Thinking About Pullibg The Trigger On A Smoke

[kingmotorboat]

Thinking about picking up a smoke casting reels and rod. Anyone have any insight on them if they're any good or not. It will be for jigs and t rigs so sensitivity wise how are they also

[GaterB]

The smoke reel is a solid performer. Light, smooth out of the box, and has a smooth drag. Don't know much about the rods, but the reel is a solid purchase and the first generation version can be had at very good pricing now.

[SenkoGuru]

I can give you the XP that I have had. I bought a 7'0 MH Quantum Smoke rod and it is very nice. It is light, sensitive and feels good while fishing, it is not tip heavy and over all I was impressed at how good it felt being a Quantum. I would recommend those to any one.

Now on to the reel. I bought a Quantum Smoke 150 7.3.1 baitcaster and I 100% hate it with a passion. While the reel is fantastic on paper it just doesn't work in real life. It is light and reel's smooth but it is the worst casting reel I've ever used. The braking system is a nightmare, one cast will be perfect and then the next few cast are either choked off or they are a free spool cast with a backlash. I didn't feel like waiting for Quantum CS so I went by a repair shop and the m an said two of the bearing in the (Brand New) reel were no good. I had them replaced and the next trip the reel would throw good. A few days later on another fishing trip the reel started doing the exact same thing, one cast was good, one choked off and then backlashes. I simple think the reel is a pile of junk. I would not buy another Quantum reel for $5.00

[Cgrinder]

Not crazy about the reels. The market is so bloated with quality reels between $100 and $200, not including secondary market options (discontinued Zillions for $180? Shwing!). I just don't think the Smokes stand up,

[Ozark_Basser]

I got the 120 when they first came out. It pretty much was a nightmare of a reel. Looked sweet though.

[gulfcaptain]

I have 4 of the older Smoke 150's.  All 3 gear ratio's.  None of mine have the above stated issues.  Actually none of the Quantum's I've had (Codes, Accurists, Kenitic, Smoke, EXO, TourMG) have ever given me problems and are still in great shape.  Are you looking at the older or new model Smokes?

[kingmotorboat]

Smoke100

[Bluebasser86]

I know a couple guys with Smoke baitcasters that are regretting buying them but the rods seem to be nice. 

[SenkoGuru]

I know a couple guys with Smoke baitcasters that are regretting buying them but the rods seem to be nice.

110% agree. I like the rod, it is nice but I regret buying the reel with a passion. I own two other Quantum reels, a Pro Tour (Blue reel) and a Energy PT-XMetal (E860PTxm) They both suffer from the same bad casting that the Smoke 150 suffers from. This leaves me to believe that the ACS 2 braking system is flawed and not worth having.

I own a ton of Lew's from BB1 to Team Lews Pro, Shimnao's from citica to metanium and Daiwa's from Tatula's, SS Sv to zillion's and none of them have anything close to the casting problems that Quantum reels show.

[smalljaw67]

I have my Smoke reels over 3 years now and they are still awesome!! I also have a 7' MH-F Smaoke casting rod and it is an excellent rod. I have a buddy that hates Quantum with a passion and I told him to use my rod, he wasn't paying attention and so I handed him the rod (with a Revo Premier 2nd generation on it) and he grabs it and as soon as the retrieve was done he looked at it and saw Quantum and just shook his head. He fished with it for half the day and then cussed me out pretty good, the reason was that he hated Quantum so much that he fished with the rod longer than he wanted because he was trying to find fault but instead of finding fault, the more he used it the better he liked it!!! Now he has one but he blacked out the name on the rod...LOL!!! Seriously, it may sound like hype but the Smoke rod seems to be really good, it is super light, plenty strong and it is balanced beautifully which is hard to believe as it has a split grip and is very light which usually means tip heavy. The reels I think are the best reels Quantum has made and the rods are probably up there too although TT give the EXO high marks.

