Cabela's Tournament ZX vs BPS Carbonlite Casting Rods

[FishinGalaxy]

Hello, I am having a tough decision on which rod to buy. I hear that both rods are really good and are under my budget of $100 for a rod. I want to know which one is better for my needs. I'm going to use Jigs and T Rigged Soft Plastics so sensitivity and durability is my top priority for this purchase. I will also purchase another rod for using lures with treble hooks in the future so a recommendation for that application will also be useful.

 

Any advice will be helpful. 

 

Thanks

[DogBone_384]

Do you have either/both stores near you that you can see/feel each rod personally?

[FishinGalaxy]

No, Unfortunately. My nearest Bass Pro is 2 hours and 27 min away and my nearest Cabela's is 1 hour and 48 min away. So I have to order it online.

[DogBone_384]

Too bad.  I own a couple older BPS Carbonlites.  I find them light and sensitive but prefer Abu Garcia Veritas.  I own many (the wife thinks too many...) Abu rods of all price points.  The Abu's are light, sensitive, and generally fish a little heavier than their rating.  Look around, you might still find Veritas 2.0 at close out pricing.

 

Hope this helps, and good luck looking for rods you like. 

[islandbass]

If you can, take the time to visit both stores and hold them in hand.  Chances are that one might feel better than the other in your hands.  No amount of testimony for either can take the place of the hands on feel.

 

If you can't then look at the guides on both. Sometimes this is where skimping occurs to meet price points.  For example, if two rods are fairly equal with regard to weight, length, action and power, but one had stainless steel guides and the other had aluminum oxide guides, I might be more inclined to choose the latter.

 

The downside of buying site unseen, is perhaps the hassle of going through the return if you don't like the rod.

 

The downside to you visiting the stores is realizing you like how both feel and your bait monkey is coaxing you to buy both. I can't be responsible for that.

[craww]

The cabelas rods are the better rod than BPS IMO. Ive just too many breakages with the BPS rods. 4 carbon lites in paticular.  Not "defects", or abuse on my part per se, but the blanks just dont hold up as well as most others from hard fishing. The carbon lites in paticular. Also lost a couple pac bay guide inserts...I looked on ebay a while back and there was a dozen carbonlite/johhny morris's with broken blanks for sale. They feel darn good in store,  and are good light-weight rods -but theyre brittle. 

 

I've become a fan of the cabelas rods. The palm swell reel seat on the spinning rods is popular with custom rod guys. Its the most comfortable way to hold a spinning rod Ive felt. Ive built an arsenal of 6 arachnid rods and will likely get the jerkbait rod this week. The tournaments are great rods. White rods are not my thing but they just fish "right". Lifetime warranty is also nice. I broke a rod by stupidly snagging it behind me when rearing back to throw a sammy with a different rod. My buddy convinced me to take it in, even though it was my fault 100%....Didnt feel right about it but figured Id be honest. If they told me to kick rocks I wouldnt be upset whatsoever. Walked in, no receipt- told them exactly what happened- they offered me a replacement up to original $200 price (paid 130)...Just took a straight swap, as they'd already been extremely kind. I really like Cabelas and hope they stick around regardless of how the merger shakes out. 

[CroakHunter]

I agree the zx Is a better rod. But for less money the veritas beats it, and for $100 the lews tp1 speed stick blows it out of the water in my opinion. Tackle warehouse is your friend

[OnthePotomac]

I posted this in response to a similar question regarding Carbonlites.

 I have been using them for five years and now have nine.  I use Med and MH 6'6" and 7'.   Can't beat the price when they go on sale each year and I have never had a problem with them.  My old wrists love their incredibly light weight.  Believe me they take a beating in the Potomac grass beds and the occasional snake head, which strike like a freight train.  I  use the Carbonlite 7' MH for plastics, swim baits, jig and pig and frogs and it has worked for me.

[Quarry Man]

Tournament ZX it is a great rod. supersensitive, and the winn grip is great.

lifetime no questions asked warranty