KastKing Sharky Baitfeeder III Spinning Reel 10+1 Shielded Stainless Steel BB - Carbon Fiber Drag for Live Liner Bait Fishing Action review and price compare 2025

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Product overview

Brand	KastKing
Material	Graphite
Hand Orientation	Ambidextrous
Color	Black with red
Handle Material	Aluminum
Bearing Material	Stainless Steel

product features

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NEW! KastKing Sharky Baitfeeder III is a unique baitfeeder style fishing reel with classic front and rear drag functions. Approved for freshwater and saltwater fishing.
DURABLE-Each Sharky Baitfeeder III live liner fishing reels have 10 + 1 shielded stainless steel ball bearings, precision alloy gears with a 5.5:1 gear ratio and a stainless steel mainshaft.
POWERFUL-The Sharky Baitfeeder spinning reels have carbon fiber drag washers for up to 26.5 Lbs/ 12 Kg of the smoothest fishing reel carbon drag on the fishing tackle market.
INSPIRED DESIGN- The KastKing reel features a CNC aluminum Shark Fin Braid Ready Spool, high modulus corrosion-free graphite body, and computer balanced rotor. Also comes with a spare high strength graphite spool.
VERSATILE - KastKing Sharky Baitfeeder III has a black and red color scheme, and are equipped with interchangeable right or left hand handle with sure grip T-handle for great spinning reel performance.

Product Description

KastKing Sharky Baitfeeder III Spinning Reel 10+1 Shielded Stainless Steel BB - Carbon Fiber Drag for Live Liner Bait Fishing Action

KastKing does it again! The all new and improved KastKing Sharky swims into the baitfeeder fishing reel scene as the KastKing Sharky Baitfeeder III spinning reel. Sharky Baitfeeder III features 10+1 shielded stainless steel ball bearings, carbon fiber front drag with up to 26.5 Lbs of drag power, and a baitfeeder rear drag system for live lining live bait or drifting cut bait. Light weight yet powerful for big game saltwater fishing or freshwater fishing. T-grip aluminum handle, CNC machined aluminum Shark Fin braid ready spool, stainless steel main shaft.

Premium Quality Inner Parts

KastKing Sharky Baitfeeder III live liner reel has stainless steel main shaft, precision matched gears and a powerful 5.5:1 (5.1:1 for 3000 model) gear ratio.

Premium Carbon Fiber Drag Washer

A max drag rating of 26.5 Lbs along with the dependable high quality brass drive gear and the premium carbon fiber drag washers deliver impressive power.

Aluminum Spool & Spare Graphite Spool

CNC aluminum Shark Fin Braid Ready Spool, with a spare spool for great value.



Model	1000, 2000, 3000, 4000	500, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000	1000, 2000,3000,4000	2000, 3000, 4000, 5000	2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000	1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000
Frame	Graphite Fiber infused Nylon	Graphite	Graphite	Reinforced Nylon	Metal	Graphite
Gear Ratio	5.2:1	5.2:1-4.5:1	6.2:1	5.0:1-4.4:1	5.0:1-4.5:1	5.2:1
Max Drag(LB)	18-22	11-17.5	17.6-22	17.6-22	33-39.5	33-39.5
Ball Bearing	7+1	9+1	7+1	7+1	7+1	10 + 1
Reel Weight(OZ)	7.3-9.0	6.9-13.5	8.6-10.1	8.9-12.5	8.8-13.4	7.4-10.6
IPT(in per turn)	24.1-29.7	19.7-29.1	31.4-38	27.1-29.3	21.3-24.4	27.8-33.8
Size3000-Mono Line Capacity (Lbs/Yds)	6/220,8/190,10/140	8/330, 10/270	6/310, 8/210, 10/180	8/315,10/275,12/180	8/360, 10/290	8/220, 10/175
Size3000-Braid Line Capacity (Lbs/Yds)	15/295,20/190,25/140	30/180, 40/150	20/185, 30/150, 40/115	30/250,40/205,5/180	30/205, 40/165	30/220, 40/175
Interchangeable Hand Retrieve	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

product description

product details

Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
Date First Available ‏ : ‎ July 24, 2017
Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Eposeidon
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0746HDTDH

important information

Important information

Legal Disclaimer

WARNING: 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 Sharky Baitfeeder III Spinning Reel 10+1 Shielded Stainless Steel BB - Carbon Fiber Drag for Live Liner Bait Fishing Action

Does this have a bait clicker/line alarm?

Answer: I have the 6000 version and it has a switch on the back that allows you to turn on and off the clicker

Answer: i don't know i buy for my friend sorry about that

Answer: Yes it does works very well

What size reel for 7 foot medium rod

Answer: I use the 5000 with a 7 foot medium catfish rod.

Answer: The 3000 to the 4000 would be a good fit. What are you fishing for and where?

Answer: 3000-4000 series

Does this reel have a switch which shuts off the anti reverse (I don't mean the bait feeder switch) so that I can back reel when playing fish?

Answer: Yes it is in the front like most reels

What size is compatable with a 12' surf rod ?

Answer: I have the 4000 & 5000 on my 12 ft surf rods.!

Answer: I got the 4000 on 10 foot rods I think the 5000 wood be good they are a good reel for the money

Answer: The 6000 is the biggest.... might be a little small still

Answer: Kastking Sharky 8000

Answer: 8000 is the correct .

I have a reel 6000, but I have no idea if it has the ability to catch striped bass of 45 or more inches

Answer: HI,I don't know the weight of the bass but last week I did catch a nice 35 inch striper using the 5000 series reel and the 1 piece ugly stick with 20 pound braided line

Answer: Hi there,

Answer: It might not be ideal if you're specifically targeting fish that big, and I have not caught anything that big with my 4000. However, catching 2 and 3 pund pomapnoband 5 pound sheep head were no problem. I know that you will bring that 45 incher in with this reel, but continuously it might strain!

Answer: 'Depends on your rod also, but i have the sharky 5000 and it has no problems with large fish. hae not hooked a 45" striper on it yet, but i think your 6000 if paired with a good rod would be more than enough to haul one in

Answer: Dude, I have caught 23lbs and 20lbs striped bass with my cheap Shinamo plastic reel from Walmart and medium action Ugly Stik with no problem. If this reel true to its claims, you should be fine.

Answer: I've fought decent blue catfish and striper around 15lbs out of log jams. With the 5000.its a pretty tough reel . drug a gar that was about 5 feet long in pretty easy after its firat big run.

