BFS Trout Setups - worth the expense?

Started looking at BFS setups after a few videos of casting these things looking like a lot of fun.  But ouch it seems like any worth while reel is gonna cost some $$$. Is there a minimum recommended for BFS or really you need to bite the bullet and go with a Shimano, the cheapest being $165 and some going over $400?  I like trout fishing, but that seems a bit much for freshwater gear.  KastKing budget with Shimano tastes might not be the best for BFS setups I'm guessing.

Just get it,  I know you want it 

I hadn’t heard of Bait Finesse System fishing before seeing your post. Did some reading, and watched a video. Looks like buying the reel is just the start. You then start to upgrade with trick spools, bearing sets, and handles.

It would be cool to toss a 1/28 oz lure a long way.

I hadn’t heard of Bait Finesse System fishing before seeing your post. Did some reading, and watched a video. Looks like buying the reel is just the start. You then start to upgrade with trick spools, bearing sets, and handles.

It would be cool to toss a 1/28 oz lure a long way.

I know right!  Video I watched this guy cast a 4'4" rod with a bfs spoon all the way across a lake.  . I did get a UL spinning setup last year and do love that combo.  It was far more reasonably price though 

Just get it,  I know you want it 

Probably...   

Lots of cheaper options out there if you know where to look, which surprisingly starts with AliExpress. I'm not a bfs guy but I can recommend you to subscribe to YouTube channel "the reel test". Guy is a certified bfs nut and reviews tons of reels and rods from obscure manufacturers overseas. The footage of him field testing them with a wide variety of lures helps tremendously as well. I've been close to jumping in headfirst but still find myself sticking to my ultralight spinning setups.

I have a Shimano SLX BFS as well as a Kast King Zephyr. The SLX blows the Zephyr out of the water, tolerances, braking systems, castability, in every way it's better and easier to cast.

The SLX BFS is paired with a Major Craft New Finetail TREKKING & TRAVELER series FTX-B46/505UL which I quite like, though it's not as hilarious as a full fiberglass setup. The rod I ordered from https://north-one.jp/ and the reel from https://japanlureshop.com/

The Zephyr was easier to acquire since amazon had them at the time, it got paired with a random UL aliexpress rod (that is now broken).

A friend of mine went a slightly different route and is running an ifishband clamber reel with an ifishband trout magic rod, both are slightly more available and affordable. The reel felt quite nice, though I haven't checked in to see how it's holding up long term. Just casting into my pool it felt significantly better than the zephyr though, maybe even on par with the shimano (though I like the braking system on the shimano better). ifishband gear is most easily found here: https://baitfinesseempire.com/

Hopefully you don't have the desire for a round reel because woooof, those things get even more pricey!

As far as informational youtubers, I've found the most helpful one to be hobie-wan kenobi https://www.youtube.com/@HobieWanKenobi
He tends to keep things in real world terms, instead of testing things outside of their strengths (even if it CAN cast a trout magnet I wouldn't, that's what my UL spinning gear is for).

For local BFS fishing I'll sometimes watch https://www.youtube.com/@Angler216

I can't say I use the BFS rod from the kayak much though! It's usually in my pack next to my fly rod for silly hike in expeditions and explorations.

I bought a shit ton of BFS stuff after watching those YB videos in the last three years. The problem is, I don't have any opportunity to use those gears because I'm nowhere near any fishery that can benefit from BFS fishing. I can tell you that the Shimano Curado BFS does not cast any further than the Chinese BFS reels, but the Shimano feels the most solid in your hand. I literally have over a hundred BFS hard jerk bait and never caught a fish with them. BFS fishing is just another money pit to me. Unless you know where you're gonna use BFS gear, you'll probably never end up using them But if you have the itch to try them out, why not.
Btw, I just came back from Japan and picked up a couple of electric reels. That's another money pit. I hope I get some use out of them 

Btw, I just came back from Japan and picked a couple of electric reels. That's another money pit. I hope I get some use out of them 

I bought my electric reel in anticipation of fishing deep water beyond 50 fathom boundary.  Used it a few times so far and love it especially to catch squids in 120ft+ deep around the red buoy in MB.

