously I am fresh water catfishing and salt water pier fishing. Reel is great but you should probably pair with a medium/heavy or heavy action rod. The rod I am using is cheap and I am scared constantly it will snap when big fish are hooked. I love the bait clicker but the spool tensioner is too close to the star drag so tightening/loosening can be uncomfortable. My only complaint.
James B. : Great reel. I bought 2 of them and totally ...
Great reel. I bought 2 of them and totally impressed. I was using shimano bantams which fell apart.
On my second season with these and they are sturdy and work well.
I recommend them and will buy again. I have bought the larger sizes now for salmon and steelhead fishing.
Great for the Pacific northwest saltwater and fresh.
S. Brown : Great Reel for the money !
Just home from fishing using my new KastKing Rover 40 . Great reel ! Casting 2oz. Disk sinker , using 40LB ONYX Piscifun Braided line. Best Reel I have ever owned ! Big step up from my spinning reels. This reel goes 50yds father ! Fished all morning zero back lash . I took time to set this reel up both drag and brake and was amazed at the casting distance . I would recommend this reel to anyone just starting out on a baitcast reel.
Roger/greenpea : Good value
This seems to be a solid value from my point of view. I have seen tear down videos that compare the internal parts to reels that cost much more and the quality is right in line.
It spooled well and casting is spot on. Now I just need to convince a catfish my bait is just what's it's looking for and put this thing to the test. Heading back out tonight so maybe an update soon.
Update 6/3/2019 This in my opinion is by far the best bang for your buck on the market. I ordered two more a week ago now that I know how well this reel performs. I like these as well if not better than my Abu Garcia Catfish Special and I paid $150.00 each for them. My sons home from the Marines and he want's to go fishing so, I bought two more and didn't even consider other brands after seeing the build quality of the first one I bought.
Matthew Cregger : It’s OK
I bought the 50. This reel is made for fishing with heavier lures and setups. 1/2 ounce set ups are as light as you want to go. I fish for bass mostly and this reel has caused me to move more towards catfishing because of the amount of bottom fishing I’ve done due to using weights. Which is honestly what its made for.
That is not really a problem just an oversight on my part. What is a problem though is the difficulty with casting. It doesn’t birdsnest much but what it does do is it fail to cast entirely unless coerced. Every time I want to cast I hit the release trigger, which should do the trick but doesn’t, and then I have to jiggle the spool side to side to get it to disengage from the reeling mechanism. It takes 10-30 seconds to coerce it to let me cast my bait. Other than that, no complaints.
Gascho : First Baitcaster Reel
I was looking for a catfishing rod and reel setup and I have read many great things about this reel (Rover 50 RH). I am not having any success with it. Tried to find help online with how to properly set up a Kastking Rover 50 Baitcaster but haven't had any luck.
This is my first time owning a baitcaster reel but from what I have read, this is a good reel to start with. I have reached out to Kastking and got no help and others who own this reel seem to argue over what each of the round knobs on the sides of the reel do. One has numbers around it and the other is just plain.
I understand a baitcaster has a learning curve but you would think there would be some info with the reel or on their website on setting one up for the first time.
The reel looks solid and its awesome looking reel. Came packaged with a cloth bag to keep it in.
Comparing it with others online it was a great deal to me.
Rf Foley : Well made
Reel looks solid but have not got to the ocean yet here in New England. I am not sure these would hold up to commercial use but for few trips a week fishing all summer , looks very solid. Smooth operation, all the parts are well finished. I expect to see it withstand ocean use so we'll how it looks at the end of the season.
WStewart : Multiple issues with mine, hearing they are common issues
I have fished with my Rover 40R several times since buying it just under a month ago. One of the handle paddles is about to fall off because the brass rivet securing the paddle to the handle wasn't set properly. Now it is wobbling and this will round out the rivet hole until it falls off. A request sent via the official Kastking warranty process was returned to me indicating I could purchase a replacement handle! So much for their 1 year warranty. Besides that defect I find the drag too loose. Other than that it seemed like a nice, inexpensive reel although I am worried it may not last anywhere near as long as my other name brand reels.
Shane Harmon : Phenomenal Reel...I LOVE THE KAST KING BRAND!
