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Posts: 205
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota | This winter I’m trying to get a less expensive combo or two put together so I can take out friends without musky gear or use out of my kayak without worrying about flipping the thing and losing an expensive combo. The new beast x looks interesting to me. I know it is somewhat of a downsized reel but looks like it has plenty of line capacity for throwing regular sized lures. Anyone have experience with this reel? I’ve also looked at the lews superduty 300, which seems to have barely any info on it, the maxtoro, or a revo s on sale while they are still around. Any info on these reels or any other suggestions for reels around 200 or less would be appreciated, thanks. |
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Posts: 731
| I have the revo beast x and yea it seems small comparable to the other standard sized reels. I will be using mine primarily for heavy bass fishing, large spinnerbaits in heavy weeds,etc. Can you use it for musky,sure, but I believe Abu designed this reel as a heavy duty bass reel, big swimbaits,etc. I think out of the reels you mentioned, the reel designed most for muskies, is the max toro. Kdawg |
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Posts: 253
| The Revo Beast X (and Revo Beast 40) are essentialy reels that combine the line capacity of a 50 size TORO reel with the "guts" of a smaller bass reel, hense the lighter weight compared to a TORO 50 reel.
Due to the less beefy guts, I would rather go with a second hand TORO S or a MaxTORO than the Beast X, just to stay on the safe side regarding durability. |
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Posts: 1199
Location: Walker, MN | It's hard to go wrong with a Revo Toro S for that price point.
Also, I see Okuma is closing out the Citrix 350 for $87.50, if you really want to save some cash. I normally wouldn't recommend this reel, but that's really inexpensive. |
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Posts: 341
Location: Western U.P. | All of the reels mentioned would work fine for you, but a choice would depend on the size reel you're looking for. The Beast X is smaller (almost the exact size of the Revo Toro, RT Winch, and NaCl 50's), and would be a good choice for beginner to experienced anglers. I have a Beast 40, and it has become one of my favorite reels. Have used it on lures up to 6 oz with no issues, and has caught quite a few Muskies. The Beast X overall looks to have most of the same components as the Beast, and I'll be picking one up for this season to check out. The MaxToro is a good reel, but I found the adjustments to be a little touchy, but once dialed in, casts well... just don't let your thumb get too far away from the spool on a cast. The Revo Toro S is a solid all around reel, and probably the best bang for the buck right now. I picked another S50 for backup, guests, & clients earlier this Winter for $100 NIB. |
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Posts: 32786
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Cedar - 1/22/2020 9:44 AM
All of the reels mentioned would work fine for you, but a choice would depend on the size reel you're looking for. The Beast X is smaller (almost the exact size of the Revo Toro, RT Winch, and NaCl 50's), and would be a good choice for beginner to experienced anglers. I have a Beast 40, and it has become one of my favorite reels. Have used it on lures up to 6 oz with no issues, and has caught quite a few Muskies. The Beast X overall looks to have most of the same components as the Beast, and I'll be picking one up for this season to check out. The MaxToro is a good reel, but I found the adjustments to be a little touchy, but once dialed in, casts well... just don't let your thumb get too far away from the spool on a cast. The Revo Toro S is a solid all around reel, and probably the best bang for the buck right now. I picked another S50 for backup, guests, & clients earlier this Winter for $100 NIB.
I received a prototype Beast 40 before the reel was released, and still have it. It's my go-to reel for most presentations other than heavy soft plastics, which, when I use them, I use a Rocket to toss big rubber. I'll be buying a couple of the X models this Spring to put my new Vexan Big Games.
