Bates Reels

[king fisher]

Anybody here have experience with Bates Reels?  They are way out of my price range, but I have a friend coming to visit, and I would like to sic the Bait Monkey on him.  I know he needs a new reel, and he always likes to buy the best of everything.  What do you think?  Are they as good as top of the line Shimano, Diawa, or Lews?

[Tennessee Boy]

13 minutes ago, king fisher said:

Anybody here have experience with Bates Reels?

I don't have any experience with them so I can't help you there.

 

There is a process I go through before I consider any fishing brand.  I check there website for several things but the main three are as follows.

 

Do they give an address on their website:  Bates - FAIL

Do they have a phone number on their website:  Bates - PASS

Do they say where their products are manufactured:  Bates - Made in China - FAIL

 

[TNBankFishing]

7 hours ago, king fisher said:

Anybody here have experience with Bates Reels?  They are way out of my price range, but I have a friend coming to visit, and I would like to sic the Bait Monkey on him.  I know he needs a new reel, and he always likes to buy the best of everything.  What do you think?  Are they as good as top of the line Shimano, Diawa, or Lews?

I don’t have any experience with the brand. They are using aluminum frames which is great but the price isn’t. Honestly just have him buy a JDM Zillion. There is a reason you hear everyone saying the same thing. I own 4 and an HD and they are fantastic. 

[bulldog1935]

Quite simply, I don't see the need to try any reel other than Zillion.  

But Bates has been discussed and reported on the forum, and the owner of Bates reels contributed to the discussion linked below:    

Also noteworthy, Roy's Bait&Tackle in Corpus is carrying them now, and the most followed fisherman and videographer on the TX Coast "Prof Salt" is raving his - the closest Glenn gets to sponsors is swapping meat fish for tackle credit at Roy's.  

[king fisher]

2 hours ago, TNBankFishing said:

I don’t have any experience with the brand. They are using aluminum frames which is great but the price isn’t. Honestly just have him buy a JDM Zillion. There is a reason you hear everyone saying the same thing. I own 4 and an HD and they are fantastic. 

I agree, I own a Zillion, but my friend always likes to get something a little different than every one else, as long as he can think it is better than what everyone else has.  I don't know anything about Bates reels but they seem to be something he might like if all the hype is true.

[BrianMDTX]

I was fishing yesterday and this kid was working a frog. He wanted to talk, and while I prefer solitude while fishing, I figured what the heck. So we talked. I swear I thought he was 13 or 14,  but he said he had a girlfriend and a baby, so I guess he just looked young (or started early!). He asked me if I ever heard of Bates baitcasters, and tbf, I had not. He told me to check it out and gave it to me. It seemed nice (cork grips on the handle) and certainly solid aluminum. I think it was the Hundo 100.  He said it was 100% USA Made. Their website states “Designed in the USA”. 
 

I think it’s rather pricy when I know there are reels out there worth that cost. 

[DogBone_384]

On 8/30/2024 at 10:46 AM, king fisher said:

he always likes to buy the best of everything.

 

Shimano or Diawa.

[KP Duty]

Ghost has one....

 

 

[Big Swimbait]

I just picked up the new swimbait reel from Omnia. With their cash back it made it closer to what I paid for my Tranx 300. First impressions are just WOW. Incredibly smooth, but durability can only be determined with TOW. 

[Gera]

On 8/30/2024 at 10:46 AM, king fisher said:

Anybody here have experience with Bates Reels?  They are way out of my price range, but I have a friend coming to visit, and I would like to sic the Bait Monkey on him.  I know he needs a new reel, and he always likes to buy the best of everything.  What do you think?  Are they as good as top of the line Shimano, Diawa, or Lews?

What did your "friend" do?

[MediumMouthBass]

My local shop, picked Bates reels up a bit ago. Corner display case full of them.

They look really nice, and ive only heard good things about them so far.

But the lack of transparency mentioned by @Tennessee Boy, then trying to deceptively claim they are a USA made reel, while only actually "designed in the USA" but made overseas from various sources. Pair that with the price that makes 0 sense. Im a little skeptical, as im sure others are.

 

I personally dont like Zillions, i know they are great reels and all that, they just dont fit me.