I've recently gotten into inshore fishing, and I'm an avid freshwater bass fisherman. With that being said, I recently bought a Kast King baitcaster reel for bass fishing. I enjoyed the reel so much, that I had to give them a shot for inshore fishing. This is my first reel for inshore fishing...and it worked phenomenally. I bought the Rippin Lips Supercat Series 8ft rod to match it, here on Amazon. At first the rod seemed a little much for the reel, but I was blissfully mistaken the moment I hooked into a 4 foot shark. Granted, a 4 foot shark doesn't weigh 200lbs, but it did weigh somewhere between 20-40lbs and given that it's a shark (black tip), it gave a hell of a fight. This reel and rod combo handled it with ease! My buddy had an Abu Garcia rod and reel and he actually enjoyed this Kast King / Rippin Lips combo better! You cannot beat the price of the reel / rod for the work you'll get out of it.
We fished for about 5 hours this morning, catching a total of 6 sharks and 2 sting rays. The largest shark being about 4 1/2 - 5ft, and the largest Ray being about 3ft across. I had a blast using this setup...
Sadly...as we went to put the boat on the trailer, my poles got caught up on the railing of the dock and snatched them out of the boat. The current was too fast, and my new setup was gone with the current. So besides the fact a $100 went down the drain for the setup....I just hopped right back on here and immediately bought another setup, and my buddy is using this excuse to ditch the Abu Garcia setup and grab himself one of these.
Lauren Bogues : no good product
wish I could take pictures inside as i retrieve. feels like it's grinding MOST times. then it gets stuck midway in retrieval. and when u cast it the reel sounds like its hung on something so that makes the reel pur every cast. (pur grind hum. how ever u like to call the sound) there should be no sound. it should be nice and smooth. WILL BE RETURNING ASAP
ALSO THIS IS THE 2ND ONE I GOT CUZ I WANTED TO GIVE KASTKING ANOTHER SHOT
1st one was just as bad.
FAILED. MISSERABLY.
honestly. save ur money
Albritey : Great reel at great price
Bought the Rover 50 for my Dad’s early Father’s Day present. He picked out the KastKing Rover 50. When it arrived the box was damaged, but the reel and the schematic were in perfect condition. He is retired and just fishes at pay lakes and the Ohio River, his favorite is catfishing. He used the reel today and told me he loves it. He says it casts as well as a Garcia, very smooth. He picked it out off Amazon and says it is worth every penny. He would definitely buy another KastKing
Tim : Grinding sound
Soo, after many uses, I can’t say that I’m happy... after about two months one of my reels let’s slack after I reel it all the way in like it slaps out a foot of line after I tighten it up all the way, not to mention these things are NOISEYYY! Maybe I got two defective reels. I want to try the 50 series and see if it’s better but I’m scared to take a risk. They’re beautiful reels, and I wish I could have all my reels as these but I can’t stand the grinding sound when casting or reeling. (Yes I have oiled and greased them) maybe I will see how the piscifun chaos xs’s do. I have two of the kastking royale legends aswell and they are good reels. But not meant for catfishing lol.
LARRY D BIGGERSTAFF : GREAT SERVICE
I HAVE PURCHASED TWO OF THE KASTKING ROVER REELS AND AM WELL PLEASED WITH BOTH.
WHAT IMPRESSED ME THE MOST WAS THE SERVICE PROVIDED BY KASTKING
I HAD LOST THE CAST CONTROL KNOB ON MY ROVER 80R SO I CONTACTED KASTKING SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND COMMUNICATED WITH PAUL Q AND IN A FEW DAYS I RECEIVED TWO OF THE CAST CONTROL KNOBS FREE OF CHARGE
THANKS PAUL GREAT JOB
James B. : Great reel. I bought 2 of them and totally ...
Great reel. I bought 2 of them and totally impressed. I was using shimano bantams which fell apart.
On my second season with these and they are sturdy and work well.
I recommend them and will buy again. I have bought the larger sizes now for salmon and steelhead fishing.
Great for the Pacific northwest saltwater and fresh.
Albert : The KastKing Rover converted me from Spinning Reels for Larger Game!
I've always been a spinning reel kind of guy when it comes to catfishing but I've heard great things about this set up, So I figured at the price point this would be a great large profile baitcaster to try. Man I am in love with this thing, it caster about 20-30 foot farther then I expected! A friend of mine who was with me was blown away and he is a big A.G. fishing gear guy but said he's gonna have to make the switch to KastKing Rovers! The bait clicker was easy to use and worked great. Because of the Rover I think I'm going to use baitcasters for big game all the time now. Just ordered my second Rover today!
