2025 Amazon Fishing Gear: Ultimate Guide to Great BFS Options

When I first started using BFS Fishing Gear, the main places to buy it were straight from Japan on the various JDM fishing shop websites, or get the budget gear from Aliexpress. But gradually, Amazon has added more and more BFS offerings, and with he recent political climate in the USA, including upcoming tariffs, I thought it might be a good time to look at the best deals on BFS Amazon fishing gear. Plus, it’s always nice to get your gear fast!

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Amazon BFS Reel selection

When i first started bait finesse fishing, the only BFS reel on Amazon was the Zephyr by Crapking. Yuk. And some of the Amazon fishing reels are still questionable at best, flat out crap at worst. The good news is that both major brands and brands you probably haven’t heard of sell some very good or even great BFS reels on Amazon. Here are my top picks.

HICC50

The HICC50 Accura (sold as both a Soloking and a Doviello – no difference) is probably the baseline standard for BFS reel performance. Because it can be had at times on Aliexpress for $30, I believe every reel should at least perform this well. It’s why I include it in my “best budget BFS combo“.

It’s closer to $65 on Amazon, but you’ll likely have it in 2 days instead of 2 weeks or more – plus no questions on potential tariff issues. Which is really the driver of this article – removing uncertainty.

So I figured I’d start with the most popular reel you will pay a significant percentage more from on Amazon. Most versions are the “pro” versions these days, which have a short spool shaft. that’s the one you want.

Kingdom Micro Monster

OK – for some reason this reel is routinely about the same price on Amazon as Aliexpress – although occasionally I’ll see a great sale on Ali.

This reel is very similar to the HICC50 – as both are descendants of the original Dark Wolf Ultra (my first BFS reel). This is a really solid offering for those looking for budget reels. I wrote a full review here.

BMC 100 “Brownie”

A slightly larger Budget BFS reel. Great down to 2 or 3 grams, and handles heavier lures quite well. Some also really dig the fish logo on the side. ;). Plus, It’s usually under $60.

Shimano Calcutta Conquest BFS

This is arguably one of the best BFS reels in the world. And you can get it on Amazon for about the same price you’d pay from Japan. It’s not inexpensive, but it is a great reel. This is also often referred to as the ‘CQ BFS’ online.

I did a full post on this reel here.

Shimano Aldebaran BFS

I’ve been using this personally since it came out, and it is very similar in performance to the Calcutta Conquest BFS above. In fact, if I could only use one of them, the Aldebaran BFS might win out for me.

I did a full post about this reel here.

Shimano Curado BFS

If you’re already knee deep in Bait Finesse, the Shimano Curado BFS reel is one you’ve probably eyed—or maybe even used. It’s built with the BFS mindset in mind, which means it’s light, casts small baits clean and far, and just runs silky smooth. The thing I like most is how it finds that sweet spot between control and distance. I can throw 1/16 oz lures with no bird’s nests, but if I want to get after bigger fish, the drag actually holds up.

The brake system is simple but it works—dial in your settings, and you’re ready to skip little soft plastics under docks or thread reed edges without constant tweaking. Compared to other BFS reels, some will say it’s not the lightest, but for the price and reliability, this one just keeps earning a spot on my boat.

If you want to see how it stacks up with others, check out my Best BFS reels review. And if you’ve got your own Curado BFS stories (good or bad), I’m all ears. This is one of those reels that sparks a lot of opinions—especially among the Bait Finesse folks who pay attention to every detail.

Shimano SLX BFS

The Shimano SLX BFS is essentially the same reel as the Curado BFS with a couple less bearings. Performance is essentially identical. I did a full review of the SLX BFS in this post.

Daiwa Silver Creek

A year ago this was a favorite recommendation on Amazon, but as of this writing, it’s slightly over-priced at $360. Although I paid close to that when it was first released in Japan. When it’s closer to $280 like the JDM shops, it can be a good deal. I did a full review of the Silver Creek in this post.

Daiwa Gekkabijin

If you’ve been searching for a BFS reel that really nails the balance between light lure casting and smooth control, the Daiwa Gekkabijin BFS reel on Amazon stands out. What caught my attention first was how well this reel handles ultra-light presentations—perfect for anyone into Bait Finesse, where you’re tossing finesse baits in tight cover or clear water.

It feels solid and yet feather-light in your hand, which is a sweet combo on long days. The braking system is responsive without being touchy, so you get fewer backlashes even when skipping tiny plastics under overhangs. I’ve used a bunch of BFS reels (maybe too many?), but this one just feels right—fast startup, tight tolerances, and a drag that stays true even when a decent bass takes you on a run. And I just realized I haven’t written a review – even after 3 years with this reel! Stay tuned for that!