Answer: This may be a challenge. Bringing in 15 pound catfish this reel seems to struggle . Like what ever bearings they used may fail. I had to really adjust the drag . Try a dawa or. A regal 5000 BRI

Answer: NO PROBLEM BECAUSE i PULLED IN A 34 INCH STRIPER WITH THE 5000 SERIES,FENWICK 7.6 MEDIUM GX-2 ROD AND 30 POUND BRAID

Answer: It should be more than adequate, I haven't caught stripe bass with mine but have caught several 50 -60 lb catfish

Answer: I have the older no longer made batefeeder and a few days ago I pulled in a fighting 355 pound Striper with no problem but I did play it out like I do in fresh water

Which is better for multi species fishing, sharky baitfeeder 3 or the kastking pontus? I also plan to do some saltwater fishing.

Answer: Just looking at the specifications of both reels, the sharky baitfeeder 3 is made with stainless steel components and the pontus only has brass and zinc components. Hands down the baitfeeder

What’s the max lb line for sharky baitfeeder iii 3000 model?

Answer: Hello there,

Whay size is recomended for 8ft and 9ft medium rod mostly for pier and some surf fishing?

Answer: For surf fishing, it depends on you and your rod to cast the bait as far as you can. That means the line capacity. I like to have about 250 yards of line in my reel.

Answer: I would get the 5000 plus you should have a pier net for the pier. But for surf the 4000 or 5000 is more than enough.

Answer: Hello,

Can this hold 20 pound braid on the 4000?

Answer: When I first got mine I put 327 yards of 10lb Braid and it took the hole role. I’m planning on going up to 30lb. 20lb should be fine all depends and how many how many yards you want on it the thicker you go the less it will hold

Answer: Easily. My 4000 has 20 lb big game mono on it with no issues.

Answer: I have the KASTKING BAITRUNNER-40 .Anyone know any thing about this 40 series?

Answer: Yes

Answer: yes, no problem

Do you think the 6000 reel can handle a 15 lb striper ?

Answer:

Answer: I think I have the 4000 version, and it regularly, successfully handles 25 lb+ common carp and catfish, I can't imagine 15 lb striper to be much of an issue!

Answer: I definitely think it can. I used the reel for salmon in Pulaski. I caught well over a dozen with it and it held up great.

Does the 6000 come with an extra sool?

Answer: It should I have a 3000 and 4000 and they both came an Xtra spool.

Can I use 80lb braid lines on the 6000 reel?

Answer: then reel is designed to hold 30 lb. mono, I personally don't believe that it could handle 80 lb braid the only times I have ever used 80 lb braid is

Answer: Hi there,

Answer: I'm not sure on the 6000

Is it normal to have a stiff spot in the retrieve when you get it out of the box ? Will it break in or should I send it back ? Thanks

Answer: I have had the KastKing Sharky Baitfeeder III for a few months now and because it's a new reel once it 's used a couple times the stiff spot should go away,If not send it back and Kastking will replace it,they are great with there products.

Answer: personally, I would get it replaced as i never had a reel with a stiff or tight spot during retrieve.

Answer: Sometimes it's a little stiff before the bail snaps closed if the bale is closed and it's stiff send it back

Answer: No is not normal, it supposed to be smooth.

Answer: I have 4 of these reels and have never seen this issue. The handle is r and l hand interchangeable. I suggest you change it around and see if you still have the problem. Also, play around with the drag settings, front and back and see if that makes a difference. It is possible you have a lemon, but so far, I have been very happy with all 4 of my reels. Have caught many large pike and muskies with them, even under extreme duress.

Are you able to switch it from left handed to right handed?

Answer: You can switch it from left to right

Answer: Yes you can

What rod does kastking make for 6000 sharky lll real

Answer: I love the reel, but have not looked for a kastking rod. I have it on a diawa 7' medium heavy rod. It's a great matchup for carp and catfish.

What size would be good for bull redfish?

Answer: The KastKing Sharky III bait feeder of sizes 3000 and up will get the job done.

Answer: I caught all my bull reds using a 4000. Just adjust the drag accordingly

Is this good for freshwater and how would it compare to the KK Summer 3000?

Answer:

Can it switch from left to right handed

Answer: Yes you can. It can be used either right or left handed

Answer: Yes.. Use a small screwdriver to remove tge gromet, pkace in ither side, then handle

Answer: Yes

Answer: yes,it can easily.

Answer: Yes

What is best rod size for the sharked iii bait feeder fishing reel 6000 and 5000. i like the kastking royal spinning rods, thank you frank.

Answer:

Answer: Hello,

I have the 4000 and need a pole. I’m using it for catfishing what are your suggestions

Answer: Get the rippin lips med heavy spinning rod this will make for an awesome combo and the colors will match as well

Answer: I bought the ugly stick GX2 and it's a nice combo with matching colors.

Ok, i need an unbiased answer here, how does the salt water engineering, durability and performance compare with penn fierce ii?

Answer: It holds up very well to salt water, Penn is more salt water durable, but as long as you rinse the reels off with fresh water , regular maintenance. It does its job. My bait feeder only sees salt and water, perfect yellow tail reel.

Answer: To answer your question two different uses but my opinion the penn is more salt water resistant I have to clean the kastking better but I use the kastking for live lining bunker for striper does its job

Answer: I have several Penn reels which I prefer, but took a chance on this reel. I can honestly say it hasn’t let me down. I’m please with it performance in every way. I’m planning on buying another one.

Answer: I would prefer to see an ipx rating. The spinfisher and the Slammer both have a 5 and 6 respectively. I don't see anything about this on this real. I really want a bait real that clicks into drag like this but I want to know that they care enough to give it a rating so I'm hesitant on buying it

Can you use 30 lb braided line on the 6000?

Answer: Yes. It will hold at least 350 yards of 30lb braid. I have about 300 yards of 50lb braid on mine.

Answer: Hello,

Should i use the rippin lips medium or medium heavy rod for the 4000?

Answer:

Answer: I prefer the medium heavy action, they make a really nice combo

How much 65 lb braid will fit on the 6000? I'm gonna be bank fishing for blue catfish with a 12 foot pole and would like to use 65 lb braid

Answer: I never had the 6000. But I can spool up just under 300ft of 65 lb. braid on the 4000.

Will this fit on the crixus 6'6 medium heavy rod?

Answer: It will fit any rod that is set up for a spinning reel. There is nothing special about the real mount.

