$100 china UL BFS combo

How small is your rod and how light is your line? It's not about the size of your tackle, but how you work it. Come share your Ultralight and Bait Finesse System (BFS) fishing success here!
Post Reply
User avatar
LowRange
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 4780
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2016 9:18 am

$100 china UL BFS combo

Post by LowRange » Mon Sep 04, 2017 3:03 pm

Anyone temped? Solid carbon tip even. I've been eyeing the Dexterity for a while as a budget option to the SCT-63UL Trickster. Don't know about the reel though.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/TSURINO ... st=ae803_2

User avatar
uljersey
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 1416
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2007 10:39 am
Location: New Jersey

Re: $100 china UL BFS combo

Post by uljersey » Mon Sep 04, 2017 4:21 pm

Fuji guides, a handful of baits, bait box ... hmmmm ... might not be a bad deal, you can easily blow $100 on a lot worse. If you do go for it, be sure and follow up with pics and thoughts.

earthworm77
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 488
Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2004 7:37 am
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: $100 china UL BFS combo

Post by earthworm77 » Mon Sep 04, 2017 8:02 pm

Meh...........none of those cheap reels from Alli impress me at all. The rod might be ok but you likely can do better as far as proven quality for 100.00.

mokujon
Senior Angler
Senior Angler
Posts: 59
Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2015 9:48 am

Re: $100 china UL BFS combo

Post by mokujon » Wed Dec 27, 2017 3:02 pm

Did anyone pick one of these up? I've heard the reel is pretty decent for the price.

ayo8
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 301
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2016 10:21 am

Re: $100 china UL BFS combo

Post by ayo8 » Wed Dec 27, 2017 5:53 pm

Combo looks sweet. Knock off of a Daiwa TN =D> Comes with PE line, too. Its like those Shishamo reels that appear on my Facebook page. Something like 36 ball bearings, frame molded in 100% carbon fiber, Lol.

waterone
Senior Angler
Senior Angler
Posts: 139
Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2005 10:49 am

Re: $100 china UL BFS combo

Post by waterone » Fri Dec 29, 2017 10:57 am

I don’t know about the reel, as are reports are the spool is quite heavy for a BFS/UL reel.

Check out this video by Brian Chan from Singapore - https://youtu.be/L6PI2rswfl0

His channel concentrates on BFS and UL tackle, and if you need to see someone competent with BFS/UL Tackle in a video, he has all sorts of information applicable for his fishery, which is far more restricted than most of us.

robsone79
Senior Angler
Senior Angler
Posts: 73
Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2016 1:12 am

Re: $100 china UL BFS combo

Post by robsone79 » Fri Dec 29, 2017 12:18 pm

waterone wrote:I don’t know about the reel, as are reports are the spool is quite heavy for a BFS/UL reel.

Check out this video by Brian Chan from Singapore - https://youtu.be/L6PI2rswfl0

His channel concentrates on BFS and UL tackle, and if you need to see someone competent with BFS/UL Tackle in a video, he has all sorts of information applicable for his fishery, which is far more restricted than most of us.
I've following BCSG since he started his channel, interesting stuff about their fishery. I picked up the daiwa bbb 666 telescopic rod after seeing him talk about it on an earlier video. I would still be a little "if..e" about that reel though, it can definitely cast small baits but how will the reel hold up after few decent fish?

waterone
Senior Angler
Senior Angler
Posts: 139
Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2005 10:49 am

Re: $100 china UL BFS combo

Post by waterone » Fri Dec 29, 2017 2:27 pm

I actually think it’d probably hold up as well as most other reels today. Maybe not the top quality premium reels, but probably as good as the last generation.

Remember, like many of today’s cars and even many trucks, their made for attractive features and ease of assembly, not for durability. Prime example, after the advent of the first magnetic cast control reels, today, most magnetic cast control reels can still cast credibly for the needs of 85% of most angler’s needs. Problem is most of them can’t handle several years of even moderate use. At least they havent for me. The Daiwa Pixy is a notable exception, as is several Abu’s, the venerable Abu 1500/1600 series (with modifications) and some of the Shimano’s. Almost all others that I’ve had, such as the extremely rare Quantum 1510, which was great, but all three I had broke within a year. Same with the Shimano Bantum 100ULS, which lasted 2 years. (But cast well and had a pretty good drag for it’s time and generation.

Perhaps as much as most people truly use BFS/UL baitcasters, especially if something like the DIY spool comes out, having a reel 1/3 of the price of a Daiwa Alphas Air might be really good. So what if it only holds up for a year? It costs much less even if you replace the bearings and spool if one comes out. Afterall, even though many of those premier name cars are capable of flying around some race course at speeds that would scare the average KIA, don’t they all get you to work on time all the same?

Actually, looking t it that way, there are only two parts that would really be of concern - drag and one way or roller bearing.

