Kestrel SE Bait Finesse System Baitcasting Reel

I got this reel just a little bit ago but I’ve caught countless bass and catfish on it. Super good for light lures and it has a great drag system. I would definitely recommend this reel to anyone who is just getting in to bait finesse fishing.

I have never ever used a bait caster in my life and I decided to dip my toes in the proverbial BFS water with the Kestrel SE.

This reel is so much fun to use, I have challenged myself to learn on this and I have already caught several exotic species here in FL. If you're on the fence about this, don't second guess yourself, just go for it!

This is quite possibly my favorite reel of all time! Thank you!

I was able to take this out for a test drive last weekend. It performed awesome! I paired it with a 7' Medium Perigee rod for extra casting distance. I was throwing an 1/8 oz swim bait and had no issues even into the wind. Love it and I want another one! Can't wait until KastKing gets more in stock!

I took the Kestrel SE to a recent 'Free For All' fishing derby and it was the MVP of the day. Super smooth casting and an amazing drag system that handled every fish with ease. I spent the whole day on my paddle board throwing swimbaits and didn’t get a single birdsnest. Landed 6 fish, including a 2.7 lb hog. This reel is a game changer for finesse fishing!

This is almost a great little reel. It's a bit over braked, but that's not a major issue. It casts pretty well and feels smooth. However, with 10lb braid on it, the line occasionally finds its way in between the spool and the frame and gets wrapped up in the spool spindle or braking system, depending on which side it gets into.

That's just poor engineering, and should not happen on a hundred dollar reel. Unfortunately, Kastking reels are very hit or miss, with some being great, and some being very disappointing. 2 stars because for 100 dollars, it's got flaws you would expect on an absolute bottom tier budget reel.