Answer: Yes it will but the crixus is set for a bait casting reel. If you’re looking to use this reel I wouldn’t go bigger than a 3000

Answer: Come on, if the rod has a reel seat it will work fine. Nice smooth reel for any type of fishing.

Answer: Most definitely, I use from fresh water to sea fishing. I just change my spools, great reel with awesome smooth drag.

Is this a saltwater or freshwater reel?

Answer: The sharky is a saltwater water reel. The internals are sealed. the pontus is the cheaper freshwater version.

Answer: It's for salt but can be used for both. they have a model called the pontis I think but this one is well built with a high bearing count and for a few bucks more this one is better made with seal bearing and could take a quick splash and a beating with like 27lbs of drag and 29 or 30 ft per turn.

Answer: Approved for both. I've had my sharky III s for almost a year. I'm a saltwater inshore guide in Fl. They see almost daily use and abuse. Still going like new with out any service other than daily freash water rinse and lube spray. A_salt.weapon you can see pics of their use on IG

Answer: Both! I’ve gone wade fishing with it in saltwater and i had no issues with corrosion even after submerging it. Just make sure to rinse it off,

Answer: Either

several comments on rod stem flexing. has anyone experienced a rod stem failure ?

Answer: I have not yet

Which one would pair up with a 7ft catfish ugly stick with a line rating of 10-30lbs?

Answer: 4000

What size would you reccomend for catfish and carp fishing? I bought the 6000 and it seemed too large and heavy. Torn between the 4000 and 5000.

Answer: Hello Kyle! I did not fish with the reel yet. Mine is a 4000 and I believe that for the occasional fishing for large fish it would do fine, but if you are an intensive carp and catfish fisherman I would say go for the 5000. I hope I could help. When you receive yours could you send me some pictures of the thread in the shaft of the spool? Thx

Answer: Personally, I’d buy the 3000! I fish salt water w the 3000 and I haven’t found much of anything yet fishing inshore that can overpower this reel! I fished carp,catfish, bass, northern, before moving to saltwater and NONE of those species has anything for this 3000! I have 2 of these that I fish salt water with. Great reels!

Answer: These reels are very powerful, if the 6000 seems too big go with the 4000 but I recommend the 3000. I recommend it because it’s a good all around size without being too big.

Answer: I have fished mostly for carp with this reel and I have found that the 4000 size works well for them, i use 20-30 lb braided line on mine

Answer: I have the 5000 and i fish catfish, carp ,stripper with it and have had a really good experience with this reel using 30 pound cast king braid awsome reel

Answer: i got the 5000 and has been working fine for Cats and carps.

Buscó partes para sharky lll bait firer

Answer: Surw

I have a penn fierce II6000,the maximum braided line capacity's 335 yards - 50 lb . Can I use the same braided line capacity on this model?

Answer: No, the Sharky bait feeder will hold around 220 meters of 50lb braid.

Is the baitfeeder feature dependable?

Answer: I have used this baitfeeder for catfishing for quite some time now and have had no issues. I use this reel for 20-30lb catfish so it can handle big fish. The feeder has always engaged and disengaged for me without issue.

Answer: I have used the Sharkey 3 baitfeeder 2 years for Carp up to 25 lbs - no problem with reel

Answer: No this broke the first time using it on the first fish snagged. Complete waste of money.

Does anyone if the 3000 size good for striper fishing? Since spool is a bit small

Answer: I use the 3004 walleye fishing and it's just right I don't know about stripers

Answer: The KastKing Sharky II Baitfeeder 5000 or 6000 would be a better reel for striped bass.

Answer: This reels is perfect for spinning, is strong but don't heavy, i like so much, for this reason a want another, but a little different, i want one Sharky Baitfeeder II.

how light can the baitfeeder drag be set?

Answer: The 4000 series baitfeeder drag can be set to about zero drag.

Answer: You can set it to be almost free spool (no drag). It is a little sensitive to minor adjustments at this low drag setting, so going from the least drag to a higher drag only takes a little bit of a turn. I'd like a little more of a range, but its still very functional.

Answer: What are you fishing for, shark or bluegill? It can be set to an infinite number of settings and it's really dependent on the individual user and species being caught. I may add that it also depends on the fishing line being used and also the fishing rod in a sense.

how to flip the handle, one side is geared the other in not. Cannot change handle sides as advertised. The handle screw will only fit one side. 6000

Answer: remove the nut from opposite side and handle assy should pull straight out.simply slide it in your chosen side on re-install nut

What is IPT?

Answer: Line pickup is measured in inches per turn — or IPT — a term mainstreamed by freshwater bass anglers. Instead of the gear ratio, IPT is a better indicator of the actual speed of a reel. Different-size spools, both large and small, affect and negate high-gear ratios.

Would the 5000 reel work well with 7ft kk heavy royale rod for salmon fishing?

Answer: The 5000 reel works well for big game fish. that love to run and pull drag. I wouldn't think you need the baitfeeder feature but it depends on the angler. I 5000 would be a great fit.

Answer: I don’t see why not. 5000 is pretty hefty. Just keep an eye on the reel crank handle cap. Mine loosens on a regular basis.

Answer: That a good sturdy real and matched with that pole should be bid enough for salmon !!

Would the sharky iii 6000 be a decent reel for alligator gar ranging from 4ft - 7ft and weighing between 100 & 200lbs? hard to tell from pics.

Answer: Hi Amy,

Answer: I landed a big 4 foot long nose gar on the 5000. I muscled him in pretty easy.

Answer: I don't think that reel would be able to handle a fish that large fished striper to 15 lbs and seemed to work hard

What rod would go with a 500 reel?

Answer: I bought 2 5000 to surf fish with and bought Fiblink Surf Spinning Fishing Rod 1 10foot and one 12 foot they paired up good and low price ( i have caught fish on both )

Answer: I use an 8ft Berkely BIg Game MH rod. I also use a 7ft UglyStik MH rod. With my KastKing Bait-feeder reels.

How much 65 lb braid can fit on the 6000 series?

Answer: I'm not sure how much 65 lb braid will fit on the 6000. I have the 5000 and I was able to get 300 yard of 15 lb braid on it.

Would the 6000 series be overkill on a 8' battlecat rod for catching big Flathead catfish

Answer: No. You might want to go bigger. The reels are made from a light material that makes the reel feel like it's going to snap. Also, I've had 7000 series come with 8' foot catfish rods that dwarf the 6000 series

Answer: No, size wise there is not much difference between the 4000 and 6000 series

Will these reels have a good casting distance?