I’ve never seen one of these reels, but maybe they’re the Kia of BFS reels, nice when all we’ve had up until now was Mercerdes, BMW’ and Porche’s of reels.

waterone
Senior Angler
Senior Angler
Posts: 139
Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2005 10:49 am

Re: $100 china UL BFS combo

Post by waterone » Fri Dec 29, 2017 8:25 pm

Well, Mr. Chan apparently has answered your questions with his new video as he has just posted his review of the reel you were curious about buying. It sounds like it Would be a good option for your Teton 662 rod.

Remember, in today’s economy almost all reels are made in China, or at least a majority are, or are made In Korea (as in the Abus and even Orvis fly reels), I guess some are still made in Japan, at least the real high end reels are.

https://youtu.be/dhxLL34G-0Y

southpaw619
Senior Angler
Senior Angler
Posts: 71
Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2015 3:06 am
Location: San Diego

Re: $100 china UL BFS combo

Post by southpaw619 » Sat Dec 30, 2017 1:20 am

After seeing Bryan's positive remarks on reel I purchased one to test as kids always ask me at the lakes for cheap BFS options. Besides the drag I liked every thing else about this reel particularly the side plate design. The spool weighed 13.5g with 50yds of 8lb Gliss. It was extremely easy to overhand 2.5g on the Fenwick GoldenWing UL and felt decently comfortable casting 1.5g. I ended up landed a limit of trout on the 2.5g lure. I would not fish that reel again with braid and the Fenwick due to sketchy drag. Either cheap rod or mono should be no issue at all. Messed around with a cheap noodle rod today and shot a short clip casting 1.87g on reel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFA0C5Wh1p4
rsz_1rsz_1rsz_20171228_161555.jpg
rsz_1rsz_1rsz_20171228_161555.jpg (70.23 KiB) Viewed 9746 times

User avatar
LowRange
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 4780
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2016 9:18 am

Re: $100 china UL BFS combo

Post by LowRange » Thu Jan 04, 2018 1:03 pm

The reel looks good on the Fenwick. This same platform is being used in dual brake form on a few of the newer bps reels. We may be able to get an idea of how well the platform holds up based on bps user feedback. I still think a black max 3 with a 10 gram studio of mono bfs spool is a better UL bfs reel but the cheapest you put one together is around $80.

waterone
Senior Angler
Senior Angler
Posts: 139
Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2005 10:49 am

Re: $100 china UL BFS combo

Post by waterone » Thu Jan 04, 2018 1:56 pm

I’m curious, for over 40 years, or least until recently, it was assumed with a light tackle reel, much less an UL reel, that the factory drags are less than great, matter of fact for really light lines are terrible. Thankfully, it’s relativley easy to replace the factory sub-standard drags with new “soft” drag washers and polishing the hard washers. For nearly 30 years many otherwise good reels were hampered by terrible drags. For most US reels, drags were largely unimportant.

If the “Budget BFS” reel has a substandard drag, replace the drag washers, if there isn’t a pre-made drag washer, do as many did in previous years, find some drag material of the same relatively thickness, and cut you’re own.

I’m not saying that most of the people on this board are fishing like this, but I’ve seen so many people using light tackle virtually locking down the reel drags and relying on “bowing” to the fish as it runs. Try that or another favorite bringing a bonefish or tarpon or even 5 lb over striper on 4-6 lb. striper, or even a 4 lb. bass. Maybe it’ll work for the pro bass fisherman (BTW, I’ve fished with a couple, I’ve also fished with NCAA Div 1 athletes, and high level bass fisherman have the same crazy reflexes that top athelets do)

I guess my rant is to put a reel that may be 85% of the performance of a reel that costs 3-4 times as much as it does. If improving a comparatively substandard drag is all that it takes to bring it to say 90-92% of the very premium “true” BFS reels, I th8nk it’s great.

My problem is that I have had some sketchy instant-antireverse on some reels fold when heavily used. That concerns me.

User avatar
LowRange
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 4780
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2016 9:18 am

Re: $100 china UL BFS combo

Post by LowRange » Thu Jan 04, 2018 8:31 pm

Sticky drags are a common problem with these cheap reels. Both my black max 3 and haibo smart have sticky drags to point where I don't trust them with anything other than braid.

waterone
Senior Angler
Senior Angler
Posts: 139
Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2005 10:49 am

Re: $100 china UL BFS combo

Post by waterone » Thu Jan 04, 2018 9:48 pm

At least when the6 were actually new the ?Black Max had less than stellar drags to be charitable. However, you can find drag washers that markedly improve the drags.

User avatar
LowRange
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 4780
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2016 9:18 am

Re: $100 china UL BFS combo

Post by LowRange » Mon Feb 26, 2018 4:20 pm

Bootytrain did review on this reel. Seems to be an adequate UL performer for super cheap.

https://youtu.be/JxBmd-Bl9Pc

Post Reply