Are Bass Pro Brand Reels Quality? 2025
trailer reply :
Are there any Bass Pro Shops brand reels that would be as good of quality as say a Revo S? Their reels are cheaper but I wouldn't want to sacrafice quality. I know you get what you pay for, but are the other name brands just hype? Could you reccommend a Bass Pro reel? No specific uses such as gear ratio, just a model.
coak reply :
Check out the Pro Qualifier. Goose52 was doing a challenge to see if this reel could last five years. Search for this reel and you will find quite a few posts/threads. A lot of these guys on this site swear by this reel. I've never fished it myself, but am thinking of picking one up at the spring classic later this month.
Mike L reply :
Well I know I'm in the minority here, but I think the JM Signature model is one of the best 150.00 reel made by any company anywhere.
Also in my opinoin, the PQ IS the best 100.00 reel that anyboby makes..Period
Mike
Knightiac reply :
I can vouch for two reels that are of great quality. The PQ and Johnny Morris Signature Series 2.
The PQ ($100) is a great entry level reel. Very low profile, great drag, good castability and a good dual braking system. Its a very smooth reliable reel. I had two for over two seasons each and they held up great, one was even dunked in the water twice.
The Johnny Morris Signatue Series 2 ($160) is an amazing reel for the price. Its offers everything the PQ does, except a better drag and braking system, smoother and a set of very comfortable grips. It casts like a dream. The reel is a little bigger than your standard low profile.
I love using their reels not only because of the quality, but their return program is awesome. Starts getting gritty? (had one PQ do that but it was my first and not properly cared for) They will exchange it NO QUESTIONS ASKED. I'm sure that policy is the standard, I know their rod policy is the same.
That being said, if you're willing to spend a little more, I'm starting to love my Lews Tourny Pro.
*Hootie reply :
On 2/4/2013 at 12:52 AM, Mike L said:Well I know I'm in the minority here, but I think the JM Signature model is one of the best 150.00 reel made by any company anywhere.
Also in my opinoin, the PQ IS the best 100.00 reel that anyboby makes..Period
Mike
X2, no, X10
I have 4 PQ's and 3 JM's.
Hootie
OnthePotomac reply :
I am a Shimano guy, except for my 10 year old annodized all aluminum JM, but two years ago when the PQ was on sale for $69 I figured what the heck and bought one. I must say it is really an incredible little reel. I have worked the daylights out of it for two years and it is still performing like new. The innards are pretty standard for a baitcaster and easy to take apart, clean and lube. It took just a short time to tune in the magnetic and centrifugal brakes. I have not changed the bearings, or drag.
Goose52 reply :
Many people have negative opinions of BPS reels based on models that they owned at some time in the past. However, the more modern BPS BC reels, from about the $80 price point on up, have proven to be good values. The PQ is probably the sweet spot in the BPS line for value received vs. money spent. If you wait for the eventual sale - PQs can usually be had for $80.
If you are interested in a real-world report on the life and times of a test PQ, follow this link. If you have time, also review the earlier reports that are linked in this thread: http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/112219-bps-pro-qualifier-bc-reel-–-5-year-challenge-–-time-to-pay-the-piper/
BTW - I have very little experience with BPS spinning reels and can't give any report on them...
WRB reply :
Very few reels today are manufactured by the name on the reel. Ardent, Daiwa, Shimano, Okuma are manufactured by those companies for example. Nearly all the other brands and store brands are made by Okuma in S. Korea or a large factory in China including nearly all the Abu-Garcia reels. D house reels like BPS are contracted to 1 or the 2 off shore manufactures. The quality is up to the buyer to determine. The D house stores use the customer to be their quality control, any problems that are related to manufactured components, not user abuse, they usually replace the reel.
Tom
Diggy reply :
I love my gold carbonlite and PQ. No problems and Bps has great customer service if any problems.
gripnrip reply :
PQ's all the way!
BassingNick reply :
Not sure anyone has mentioned the PQ...love em!!
Dave P reply :
Me 2.
Shewillbemine reply :
I have a PQ and it's great, especially for the price. There's something like 500 reviews of that reel on BPS with most of them positive. You can't go wrong with it.
Jig Man reply :
The BPS reels go to the lowest bidder so you never know for sure who made them. I bought some when they first came out with the PQ. They were junk so I got rid of them and have never bought another one.
mc6524 reply :
I have 12 Johnny Morris reels and I would not trade them for anything. I started out with the extreme which in its own right is a good real, but the JM is a dual breaking system reel.
