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Associated:
Specs and efficiency
Physique materials: die-cast aluminum
Most drag: 17.6 lbs.
Line capability: 30/150, 40/120, 50/110 (braid)
Bearings: 11 + 1
Gear ratio: 7.2:1 (29.8 inches per flip)
Weight: 6.4 oz.
Physique
KastKing manufactures the MegaJaws Elite from die-cast aluminum, including a carbon-fiber swing aspect to entry its guts.
And whereas I’m sure there’s loads of machining between the die and the water, casting aluminum is far more cost-effective than machining it from a stable lump of steel. That helps maintain efficiency excessive and worth low, one thing we will all admire.
The usage of aluminum makes the MJE very stiff and really gentle, weighing in at solely 6.4 ounces. Its total form and dimensions are eminently palmable, and we like the way in which this reel feels in hand.
Lighter than the aluminum-framed Daiwa Tatula, we really feel the construct high quality is roughly equal.
Drag
Whether or not you’re working open water for bass holding deep to flee the warmth or flipping into the gnarliest cowl on the lake, you want a reel with a wonderful drag system.
Your reel’s drag wants to offer constant, easy pressure that cushions your line and forces a monster bass to work laborious. And it must ship the products whether or not it’s set down low, up excessive, or wherever between.
And to facilitate the usage of heavy braid, it ought to sport a comparatively excessive most setting, permitting you to set it correctly for assessments of 40, 50, and even 60 kilos.
KastKing selected a triple carbon fiber disc system for the MegaJaws Elite. We put it by means of its paces to see the way it carried out, and total, we have been impressed.
Down low, it began with out hesitation and launched as easily as a marble rolls throughout a glass desk. As we elevated the drag pressure, that buttery efficiency continued till close to the utmost, the place launch began to really feel a bit much less silky.
As you’d count on, these drag changes have been made by way of a star-shaped knob sandwiched between the crank and the physique.
Whereas it could have been plastic when this reel was first launched, it’s clearly not anymore, and KastKing has clearly upgraded this knob to what we predict is carbon fiber.
Gearing
The KastKing MegaJaws Elite we examined runs a gear ratio of seven.2:1, which along side the spool, retrieves 29.8 inches of line per flip.
That’s a wonderful ratio for gentle plastics in addition to pitching and flipping. And whereas it will not be the quickest reel available on the market, that’s greater than sufficient velocity for the real-world.
By comparability, Daiwa’s Tatula sequence presents gear ratios of seven.3:1 and eight.1:1, with retrieval charges of 32.2 and 33.9 inches, respectively. Lew’s Velocity Spool LFS is on the market with a 7.5:1 and eight.3:1 gear ratio ripping 31 and 35 inches of line per crank, respectively. And Shimano’s Shimano SLX DC will be had with a gear ratio of 8.2:1 that pulls in 35 inches of braid per flip.
So sure, we’d like to see the MegaJaws Elite retrieving greater than 30 inches of line per flip of the crank, however if you’re truly dragging a fish from heavy cowl, I doubt you’ll discover the distinction. What you received’t discover is cramped arms: the MJE is roughly 15% lighter than these rivals, maintaining fatigue at bay longer.
Nothing beats brass for resisting corrosion, delivering torque, and offering a easy really feel, leaving chrome steel because the runner-up when deciding on materials for gears. Aluminum has usually been problematic, as deformation and breakage of tiny gear enamel was once the norm.
KastKing makes use of precision-cut aerospace aluminum gears which have been hardened to Rockwell B 80 to forestall these points, pairing them with manganese brass pinion gears for elevated sturdiness. The result’s confidence-inspiring, and you’ll really feel the fight-winning torque they supply.
12 shielded, stainless bearings ship easy efficiency all through this reel, and you’ll depend us as impressed by what we felt.
Spool capability
KastKing’s MegaJaws Elite actually delivers on this entrance.
Holding a minimum of 150 yards of 30-pound take a look at braid, it dwarfs the capability of the Daiwa Tatula 100, although they’re roughly related in measurement and weight. Ditto for the Shimano SLX DC and the Daiwa Tatula CT.