G Lacey : Meh......
This is NOT the new round baitcast king (pun intended). There are issues. I use it for paylake catfish. Results? regular backlashing (even with thumbing the spool). Also, the issue of line getting caught behind the spool edge- this is a real occurrence, not a rarity. I've used it for about 6 months of fishing before writing this ( including this year and last). This will be kept as a back up and I will invest in an Amb-. Even one of cheap ones would probably perform better than this. I give it three stars because I can get through a day of fishing with it without Major issues, just annoying ones. Also, I hate the wide, all the way across the reel, cheap plastic spool release button. If you are used to the standard small button on the side of a round baitcast, you will accidentally release the spool at hookset sometimes due to thumb placement, costing you fish.
Albert : The KastKing Rover converted me from Spinning Reels for Larger Game!
I've always been a spinning reel kind of guy when it comes to catfishing but I've heard great things about this set up, So I figured at the price point this would be a great large profile baitcaster to try. Man I am in love with this thing, it caster about 20-30 foot farther then I expected! A friend of mine who was with me was blown away and he is a big A.G. fishing gear guy but said he's gonna have to make the switch to KastKing Rovers! The bait clicker was easy to use and worked great. Because of the Rover I think I'm going to use baitcasters for big game all the time now. Just ordered my second Rover today!
Lauren Bogues : no good product
wish I could take pictures inside as i retrieve. feels like it's grinding MOST times. then it gets stuck midway in retrieval. and when u cast it the reel sounds like its hung on something so that makes the reel pur every cast. (pur grind hum. how ever u like to call the sound) there should be no sound. it should be nice and smooth. WILL BE RETURNING ASAP
ALSO THIS IS THE 2ND ONE I GOT CUZ I WANTED TO GIVE KASTKING ANOTHER SHOT
1st one was just as bad.
FAILED. MISSERABLY.
honestly. save ur money
J Brownbear : Noisy and crunchy
Update3/9/2019- I reached out to kast king about the noise they sent a replacement. Replacement reel showed up box beat to piss handle bent and threads stripped. Emailed them about this as soon as I opened the box and sent them pictures. No reply back. That's was 2 weeks ago. I have tried to get ahold of someone about this multiple times with no reply kast king is getting bigger as a name but customer service and quality is starting to get worse. Save your money and buy something else don't mess with Krap King stuff.
I bought a bass pro catmaxx reel which is super smooth and silent. I then bought a kast king 60r used it and it's crunchy and really loud when reeling in. This is with clicker off. Took the reel apart greased and oiled everything catmaxx got smoother 60r didn't get any better highly disappointed I havnt used the 60r but the one time and acouple casts after the lube service. I'll. Be getting another catmaxx and really thinking about selling all my kast king stuff and going with someone else.
Albert : The KastKing Rover converted me from Spinning Reels for Larger Game!
I've always been a spinning reel kind of guy when it comes to catfishing but I've heard great things about this set up, So I figured at the price point this would be a great large profile baitcaster to try. Man I am in love with this thing, it caster about 20-30 foot farther then I expected! A friend of mine who was with me was blown away and he is a big A.G. fishing gear guy but said he's gonna have to make the switch to KastKing Rovers! The bait clicker was easy to use and worked great. Because of the Rover I think I'm going to use baitcasters for big game all the time now. Just ordered my second Rover today!
T. Lewis : It’s okay.
It’s not horrible but it’s not the best reel you’ll ever own. It does its job
Pros:
It’s lightweight and easy to palm. Very comfortable to use, even when Bass fishing and casting and reeling all day.
It holds a lot of line. Even the 40 I bought has a very large spool.
It seems sturdy and well made.
Cons:
It’s noisy. Makes noise casting and reeling. Maybe the noisiest reel I’ve ever used.
It is not braid ready. You’ll have to add mono to the spool first and then add the braid otherwise the drag will not prevent the braid from spinning on the spool.
It’s prone to backlash. I’ve seen some reviews that say because it’s a fixed spool (on the spindle) that it’s very hard to bird nest. Not true. It tangles more than any baitcasters I’ve ever used. So far flouro and braid tangle equally as easy. Haven't tried mono yet.
All told, it’s not horrible for an Abu wanna’ be but there are issues. If you’re in the need for a cheap reel in a pinch it’s okay. But this is not the reel you’ll be bragging about or packing for that vacation.