We are also buying a coupe Tranx 400 models to place in rotation, great reels. |
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Posts: 205
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota | Thanks for the replies, I’m thinking I will most likely get a toro s, meant to say that in my original post instead of revo s. I am curious about the beast x still so I might convince myself to get two new combos with the X on a lighter weight setup. I have always wanted to try the maxtoro but I always talk myself out of it with it not having a metal frame. Bass/pike fishing I have broken a couple plastic framed reels power fishing and doubt musky fishing would be much better. All of my regular gear I have either a Calcutta D or a tranx on it so I have somewhat high standards but I’d like to find a less expensive reel I like that I could get a fleet of rods with so eventually I could guide. Thanks for the help again |
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Posts: 1184
| I picked up a Revo Toro S last year, to fill a niche in my arsenal. I think it would suit your purposes quite well. |
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Posts: 71
| I'm doing the same but for myself. I get out maybe a dozen times a year and like low profile reels but not the price. I have a lews 300 and it has been great. I found a used 300 curado on here last year for $100 and I love it. It casts better than the lews which suprizes me as my lews bass reels casts so well. So this winter I picked up a Kastking Kapstan 300 and plan on using it exclusively this spring/summer. This year has great reviews online but I don't know a single person who owns one. I will say the packaging is better than anything I've ever seen which is odd for a cheapo chinese reel. I will do a full review. I'm sure I'll catch more snags than fish as always. |
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Posts: 341
Location: Western U.P. | twofishy4u - 1/26/2020 8:18 AM
I'm doing the same but for myself. I get out maybe a dozen times a year and like low profile reels but not the price. I have a lews 300 and it has been great. I found a used 300 curado on here last year for $100 and I love it. It casts better than the lews which suprizes me as my lews bass reels casts so well. So this winter I picked up a Kastking Kapstan 300 and plan on using it exclusively this spring/summer. This year has great reviews online but I don't know a single person who owns one. I will say the packaging is better than anything I've ever seen which is odd for a cheapo chinese reel. I will do a full review. I'm sure I'll catch more snags than fish as always.
A friend of mine showed me a Kapstan 300 that he picked up at the end of last year. Seemed like a decent reel, and it has some good reviews online. It reminded me of a Abu Garcia MaxToro. Another reel in this same category is the Piscifun Alijos 300 that has recently come to market. It's roughly the size if a Komodo 364, and has some surprisingly good online reviews. I've handled one, and it actually doesn't feel too bad. Might even have to give one a try. |
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Posts: 205
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota | twofishy4u - 1/26/2020 8:18 AM
I'm doing the same but for myself. I get out maybe a dozen times a year and like low profile reels but not the price. I have a lews 300 and it has been great. I found a used 300 curado on here last year for $100 and I love it. It casts better than the lews which suprizes me as my lews bass reels casts so well. So this winter I picked up a Kastking Kapstan 300 and plan on using it exclusively this spring/summer. This year has great reviews online but I don't know a single person who owns one. I will say the packaging is better than anything I've ever seen which is odd for a cheapo chinese reel. I will do a full review. I'm sure I'll catch more snags than fish as always.
What is it about the lews that makes you like the curado better? I’ve always wanted to have more lews reels after having such a good experience with their customer service replacing my stuff no questions asked. Hard to go away from shimano though with how good of a product they make.
Other question I have for you guys is what kind of gear ratio would you want for a smaller 300 size reel if your going to be mostly throwing bass spinnerbaits/ smaller bucktails, at the biggest single 8’s mostly single/double 5-6’s for pike/ smaller river skis. For bigger blades I love a slow ratio but for these smaller baits with less resistance I can’t decide if it’s worth it to go with a faster ratio with a power handle. I’ll use the tranx as an example, would you guys rather have the 5.8 with the paddle or the 7.6 with the power handle for this situation? |
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Posts: 71
| My lews 300 doesn't take as well to adjustments as say my lews tournament bass reels. The spool on the 300 isn't very wide but is very deep. I use 65lb J-braid on it and its on a 8' rod that is basically a heavy bass rod. Just seems that I can toss a bait perfectly 50 times and then I'll have a few off casts not backlashes just not as far or almost backlashing make adjustments and then ok for awhile and then it happens again. Would I buy one again? Yes. Does it perform as well as my curado ? No for casting but it does have a better drag. I do have a feeling that 50lb line would cure a lot of this, will the narrow and deep spool it just doesn't seem to lay that well. I will say it does have easier adjustments to make and I don't have too many hours with it yet. Might be the user to some extent. The bass type reels I have ( 40lb braid ) are perfect so far and so easy to adjust and use and cast so perfectly I can't believe it. |
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Posts: 205
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota | twofishy4u - 1/29/2020 4:54 PM
My lews 300 doesn't take as well to adjustments as say my lews tournament bass reels. The spool on the 300 isn't very wide but is very deep. I use 65lb J-braid on it and its on a 8' rod that is basically a heavy bass rod. Just seems that I can toss a bait perfectly 50 times and then I'll have a few off casts not backlashes just not as far or almost backlashing make adjustments and then ok for awhile and then it happens again. Would I buy one again? Yes. Does it perform as well as my curado ? No for casting but it does have a better drag. I do have a feeling that 50lb line would cure a lot of this, will the narrow and deep spool it just doesn't seem to lay that well. I will say it does have easier adjustments to make and I don't have too many hours with it yet. Might be the user to some extent. The bass type reels I have ( 40lb braid ) are perfect so far and so easy to adjust and use and cast so perfectly I can't believe it.
