*newer*johnny Morris Carbonlite Reel Reviews?

[Megastink]

I am looking around at reels on BPS's website and I see the JM Carbonlite baitcasting reels. The old Golden ones have a little cult following, but I just have not heard anything about the new ones. The *NEW* ones have been out for a little while, and are matte black with some gold trim. The specs look great on paper:

• Weighs just 5.9 ounces
• One-piece machined aircraft-grade frame
• Duralumin gears and shaft
• V-grooved, ported, machined Duralumin spool
• 9 stainless steel, double shielded ball bearings and a powerlock anti reverse bearing
• Dual Braking System™
• Titanium nitride-coated line guide
• Carbon fiber Recurve handle
• Drag system with six alternating carbon fiber and stainless washers

I'm looking for anyone with experience with the reel. I want a lefty in 6.4:1. Anyone every use it? Looks comprable to my Lews Tournament Pro...

[kickerfish1]

Not worth the money. Some of the most rough and noisy sounding gears I have fished. Fished it last year and it was tolerable but this year it is to the point where I think I may toss it out. Casts well and is very comfortable in hand. I have 7:1 ratio and have heard some of the lower gear ratios were a bit smoother.

On paper a good looking reel but the design and execution of the reel leave much to be desired for reel around $100

[21farms]

too bad the archives only go back a year here as there was a lot of discussion on these when they first started shipping in early 2012. here's my condensed story on the JM carbonlite.

i ordered a 7:1 JMCL online and received it in february 2012. straight out of the box, i was absolutely amazed at how light it was. however, spinning the handle, i was equally shocked at how rough and grindy it felt. it was absolutely terrible. the next month, i drove an hour to my closest BPS to exchange it. they only had about ten in stock and i went through every single one of them and they all felt grindy but i was determined to own a sub-6 ounce reel so i picked the best of the bunch (a 5:1 version) and drove home. after a few weeks and fishing with it couple of times, i decided i could not live with it and drove back to BPS again. this time, they had gotten a bunch more in stock. i went through a dozen and a half before the salesman started to get really impatient with me so i picked out the smoothest of the bunch and went home. i only fished it once or twice and, despite the fact that it was still grindy, it casted even light balsa lures very well. i put it away and didn't take it of the box again unitl last month when i decided to thin out my collection a little. i listed it for sale here with the price all the way down to $80 and still had no takers (probably because my description said it wasn't what i would consider a smooth reel!) so i took it back to BPS. i sampled some from their latest stock and they were all grindy...fortunately, the salesman was very understanding and let me exchange it for something else.

 

my advice: stay away! i am shocked by the user reviews that state that they love how smooth the reel is. i've sampled literally 30 of these and they were ALL grindy. to me, the ONLY reason to even consider this reel is for the featherly lightness. otherwise, the grindiness is just too distracting while you're trying to concentrate on detecting bites. even $50 reels i felt were smoother.

[TNBassin']

Is Duralumin aluminum? If so, that's why they don't feel smooth.

[Goose52]

The early production reels had a manufacturing issue that lead to the grindy feeling - once per rotation of the reel handle. I haven't a clue as to whether this has been resolved in current production.

 

In my case, I purchased two of these reels - both in 6.4:1. One was grindy feeling out of the box, the other wasn't.  I chose to put the grindy one in service first. While actually fishing, with the reel under load, I didn't notice the grinding and just fished the reel. Great caster, good drag, really light.  Don't like the external adjustment for the centrifugal brakes - they should have just kept the PQ system.  After fishing reel #1 for a while, I put reel #2 into service.

 

Unfortunately, after as little as 20 hours of use, I noticed I was l was losing casting distance on reel #1. I removed and soaked the spool bearings - they wouldn't spin, Did it again - all night - they wouldn't spin - not a turn. Replaced the stock bearings with some Boca ABEC5 stainless that I had on hand - casting distance back.  Reel # 2 still has the stock bearings but has had very little use and will end up on a "niche rod" where it will only see occasional future use.

 

Verdict for me?   I will fish these reels until they are "used up" - but I won't be buying any more until I see some solid evidence that all problems are resolved. Even then, I don't like the centrifugal brake adjustment scheme so that limits my interest as well. 

 

I have a whole bunch of BPS BC reels and they have proven to be good values that give good service commensurate with their price. However, in the case of this particular reel, I can't give any positive endorsement....

[BrettD]

I have one of these reels its the only reel I have that sits on the shelf. LIke others have said its the roughest reel I have ever used. I ended up polishing the gears with a dremel and that helped alot.

 

 

Is Duralumin aluminum? If so, that's why they don't feel smooth.

 I also have several lews tournement pros that have duralumin gears and are as smooth as butter. I think its a machining issue and not a material problem. There are alot of reels on the market using duralumin gears that are smooth.

[Megastink]

Well, thats answers that,

i guess...

[Fishwhittler]

I have one of these reels its the only reel I have that sits on the shelf. LIke others have said its the roughest reel I have ever used. I ended up polishing the gears with a dremel and that helped alot.

 

 

 I also have several lews tournement pros that have duralumin gears and are as smooth as butter. I think its a machining issue and not a material problem. There are alot of reels on the market using duralumin gears that are smooth.

 

Aluminum gears aren't necessarily rough.  My sister's Pflueger Supreme baitcaster has aluminum gears and is extremely smooth, just as smooth if not more so than my Pflueger President baitcaster.

 

You get grinding aluminum gears from poor tolerances inside the reel and/or poor machining.  Aluminum is harder than brass and so for it to have the same silky smooth feel the tolerances and gear meshing must be perfect.  A brass-geared reel may have looser tolerances and still feel smooth, thanks to of the comparative softness of the gear teeth.

[kickerfish1]

Very well said goose52!

[21farms]

by the way, if you want a sub-6 ounce reel, may i recommend the lew's team pro speed spool? i have one and it rocks...very smooth and casts great.

[Hi Salenity]

I have one and although I don't use it allot its a good reel IMHO.

I'd rather use a 50e it a Lew's TP. I'd take a used one of those reels over a new carbon black any day!

[Sodus Bay Scooter]

I had one too. It had the same lousy feel when cranking but it was a great casting reel and plenty tough for the fight.

I returned it and picked up a revo s.

I hope they did resolve the problem because besides the feel of the cranking, I actually really liked a lot about it and wouldn't mind having one again. They feel great in the hand and are super lightweight.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

Add me to the group that had a grindy one but liked everything else about the reel. Too mine started whizzing on the cast coupled with the gears I returned it. Traded it for a Core50 even lighter but yeah triple the price.

 

With mine it was quiet until you add the pressure/resistance of a lure then the grind came in. So with empty spool spinning the handle its was difficult to notice the issue making it harder to pick a good one at the store.

[Diggy]

Mine was smooth but the bezel fell out around the line guide so I returned it. The only choice I had was 6.4:1 since I use LH.

[BrettD]

Mine was smooth but the bezel fell out around the line guide so I returned it. The only choice I had was 6.4:1 since I use LH.

Mine did the same thing the good thing after it falls off the reel still looks good and you cant even notice its missing.