Answer: Yes it does. However, this really depends on the fisherman and his knowledge/skill at casting. I recently surf fished and was casting beyond the first breakers with a 2 oz. sinker, I had no problems casting 200' or more. The bail will not close on you when you really "chunk' it. It's a quality reel, i like it better than my more expensive Penn reels!

Answer: The casting distance is fine . Retrieving that’s entirely different question . I bought it for large catfish , this reel struggles . It’s ruff bringing in big fish!!!

Answer: It cast pretty far with my 9ft rod.

It is not asking to select a size for this reel? What size will i bee buying at this 35.98 price?

Answer: The listing says Size: Sharky Baitfeeder 3000. Sorry about the confusion.

For 7ft mh gx2,should i get the summer and centron spinning reel or this one ? if so , which model should i get, mainly freshwater salmon and catfish

Answer: I would recommend a 4000 size reel. With this sharky reel the extra line capacity and drag will come in handy with salmon. Can't comment about the other reel.

When will the 4000s be in stock again

Three questions for the 4000 reel: is the spool longer than most? does the bail lock automatically? is there a reverse switch?

What's the line capacity for braided on the 4000?

Answer: A little less than 200 yards I'm guessing from my reel which has 20 lb braid

Extra spool - does the 4000 size reel come with the extra spool?

Answer: Not sure if the 4000 come with the extra spool. I bought the 6000 and it came with the extra spool.

do you sell sharky iii 6000 or 5000? Not baitfeeder. Share me the link if you sell it

Answer: Nah I wish I was a seller the make great products

Im going for 20+ catfish on a 7 foot medium heavy would the 6000 be good?

Answer: Hello,

Answer: Without a doubt. I've caught & released a Stingray weighing approximately 40 to 60 Lbs with the a very similar set up as yours. I had 12 Bl Ande Back Country line, with about a 18" to 24", 40 LB Fluorocarbon leader.

Answer: As of late this reel has been perfect for the price .

Product reviews of KastKing Sharky Baitfeeder III Spinning Reel 10+1 Shielded Stainless Steel BB - Carbon Fiber Drag for Live Liner Bait Fishing Action

Shalini : Great reel for price, great customer service

I love the reel, feels very sturdy and fairly smooth. I love the big handle giving you lots of grip. Also the dual drag system is amazing, has saved my rod from going into the lake several times now. I do think it could be a bit better balanced considering the lower priced model is much more balanced. Also the top drag seems to be a bit touchy. In just a click it seems to go from nearly no drag to around a 6lb drag (just my guess) but it is a big jump.

Other than those few gripes the reel is great and I'm sure will last me a long time. Any problems and the company will get them fixed great customer service.

Neil Macconnell : The quality for the price is unreal!!!!!

I feel like I could write a dissertation length review for my experience with Kastking. And it would be nothing but gratuitous flattery. Because that's exactly what this company deserves. I cant say enough to lift this company to the heights it should be held up to. The sharky III with baitfeeder ( which I have paired with perigee II rod, also made by KastKing)....... hands down best reel I have ever owned. When you get to hold this reel (let alone, any of there reels/rods) in your hands, you will think your dreaming. The price is in no way justifiable for the quality of their products. The moment it hits your hands, you'll question if it's really possible. It's movement is fluid, its lightweight, damn sure is nice to look at, and can stand up to what you would pay hundreds for. That first time your sitting there, and your hear that click from the baitfeeder...... it's like a drug! It's like the sound of the line peeling off your reel. But, better!!! If your like me, and love to fish, but your budget doesn't necessarily allow you to have those high end reels that you can only stare at on a screen. Look no further. KastKing is your knight in shining armor. I think I may have reached a level of annoyance with all my fishing buddies, because all I can talk about now is KastKing. Dude! You gotta check them out! You gotta get a KK setup and feel the excitement that I feel. Okay. That's enough...... You will not regret this reel or any reel/ rod that you purchase from KastKing.

josephus d malone : Perfect Surf Reel for the price

I purchased the 6000 series bait feeder along with a 12 foot surf rod and 40lb braided line as an extra rig for my wife to surf fish at the Outer Banks in June 2019. I am used to a Penn Battle setup for my rig with a heavier reel, rod, and line. This Kast King turned into my favorite. We caught a bunch of skates, croakers, trouts, blues, and rays. I found myself wanting to use this setup over my own due to the smoothness of the reel and the bait feeder function. There was more than enough drag available for what we were catching. Casting was smooth with no tangles or loops.

Overall I could not ask for more. I have no doubt this reel will continue to serve well for years. There was no grind or grit to it after a week of use for 4-6 hours a day. I do rinse my rigs at the end of each day and store with a bit of reel lube to keep them between excursions.

If you are looking for great reel without dropping a bunch of money look no further.

Angel A. Duran : Good reel, no complaints

I have no idea what sheerness means, but I can tell you that the reel is food quality. The drag is not the strongest, but the overall build is spot on. Baitfeeder reels are usually expensive, so the price is phenomenal. I used it on the bridge at Key West channel 2, caught a 20 inch "pargo" and it handled it well. Used it 3 times so far and so far so good.

Darken : Only Halfheartedly Recommended

There are a lot of things to like about this reel. It's very smooth, has good drag, has the best baitfeeder system I've used, good line capacity, comes with an extra spool, and is quite an attractive reel (not all that important to function, and those looks won't hold up). But the frame is so weak and 'flexy' I can't recommend it except for very light use. Felt like the reel was going to twist in half with only a 9-pound blue cat. This reel goes into the 'beater' category for me, as it's not horribly expensive, particularly given the features it boasts, but it seems incredibly flimsy, and I wouldn't trust it for large fish. An anodized aluminum frame, and this would be the best bargain in eggbeater reels, but as it is, it's more a cheap knockoff of a good reel.

Sunny leonidas : Ruined my day of fishing....

Received this reel today, reel looks amazing
but came In useless reel does not move up and down when you reel in the line reel gets stuck, sounds gears are grinding. Totally messed up my plans to fish on Sunday now have to deal with the whole return processes.. You guys need to work on your quality control. Disappointed!!!!!

x : Expect what you pay for

I always thought it was a little bit suspicious that all of KastKing's reels have glowing reviews despite being quite affordable. I ordered this reel because I occasionally do bottom fishing for catfish, carp, and some smaller saltwater stuff and wanted to try a baitrunner/dual drag system. You get what you pay for. I have not put the reel to the test yet, but the fit and finish leaves a lot to be desired and the drag feels flimsy. If you want to spend $50 on a reel that you will get one season out of, or that you will only use occasionally, this will do. But don't expect to get a $100 reel for $50. KastKing really likes to advertise reels that are "super fast" or have really strong drag, etc. but these reels are clearly assembled with cheap mass-produced parts. I look forward to trying the reel out but I have no confidence it will still be functional and reliable 2 years from now.