I bought my electric reel in anticipation of fishing deep water beyond 50 fathom boundary.

That's pretty much what I was thinking. I just need to find time to go out there. The line install procedure seems a bit tedious. I guess I'll have to find/buy an accurate line-counter before I can install the line.

I have a Shimano SLX BFS as well as a Kast King Zephyr. The SLX blows the Zephyr out of the water, tolerances, braking systems, castability, in every way it's better and easier to cast.

The SLX BFS is paired with a Major Craft New Finetail TREKKING & TRAVELER series FTX-B46/505UL which I quite like, though it's not as hilarious as a full fiberglass setup. The rod I ordered from https://north-one.jp/ and the reel from https://japanlureshop.com/

The Zephyr was easier to acquire since amazon had them at the time, it got paired with a random UL aliexpress rod (that is now broken).

A friend of mine went a slightly different route and is running an ifishband clamber reel with an ifishband trout magic rod, both are slightly more available and affordable. The reel felt quite nice, though I haven't checked in to see how it's holding up long term. Just casting into my pool it felt significantly better than the zephyr though, maybe even on par with the shimano (though I like the braking system on the shimano better). ifishband gear is most easily found here: https://baitfinesseempire.com/

Hopefully you don't have the desire for a round reel because woooof, those things get even more pricey!

As far as informational youtubers, I've found the most helpful one to be hobie-wan kenobi https://www.youtube.com/@HobieWanKenobi
He tends to keep things in real world terms, instead of testing things outside of their strengths (even if it CAN cast a trout magnet I wouldn't, that's what my UL spinning gear is for).

For local BFS fishing I'll sometimes watch https://www.youtube.com/@Angler216

I can't say I use the BFS rod from the kayak much though! It's usually in my pack next to my fly rod for silly hike in expeditions and explorations.

I figured you would reply, since you placed the bug in my ear last year about BFS  . I also got the impression watching HobieWanKenobi's videos that the quality and options are what make a BFS reel so good, you can do a lot of adjusting.  There is part of me that wants an 8:1 reel just so I can see how fast I can retrieve a spoon and get bit  . At the price though, an Electric reel does sound like as much fun 

If I get a chance to try one I think I'll do that first.  Ernest is right, looks like a big money hole to throw into if I'm not really sure it's going to be worth while.  I do plan to do a bit more shore fishing for trout this winter though, so it was starting to appeal to me.

I bought my electric reel in anticipation of fishing deep water beyond 50 fathom boundary.

That's pretty much what I was thinking. I just need to find time to go out there. The line install procedure seems a bit tedious. I guess I'll have to find/buy an accurate line-counter before I can install the line.

Mine has the digital line counter and it's a breeze to pool the line on reel.

Mine has the digital line counter and it's a breeze to pool the line on reel.

Mine has digital counter as well, but the instructions for spooling line shows how you should calibrate the length of the line you actually wound up.

Mine has the digital line counter and it's a breeze to pool the line on reel.

Mine has digital counter as well, but the instructions for spooling line shows how you should calibrate the length of the line you actually wound up.

I bought a 300 yard braid pool and installed it on the reel.

Decades ago, I had an ultralight spinning reel (and rod), and that was fun. BFS looks like the same thing, only a lot more expensive, and with a baitcaster reel instead of a spinning reel. Is there something more to it than that?

I did a quick afternoon trip at Quarry Lakes yesterday from 2pm to 4:30pm. I came across 2 kayakers with high end gear both BFS and on their yaks. They were casting mini spoons. They told me at the boat ramp that between the 2 of them they C&R around 50 dfw trout that were about 8 inches. They stayed in one area near the fishing pier.

I on the other hand trolled the entire lake with my go to kastmasters and Yozuri minnows. I ended the day with a 2 nice trout, biggest was a 5.5 lb lightning.