I would have given it a better review if it wasn’t so prone to backlash but facts are facts. I’ve owned extremely expensive baitcasters and extremely cheap ones. This one is one of the worst as far as birdnesting.
Amberlee : Chop chop
I am a right handed person but have used spinning reels my entire life so I purchased a left handed rover40 because a left hand retrieve is what I'm comfortable with. This is my first baitcasting reel but I have used others. I have found upon retrieval the reel is very very choppy. I have not brought in a fish on this reel yet but hate to think about how the choppy retrieve will play into reeling in a decent size catfish. Upon arrival it was a challenge trying to figure out the drag as there are no instructions. Something that would have been beneficial to a first time kastking owner. I have given the rating I have because overall I'm not satisfied with my purchase.
Kimmy Hampton : Performed well
The reel is very durable and exactly as described. The movement is smooth and strong. I took it out for it's initial debut and it performed well. I only caught a small fish but it didn't hesitate on retrieval. Hopefully I will be able to land a big cat and I am sure it will handle it also. I do recommend the reel it is a great reel for the cost.
Lyndel R Bartlett : They look just like the picture
I love this reel so much that I just bought another one tonight. You will not find a better reel at this price. I would put it up against an Ambassador all day long and it is about $100 dollars cheaper. It has all metal gears no plastic. Ambassadors are great as long as you have the extra money to spend on them. If you want the same features with out the big price tag buy this Kast King. I just love it. It is my favorite cat fish reel for the local pay lakes.
Roger/greenpea : Good value
This seems to be a solid value from my point of view. I have seen tear down videos that compare the internal parts to reels that cost much more and the quality is right in line.
It spooled well and casting is spot on. Now I just need to convince a catfish my bait is just what's it's looking for and put this thing to the test. Heading back out tonight so maybe an update soon.
Update 6/3/2019 This in my opinion is by far the best bang for your buck on the market. I ordered two more a week ago now that I know how well this reel performs. I like these as well if not better than my Abu Garcia Catfish Special and I paid $150.00 each for them. My sons home from the Marines and he want's to go fishing so, I bought two more and didn't even consider other brands after seeing the build quality of the first one I bought.
Frank C. : Outstanding Baitcasting Reel For a Budget
So I will start off this review by discussing the presentation when opening it. The Rover 70 (the version I purchased) came in a box (pictured above) with only a few scratches and dings (guaranteed to be from shipping) but was otherwise unmarked. I will say it is a nice looking box, not too flashy, doesn't feel like super cheap cardboard (you know the type of cardboard). Onto the contents of the box, inside you'll find the reel, the convenient tote bag (both pictured above) and the parts list for the reel. The tote bag is a nice addition (though more than likely, my reel will be spending a majority of its time on my rod) and the reel came in perfect condition.
Overall on the presentation- 8/10
Onto the pros and cons of the reel itself:
Pros- The reel has an all aluminum frame with a decent sized rubber power handle. Non of that smooth plastic garbage on this handle. The star drag is VERY easy to use. It's positioning on the rod, coupled with its very curved feel makes it very easy to switch drag around, even with a fish pulling on the other end. The alarm button switches the reel to a very satisfying but not too loud clicking to alert you of a take. Not nearly as loud as other reels do and its very easy to use the button. Lining up was also very easy on this reel (I use 60lb braided line on it for catfishing). Another thing I have noticed is that its NOT an easy task to birds nest this reel. Other baitcaster I have used feel like they birds nest on every other cast. I have already casted this thing a few hundred times and no issues on either the cast or the retrieve.
Cons (Few and far between)- There really isnt much to talk about here. However, there are a few things that do need pointed out. First being that the levelwind CAN get in the way if you hook into a large fish. However the reel is very customizable and this can be removed in a few minutes with only a few screwdrivers and a youtube tutorial. (When I said a few I meant one)
Overall this rod is very good for the price I paid and I will likely find myself purchasing one again for another rod.
Overall rating - 9.5/10
Amberlee : Chop chop
I am a right handed person but have used spinning reels my entire life so I purchased a left handed rover40 because a left hand retrieve is what I'm comfortable with. This is my first baitcasting reel but I have used others. I have found upon retrieval the reel is very very choppy. I have not brought in a fish on this reel yet but hate to think about how the choppy retrieve will play into reeling in a decent size catfish. Upon arrival it was a challenge trying to figure out the drag as there are no instructions. Something that would have been beneficial to a first time kastking owner. I have given the rating I have because overall I'm not satisfied with my purchase.
