Do You Know Where This Stuff Is Actually Built?

[bigbill]

This is exactly what makes me wanna try one of those $30 china made baitcasters you see all over eBay. I'm willing to bet it's darn near the same inside and might perform just as well. If it doesn't then I'm not out anything really.

I can give you the exact bait caster model number to try. I have two or three of them that function really well. They cost $30 now. Try one. They must have been a vendorr for some well known reel manufacturer then split off on manufacturing a clone. Well putting there name on someone else's design. This reel seems to be too well made to be there own design. I'll get back here with a model number. I bought them just for ha ha' s. You be the judge and buy one and post what you think. It's no BMW but it works.

EBay reel model DM120RA 11ball bearings. It's not a top shelf quality reel like the ones mentioned here. It's a $30 reel and something to try that's new from China. There are ball bearings on both sides of the spool.

Keep in mind I've seen entry level prices before to get there foot in the door on the market. Once there product picks up in sales the cost will soar I've seen it with other imported stuff.

Please don't flame me or attack me it's nice to see first hand on another countries product. Remember we also said this about the Japanese cars and fishing equipment at first too.

All our rods, well most of them, all our lures say made in China? Grant you some of there hard body swimbaits are questiunable but some Look good too. Time on the water drowning them will tell.

[hoosierbass07]

 I was in Walmart yesterday looking to buy a cheap spinning reel to play around with.  I looked at some Abu Garcia reels but they were in the $40 to $80 range.  Right next to them were the cheapest reels I saw made by Mitchell.  The thing is - the packaging on both the Mitchell and Abu Garcia's looked the same.  I ended up not buying any and instead bought a $25 Shimano spinning reel.  But now I'm thinking - I don't have any Abu Garcia reels and not sure I want any now since I might pay $50 for one but some other company (Mitchell) might be offering the same thing for $20.00  

 

All of my Shimano spinning reels are made in Malaysia and in fact - when I bought that cheap Shimano reel I looked and saw the "Made in Malaysia" tag so I felt more comfortable buying it.  It might be cheap but it's good quality cheap! 

[Deleted account]

I am amazed at the browning reels I bought at bps sale in sofla 10yrs ago (mi1000's, 10bb) made in Korea I bought them for clients use and they just keep on working - two of them are 5.2:1 so I've used them for grinding crankbaits ad nauseum - they've caught 1000's of fish - I clean and oil every so often and take 'em fishing - I own U.S. built Ardents, I'm very happy with, also calais, curado and high end daiwa , all very good reels but (years later) the Brownings are as smooth and reliable as any of them.  I wonder if they are some kind of one off freak of good production - anyone else have this experience with them?

 

Silstar made Pinnacle clone. The Midas, Trion, BPS JM, Rick Clunn, Dick's Carrera Ti, Academy's PXS, Mettle, Cabela's Prodigy (before it went Daiwa), etc, etc.

I fish the Matrix II, and won't change it for anything. As a plus, I can use the plastic side plate from some of the OEMs (The Matrix is all metal) in the winter and early spring, palming an all metal reel in 30 degrees is no fun, and I don't like fishing with gloves.

[roadwarrior]

This is exactly what makes me wanna try one of those $30 china made baitcasters you see all over eBay. I'm willing to bet it's darn near the same inside and might perform just as well. If it doesn't then I'm not out anything really.

I can give you the exact bait caster model number to try. I have two or three of them that function really well. They cost $30 now. Try one. They must have been a vendorr for some well known reel manufacturer then split off on manufacturing a clone. Well putting there name on someone else's design. This reel seems to be too well made to be there own design. I'll get back here with a model number. I bought them just for ha ha' s. You be the judge and buy one and post what you think. It's no BMW but it works.

EBay reel model DM120RA 11ball bearings. It's not a top shelf quality reel like the ones mentioned here. It's a $30 reel and something to try that's new from China. There are ball bearings on both sides of the spool.

Keep in mind I've seen entry level prices before to get there foot in the door on the market. Once there product picks up in sales the cost will soar I've seen it with other imported stuff.

Please don't flame me or attack me it's nice to see first hand on another countries product. Remember we also said this about the Japanese cars and fishing equipment at first too.

All our rods, well most of them, all our lures say made in China? Grant you some of there hard body swimbaits are questiunable but some Look good too. Time on the water drowning them will tell.

 

Is this the review we have been anxiously awaiting? I love to hear a little more detail.

[TorqueConverter]

Shimano- Built in proprietary factories and production lines wholly owned by Shimano one facility in Malaysia and one in Japan

Pinnacle- Owned by Silstar, built by Dawon, Doyo, Kaito, or one of a couple other Chinese Manufacturers

Abu Garcia- Pure Fishing can be built by Dawon, Doyo, or Kaito on the upper end reels.  Lower and mid range reels are generally of "farmed" Chinese origin; IE: They can be built at any one of the Chinese factories in lots, there is no guarantee which factory they are coming from, generally.

