By Jason Sealock · Jan 21, 2021. Article first appeared on and reposted from Wired2Fish.
I like getting good value for the money when it comes to fishing gear, especially fishing rods and fishing reels. I don’t mind to spend a more money to get quality gear that lasts. A good reel will last you a decade. So it’s an investment. But I equally enjoy finding something like a fishing reel at a low price that ends up being a great piece of equipment for a lot of years. I’ve found a few reels over the year that didn’t break the bank and ended up being some of my most used reels. I think I found another with the Piscifun Viper X.
MORE THAN PRICE WOULD SEEM
At a little more than $40, this spinning reel features 10+1 ball bearings for a smooth retrieve with no tension. I’ve seen top reel manufacturers that just can’t seem to get spinning reels right because there is too much tension on the spool and the handle. That resistance inhibits an angler’s ability to feel the weight of the lure and more importantly when the lure weight changes during the retrieve signaling a bite or a snag.
But the Piscifun Viper X reel is very smooth with no resistance. The fluid operation translates to increased sensitivity. I can feel a 1/16-ounce crappie jig easily on this reel.
I’ve found crappie fishing is often the best test for the performance of a spinning reel. You are using very light lures, you have to use light line and the bite is not always aggressive so you can really see just how sensitive a spinning reel is. If it can handle ultra finesse presentations of crappie fishing it can handle bass fishing perfectly.
I’ve been fishing with the Viper X for several months now. I have been pleasantly surprised at how well these reels have fished. Not just for the price, but I would think the same if they were $120 reels. They fish like higher priced reels.
The drag is pretty smooth. The adjustments are at good increments. The drag is not as buttery smooth as say your $200 spinning reels, but I’ve landed several crappie over 2 pounds on 4-pound line with this reel, and the drag was perfect.
I’ve fished with the 1000, 2000 and 3000 size Viper X spinning reels now, and I like them all. The 2000 is probably my favorite, even for crappie fishing with light line. A larger spool just casts light lures better. The coils of your line aren’t as tight, and it doesn’t require as much force to pull line off the spool. So if I’m shooting a jig under cover, I can get the jig to go a lot farther on a 2000 spool than a 1000 spool. And same for a 3000 spool over a 2000 spool.
The 2000 reel holds 120 yards of 8-pound line. The braid ready spool will accept braid or mono equally well. The reinforced stainless steel main shaft and zinc alloy drive gear paired with carbon washers offer a smooth performance regardless of line choice. And the water-sealed system keeps water out of the gears and the reel working smoothly for longer.
PRESENTS EVEN THE LIGHTEST LURES PERFECTLY
I’ve had really good experiences with the Phantom baitcasters from Piscifun, and now, I can say I also have had very good experiences with their spinning reels after using the Carbon X and Viper X reels. I’ve caught just about all of my crappie since October using the Viper X.
If you’re in the market for a good all-purpose spinning reel under $50, I highly recommend checking out the Piscifun Viper X.
See more about this reel and other reels at TruWildLife.com.