Geo : Great reel, dont be fooled by the price

I purchased the 6000. After using couple times. Its smooth, strong, baitrunner. Baitrunner fine adjustment works great. Having been surf fishing for about 20 years. At 60$, if you need a salt water baitrunner, cant beat it. I spooled mine with 50 lb braid, paired it with a St Croix Mojo surf 9ft. Its a really nice rig. I ordered 30lb braid for it, and recieved 50......Just went with it..... Dicks sold out these days. I think is as good as the Shamino. Fair winds and following seas my friends. G
Update 3/22/2021.
It is not A Shamino. Have corrosion around the rollers on bail on both my 6000. After 1 season.
Warranty calls have produced "Its under warranty"" will call you back very busy". Is that really a warranty. Feels like if i bore ass you enough, you make it right. To be fair, they both work perfectly less bail roller on one of them so corroded its locked up. This a good reel for couple times a year reel. Dont think its a replacement for my Shamino Baitrunner D, pay for what you get. G

BobClem : It’s ok.........but.....

So I bought this reel to bring to the OBX on my yearly fishing pilgrimage. At first it seemed to work ok, but after minimal use (4-6 hours at most) I started to notice some things I did not like. First, the main drag adjustment is very inconsistent. If I back it off say a full turn, it goes to zero resistance but tightening it back down 1/2 turn makes it so tight that you will most likely snap the line before the spool will turn. Second, after only utilizing the baitfeed drag option a few times, the “clicker” for the spool stopped working and now when I activate the bait feeder the spool basically free wheels unless I crank the baitfeed drag down to where it defeats the purpose of having a baitfeeder in the first place. The reel still functions but not the way I expected it to. Maybe I just got a lemon, but I will most likely stay away from purchasing another. This is disappointing since I have used Kastking line for a few years now and it has all been good quality. I could probably contact them and resolve the situation but I am choosing to move on.

Mavis A. Wolfe : Has some definite shortfalls

Purchased the 6000 to use primarily fishing from a pier. Spooled with 50 LB Power Pro and mounted on a 10 ft Ugly Stick. First impressions were great - crisp lines and smooth as glass operation. Casting was easy and the bait runner feature worked flawlessly. First day using no issues at all with hooking and landing 40' red fish. Second day, I noticed the reel did flex as indicated in some previous reviews. Easy to work around though. But through the day, the drag became less and less effective. Drag adjusted to maximum amount and the fish just keep running. It has gotten to the point that I have to grab the spool to keep the line from running out with the lightest pressure from the fish. Currently unable to use the reel as intended - the drag is just about gone completely. Too bad, this is a nice looking and smooth operating reel.

I do NOT recommend this reel. My Penn Fierce 2 continues to work flawlessly. Apparently you do get what you pay for. Keenly disappointed.

Albie : The reel base will twist , making the cranking experience BAD.

I caught a 38” red drum yesterday off the pier. This was a horrible reel for bringing in this fish, and it was that heavy (17 pounds). The reel base to body will bend/twist, making a horrible cranking experience. I accidentally caught the similar fish on a 2000 series reel (different brand with a metal body), and it did not twist like this reel.

Randy S. : rear drag messed up would not disengage, right out of the box.

rear drag messed up would not disengage, right out of the box. When you reel it does not flip the rear drag lever to the back to engage the front Drag. Also I purchased 2 more exact reels and this one's rear drag knob was much looser than the other 2. The other 2 Sharky baitfeeder III reels look like the drags are working. I have not had a chance to use them yet. I will reply back after use. to look at these reels they seem high quality, BUT we will see. I replaced 3 Yoshikawa baitfeeder reels with these. I wore the Yoshikawa reels out. The sharky reels are closed for Saltwater use and the Yoshikawa reels are not. In fact the Yoshikawa reels got a little dirt in them very easily. I am very careful with my reels keeping the Yoshikawa out of dirt and sand and these got dirt and sand in them too easily in my opinion.

John Miller : Incredible value for the price!

If you are getting back into fishing, and not sure how much to invest... this reel is the best decision and purchase you will make! I have not purchased a new reel in 15 years, I had been maintaining my older rods and reels, when a friend recommended the Kastking Sharky Baitfeeder 3 6000. I was impressed with the reel right out of the box. The overall feel of 'well made' and 'attention to detail' is noticed immediately. After the initial set up, we took it out for a sea trial and the performance exceeded my expectations. The action is smooth, as it feels natural in my hands. I look forward to bringing in a lot of fish this spring.

Wayne and Laura : First time Kastking purchase - Defective drag knob - Sharky III 6000 Baitfeeder

I don't write many reviews - typically when I do they are positive. I'm pretty disappointed. My wife bought me this this reel to go fishing with my kids for Father's Day. I had been reading about these Kastking bait feeders and it was much less expensive than a known Shimano. I watched some youtube videos about it that seemed pretty good and the amazon reviews seemed real good. We got to the pier and I had them spool it up with 20# mono. I like having my spools wound by the machine - it does a better job. The drag cap came off but it was difficult to remove. It seems like it took a good 2 minutes to unscrew... NOW it will not go back on - it freely spins and won't attach.
I posted a photo I can't tell if it's stripped or what is going on inside there. The threading appears to be fine.
The old timers that work at the pier fooled with it but said that's what I get for buying unknown name brands. I told them everyone started out unknown! I recently bought a penn battle II rod / reel combo and the rod was defective from the factory.
I wasted my $6 to get her spooled up with line but the worst part I didn't get to try out my new reel on father's day - I was really excited to use it! I'm glad I didn't get the other spool loaded up with braided line like I was thinking - I'd have been out another $30...
If the Kastking people make good on the replacement I'll test it out and will consider changing my rating. Right now I'm disappointed and wanted to gripe. Anticlimactic!
Is this rare or typical? We'll find out! Looking at other ratings seems like it might be rare (I hope). I'll update as things progress. - Wayne

Ray : Tight lines for less money

Very nice reel for the money. I am a Shimano reel "snob" but I can't justify spending the money on the Shimano reels for salt water since I don't go that often like I do freshwater fishing. I own 3 or 4 of these Kast Kings now and they all perform wonderfully. I especially like the bait runner feature and also the anti-reverse. A lot of reel companies have been doing away with the anti-reverse and I think they're doing themselves a disservice. I get the logic behind it as it can let in water and contaminates but it's also a nice feature to have when fishing certain conditions. I have actually NOT purchased other brands because they've removed or done away with the anti-reverse. The drag on the Kast King is super smooth and remains that way while fighting a fish. No skipping, no unevenness, just smooth and constant. The spare spool is nice when deep sea fishing and in the event you get snagged on a rock pile and start losing yards and yards of expensive braid. I keep the spare spool loaded and ready to go and since I have Kast Kings on all my rods, it's interchangeable. Bang for the buck, can't be beat.

