LET’S be honest — some of you probably cringed the moment you saw that dirty little acronym: BFS. Yep, it’s back again. And I’ll admit it; at first, I was sceptical about throwing 1 gram lures on a baitcaster. You read that right — 1 gram.
Why in the world would anyone even own a lure that light, let alone want to throw it on a baitcaster? That’s the exact question I asked myself, and the same one I heard from plenty of others.
But like many things in fishing, sometimes we just need something new to shake things up — whether it’s a new lure, a new rod, or in this case, a new reel.
My BFS Journey Begins…
Despite what the title might suggest, I didn’t dive into the high-end stuff right away. I did what any sensible angler on a budget does — I scoured the internet and started with a cheap but well-reviewed Chinese BFS reel: the Accura Hicc 50.
To be honest, that reel was great for the money. It cast surprisingly well (or so I thought at the time), has lasted 2–3 years, and caught a heap of fish. But then I got my hands on a Shimano SLX BFS A XG, right-hand model (left-hand is available too), and things changed.
First Impressions
Out of the box, it ticked the right boxes for me. Sleek, shiny dark grey with black and silver accents — clean and stylish.
The first handle turn felt a little tight but buttery smooth — something I’ve noticed on a lot of baitcasters, especially with XG gearing. In this case, we’re talking a blazing-fast 8.2:1 gear ratio, pulling in 82cm per crank.
A quick tweak of the cast control made it feel even better — that fine adjustment dial is excellent, allowing precise tuning. It features 5+1 bearings, and the drag system is the reliable cross carbon, with a max of 3.5kg — more than enough for what this reel is designed for.
The star drag clicks, which I love for micro adjustments, and the drag clicks when line pulls off — a feature some of us BFS nerds really appreciate.
On the Water
Weighing 170g, it’s not the lightest BFS reel around, but on the water, you’d hardly notice. I’ve fished it side-by-side with a much lighter (~130g) reel and felt no real difference in hand.
But here’s the kicker: this reel casts like an absolute weapon. No matter what brands or features others boast, what really matters is how it performs on the water — and this thing delivers.
I’ve been consistently impressed. The more I use it, the more I find myself shaking my head thinking, “Damn, this is a seriously good reel.”
And no — this isn’t a paid plug. If it were trash, you wouldn’t be reading this. I’d either say so, or just not bother writing a review.
The Downsides (There Are a Couple)
No reel is perfect, and the SLX BFS has a couple of small flaws:
- FTB Braking Dial – It’s tiny, hard to grip, and you’ll probably need a fingernail to turn it. Reading the numbers is like playing Where’s Wally — especially now that I need prescription polaroids.
- Side Plate Release – The lever is a bit hard to reach and open. That said, I haven’t actually needed to open it yet, since the reel casts so well right out of the box.
Verdict
I’ve always loved using baitcasters — especially for pitching small hardbodies into tight snags. But the SLX BFS A XG has taken things to a new level for me. I’m even throwing topwater lures over the flats for whiting now, something I wouldn’t have thought possible on a baitcaster a few years ago.
If you’re on the hunt for a reel that casts incredibly well, comes packed with features, and won’t make you feel like you’ve been financially violated — then I’d highly recommend the Shimano SLX BFS A.
More details at fish.shimano.com/en-AU