Always wish they still made a 300 size version of the curado k, my favorite feeling bass reel I own. Really wish I could find a musky reel that felt like that, tranx is similar but it’s not the same |
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Posts: 71
| I hope you have better luck than I've had. Kastking service is terrible as it turns out too. At some point I do believe they'll let me send it in. I'll get another one back and list it for sale....new in box and hope to get something out of it. Money is going towards a descent reel this time. Likely a tranx 300. I love my curados. |
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Posts: 2227
Location: SE, WI. | sworrall - 4/9/2020 10:16 PM Cfollow - 4/9/2020 6:22 PM Cedar - 1/26/2020 10:45 AM twofishy4u - 1/26/2020 8:18 AM I'm doing the same but for myself. I get out maybe a dozen times a year and like low profile reels but not the price. I have a lews 300 and it has been great. I found a used 300 curado on here last year for $100 and I love it. It casts better than the lews which suprizes me as my lews bass reels casts so well. So this winter I picked up a Kastking Kapstan 300 and plan on using it exclusively this spring/summer. This year has great reviews online but I don't know a single person who owns one. I will say the packaging is better than anything I've ever seen which is odd for a cheapo chinese reel. I will do a full review. I'm sure I'll catch more snags than fish as always. A friend of mine showed me a Kapstan 300 that he picked up at the end of last year. Seemed like a decent reel, and it has some good reviews online. It reminded me of a Abu Garcia MaxToro. Another reel in this same category is the Piscifun Alijos 300 that has recently come to market. It's roughly the size if a Komodo 364, and has some surprisingly good online reviews. I've handled one, and it actually doesn't feel too bad. Might even have to give one a try. Picked up a Piscifun Alijos 300 5.9:1 with a power handle for $80.00 with free shipping from their website. They have a 20% off coupon code right now and I just couldn’t resist. I bought one too, we worked with them introducing the brand until they hired a US 'manager'. Some of the products were well built, and some needed improvement for sure, but the fellow in China I was working with was genuine and the real deal. The origin of the gearing in this one got my attention and the price was small enough to take a chance on for my light muskie/pike/bass outfit, Keith thinks I'm nuts. We'll see how it holds up. We also got a couple Shimano 400 models, so we have new Abu, Shimano, Okuma Citrix, and the Piscifun to compare this year. Keith seems to be a pretty good judge of Character;). Oh, Nuts ! |
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Posts: 205
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota | Never got around to buying those setups yet but I like the tranx I have enough I’ll probably stick with that, only other one I’d probably consider is the Komodo ss. I’ve got a small bait setup with a tranx 300 and that thing is an absolute dream to fish with. Casts baits as small as 3/8ths oz bass jigs a mile and still handles stuff up to 4 oz fine |
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Posts: 731
| Any more information on some of the budget reels such as the Kast King Capstan or Piscifun Alijos 300's? Would you recommend one? Kdawg |
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Posts: 341
Location: Western U.P. | For budget reels, it would be tough to beat the Alijos 300. I used the 5 gear quite a bit last season with no problems, and was pretty impressed by a $100 reel. I've used a Kapstan 300, but in my opinion, the Alijos 300 was smoother, had more cranking power, and just had a better "feel" to it. My Alijos is eerily smooth if that makes sense. I've used it for baits up to 6 oz with no issues, and currently have it on a rod that is rated up to 4 oz, where it fits perfect. Five out of 6 fish caught with that reel last year were over 40", and the drag worked fine every time. So far, so good. |
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Posts: 32786
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | The Piscifun passed well after a season's hard use. Good reel for the money. |
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Posts: 731
| With the good reviews I have been seeing, my new Alijos should arrive sometime tomorrow. I went with the 5.9 geared model, just looks more like an all around reel. Kdawg |
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Posts: 386
| sworrall - 2/25/2021 7:03 PM
The Piscifun passed well after a season's hard use. Good reel for the money.