Lews- Generally built by Doyo and Dawon, with lower end reels being made at either Korean, Sri Lankan, or Chinese facilities.

Pflueger Pure Fishing can be built by Dawon, Doyo, or Kaito on the upper end reels.  Lower and mid range reels are generally of "farmed" Chinese origin; IE: They can be built at any one of the Chinese factories in lots, there is no guarantee which factory they are coming from, generally.

BPS- BPS Reels are built much the same as Pure Fishing, and Lews- The caveat being that they are the owners of the tooling.  In other cases, the bid goes to the mfr to include tooling.

Cabela's- Can be made in any number of facilities, from Daiwa's own to Dawon and Doyo.  As well, they can be of Chinese origin.

Quantum- Mostly made in Chinese facility that shares manufacture of Zebco reels as well.  Some are made in a Korean facility, it is unclear of whose facility it actually is.  Some say that it is wholly owned by quantum, while Zebco/Quantum deny that is the case.

Diawa Have facilities for OEM mfr in both Japan and Korea.  A small Malay facility as well.

Penn- See Pure Fishing- Some Penn Reels are still made in the USA, some are made in China and Korea

Zebco- see Quantum

 

Rods- generally are made in any number of facilities in China or Korea.  With few exceptions on the higher end rods.

 

 

How do you know the parts aren't the same?  99.8% of the Chinese reels will be similar, however, the parts will be stamped rather than machined, lower quality metals are used, and lower quality components.  Quantum is notorious for this, as is Pure Fishing.

 

Great insight.  This is something I have been very interested in for a while.  Were do the reel designs originate?  Do any of the brands do R&D or is that all outsourced or even licensed from an unknown entity?

 

I've seen two different reels, from two different brands, using the same reel design, but with different materials and braking systems at two different price points.  It almost reminds me of building a PC were there are lots of brands out there, but it really comes down to who's parts are in your rig.  I'd love to see an Ibuypower or Cyberpower sort of online builder for reels and rods.  

 

The only part of the entire overseas Manufacturing that bothers me is the fact that some companies are making inferior copies, and even worse, American sellers are buying these Knock offs and re-selling them in America as being "Genuine". I have sent emails to Ebay about these lures not being custom painted or genuine lucky crafts or other high end brands and have included emails from a few large sellers admitting to me they are knock offs, and I have even sent links to ebay showing the same paint and models for a few bucks, and then showing how these crooks are turning around and selling them as either custom painted Megabass ITO Jerkbaits and other labels without boxes, six new lures never used with one of each pattern in the same size????? I have seen 6 lures sell for over $100 in some cases and that is alot of money for a knock off Luck e Strike Rc Stick, Matzuo 100mm walking lure, and I could go on for days.....

I know that when I purchase a Live Target Gyron from China Direct that it is most likely going to have a different action since the internals were either defective and did not meet the high standards of these companies, or are made with finish that may not last as long, different components etc...But at times, they may be exactly the same, but if they do not have the stamp, then you can't call them Megabass without packaging and permission from the company...I just can't believe guys are not picking up on this...Who would buy 6 or 8 $20 Japanese Lures in 8 colors from a legit retailer in America, open each beautiful package, toss the boxes away, and then put the lures in a tackle box to sell a few months later??

Maybe it's just me, but when I purchased my first Megabass lure, Ima flirt, Spro, Sammy etc...I could not wait to get home and toss that baby in the pool or local pond to check out the action, and see how I can modify the lure to catch fish, and I even save the package just because they are not somthing I buy and see everyday. When any true angler buys lures from Bass Pro, or any store with a large selection, you would never buy all colors of one size (Unless you have alot of money) but most likely grab 2-3 colors of one or two of your favorite lures from Japan to supplement with the Quality Rapala, Smithwicks,Bandits, Excalibur, Strike King etc.....

 

 

About those Ebay lures.  Are you saying that you are seeing custom painted knock offs (KO) selling for up to $16 a piece?  KOs are sold naked and without hooks just for that reason.  As long as they are not trying to pass them off as a real name brand product such as a Rapala DT, Megabass Vision 110, Griffon ect then they should be alright. 

 

Even cheap baits can have fantastic actions.  I would go as far as to say that there is nothing inherently expensive about a bait that moves well in the water and that a good action can be had at any price point.  The things that typically drive up the price of a bait are things that matter to anglers but not to the fish.  Sonic welded seams, weight transfer systems, great hooks, beautiful hand painted finishes, scratch resistant clear coats ect.  While you are not necessarily paying for a better action in a bait by spending more money, there are actions that are exclusive and that exclusivity makes the bait more expensive.  It remains this way until a more attractively priced bait can knock off the bait's action.