Geppetto : I would not recommend this reel

It is real looks nice but that’s about it it is very flexible in the handle also it feels like it’s going to break off the rod influxes so much in the foot I would not recommend this reel

dpgfla : Not a bad reel. Bait feed disengage is inconsistent

First off, let me start off by stating that I own many kastking products and for the most part they have all treated me pretty well. Their bait casting reels aren't as smooth as my Lews reels but that is to be expected considering their price point. This reel falls in line with what I would expect from a reel at its current $$. The Sharky III reel is a nice looking, sturdy reel and it's just as smooth as my cheaper Penn fierce 2. It seems to be balanced well and also looks pretty slick. My one complaint is that the bait feeder function on this reel is inconsistent after fishing brackish conditions only twice from a dock. The "bait feed" function works as intended but disengaging the feeder with the arm does not always work. Note: I always rinse with fresh water when fishing near any salt.

I like this reel but I am subtracting two stars as that is how many times I took it out before the feeder disengage stopped working properly. If you purchase this reel know that there is a chance you may have to disengage the feeder manually.....or sometimes maybe not because it is inconsistent.

Lou Miller : GREAT REEL CANT GO WRONG!!!

I live on the Chesapeake Bay In Maryland and do ALOT of rock fishing off the pier. I was looking for a bait feeder reel to do some live lining. I read the reviews of the Kastking and thought ok I give it a try, what the hell. Received the reel in two days. Opened the box and was very pleased with the looks and how smooth it turned. I loaded it up with some 30pd braid put it on my 8' Cattbuster rod and what a perfect match. I've been fishing with the reel now for 3 weeks and Man it has preformed great. Casting is great and the retrieval is VERY SMOOTH. I was doing some bottom fishing with blood worms and the reel just started SCREEMING. I let the what ever grabbed the bait run for about 20 seconds then turned the handle to stop the bail. Man the rod bent over like CRAZY and I set the hook. The rod bent over like CRAZY and I started to reel it in. The front drag worked like a charm and the retrieval was very smooth. I landed a 36" rock fish with NO PROBLUM. Great reel for the money keep it up Kastking. FYI I ordered another on for!!

Albie : Good reel except...

This reel is smooth and works well. The reason for the 3 stars is that where the handle joint attaches to the shaft that goes into the gears is sloppy making it feel like the handle knob is not tight. I have added a photo showing where. unfortunately probably not much I can do because I left the reel in Florida for use when I go back down there otherwise I would return it.

Devin M : I’ll give it a solid two out of five “meh’s”.

It’s a very smooth reel with a nice drag and easy to use “bait feeder” system, but the stem flex is unsettling.

I bought this reel to use on a surf rod and immediately noticed that the spool stem flexes around considerably even when I’m just reeling in a 3oz. weight. Put any significant amount of tension on the line and the reel cannot hold the spool in alignment while reeling.

I have caught several fish with it and it’s worked fine so far, but I can’t say I have faith that it will not break if I hook into a tarpon or other large fish on the beach. I have a lot of other KastKing equipment and it’s all been nothing but dependable, including a different reel, but I’ve been generally underwhelmed with this particular reel.

I needed a rugged and dependable reel for surf fishing and that is not what I received.

Duy Nguyen : Maybe got a bad egg

Let me start by saying I love Kastking, best value for your money in the fishing world. But this baitrunner reel failed on me after just a few trips. Rear drag went silent and the spring to switch from rear to main drag when reeling doesn't work. This makes the bait runner option kind of useless. I still use the reel with the conventional drag. So giving 3 stars.

hereyago5050 : I don’t understand the 5 Star Reviews

So 2 of the pics show a side by side with the Penn Pursuit 6000. The Penn being way beefier with a much larger drag knob which helps a lot in the moment. Beefier and more firm handle as well. The KastKing rattles a bit and kept coming loose. The other pic is showing a ridiculous design flaw. The overhead shot of the drags knobs is with its KastKing Valiant Eagle 3000! The knob is also way bigger on the 3000 even though the reel is half as big of the same brand. I’m sorry KastKing but I’m sending it back. No bueno

Jamie : I couldn't ask for a better reel, much less a better price

I have had this reel for about 3 months now, and it has survived quite a beating. I couldn't ask for a better reel, much less a better price!

Drew from Long Island : Awesome reel for the money. The bait caster option is great for running a dead stick

Update: After a little over a year this reel has seen some use and is now useless. The chrome wrap on the reel where the line seats itself has flaked off. I wash my gear after every single trip as soon as I get home and this cheap chrome coating broke off and now it cuts my braid immediately. I contacted Kastking about this and they blew me off to email someone else who hasn't responded. I own 11 kastking reels and I will absolutely not buy another item of theirs if the service is that bad. I'm not looking for anything free just some customer service to see if this can be fixed. I guess you get what you pay for
For the price I don’t think you’ll find a better reel. The have 2 of them and they are my go to reels and I back them with with a kastking sharky. Paired this with a ugly stick gx2 and a yozuri top water plug and we crushed bluefish all weekend. Can’t say enough good things about it.

Rambosmurf : Great Reel!!!!

Love this reel. I needed a Baitrunner to replace my old worn out one. The major companys have serious "overcharge" issues so I thought I would give this a shot. I am so glad I did. Caught 10 Stripers with it this year, largest at 36lbs and not one...I repeat not one issue. Baitrunner worked great with sound loud enough to hear. Positive lock when reel set and no jumping on hook set. Drag adjusts close when fighting fish. Perfect size for stripers.
Highly recommended and will be my go to reel from now on.

