OHUB Evaluate: KastKing Royal Legend ll

When it comes to baitcasting reels, price is a major factor for most anglers. With advancing technology, these reels are getting to be quite pricey. I recently had the chance to take a step back from testing “premium” reals or “tournament grade” reels and take a look at a more affordable reel: The KastKing Royale Legend ll. After testing bait casters that cost over $400 I have to admit that I wasn’t expecting much from the Legend ll, However, it far exceeded my expectations when it came to torque and retrieve.

When selecting which model I wanted I was faced with two reels with gear ratios of 5.5:1 and 7.2:1. I chose the 7.2:1 and headed to the river for a little bass fishing. I tied on an MR-6 Crankbait made by Bill Lewis Lures and focused on running it down a ledge that was in 18 feet of water.
There were a few bass gathered down off the ledge so I needed this reel to pull the crank deep.
The Royale Legend ll rose to the challenge as the 7.2:1 gear ratio quickly picked up the fishing line at 29.8” per turn.

Let’s talk about the torque. I was very impressed as it pulled the lure through the water with little effort on my part. For a reel that costs under 80 bucks, it had a very smooth retrive. It’s got six bearings which is a lot for a budget baitcaster. The retrive was quiet and the casts were smooth.
While the Cross-fire Magnetic Braking System, which has 8 magnetic buttons for adjusting the levels of braking power, took a little time to get used to, I was able to line it up with the crankbaits weight, it casts like a dream.

I barely had to use my thumb to stop the spool at the moment the lure hit the water.
There were a few downsides, however, as I struggled to throw light crankbaits and had to adjust the braking system more than I cared for.

Honestly, this reel felt very similar to KastKing’s more expensive Royale Legend Elite reel but is considerably cheaper.

All-in-all, the KastKing Royal Legend ll overachieved for being a budget reel and delivered where it needed to. It makes for a great starter reel for someone who is just starting out in the bass fishing world or for those looking to get away with an economy bait caster.

Keith Lusher

Keith Lusher is an award winning outdoor journalist that resides in Covington, Louisiana. He owns and operates NorthshoreFishingReport.com and writes a weekly outdoor column for the Slidell Independent Newspaper. He also writes for the St.Tammany Parish Tourism Commission’s VisitTheNorthshore.com. He is the former host of The Northshore Fishing Report Radio Show and is on the board of the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association. Keith contributes to numerous publications both online and in print and prides himself on promoting South Louisiana’s unique fishery. To contact Keith email: [email protected]