Daiwa calls out precision, and for once, I think the marketing matches the real deal. If you’re curious how it stacks up against my other top picks, check out my Best BFS Reels Collection for a deep dive into what makes these reels work so well. For anyone who’s jumped into the Bait Finesse game, or even if you’re just thinking about it, this reel is worth a hard look.

Daiwa Alphas SV TW800S

The Daiwa Alphas SV TW 800S is in this interesting middle space—I call it a “power BFS” reel. You’re not getting a pure BFS reel here. Sure, you can maybe get down to throwing 2-gram lures, but it’s not designed for those feather-light setups like an ultralight BFS build would be.

I’ve fished with it using smaller baits, and it still feels solid, even when pushing the lower end, but what really stuck out to me is how well it handles those in-between techniques. You can get away with slightly heavier hooks or a touch more backbone in your rod, and it doesn’t cry foul. That makes it a great fit if you want to play with finesse, but sometimes just want to send a jig or a shaky head without swapping gear.

There’s also some real convenience in using one reel for creek hopping with 1/16oz cranks and then bumping up to something heavier without worrying about backlash or losing casting control. I’ll just say, if you want pure, feather-weight BFS performance, maybe go a different route. But if you want power and versatility for real-world bait finesse bass fishing, this reel is hard to beat.

KastKing (or as I call them – Crapking).

KK makes a handful of reels – mostly variants of the Kestrel Elite. Plus they have the Zephyr. The Zephyr had many quality control issues, so I never bought one early, and by the time it seems they had it kind of sorted out, I was onto other, better reels.

So I bought their Kestrel Elite shortly after launch – when it was being marketed – and sold – as a $250 reel that challenged the Aldebaran. But, the brakes are completely overbraked on the design.

The real reason I don’t like KK has 3 parts.

• Customer Service: When I ordered their flagship eel, it got lost in shipping. Never left JFK airport. And they refused to do anything – no replacement, no refund.
• Quality Control: I mentioned the Zephyr Reel. I also had a BFS travel rod from them that was so poor the pieces wouldn’t stay together when you cast the rod – from day 1. And I had a pair of their scissors break within 1 month of use.
• Predatory Business Practices: Literally a few months after I had the fight with getting my $250 refund for the lost reel (had to do a chargeback), I gave them one more shot: I ordered the $55 Valiant Eagle. It was almost literally the same reel as the $250 Kestrel – just aimed at the Asian market. They now try to block the sale of the lower level kestrel variants to the USA.

They are essentially a predatory company, and I refuse to support them. But, other folks like them just fine, and they’re probably some of the best-selling reels on Amazon. So, here they are. Zephyr and Kestrel Elite.

Amazon Fishing Rods for BFS

If the selection of Amazon fishing reels is large, the number of Amazon fishing rods is just downright overwhelming. Here are my top picks for BFS fishing.

OLD 18 Buoyancy

When I picked up the Old 18 Buoyancy Ulralight Light Casting Rod, I could tell right away it was built for the BFS crowd—or honestly, anyone who geeks out on finesse gear. This rod just feels right for the whole Bait Finesse System thing, where you want as much control as possible with lighter baits.

The carbon mix blank gives it this crisp, sensitive backbone, which makes it simple to pick up those light strikes you’d miss with a cheaper stick. It’s lively but not too whippy, and the balance works well if you want to fish all day for bass or put a little extra pressure on a big panfish without the rod folding up on you.

They also offer a range of actions, which is fantastic.

Whether you’re just getting into Bait Finesse or you’ve been collecting BFS combos for years, this rod nails that sweet spot between fun and serious performance—plus, it pairs up nicely with a compact reel and small lures right out of the box.

Some of Old 18’s the lines are BFS capable, but the Buoyancy is focused on “micro lures”, as they call it. If I didn’t have my own line of rods with Kistler, I’d probably be fishing these.

Phenix

The Phenix Classic BFS seems built for anyone who loves Bait Finesse fishing but doesn’t want to mess with flimsy gear. The blank has that sweet spot of sensitivity—enough flex to toss little hardbaits or finesse plastics around, but it snaps back quickly, so you actually get solid hooksets.

You get the feeling Phenix didn’t cut corners on the guides or the grip, either. I’d call the handle just right for palm comfort, with no cheap foam bits that tear up after a few trips. The ALCONITE guides help your BFS line shoot out smooth, which matters a lot for those finesse casts. I like that it’s got backbone for working fish out of light cover without feeling like a pool cue.