Kerrie Kohler : Now the reel is full to the brim with the KastKing super power braided line that i also purchased
The reel that I have received(KastKing Rover 60 RH) is defective. When reeling in line it feels very "notchy" the worm gear for the level line seem as if it has a defect in the machining. It "catches" with every full rotation of the reel handle. when you cast it does the same in reverse and causes nasty birds nests. At first i thought maybe the machining was just so precise that it needed to be broken-in. However it has not improved at all. Now the reel is full to the brim with the KastKing super power braided line that i also purchased. I would hate to have to waste all that line plus the 30lb mono backer. Is there a part you can send so i can repair it myself? Or would I have to ship this one back and wait for a new one to show up? I was very excited when my package arrived only to be slightly disappointed. I haven't even used a hook yet, only casted with a 1oz weight to see if it would get better. I do not want to leave any negative reviews of your product as the fit and finish of the reel is beyond what I imagined and I love that its made here in the U.S.A.. I hope to get a response soon as I'm eager to put this reel through it paces.
Lyndel R Bartlett : They look just like the picture
I love this reel so much that I just bought another one tonight. You will not find a better reel at this price. I would put it up against an Ambassador all day long and it is about $100 dollars cheaper. It has all metal gears no plastic. Ambassadors are great as long as you have the extra money to spend on them. If you want the same features with out the big price tag buy this Kast King. I just love it. It is my favorite cat fish reel for the local pay lakes.
D Strange, Jax FL : Cheap
Did not reel the line in evenly but that is not a huge deal. Otherwise the reel looked and worked nicely. However, the drag was incredibly weak no matter how tightly I tried to adjust it. I would say it maxed out at about 3-4 lbs, which is not much when the reel calls for 40-50 lb line. I usually like to run my drag at about 25% of my line test, which would require it to hold about 10 lbs. It would not pick up a 5 lbs bag of sugar.
Kerrie Kohler : Now the reel is full to the brim with the KastKing super power braided line that i also purchased
The reel that I have received(KastKing Rover 60 RH) is defective. When reeling in line it feels very "notchy" the worm gear for the level line seem as if it has a defect in the machining. It "catches" with every full rotation of the reel handle. when you cast it does the same in reverse and causes nasty birds nests. At first i thought maybe the machining was just so precise that it needed to be broken-in. However it has not improved at all. Now the reel is full to the brim with the KastKing super power braided line that i also purchased. I would hate to have to waste all that line plus the 30lb mono backer. Is there a part you can send so i can repair it myself? Or would I have to ship this one back and wait for a new one to show up? I was very excited when my package arrived only to be slightly disappointed. I haven't even used a hook yet, only casted with a 1oz weight to see if it would get better. I do not want to leave any negative reviews of your product as the fit and finish of the reel is beyond what I imagined and I love that its made here in the U.S.A.. I hope to get a response soon as I'm eager to put this reel through it paces.
Doug E. : Getting Better
When originally received it I was very disappointed with the distance on casts. It seemed really tight and I had to use extra weight to get a good cast. As I have used it more it has gotten a little better so hopefully it will continue to loosen up.
Amazon Customer : Great for catfish
Great for catfish. I cant say anything but good things about these. I've had them for 8 months now and I fish a lot. Try it out, I've been using these since the bass pro shops cat maxx reel are now 70 dollars. These are just as good in my opinion.
Anthony Hutchison : Disappointed!!!
So I bought this real back in March and used it for the first time Friday night casted good felt fine turned the bait clicker on all seemed good and the a fish starts taking line and the damn bait clicker switch and metal washer just falls out don’t know if it was just a faulty switch or just a crappy product but very disappointed and I was night fishing so could find the shim for the bait clicker switch
J Brownbear : Noisy and crunchy
Update3/9/2019- I reached out to kast king about the noise they sent a replacement. Replacement reel showed up box beat to piss handle bent and threads stripped. Emailed them about this as soon as I opened the box and sent them pictures. No reply back. That's was 2 weeks ago. I have tried to get ahold of someone about this multiple times with no reply kast king is getting bigger as a name but customer service and quality is starting to get worse. Save your money and buy something else don't mess with Krap King stuff.