Don : Nice reel

I had been eyeing this reel as a budget backup to my main surf fishing rig. Not too many bait feeders on the market, and this one had a ton of good reviews. Those folks are right. Nice quality, solidly built, and light. Paired with a 9' Star rod, it's as good my Penn Fierce 2 combo. The 5000 is a perfect match for the rod and pulls in Pompano with ease. I wouldn't hesitate to purchase another.

josephus d malone : Perfect Surf Reel for the price

Kit Owensby : Awesome reel!

Wow! To think, I have been wasting my money all these years on Diawa and Penn! This reel at this price blows any Penn reel of the same class I have ever owned. The gears are super smooth. There is no wobble when reeling in. The bait click works perfectly. The build suggests that you spent hundreds on it! I went catfishing with this thing. Although, I did not catch a monster and did not really put the drag to the test, I can say that the fish picked up the line, the bait click feature allowed it to take the bait with no resistance, I heard it and set the hook. Reeling in the 2 pound cat was so smooth and effortless. The drag did give way for a second just like a good drag should. Also, the infinite anti-reverse is on point. The only caveat I guess would be that the bail does not return to the top, but that's because of the ant-reverse. I don't mind this because I prefer the anti reverse. I think most experienced spin fisherman expect this too. Overall, it is such a cool looking reel at a very affordable price, and the quality is top notched! highly recommended!

Rambosmurf : Great Reel!!!!

Shalini : Great reel for price, great customer service

nemo41 : 5000 and 6000 owner

Update; I have now used on 15 river fishing trips. I would give these reels 6 stars if I could. Perfect with no failures during my trips. I tried the pontus from kastking; it failed the first time and 3 times after by disengaging and spinning with no line wrapping when trying to reel in. Which would Ultimately mean a lost fish. Sharky is a great real.
"First review";
I've seen many kastking reviews review the reels without actually testing, yes go ahead and look at all the baitcaster and spinning reels available from kastking. Many will say "5 star, can't wait to get out" "5 star, seems like it will be nice". Review a product when you have used the product. I can't believe this in't obvious.
I have honestly used my reels for about 6 trips now. I use these 2 reels for river fishing in Minnesota, I can not accurately define this as a saltwater grade reel as I have never had saltwater on this reel. Now the tricky thing about river fishing is the diversity, you cast a worm into a river, you can pull in a 10" sucker or a 40 pound Lake sturgeon where I fish.
The kastking Sharky has a special place on my setups as the line clicker helps keep the bait steady in current with the adjustable drag, meanwhile it also helps keep big fish from running much with the high power drag. I would like to point out this drag is pretty smooth, when a fish takes line there is not a surge of the drag in some parts and hard lock down other parts, a nice consistent uniform drag power.
The 5000 seems "just right" ( I have 80 pound braid on) and it seems to hold enough line for a big cast and plenty of room to fight a fish. The 6000 seems a little excessive for what I do, but again in a river with snags, you lose 2 or 3 set ups which can equal 5-30 feet of line lost, this reel holds enough line for losing set ups and still getting a good cast.
I would recommend the 5000 to anyone on "big water" or river fishing that does not expect to lose much line or don't cast far with thick line ( I'm sure thinner line would make the 5000 seem much more worth it), I would recommend the 6000 to anyone that desires ungodly amounts of line or fishes heavy cover where losing gear everyday is a normal occurrence. I have lost about 5 set ups on the 6000, (rocks are numerous in St.croix) and it still has enough line for a good cast and a fight. For the $5-7 difference, I would personally buy 6000 series for the price. (ebay can be cheaper, takes longer to recieve tho). I hope this review helps out! And please, if you review a product... first use the darn thing before hand!

Anthony Leon : Great value for money and good for younger anglers too.

Great and simple to use. My son wanted to start carp fishing and part of learning was realizing how important your drag settings are. We learned this by watching a carp take off with one of my pole/reels recently. He wanted his own so this baitfeeder was perfect to start with and honestly feels great in my hands too! He is 7 and the 3000 fits his hands just fine. Fairly similar in size to my Daiwa emcast 4000. He can cast quite far with a heavy method lead and packbait on his own. Time will tell how it lasts but he just hooked and landed this 4 lbs carp on his own with this baitfeeder that was a good few minute fight.

Herman Torres : Almost there!!

I soo wanted to love this reel. It was a great price and right size that I needed. Purchased 2 reels and both of them..... hard to describe but the rear drag/ bait runner was inconsistent. When tightening or loosening there was “play” and wasn’t smooth.
This might not have effected the operation but I wasn’t going to chance it.
Everything else was Great.. looked great, smooth reeling. Also was a bit in the small side since this was a 60 size reel.

JNO : Really Excellent Reel

There is a lot to love about the Sharky III baitfeeder and this is what standout for me.

1) Excellent retrieve speed
2) Holds quite a bit of line for over 40 lb braided line
3) Have been using extensively for over 4 months and no sign of rust (rinse with freshwater after use)
4) Baitfeeder is a bonus
5) The only reel in my arsenal I use for inshore, boat fishing and casting lures

The major downside for me is that it only has 12 lbs of drag. I think this is unacceptable for a 'high' range reel. I had one situation for a massive Eagle Ray got hold of my bait and nearly spooled me in a matter of minutes and I had on no less than 200 meters of line (subtract about 50 for the cast). If you need a high level of drag, this is probably not the reel for you but otherwise, i'm totally full of praise for this reel.

EDIT: The drag knob gave way which is really unbelievable. I had the same problem with Megatron so the problem can't be me, has to be that the reels are not suited for heavy use with lure casting where you have to frequently mess with your drag.

Thomas Mikoleski : Finally, an affordable bait runner.

Very well made reel, smooth operation, and at a great price. Perfect for many inshore saltwater game fish such as blues, and stripers. The reel will also be great for big catfish. The bait runner feature sold me, and before this reel, this feature was only available on reels costing much more. The bait runner is for letting a game fish run off with a live bait and gives the game fish free spooled line in order to swallow the bait without feeling the angler on the other end of the line. Great feature in my opinion.

CTH : Stood the test for big fish.

Bought one last year and used it quite a bit until it got stolen along with my $80 rod out of the back of my truck. Just used this new one one day and it is great. Bait feeder reels are a must for carp to keep them from pulling your entire rod into the water. It has 2 different drag systems that engage separately by the flip of a lever. Set one super light so the fish can run with your bait and the other one normal for after setting the hook. My son caught this 13 pound carp with the new reel. Was about a 5 or 6 minute fight and the reel stood up to the test. We were on sand and the reel got sand on it several times and I dunked the whole thing in the water to clean it off. No sand got inside and the water didn’t hurt it. Works great. Great price too. Other brand names can cost much more but this seems just as good for less.