When I compared it side by side with some go-to Japanese BFS rods, the Classic held up better than I expected for the price. It’s not the absolute lightest, not the most sensitive, but honestly, try this Phenix if you want a rod that does well with finesse techniques but doesn’t feel fragile.

My only gripe with Phenix is they also offer “Classic BFS Spinning Rods,” – which leads me to believe they are just jumping on the Bait Finesse hype train – because BFS REQUIRES a baitcaster. There is no BFS with a spinning reel.

So I personally won’t be fishing them, but they are well-built rods with a lot of fans.

Crapking

As I said before not a fan of KK. But their Kestrel Casting rods have a decent following, and a lot of people like them. They do seem to be a decent value. But don’t blame me if you have quality issues. 😉

Handing Magic L

The Handing Magic L is probably the best value in BFS rods when it comes to BFS Amazon fishing gear. I’ve used several Handing rods at this point, but the Magic L was my first experience a few years ago – and it’s still a good rod at a great price.

Mavllos Delicacy

I first wrote about the Mavllos Delicacy back in 2023. The fact that it can still be purchased for under $40 on Amazon is kind of astounding to me. It’s not the best build quality, but for the price, you get two tips and some great ability to cast down to 1-gram lures – maybe a little less with the right reel.

*Note: last I checked, the listing said “casting/spinning”. Not sure what’s going on, but Amazon returns are easy if they send the wrong rod.

If you want the least expensive option that still has great performance, the Mavllos Delicacy is your best bet, in my opinion. Here’s my full review from a couple years ago.

Mavllos Plume

If you thought the Mavllos name was unique, wait until you check out the Mavllos Plume BFS rod. It’s got a modern look, with a full carbon handle. It will cast down to about 0.75 grams. It’s another great ultralight BFS option.

I’ve fished it for a couple years now, and I’ve had no issues with grip or temperature. The only knock on it for me is that if you hook into a monster bass or something like a carp, the rod could really use another guide or two.

Dobyns Sierra

The Dobyns Sierra Series has always had a solid rep for balance and smooth casting, but the lighter BFS options really opened things up for us Bait Finesse folks. The BFS-specific rods in this lineup don’t just lighten your load—these things actually let you throw tiny jigs and cranks without feeling like you’re fighting the rod.

I haven’t personally used them, but a lot of folks use the Sierra SA 700SF for BFS. The tip is quick but not floppy, and the backbone holds up better than you’d think. The grip is well balanced for long sessions, especially when you’re bouncing little soft plastics over brush or letting a micro-crank swim through open water.

Paired with a quality BFS reel, it just makes casting those one-sixteenth ounce lures feel almost too easy. If you’re serious about Bait Finesse, these rods are really hard to beat for the price.

Handing Miracle Bass

At the time of writing this, the Handing Miracle bass is unavailable. But, I want to include it because it was one of the nestC440 rods I’ve used in both the L and ML ratings. It also experienced crazy price swings – anywhere from $30 on sale to $130 at times. At one point people were blaming me for the high prices, because it was my go-to budget rod. Lol.

Handing makes some good stuff in the value-price ranges. If this comes back at $50 or less, it’s worth consideration for your power-BFS setups.

Amazon Fishing Lures for BFS

Just about any lure that’s 1/4 ounce or less will work on most BFS setups. On heavier “Power BFS” combos you can even throw up to 1/2 ounce! Here is my list of some of the best producing lures – all name brand stuff you can count on.

Strike King Bitsy Series

I buy these multiple times per year. My favorite is the jerkbait, but anything in the lineup is a good value.

Eurotackle

You may not have heard of Eurotackle, but they are a high-quality lure company. Again, almost everything Eurotackle is great for BFS. One of their newest offerings, the Nage swimbait, is a great lure. Their B-vibe swimbaits are exceptional, and I love their Z-spender and Caperlan line for trout too.

Booyah Pond Magic Spinnerbaits and Buzzbaits

Kind of like the Strike King Bitsy series, I buy these every time I see them on sale. Great dependable BFS-sized lures. The 1/8 oz. Pond Magic buzzbait is a tremendous value.

Strike King Mini-King Spinnerbaits

One of the best things about these lures are they seem to be available anywhere. From online bait and tackle shops, to Walmart, and even Rural king, I’ve found these lures in places I never expected to see them. This spinnerbait also landed my largest smallmouth bass of the year a few years ago in a pretty small creek!

If I could only fish one spinnerbait for BFS, this would probably be my choice. But please don’t make me choose… 😛

Inline Spinners

Trout, bass, panfish, pike. I think inline spinners can catch virtually anything. It’s also one of my most productive lure types every year. I focus on them mainly for trout, and the Panther Martin teardrop, black wth a gold blade, is easily my best fish catcher.