The Lew’s Velocity Spool LFS is barely extra capacious, nonetheless.
This issues greater than you may suppose. Particularly for flipping and pitching, the place getting a giant bass out of the thick stuff requires a number of energy, you’ll need to run heavy-test braid. And as slender as braid is, 50-pound take a look at goes to scale back your spool’s capability considerably.
Lengthy casts aren’t a problem – clearly – however chopping and discarding broken or frayed line is, and over the course of a morning, it’s possible you’ll must strip and strip and strip as your line is rubbed in opposition to stumps and wrapped round timber or pilings.
The MJE offers loads of capability, and that’ll maintain you within the sport longer.
Casting
Kasting has geared up the MegaJaws Elite with its top-of-the-line braking system, an auto-adjusting magnetic brake (AMB).
Should you’re new to the world of baitcasters, it can flatten the training curve considerably, revolutionizing entry into this sort out. That’s not a slick gross sales pitch: it casts higher, extra easily, and farther for newbies than something we’ve tried. It actually does scale back or remove backlash, even at low settings, and that may imply the distinction between enjoyable and frustration.
And for extra skilled anglers, we discovered that the AMB system elevated our common casting distance, particularly with lures that buck the wind fairly effectively. We’re speaking will increase of 30% to 50% in casting distance after we actually put some muscle behind the solid!
I’m now an enormous fan of this method, and I feel you’ll be, too.
Casting distance is additional enhanced by a large, cone-shaped ceramic line information that reduces friction. KastKing calls this the Low Friction Tapered Vortex (LFTV), and whereas it’s unattainable for us to evaluate what it provides to the braking system, relaxation assured that you simply’ll solid longer distances with this reel than you usually do.
Flipping and pitching
KastKing designed the MegaJaws Elite across the specifics of flipping and pitching, and to make these methods simpler on you, the MJE contains a “flip” swap situated close to the rear of the reel.
That places it proper the place your thumb can activate it, and when within the on place, miserable the thumb bar releases your line. To re-engage, merely elevate your thumb off the bar.
There’s no want to show the crank!
Hook setting energy is transferred with no hitch or hesitation, and the anti-reverse bearing acts instantaneously, making certain a tough lock-up. Cranking energy and torque are simply what you’d need for these methods, and you’ll drag a fats feminine out into open water such as you’ve caught her in your ATV’s winch.
Ultimate Verdict
So how does the KastKing MegaJaws Elite examine with its rivals from Shimano, Daiwa, and Lews?
Face to face with similarly-priced fashions, the MJE actually stands out for its simple, no-backlash casting and improved casting distance.
This reel is a dream to solid, particularly for brand spanking new anglers, and the AMB system is all the pieces KastKing guarantees.
It additionally presents wonderful capability, particularly with heavy braid, and pairs this with a easy, efficient drag system that’s simply excellent for pitching and flipping.
The MegaJaws Elite is gentle and palmable, too, even when judged in opposition to costlier fashions from Daiwa and Shimano. Clearly, weight financial savings have been achieved by way of high-quality aluminum and carbon fiber, the place attainable. And in our view, construct high quality and efficiency are on-par with these legendary names in fishing.
However as a devoted flipping and pitching reel, it’s a contact slower than its rivals, although almost 30 inches of retrieve per flip is nothing to sneeze at and shouldn’t current a problem in the true world.
General, KastKing’s MegaJaws Elite is a wonderful mid-range reel that represents a step ahead for the corporate in its quest to unseat Shimano and Daiwa at this worth level.
Should you’re out there for a brand new reel for gentle plastics, together with methods like flipping and pitching, the MJE is a worthy competitor for reels just like the Shimano SLX DC, Curado DC, Daiwa Tatula sequence, and Lews Velocity Spool LFS.
It would nearly definitely outcast any of those reels within the arms of an skilled angler, and positively out-distance them when utilized by a novice. It presents the drag, capability, velocity, and torque you must wrangle huge bass out from heavy cowl, and the flip swap is a really good characteristic that you will come to understand after just some minutes of fishing.