I bought a bass pro catmaxx reel which is super smooth and silent. I then bought a kast king 60r used it and it's crunchy and really loud when reeling in. This is with clicker off. Took the reel apart greased and oiled everything catmaxx got smoother 60r didn't get any better highly disappointed I havnt used the 60r but the one time and acouple casts after the lube service. I'll. Be getting another catmaxx and really thinking about selling all my kast king stuff and going with someone else.
WStewart : Multiple issues with mine, hearing they are common issues
I have fished with my Rover 40R several times since buying it just under a month ago. One of the handle paddles is about to fall off because the brass rivet securing the paddle to the handle wasn't set properly. Now it is wobbling and this will round out the rivet hole until it falls off. A request sent via the official Kastking warranty process was returned to me indicating I could purchase a replacement handle! So much for their 1 year warranty. Besides that defect I find the drag too loose. Other than that it seemed like a nice, inexpensive reel although I am worried it may not last anywhere near as long as my other name brand reels.
Jim Presley - Bluesman : ... Rover 60R Reel Review The reel arrived in a nice box and a nice cloth bag for storage
KastKing Rover 60R Reel Review
The reel arrived in a nice box and a nice cloth bag for storage.
Inside the box was a schematic and parts list. This is very good as parts wear out and often need replacement. The schematic was small but readable.
The reel was larger and heavier than I expected but very sturdy. Size wise it is larger than an Abu Garcia Ambassador 6500 but not as large or heavy as a 7000.
The line spool is solid and a nice gold color. It is wider and of larger diameter than the Abu 6500. I was thinking it would hold more line but I was wrong.
The spool release button is larger and over hangs more on the KastKing. Attempting to fill the spool all the way up to its max results in the line hitting the spool release button.
Both reels hold about 240 to 250 yards of 15lb Berkley Big Game Monofilament Line.
I noticed that the level wind assembly was all metal and appeared durable. This compares to both the Abu 6500 C4 approx. $135 and The Abu 7000 approx. $149. Both run smoothly and track well although the Abu Garcia Reels lay the line a little more evenly across the spool.
Comparing the level wind to a Abu Garcia 6500-S approx. $60 the Abu also lays down the line smoother but it has a nylon drive tooth that will not wear as well as the $52 KastKing 60.
Then I decided to get down to business and get inside the reels.
The good news is most of the drive gears and bearings are metal and strong on the KastKing Rover 60 and the Abu 6500 C4. I noticed the spindle size on the C4 to a little thicker but it appeared only a mm or so. I did not take the time to micrometer them.
Comparing it to the Abu 6500-S there was more metal and the construction was much better. Comparing the KastKing Rover 60 to the Abu 7000 is like comparing a Ford F150 to an F350 Super Duty. There is no real comparison. It will not stand up to a 150lb bull shark on the other end like the 7000 could (at max).
However I would have no reservations taking on a 25lb redfish with this reel.
A spin test of just the spool on the spindle outside the reel body revealed that all three reels: KastKing Rover 60, Abu Garcia 6500 C4 and the Abu 6500-S could be made to spin 40 to 60 sec and appeared equivalent in speed. I ran this test to see how pimp able they were to modifications like installing ceramic bearings, removing the level wind assembly, and adding a magnetic brake cast control.
The three reels mentioned above are all equivalent here. (The Abu 7000 spins longer because the spool is significantly heavier)
Still inside the reels all of the Abu Garcia Reels come with six set able centrifugal brakes as well as one or two spool tensions knobs. The KastKing has only two and they are on whether you like it or not.
The Abu 6500 reels come with 4 of the brakes set to the on position at the factory. I changed this to two for my cast test later in the review.
Getting back to cast control the KastKing has two spool tension knobs like the Abu 7000. This is an advantage as the star drag gets in the way of your fingers on the Abu Garcia with only one on the right side.
The clicker assemblies on all three reels were similar with neither really out shining the other. All were adequate to leave the spool in free spool and let the sound alert you on a quiet night bait fishing. None was loud enough to do this on the beach with the waves coming in.
I put the reels back together and filled them with 15lb Big Game Monofilament Line. I mounted them on a Diawa Acculite 9ft Salmon/Steelhead Medium Action Rod.
Attaching a fish scale to a loop tied in the line I tightened the drag all the way down and did three pull tests of one foot. The Abu 6500 claim 15lbs of drag but he C4 only delivered 14.6. The 6500-S claimed 15 but only delivered 11.3. The KastKing Rover Claimed 13.5 and delivered 13.8. The Abu 7000 claims 20 but delivered 27.7.
