Bass Pro Shops new baitcasters for 2005? Anyone try'em?

[johnjr73]

I was thinking of buying a new BPS reel. Has anyone tried thier new braking system. What is it like? Thanks for any help!!!

[Snidley]

Be carefull. Read my post on BPS extreme rods. I took back a Johnny Morris baitcast reel 2 weeks ago. Truth is I love BPS lures, I've had great experiences with BPS Johnny Morris rods (old Ti models) and even stuff like waders etc. But I'm now suspicious of their reels which are essentially Silstars and contain a high number of berrings but the berrings are of questionable quality. I think the concept of you get what you pay for applies in this case whereas in rods you can now buy high quality rods for a fraction of what they used to cost. Regards Snidley

[MoKan]

I used to live close to BassPro. And would advise you to not buy the Bass Pro brand reels. They have piles and piles of them that have been returned.
Try the Daiwa Procaster or TD Advantage. They are much better reels.

You have to watch shopping in BassPro. Alot of their items are suspect. Some more than others.

There are some okay items even some good items to be had.
But, they sell alot of #@!^* also. Major tourist trap! So, just beware.
I've bought some good things from them but, you have to really watch yourself.
Enjoy the store but, beware...

p.s. I'm not putting down BPS.-- Just the way it is.--- It's still a fun store to go into.

[Nitroman77]

i would have to agree about the reels. Dont buy them! Worked at bass pro and now live about a block away, on bass pro dr. hmmm not so funny. Anways pretty much any BPS prduct is watered down and not the greatest. They arnt tackle specific, so funding doesnt go towards just reels. Look for shimano or daiwa.

[greg1018]

I just bought my 2nd Johnny Morris baitcast reel and really like them.
They are built by Browning for BPS.
IMO, they are much better than the Shimano Curados that I have fished with for years.
They also come with a 1 year,no questions asked, money back guarantee from BPS.

[Reel Old Geezer]

I understand that Bass Pro Shop owns Browning fishing tackle division. The reels are made by Silstar. That said, I have been fishing their Prolite Finesse reel and have had no problems. Of course it is only about 4 months old. However, I have fished about 90-100 times in those 4 months and have cast the reel quite a bit. It is smooth and extremely fast.

[shadow745]

Be carefull. Read my post on BPS extreme rods. I took back a Johnny Morris baitcast reel 2 weeks ago. Truth is I love BPS lures, I've had great experiences with BPS Johnny Morris rods (old Ti models) and even stuff like waders etc. But I'm now suspicious of their reels which are essentially Silstars and contain a high number of berrings but the berrings are of questionable quality. I think the concept of you get what you pay for applies in this case whereas in rods you can now buy high quality rods for a fraction of what they used to cost. Regards Snidley

I bought a Johnny Morris combo when they first came out in 2001. Like you said, the Ti series rod is awesome and I still value owning it to this day. It's one of the best rods I've ever owned. Sensitive, lightweight, top craftsmanship, etc. However, the reel isn't that great. It is identical to the Matrix made by Silstar/Pinnacle and it's OK, but not in the same league as others. It has 10 bearings (4 in the handle knobs to make the count that much higher), but some of the internal parts are questionable as far as long term strength goes. The main problem I had with mine is the handle. It's supposed to be taken off without any tools, which is true, but getting it back on without stripping anything is nearly impossible. It has never felt very secure to me and I hardly use it anymore. Hope some of you have better luck with that reel. Later!

[Zander]

Hi Guys, Due to the number of requests we have procured a BPS Johnny Morris baitcaster and will have a full on review in about a months time. Stay tuned.

[woodsac]

I have 2 of the 05' RC's and 1 of the 05' JM reels. I am extremely impressed with the Rick Clunn's. I waited till they were on sale, $80. The drag is a little weak, but they are very smooth and they don't weigh any more than anything else in that price range.

Also got the Johnny Morris on sale, $120. Not much to say about the JM I prefer the RC's and even my standard Curados over the JM. I never would have paid $165. I would consider a President or Daiwa 153 for that price. I've had both in my hands and they performed better out of the box than the JM?

I also bought a 7'6" Pro Qualifier rod. I needed a spare flipping stick. That thing is a beast! My main flipping rod is a standard Kistler flipping rod 7'6" telescopic with a Castaic SF. You can instantly feel the additional weight of the BPS compared to the Kistler. It's also gotta little stiffer tip than I like for flipping.