[GetJigginWithIt]

I find it curious how many bad reviews the quantums receive, including from myself with bad experiences and how many of the professionals use them. KVD, Swindle, Bifflet, Dance, Grisby. I often wonder if they get different reels to use than general public. I would have to assume that with big money on the line that pros would not want issues out on the water fishing and would use the best that was offered to insure their chances. But perhaps they make more money from the sponsors than winning the tournament. However to keep the sponsor you have to do well.

[Bluebasser86]

I find it curious how many bad reviews the quantums receive, including from myself with bad experiences and how many of the professionals use them. KVD, Swindle, Bifflet, Dance, Grisby. I often wonder if they get different reels to use than general public. I would have to assume that with big money on the line that pros would not want issues out on the water fishing and would use the best that was offered to insure their chances. But perhaps they make more money from the sponsors than winning the tournament. However to keep the sponsor you have to do well.

I'm going to guess it's 1 of 2 things. Either it's because they get all new reels every year and they can swap them out anytime one dies on them, or they just get serviced all the time and never have a chance to fall apart. 

 

I'm not saying Quantums are bad reels, but they seem to have a lot of problems. I've owned a couple Accurist and Energy baitcasters, they were decent but I felt like the Energy was overpriced for what I got and it seems like they all started to have problems after the first year. 

[kikstand454]

Jeeze...... another quantum bashing thread?

[kikstand454]

Oh, KMB i wasn't implying you started it that way. .... its just how it always ends up. The quantum hate runs deep here.

I have had 5-6 quantums for about 7yrs that I still use every outing and they have never given me a single issue ever.

I have no experience at all with the exo.

EDIT:: or smoke- which is what the topic was about... duh.

[kingmotorboat]

I have no experience with any quantum or any lews somyy mind is clustered.

[GetJigginWithIt]

Oh, KMB i wasn't implying you started it that way. .... its just how it always ends up. The quantum hate runs deep here.

I have had 5-6 quantums for about 7yrs that I still use every outing and they have never given me a single issue ever.

I have no experience at all with the exo.

 

Sorry if I was bashing. Not my intention. I was just mentioning because it is not only here that I see Quantum getting a bad rap.

[kingmotorboat]

Sorry if I was bashing. Not my intention. I was just mentioning because it is not only here that I see Quantum getting a bad rap.

Which is why I started the topic. Just a little reluctant on spending that much on a reel that gives me problems. But then again alotta people bash the revo s and I like it

[Steveo-1969]

I have no experience with a Smoke BC reel, but I fished with a buddy's 7' MH Smoke rod for a couple hours last summer fishing a football head jig and t-rig and loved it.  (He had an EXO reel on it).  It was noticeably more sensitive than the Carbonlite rod I was using and that couple hours of fishing with his rod helped me decide to upgrade my jig/worm rod this winter.

[GetJigginWithIt]

Which is why I started the topic. Just a little reluctant on spending that much on a reel that gives me problems. But then again alotta people bash the revo s and I like it

I would look at it this way. The Smoke is one of the Quantums I do see getting higher praises than the others. From what I understand and have read or heard, Quantum customer service is good. So if there is problems with the reel then you can go that route. Every brand has a bad apple in the pile. You buy 20 Shimano, 20 Daiwa or 20 Revo reels and have 19 that are great and one that just does not measure up. 

[Cgrinder]

Yeah, no ones bashing. I'm sorry that the Quantum reels I've used don't live up to the standards I've set compared to other reels in the price range. 

[Choporoz]

My wife and I both have PT 100's and absolutely love them.  The fact that they can be had for less than $100 makes them even more attractive to me as I shop for my next reel.

[kingmotorboat]

So should I get the smoke reel?

[gulfcaptain]

You are the one fishing with it.  You asked experiences and you have both sides.  I've had more issues with Diawa's(all been sent in to have repaired since it's down the street) had to help work on my friends Shimano's, no experience with a Lew's.  Doesn't mean that those companies are bad, they have a lot of people that love them. But in that 3 year period I have had ZERO issues from my Quantums.  But then I take care of them and keep them oiled and clean. Do this with all my gear but yet had issues with other brands.  Like mentioned on here, Quantum isn't liked by A LOT of members on here, but there are a few that love them.  Sounds like a good deal, I'm sure you will be happy with it.