The Abu 6500 reels and the KastKing were then set to 5lbs and pulled through a 20ft walk away. The KastKing and the Abu 6500 C4 had less than 0.5lb variance during the walk. The Abu 6500-S failed this test on the third walk.(The line broke) All three were pull tested three times over 20ft.
Now we get down to the casting part:
Three cast were made with the Abu 6500 C4, the Abu 6500-S and the KastKing Rover 60 using a 1oz pyramid sinker with a one foot drop down from the rod tip. This was repeated with a 7ft drop down and a Brighton Surf Cast and finally with a full blown Tournament Type of Pendulum Cast.
All three reels were within the margin of individual variance for a single reel.
The one foot drop casts went 70 to 75 yards.
The Brighton Casts went 85 to 95 yards
The Pendulum Casts went 95 to 125 yards.
You will note that as I went to the more difficult surf and tournament casts the variance widened. This is due to my own operator error as I am not a tournament caster and the angle of release is not as consistent between each individual cast with these tournament techniques.
The Abu 6500 C4 was quieter on the cast and the KastKing Rover made more spool noise but both beat the Abu 6500-S here.
My final conclusion is that the KastKing Rover 60 at $52 compares very favorable to the Abu 6500 C4 at $135 and is a real bargain. Don’t waist your money on the Abu 6500-S at $60 it’s a turkey.
I plan on using his reel of spotted sea trout, redfish, flounder, and other near shore species. I am happy with it.
hereyago5050 : The drag is a joke!
I’m not sure why this is rated so high. The drag is a joke. I fought an 18lb sting ray off a pier and could not get this thing reel it in. I tightened the drag but it’s kept pulling away so I ended up hand-lining it in. Then when I removed the reel to return it there was rust around the bolts where the reel mounts to the rod. I only used it 3 times! Not sure if anyone’s else’s noticed these issues.
RICK : Packaging good with no extra junk
What an outstanding reel!
I ordered from Amazon after reading many reviews and some YouTube vids. It arrived in just three days with normal shipping. Packaging good with no extra junk. It did come with a nice cloth bag to store the reel in when not in use.
Now i have other similar reels by abu, penn etc. and was looking for something to pair with my new Santiam 11ft surf rod as my other reels were a bit large in diameter for the rod. This reel (KastKing Rover 5/0) is just about the perfect size reel for this rod. I spooled it up with 40lb KastKing super braid. I don't have a line counter yet but it took most of a 327ft spool. I couldn't wait to try this reel out and went out back to my small pond to kinda get a feel for the reel. So after my first few casts i couldn't believe that this inexpensive but quality built reel could cast so effortlessly. It was a very smooth and quite cast and the retrieval is a great speed for this size reel. I used a 1 ounce weight only to try this thing out and was easily casting 200ft. I then tried it on an ugly stick tiger rod 7ft with the same weight and line. Again very impressed with its performance on this rod which i use for catfishing.
I've never used a KastKing reel before but i like this one more than some of my 200$+ reels. I give it 5 stars and recommend this reel to anyone looking for a great conventional style reel!
In fact i liked it so much that just two days after receiving it i ordered the KastKing Rover 6/0!
eddie hsieh : Buy if you don’t need help
This is one of two Rovers I own, the other is a Rover 60. I just got a chance to open the boxes even though I bought them months ago. The two cannot be more different and each in its own way. The 40 is way way too loud to wind, and the 60 is virtually silent. Both drag stars turn themselves loose just as you test winding the handle a few times. As I attempted to see maybe it just takes a few adjustments here and there and reached for the “manual”. Well there isn’t any, and to add insult to injury, the diagram is so so small, I have problems seeing them with a magnifying glass. This is money saving to a point of fault as the printed page contains info for Rover 40-60/70/80-90, with any thoughts the part names could have had the same numbers, and only printed once for all the numbers and give the pictures more space if it came down to printing just on one side of the paper or the profit goes away. But c’mon this is ridiculous.
Edit: Noise went away after finding the clicker button using a microscope on the diagram. One star added back.
Rf Foley : Well made
Reel looks solid but have not got to the ocean yet here in New England. I am not sure these would hold up to commercial use but for few trips a week fishing all summer , looks very solid. Smooth operation, all the parts are well finished. I expect to see it withstand ocean use so we'll how it looks at the end of the season.
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
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