For panfish, the Roostertail lures seem to excel – but a lot of guys grab them for trout or bass too. And the Mepps Aglia seems to be a bass-catching machine. Even big fish will hit them! And the Blue Fox brand was probably my favorite growing up.

Joes Flies

I have honestly neglected this brand for the last few years. It’s a classic, and there have been days my best or only fish have been caught on a Joe’s fly. And there have probably been days I got skunked because I didn’t have any in the tackle box.

Kind of crazy that even with hundreds of lures, I feel like this is a gap in my current line-up. Don’t be like me- get some Joe’s flies in your tackle box.

Rebel Teeny & Super Teeny

Kind of like Strike King’s Bitsy series, these are just downsized versions of classic lures that plain catch fish. The Pop-R and the Craw should be in every BFS tacklebox if you fish creeks. The Crickhopper is also a great lure.

Z-Man

The Ned Rig is what first brought BFS to my attention years ago. And the Z-man TRD is the OG and the GOAT of Ned rig baits. But a few years ago, Z-man introduced their micro-finesse line, and this is just tailor-made for bait finesse style fishermen.

I’ve caught trout, bass, bluegill, crappie, and even carp on these micro-finesse plastics.

Nikko

The two most common Nikko lures I throw are the Helgrammite and the Leech. But I also have some of their smaller trout and panfish-focused lures. Both are very versatile plastics. They can be fished as a ned rig, wacky rigged, or free rigged. The Leech is also a great jig trailer.

I’ve caught so many fish, and so many species on the Nikko Helgrammite that I joke I should never go fishing without it in my bag. And almost every time I forget them, I regret it.

Finesse Fishing Line on Amazon

Fishing line is becoming a bit of the wild west these days. I’ve been trying to keep up on my recommendations – to see the latest top picks (Amazon and otherwise) – check out my post on braided line. No need to copy and paste the same info here, I don’t think.

Amazon Fishing Tools

For BFS fishermen, I feel like there are 5 or 6 tools and gadgets that make your fishing more enjoyable. None of these are necessities, but if they can prevent you from losing fish, breaking gear, getting injured, or hurting fish, I think it’s a worthy purchase.

Proofball

This is my latest gear addition. The Fishtechy Proofball is a small, almost golf-ball-sized orange ball that uses an app to get the length and weight of your fish. It fits in your pocket, and I usually just drop it in the net with my catch and snap a photo. It seems to be pretty accurate as well. But only if you get a good photo.

I’ve had several trout that I never touched with my bare hands to get a length and weight on them. As a bonus, it gets me taking more pictures of my fish!

Daiichi Seiko Knot Assist

This is the easiest way to tie an FG knot. And the FG knot is shown in tests time after time to be the strongest knot for tying a leader to braid. I wrote this post about my experiences with and love for the Daiichi Seiko Knot Assist. It is one tool I NEVER forget to take with me (although I have left it on a bench when fishing at least once.)

Scissors

This seems to be a tool I am forever losing. So i don’t spend much on them these days. My last pair came from Cabela’s, and if I were ordering from Amazon I’d get these from Booms or these that I have owned for a few years from Rapala.

Hemostat

These are great for getting hooks out. Finesse hooks rarely need pliers, so I go with hemostats because they are lighter and get into small places and grab small hooks more easily. In fact, it seems like mine have gone missing again, so I’ll be grabbing these; again, cheap gets the job done in this case.

Net

I net most fish these days. True BFS rods aren’t really designed for boat-flipping or lifting fish. It’s also better than dragging them on the bank. I’ve used these basic trout-style nets for years. I do tend to wear one out every 2 years or so, but I’m using them 75 days a year on average, in mostly shallow, rocky streams. Every year it’s a different rband that’s selling them; this looks like the same net.

I recently added the Yak-attack leverage landing net to my kayak gear. While I never flipped my kayak landing a fish with a short net, I came close once, and have seen several folks make that mistake, so I finally paid up for the best kayak fishing net on the market.

Net minder

Over the years, I think it’s become a running joke on my YouTube channel that losing my net is inevitable. Even with a net-minder, the number of times I find my net dragging behind me, or even worse, not with me at all, is astounding. Ryan from the Jumbletron YouTube channel was the first to send me a magnetic net keeper, and I try to use one for every trip where I’m fishing on foot these days. The net I listed above comes with one, or you can get one seperately.

Wrapping it Up

There are a TON of fishing gear listings on Amazon these days. Most of them are from lower-quality brands. But hopefully, this list of gear I trust will help you spend less and catch more.