I have several Diawa Zillions which are very good reels, but I don't think they are any better the the JM, and they are a $100.00 more.
drew4779 reply :
I love the gold carbon lite. Not a big fan of the PQ though. I returned two that were noisy, but they could have been duds cause I'm definitely in the minority. Can't say enough good things about the customer service.
rockchalk06 reply :
On 2/4/2013 at 12:25 AM, trailer said:Are there any Bass Pro Shops brand reels that would be as good of quality as say a Revo S? Their reels are cheaper but I wouldn't want to sacrafice quality. I know you get what you pay for, but are the other name brands just hype? Could you reccommend a Bass Pro reel? No specific uses such as gear ratio, just a model.
The Revo S is a different breed compared to the BP line.
The Pro Qualifier is close at 99 dollars. You know only 30 bucks more and you can get an S.
McAlpine reply :
The BPS Carbon Black is one of the best bang for the buck reels ever produced. Unfortunately they stopped making them last year.
The JM reels are still pretty darn good but the price is getting up there to compete with some pretty good reels.
trailer reply :
That's kinda what I was thinking rockchalk. Everyone seems to gravitate towards the PQ so it must be a good reel. Maybe comparable price means comparable performance to other "name brands".
rockchalk06 reply :
On 2/4/2013 at 10:16 AM, trailer said:That's kinda what I was thinking rockchalk. Everyone seems to gravitate towards the PQ so it must be a good reel. Maybe comparable price means comparable performance to other "name brands".
Yep! I will never get rid of mine. It's in a 4.7:1. Super slow for slow cranking and spinner baits.
They are tanks.
SirSnookalot reply :
Not too many reels I've bought and hated, the JM wide spool spinning reel was one of them. I returned the reel to BPS about a week later, excessive wind knots and the reel was not standing up to saltwater species. I exchanged it for a Daiwa, that one has been perfect for about 2 or 3 years now, the BPS manager, a saltwater guy whispered to me, "yeh JM is POS."
Bluebasser86 reply :
Wait until the PQ goes on sale and pick one or several up for $70. At that price range nothing else can touch them.
LgMouthGambler reply :
On 2/4/2013 at 4:54 PM, Bluebasser86 said:Wait until the PQ goes on sale and pick one or several up for $70. At that price range nothing else can touch them.
X10, 0000!
bassh8er reply :
Love my PQs and love my Prolite Finesse reels even more. They are no longer in production but are a great reel for throwing lightweight baits.
BassingNick reply :
Also, I know the JM Carbonlite got a bad rep when they came out. I recently got one 6:4 and its a flat out casting machine and very smooth..
gripnrip reply :
On 2/4/2013 at 6:53 PM, LgMouthGambler said:X10, 0000!
You must still be drunk from the Super Bowl ;-)On 2/4/2013 at 6:53 PM, LgMouthGambler said:X10, 0000!
LgMouthGambler reply :
On 2/5/2013 at 1:33 AM, gripnrip said:You must still be drunk from the Super Bowl ;-)
Sshhhhhhh.
Greenstealth reply :
I bought a carbon black and the thumb bar stuck down. I returned the reel. I have a carbonlite that has treated me well despite the bad reviews. Going to get a pq for my crank rod.
MrSwimJig reply :
On 2/5/2013 at 12:14 AM, BassingNick said:Also, I know the JM Carbonlite got a bad rep when they came out. I recently got one 6:4 and its a flat out casting machine and very smooth..
They are great reels. I have a couple of them and have not had any problems. Got them at the BPS Spring Classic last year.
Sherlock 60 reply :
I have four PQ reels in three gear ratios and am extremely happy with them al! Every winter I consider buying more expensive name brand reels but that little voice in the back of my head always asks "why?"
Hooligan reply :
On 2/4/2013 at 3:52 AM, Jig Man said:The BPS reels go to the lowest bidder so you never know for sure who made them. I bought some when they first came out with the PQ. They were junk so I got rid of them and have never bought another one.
One hundred percent incorrect. They're made in the same facilities that they have been for the past 25 years.
Big Bassman reply :
PQ is a pretty decent reel for the price!
retiredbosn reply :
The PQ is a great reel, at one time I had three. They saw more use than my higher end reels, can't go wrong with them. I've had Curado E series, Abu EXT series, have a Winch, the PQ will hold it's own with them, the E series Curado and Winch are better, but not a whole lot better. FWIW BPS just redesigned the Bionic, I am planning on getting one during the spring sale.
Arv reply :
I honestly like my PQ's more than my gen 2 Revo S. I can't speak for the gen 3, but for the price that you can get the PQ's, especially on sale, they're a fantastic reel.
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