I have to say, that surprises me. Thanks for sharing as I had completely dismissed it. Good to know it is a potential option. |
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Posts: 386
| Ogandrews - 1/22/2020 5:08 PM
Thanks for the replies, I’m thinking I will most likely get a toro s, meant to say that in my original post instead of revo s. I am curious about the beast x still so I might convince myself to get two new combos with the X on a lighter weight setup. I have always wanted to try the maxtoro but I always talk myself out of it with it not having a metal frame. Bass/pike fishing I have broken a couple plastic framed reels power fishing and doubt musky fishing would be much better. All of my regular gear I have either a Calcutta D or a tranx on it so I have somewhat high standards but I’d like to find a less expensive reel I like that I could get a fleet of rods with so eventually I could guide. Thanks for the help again
I bought a Maxtoro a few years back... if you can get an S it is a better option IMO. The Maxtoro isn’t bad, it just doesn’t fit any particular need very well. It’s geared too low IMO, particularly with the paddle handle it comes with. The S is the one reel I would recommend for the dudes who want that one combo for everything. It casts all kinds of different baits well, has the power to retrieve things like big blades, but can still pickup line fast enough for say jerks/rubber. That being said, it is a jack of all trades / master of none proposition. Durability for mine has been excellent, a cleaning and relubing every year and it’s still going strong. |
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Posts: 186
| FlyPiker - 2/27/2021 9:12 PM
Ogandrews - 1/22/2020 5:08 PM
Thanks for the replies, I’m thinking I will most likely get a toro s, meant to say that in my original post instead of revo s. I am curious about the beast x still so I might convince myself to get two new combos with the X on a lighter weight setup. I have always wanted to try the maxtoro but I always talk myself out of it with it not having a metal frame. Bass/pike fishing I have broken a couple plastic framed reels power fishing and doubt musky fishing would be much better. All of my regular gear I have either a Calcutta D or a tranx on it so I have somewhat high standards but I’d like to find a less expensive reel I like that I could get a fleet of rods with so eventually I could guide. Thanks for the help again
I bought a Maxtoro a few years back... if you can get an S it is a better option IMO. The Maxtoro isn’t bad, it just doesn’t fit any particular need very well. It’s geared too low IMO, particularly with the paddle handle it comes with. The S is the one reel I would recommend for the dudes who want that one combo for everything. It casts all kinds of different baits well, has the power to retrieve things like big blades, but can still pickup line fast enough for say jerks/rubber. That being said, it is a jack of all trades / master of none proposition. Durability for mine has been excellent, a cleaning and relubing every year and it’s still going strong.
You're a year late lol but I agree with the toro s. I picked up 2 of them for $270. Nice reels that work for multiple purposes. You can get 1 right now for $120 |
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Posts: 186
| I looked at all those cheaper reels too when I was shopping. I just didn't trust the fact they are not metal frames. |
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Posts: 731
| Muskyrookie - 2/28/2021 1:23 AM
I looked at all those cheaper reels too when I was shopping. I just didn't trust the fact they are not metal frames. Wrong. The Alijos is built on a aluminum frame, with 9 bearings, 33lbs. of drag, and a Japanese cut main gear. Kdawg |
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Posts: 264
| Muskyrookie - 2/28/2021 1:18 AM
FlyPiker - 2/27/2021 9:12 PM
Ogandrews - 1/22/2020 5:08 PM
Thanks for the replies, I’m thinking I will most likely get a toro s, meant to say that in my original post instead of revo s. I am curious about the beast x still so I might convince myself to get two new combos with the X on a lighter weight setup. I have always wanted to try the maxtoro but I always talk myself out of it with it not having a metal frame. Bass/pike fishing I have broken a couple plastic framed reels power fishing and doubt musky fishing would be much better. All of my regular gear I have either a Calcutta D or a tranx on it so I have somewhat high standards but I’d like to find a less expensive reel I like that I could get a fleet of rods with so eventually I could guide. Thanks for the help again
I bought a Maxtoro a few years back... if you can get an S it is a better option IMO. The Maxtoro isn’t bad, it just doesn’t fit any particular need very well. It’s geared too low IMO, particularly with the paddle handle it comes with. The S is the one reel I would recommend for the dudes who want that one combo for everything. It casts all kinds of different baits well, has the power to retrieve things like big blades, but can still pickup line fast enough for say jerks/rubber. That being said, it is a jack of all trades / master of none proposition. Durability for mine has been excellent, a cleaning and relubing every year and it’s still going strong.
You're a year late lol but I agree with the toro s. I picked up 2 of them for $270. Nice reels that work for multiple purposes. You can get 1 right now for $120
Not to hijack this coversation, but where can one get find the Toro S2 for $120? I'd love to add another Toro S2 to my arsenal.
Thanks
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