But if i did like them as most of the population do i would definitely buy a Zillion (proven reel) for around $200 before buying a reel for $375 surrounded in all that baggage, or whatever you want to call it. If they came in at around $150-175 i can see maybe more of them being sold....

I speak for most of America when saying this, id rather buy a Ferrari from Italy for 500k, than a Chevy truck (assembled overseas) for 1 million.

[cadman]

I bought a Bates Hundo and am waiting on delivery. I got it from Tackle Warehouse about a week ago and had it in my hands, but they sent me the wrong hand. From what little I played with the R.H. version, I really like the reel. The reel is supposed to be here today and I will start fishing with it on the weekend. I will keep you guys posted once I figure out the braking system. I too am not fond of the Zillion as well. I bought three of them, I used (1) and the other are new. They will be going up for sale. To me there is just nothing special about the Zillions. JMO

[king fisher]

36 minutes ago, Gera said:

What did your "friend" do?

He used my rod's and reels while he was here.  He was impressed with my Zillion, but left the Bait Monkey with me.  

[GetFishorDieTryin]

5 hours ago, MediumMouthBass said:

My local shop, picked Bates reels up a bit ago. Corner display case full of them.

They look really nice, and ive only heard good things about them so far.

But the lack of transparency mentioned by @Tennessee Boy, then trying to deceptively claim they are a USA made reel, while only actually "designed in the USA" but made overseas from various sources. Pair that with the price that makes 0 sense. Im a little skeptical, as im sure others are.

They dont claim to be made in the US, just designed.  If a reel says designed in the US its a safe its not made in the US.  Made in the US is a key billing for any advertisement, so if it doesnt say its almost surely not made here.

I was skeptical too.  It wasnt until I actually got one in my hand that I was impressed.  I dont think there are any other 1pc AL BCs that weigh 5oz or less.  The Hundo is a like a heavy duty finesse reel, if that makes sense, like an AL Aldebaran.  

If you need a heavy duty reel for salt or something, I can see going with some of their bigger reels, but IMO the Hundo is the most interesting offering they have so far, as its unique.   

[cadman]

I don't care where Bates reels are made. I don't know why some people get so involved about saying company is dishonest so they won't buy the reel. Do you think that other companies tell you all of the things that go on in their business dealings whether good or bad? All I look for in a reel is good quality, it performs well or better than I expect and if parts are available down the road for replacement parts. That is all.

[MediumMouthBass]

3 hours ago, cadman said:

I don't care where Bates reels are made. I don't know why some people get so involved about saying company is dishonest so they won't buy the reel. Do you think that other companies tell you all of the things that go on in their business dealings whether good or bad? All I look for in a reel is good quality, it performs well or better than I expect and if parts are available down the road for replacement parts. That is all.

Thats not the reason people arent buying the reel there bud....

Why buy something for $375 if others have already stated one of the best reels money can buy at the time costs around $200? Some of you may know this, im very vocal on here that im ANTI ZILLION, i dislike mine very much. But even im backing the Zillion for this one.

 

Most of us buy reels made overseas every day, i like the fact that Bates is based in America and plan to one day move manufacturing here. Thats admirable, and makes me want to support them. But the prices are ridiculous for most people, compared to whats on the market already.

And its weight? Thats a niche reel, most guys dont care about weight, most just want something nice, reliable, smooth, but more importantly just to be on the water fishing.

And the few people i know that do care about lighter reels, would rather buy a Daiwa, modify it and still come under in $$$$$.

 

Like i said above, if they came out with a reel that was more geared towards multi purpose applications, and was somewhat priced accordingly compared to whats on the market i think most of the hold outs would pick one up to try it. I sure would.

[Bigbox99]

The Bates reels are rebranded chinease reels which is fine.  Unlike all the chinease reels I have seen these are really interesting with machined frame and body.  Loognze reels.  I wonder if Bates will release the DC version here or if there is some ip issue with Shimano.  

 

https://www.loongzefishing.com/

[thunderblack]

I really like captain CA Richardson and watching his show Flats Class. He fishes Bates reels for inshore and says really good things about them. I'm sure they are worth trying out at least. I know the professionals are typically sponsored but it looks like a cool piece of equipment.