Shipping came within expected time but seller didn’t send it out for about a week. Wish they were quicker. But I’d buy from them again. Can’t complain as long as it arrived when they said it would.

Uton : VERY SMOOTH

I received this Baitfeeder III reel as a gift and was super excited. I am using it on a Kastking telescopic rod. It came set up as a left handed reel and I change it to right.
The drag on the reel took some getting used to but I am over that hurdle now. The reel is super fast and smooth. I loved the fact that it came with an extra spool, which I have a 15lbs braided line on. It also came with an anti-reverse feature.
To put it to the test, I hauled in a 15 pounder with ease using this reel.
I would definitely recommend this reel!!

John Miller : Incredible value for the price!

Uton : VERY SMOOTH

Randy S. : rear drag messed up would not disengage, right out of the box.

Drew : Great for the price but...

I went out fishing for the first time since purchase it, yesterday. I'm not an expert fisherman or anything but I don't believe it was user error --- after filling it with 25 lb braided line, it kept spilling out and tangling up. I kept changing the drag to see if it had something to do with that but that issue continued, which left me cutting a decent amount of line because I didn't want to deal with the headache of some of the random knots that would appear out of nowhere in the spool.

I skunked yesterday so didn't get to test to see if it flexes like many of reviewers say. I'm going to give it one more shot sometime this upcoming week and make a final decision on whether I'm going to return this or not. I rarely had issues with things like this with my Penn reel in the past.

BTW - I didn't really purchase this for the baitfeeder feature so I didn't get a chance to test that out. I just figured if it's approximately the same price as the regular spinning reel I might as well take the extra feature.

Joseph Schoch : What happened?????

I will give more stars if customer service is good. I purchased April 12th but Saturday June 22nd was the first chance I got out to use it. Caught a few nice red grouper and red snapper. The drag system and reel was performing great at that time. Then I get a bite, set the hook and begin reeling, next thing I know the reel snaps off where it connects to the rod. I then hand line the fish in from 90' of water to find it was only a 19" red grouper. Was highly disappointed. At the same time I purchased 2 4000s and a 5000 bait feeder that perform great inshore. I'm hoping they will replace it even though it's been 2 months but this was my first time using it. I'm a big fan of Kast King and purchase lots of their products that I've never had a problem with.

Fishing and BBQ with Mitchtram : Quality, Well Built Spinning Reel

I have used this reel in both freshwater and saltwater This reel feels very solid and has been a solid performer. There is no slop in the handle or drag. Both the cranking and the drag are smooth. The bait feeder is loud. Both the front and rear drags click, the anti-reverse bearing has no slop or play. The handle is reversible to either side. I feel its important to mention this as there are a couple reviews that say the handle is not reversible. When you remove the handle there is a small plastic plug in the side that had the screw, you must remove this plug to swap the handle. Also there is at least one review that says the handle is plastic, which his not true, it is aluminum.

If you want more detail, I also reviewed the reel on my YouTube channel "Fishing and BBQ with Mitchtram".
Just search YouTube or Google with my channel name or "mitchtram kastking"

Tight Lines,
Mitchtram

jorge : After almost a yea of use

Gonna try to be fair with everyone, so after almost of year or every month use i would say this is a good reel and can handle salt water like a king, can handle small fish but when you go over a 13 inch fish it bends a lot, looks like is going to break, still for the price is a bargain compared to other brands and i really appreciate it to make affordable to everyone, 4 star so the company take notice and fix the issue

Daniel Rügemer : Smooth and sturdy

I have been using this reel now for one season, mostly for fishing from shore, surf fishing and most often from rocks on the ocean. I like how smooth the reel operates, and the baitfeeder feature is quite handy. The bail has never closed on me accidentally while casting.

I am also impressed by how well it holds up. Fishing on the rocks is quite taxing on the gear, as is surf fishing. Except for a few scratches this reel works like on the first day. I would buy it again in a heartbeat.

tina hoefker : It did great. I paired this reel with a Bass Pro ...

I purchased this reel for a beach vacation trip I recently went on. I had used old cheap fishing gear on past trips constantly worrying about saltwater damage, but wanted to get a decent set up that wouldn't break the bank and could hold it's own against whatever you might hook up with on the beach. It did great. I paired this reel with a Bass Pro $89 9 foot inshore rod, 30 lb braid and used 20 lb. flouracarbon leader. This reel is very smooth. It looks like a more expensive reel and performs very well. I really like the bait runner feature. I was able to set my pole in rod holder, sit down, drink a beer and listen/watch for a bite. Before I was stuck holding my rod feeling for a bite or putting it in the rod holder and opening the bail to prevent fish from feeling it when they bit or yanking it into the ocean. After using this set up on the beach I am wanting to try it out on some carp and catfish here at home. I think it will do great for this as well.

Chironimo : Excellent Saltwater Surf reel

This is an update for this reel. Had for a couple of years now and still going strong. Finish still looks good. Using mostly as a surf fishing reel for halibut, leopard sharks and such. Loaded with 30lb braid. and strapped to an Ulgy Stik Tiger Lite, handles them all with ease. Casting bait rigs, lures and jigs doesn't seem to matter. Drag is smooth as ever. Just remember to clean the reel every so often.(cleans easily) Doesn't seem to mind the sand nearly as much as my Daiwa. Only gets four & three quarter stars . The handle nut likes to work loose.(?) Got a little annoying but a little blue goo helps. Just ordered another one , a 4000 this time to just to be different.

tom : It was less expensive, but you get what you pay for.

It was probably a decent reel. I did return it before using though, and bought a Daiwa instead. The Kastking was not quite as smooth, and it felt less well made. So I figured if I'm spending 60, might as well bump it a little and get either the Penn or Daiwa. So I did.

Todd Romain : Super smooth reel

I bought 2 of these reels along with 2 7' Kastking 4 piece rods for a trip to the Florida Keys. 1 of the rods ended up breaking but that's another review. The reels performed flawlessly. The bait feeder function worked great and the drag was smooth. They seem like they are well made and will last for a long while. After I got home and took them apart for cleaning I found very little sign of salt water penetration. I highly recommend them.

Shalini : Great reel for price, great customer service

you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you