KastKing Spartacus II Fishing Reel - New Spinning Reel – Sealed Carbon Fiber 22LBs Max Drag - 7+1 Stainless BB for Saltwater or Freshwater – Gladiator Inspired Design – Great Features

I love KK products so when I needed a new spinning reel and saw this on sale it was a no brainer. I got the size 2000 reel and I knew it would be on the small side. But the combination of tiny spool and 5:1 great ratio leaves a little to be desired in terms of speed. I'm considering sending it back and getting the 3000 size but I'll probably just keep it. Smooth drag, casts far, nice bail, cool color and buttery retrieve. KK reels are awesome.

The media could not be loaded. There is no way to convey to you how much value you are receiving from this reel; it is FAR beyond the price point of ~$50.00. I am a very experienced angler, both in freshwater lakes, and inshore Saltwater scenarios. I own the best name brand equipment from Shimano to Penn. I own over 30 rod and reel combos, and no, I don’t say this as a flex. I say this because this reel has exceeded all of my expectations 1000x Fold; even when compared to my high-dollar reels.Most of us write a simple review that is chock full of words and alleged experience, but most of us do not post video footage that proves our claims about our experience with the product. This is not that case, and I have attached a video for you to review.I have taken my Spartacus II spinning reel, paired it with an Ugly Stick carbon inshore fishing rod (7’, extra fast, medium-light rod), and have had nothing but days and days worth of success at the pier. In the video I’ve posted, this was all of one instance where I hooked a monster that took me for a ride. At this point, I have landed (on this reel) over 75 large Bluefish, over 75 Jack Cravelles (ranging from 2 lbs to 20 lbs), over 30 snook (ranging from 12” to 45”), and many other species that if I were to name, I’d just be beating a dead horse. These Jacks alone prove to you how much power and durability these reels have. I have even hooked into 2’-5’ sharks, large Cubera snapper, Goliath Grouper (that ate my Jack/Bluefish/Mackerel before I was able to reel it in), and other very large predatory species, where the only thing that failed me was the lighter line/leader that I was using. And better yet, this is all from one season, and I have not even had to service the reel, yet.This reel is typically rigged with 15# braid, and I get more than enough on the spool to fight these fish effectively. As for what you see in the video that I posted, this beast ended up taking me to the other side of the inlet (literally right next to the south pier). This reel handled it better than I could have hoped for.Do not let the lower price point, or lesser known brand name of “Kastking” fool you. This is a top-tier reel that has value far beyond the asking price point. You don’t NEED Penn gear anymore to effectively land these kinds of fish. KastKing will do you just as good for these typical inshore (or jetty/pier) species. I wouldn’t doubt that it would land me a monster Kingfish as well. I'm so confident in the reel that all I can say to that possibility is, bring it TF on.KastKing, thank you from the bottom of my heart for providing such exceptional gear, at such an exceptional price-point. Your gear has provided me with so many unforgettable catches, that I can’t even remember them all. That right there is an angler’s dream. Thank you for helping me realize it.I would like to thank Amazon for allowing me to be a part of their Vine program. My reviews are unbiased, honest, and sincere in an effort to provide you (the customer) with the information you may need in choosing this product or not, and I hope that is what my review accomplishes for you.I would also like to thank the seller “KastKing” for providing me this product as an Amazon Vine member. I look very forward to owning it and it will be getting plenty of use and exposure to other potential buyers throughout its life with me. Thanks again and I wish you success in your endeavors.

This review is for the 2000-sized Spindrift IPX5 reel, which is a perfect size for bass, trout, walleye, basically any freshwater game fish...If you're spooling with braid, I'd recommend using a narrow strip of electrical tape on the spool to prevent line slippage. This is fairly common unless the spool has built-in traction specifically for braided fishing line. Or just spool with mono or fluorocarbon.Very precise and reliable drag system, as good as $100+ reels I've used in the past. The 2000 sized reel has 17 lbs of drag force which is more than enough to slow down and reel in a 15-30 lb fish. A king salmon however may be a little much, so I'd suggest sizing up to the 3000-4000 size if you're fishing for kings. As with any new reel, take the spool off and add a few drops of light-weight oil to the main shaft. Also add a few drops to the areas where the bail opens and closes.Retrieval speed is plenty fast, the reel is well-constructed, made of metal. At its current price point, this reel is a solid buy. Seems to rival quality and build of reels that cost 4-5x as much. Hopefully Kastking keeps producing reels of this quality while keeping the price down, and I'll continue to buy their rods and reels. I own many Kastking products, probably a dozen or so of their rods, and at least 15-20 of their reels. None of which have been a disappointment.

Excellent for light fishing 6 to 10 pound test. Drag is very smooth. Well worth the price. In fact I bought another one after testing this one out.

Great reel good value

Awesome Reel. I like the color. I got the size 2000 and it's smaller than I thought it would be.

My husband ordered this fishing reel for an upcoming trip. He absolutely loves it. It reels very smoothly and was already assembled completely when it arrived. He is a big fan and plans to buy more of the same!

Sturdy reel out of the box, Haven't used it yet