 

Balsa baits seem hard to knock off.  It probably has something to do with them not being two halves of plastic shat out at X number per hour by an injection molding machine.  It's easy to knock off designs but craftsmanship remains more elusive.  I'm not sure where craftsmanship is even present in modern baits.  A machine operator running an injection molder is not a craftsman.           

[0119]

 

  I'm not sure where craftsmanship is even present in modern baits.  A machine operator running an injection molder is not a craftsman.           

 

Very true, that goes for the rods and reels too.  Where are Rapala's made, at least the newer plastic ones?  I "think" the classic balsa models are still made in Ireland.  I saw on t.v. where one of the offspring of Rapala has gone back to making them hand made individually in Sweden.  Dont know what name or company he goes by but they sell for 100 Euro's each.

[WRB]

The risk factor for ANYTHING made in China is buying counterfeit products. There isn't any laws to protect the buyer in China...buyer beware!

Metals may or may not meet specifications so some manufacturers supply the metals to help solve that issue.

Quality control is another problem, manufactures need to be on site to monitor quality control.

There are some excellent products made in China and under the same label counterfeit products. The only way to avoid problems is to avoid made in China products.

Tom

[TorqueConverter]

Very true, that goes for the rods and reels too.  Where are Rapala's made, at least the newer plastic ones?  I "think" the classic balsa models are still made in Ireland.  I saw on t.v. where one of the offspring of Rapala has gone back to making them hand made individually in Sweden.  Dont know what name or company he goes by but they sell for 100 Euro's each.

 

I have no idea.  I'd love to visit a DT production line.  I want to know how they shape those bodies and form the crank from balsa so cheaply.  There has got to be some real interesting tooling that looks nothing like the injection molding machines of most hard bait production.

[Jeff H]

Very true, that goes for the rods and reels too.  Where are Rapala's made, at least the newer plastic ones?  I "think" the classic balsa models are still made in Ireland.  I saw on t.v. where one of the offspring of Rapala has gone back to making them hand made individually in Sweden.  Dont know what name or company he goes by but they sell for 100 Euro's each.

That's Jarmo Rapala you're talking about.  Grandson to Lauri, the originator of Rapala.  Last I knew he was selling those baits from Finland and now is co-owner of Bagley....I think. 

[Rahlow]

The real question is this, why pay the price for a Lews Rod or any other “expensive rod”, when it’s made in China just like the store brand rods?

[blckshirt98]

 

15 hours ago, Rahlow said:

The real question is this, why pay the price for a Lews Rod or any other “expensive rod”, when it’s made in China just like the store brand rods?

 

Blanks can be made "to spec" and it's up to the company to make sure they're manufactured to spec.  I'll put the Phenix blanks/rods up against any that are American made.  The reputable companies I have no hesitation about buying, it's the smaller companies that won't disclose information where I'd have my doubts.

[Rahlow]

I’m still not gonna pay the kind of money they want for a rod made in China, Shakespeare and store brands have served me well. It’s just a matter of preference, to each his own.

[Choporoz]

Interesting resurrection.  Great info, but dated, by now, I'm certain. 

 

I'm glad, however, because of the mentions of 'Release Reels'.  Looks like they are called Seigler Fishing Reels now; and still made here in VA.  I don't see typical bass low-profile reels in their line up, mostly saltwater.  However, everything I've seen online makes me want to buy one of their reels, just the same.  I sure hope they're successful.

[Choporoz]

https://www.localscoopmagazine.com/discover/the-reel-deal-seigler-reels/

[kickerfish1]

Why do people insist on digging up threads from 4 years ago?

[Spankey]

I know a pretty old thread but thought it might fall in line with the tariff thread that is started. 

 

I would like to think a lot of my fishing items are US made but many things I’m sure are China. I’m going to look at some of the packaging while I’m out this weekend. I believe I’m going to find out much much much is China. Especially the small overlooked items. 

 

Just try not to let these economic and political front issues over run you. But I do realize it is part of life. And a $ is a $. Job are jobs. Hopefully it all works out. 

[MAN]

On 5/29/2018 at 1:22 PM, Choporoz said:

https://www.localscoopmagazine.com/discover/the-reel-deal-seigler-reels/

Thanks!  I have been eyeing these reels myself for catfish, gar and some light offshore. I need to see if they have an option that doesn't have such a large power handle. 

[Buckeye Ron]

On 5/29/2018 at 6:51 PM, kickerfish1 said:

Why do people insist on digging up threads from 4 years ago?

Because ‘some people’ can’t resist responding to them?

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Japanese,swedish,korean,german,english,Malaysia, USA are my preferred reels and the ones that never give me any probs ...chinese vietnam IMO and experience are junk