Spartacus II

I haven't caught anything on it yet but I got it yesterday and took it out, got snagged on something under my kayak. Using the 7'3" MH fast action with a 4000 Spartacus 2 reel, 20lb braid. I was yanking on it as hard as I could to get free for a good while, line ended up snapping at my leader connection point. Definitely a good stout rod for the price, casts well, I bought this for saltwater fishing and I have no doubts I'll be able to muscle in some decent sized fish. Very pleased with it. The rod is comfortable to hold, well balanced, and seems to be a good all around rod for saltwater and larger bass fishing in freshwater. Can bomb some fairly heavy weights with this setup. My one and only complaint about this rod is the hook keeper. It is pretty much useless in my opinion because it's positioned so that I kept stabbing myself when I pick up the rod. I ended up just hooking to the connection point of one of the guides. Not sure why they designed it like that, but it's a minor issue especially considering the price.

The 7'3" medium/fast-action KastKing Spartacus II is a top-notch dropshot and jigging rod... Put these KastKing Spartacus II spinning rods against ANY big names in the market (especially "entry-level" rods made by St Croix, Douglas, Penn, you name it) and these KastKing graphite rods are easily as good if not better. I literally ordered two of the medium/fast-action 7'3" Spartacus II rods and used them for night walleye fishing the day they arrived. I reeled in over a dozen walleye on these rods ranging from 2-9 lbs, and many smallmouth bass weighing 2-5 lbs. These are amazing rods...the rod tips have optimal sensitivity to feel those rather subtle walleye bites, and they have the perfect amount of "back-bone" for reeling in big walleye and bass. These rods are absolutely the perfect length and sensitivity I like to use for all of my bass and walleye fishing out from boat or shore on Lake Erie, for drop-shotting AND jigging. It's not easy to find 2-piece, 7-ft 3-inch rods with these specs, and they're always missing something you'd like to have on your rod. KastKing got this one right and priced them out to sell. I'd recommend pairing these with 2000-3000 sized spinning reels. 2000-sized is optimal, 3000 if you really need the larger spool and line. Love the hook keeper, the fact that these rods separate into 2 pieces for easy storage and transport, and the absolute BONUS of coming with extra rod tips. Don't need to worry about my kids breaking rod tips since I have replacements. The "big overpriced brands" you see at the big sporting goods store would charge well over $100 for these rods, and no way they'd include tip replacements up-front. Thanks, KastKing, for making these rods affordable and getting ALL the features right...2-piece, hook keeper, IM6 graphite, the tip replacements, and the cork handles are very comfortable. This is a 5-star dropshot/jigging rod for bass, walleye, and all types of fishing in general. Highly recommend. I'll be buying more for sure especially to replace other rods that I have (that were more expensive). And btw, that small "hook" on the handle near the reel seat is a HOOK KEEPER. I saw a review where someone was complaining about snags while casting with this rod, then saw his line literally running through the hook keeper and out the rest of the guides. No wonder he was getting snagged and tangled up.

This is such a great value. The rod is solid and performs right up there with some of the more expensive rods I’ve used. It’s comfortable in the hand.

Edited - I have a few KastKing rods and they've held up pretty well - I really appreciate the extra tip because you will break a few so its nice to have a handy replacement - it is responsive, has held up well to some nice sized bass and therefore meets expectations. I'm a budget fisherman and I have a few KastKing rods - Crixus, Spartacus, and Royal Select. Of the three, Crixus is the most brittle but I've lost a few tips on the Spartacus line as well - thank goodness they throw in the second tip, eh? All in all, as a budget brand, KastKing is a viable option but of the three - Royal Select is the best of that bunch with the Spartacus running second, and the Crixus a very distant third. Finally, stay away from their reels - for a few dollars more you can get entry Lews or Abu Garcia which are miles ahead of them.

This quickly became my favorite rod ive ever owned. I immediately bought another one in the same model, an additional casting model and plan on buying a few more varieties. The spinning rods has been super effective while ned rigging as im able to feel every subtle variation on the bottom. Very sensitive while providing enough backbone to huck 1/2oz lures. I paired it up with a pflueger supreme xt and it not only looks tuff but it is the perfect combo for me personally. I also have to praise KK for the extra tip included with purchase. Like - why havent all manufacturers been doing this all along?! They also come in heavy cardboard tubes which are great for road trips. KK has come a long way in terms of quality and while I personally havent had to reach out to them for service, I know of two people that have and they've both said repairs/replacements were easy and cheap. I've been fishing for a lifetime and have owned everything from high-end to the cheapest of cheap and this rod became an instant favorite. Its lightweight, extremely sensitive, versatile and looks badass with the darker cork and matte green.

Quality is satisfactory. The extra rod tip is a nice touch. The packaging was impressive. Using the medium light as a drop shot rod. Update: in the two months since I bought it, I’ve used the rod maybe 4 or 5 times. That’s 4 or five trips about 3-4 hours each trip. The rubberized cork grip is peeling off the top edge. Right around the area where you place your thumb. Very disappointing. I own maybe 15 rods of different sizes and styles. This is the possibly the most expensive of all the ones i own. I’ve never had the grip wear out on a single one. Even the Shakespeare rods. The hook keeper on this rod is the most annoying thing I’ve ever experienced on a rod. Slightly altering the placement of this hook keeper could make it a better product. It’s placed in such a way that any tiny bit of slack when you finger the line to cast, will catch on the hook keeper. I cannot be the only one to have experienced this. I cut it off and sanded it smooth. There are aftermarket hook keepers that do a better job. I’m sure they would warranty the defective item but it doesn’t seem worth the trouble of paying shipping, sending it in, and waiting. The rod looks and feels great otherwise. I think I might try to mend the defective grip myself because despite it’s very annoying faults, I still think it’s a great rod.

Excellent rod at an amazing price, comes with two tip sections.

It’s a nice rod. But had to return because it acts more like a medium heavy than fast action. If I was just going to use it for catfishing it would a great rod. They even sent an extra tip for possible shipping issues. The tube they provided for shipping was more than sufficient. Again, nice rod but not what expected.