The official review thread

[fish-fighting-illini]

Ok at long last it's here the official review thread.

Here are the guidelines.

1) you write the review good or bad about a product reels rods whatever

2) nobody else gets an opinion on the product as a direct reply following the first post.

3) nobody gets to suggest a different product in place of another.

4)If someone wants to review the same item please post it after some time has gone by so as to not look argumentative

5) just the facts and your opinion from having used the product

you are welcome to cut and paste from an old post of yours

6) tactful questions are ok but not so as to be argumentative

Mods, I know you are busy people but maybe you can help me out by keeping an eye out on this? If it goes way awry feel free to delete the whole thing.

Thanks in advance

FFI AKA - Matt Crum

[fish-fighting-illini]

 I'll go first

Pflueger President spinning reel

6730 and the 6735 models

The spool size and size in general seems a little small for bass on the 6730. This would be a very personal thing though as I tend to like more line capacity ( for breakoffs ) and weight doesn't bother me much. The 6730 does make a smaller bass reel that can double as a nice crappie reel though.

 This is an excelllent looking reel with a sharp blueish gray finish. The handle is a very sharply machined piece of polished metal with a chrome finish. The knob on the handle is made of rosewood ( or wood and rosewood finish?). I love the look and the feel but it might not be a hit with purists.

  The reel casts buttery smooth and the craftsmanship is very evident when operating the reel. The drag has proven to be very smooth.

 This is probably one of the finest sub $100 reels and at $59 list anywhere ( or less ) is probably in a class for value by itself.

 I've owned these for 2 or 3 years now and have never had a single problem.

 I'd give these a 5 bobbers ( out of 5 ) rating for value and for quality

OK someone else step up with another product review

Thanks in advance

FFI - AKA Matt Crm

[dmac14]

Ill Start this out, seeing how the ice is still frozen here and i haven't had much to do lately.

So I will be reviewing..Quantum Tour Edition PT 1171

I will give this a two thumbs up

Ill Start with the price, I had bought it around May of 2008 and Cabelas had it on sale for $130, it was my first reel over $40 so it was a huge step. Prior to this reel it was only cheap combos from Dicks such as an Ugly Stick baitcaster (Worst waste of $30). So on to the reel, i spooled it up with 20# Suffix Braid and spent the first night flipping and pitching in my basement and i loved it, smooth retrieve smooth casting great breaking system. I even tested out the backlashing by turning up the brakes all the way and loading up the rod and hitting the ground, with the breaks all the way up it did pretty well, I'm sure the best it could do given how much i tried to backlash it. So i love the breaking system easily adjustable to fit any situation. Now when i first took it out for its first real cast it was really smooth, it cast really smoothly and out preformed my previous reels by about 200%. Now when i caught my first big fish on it ~6lber the drag was great, pulled out really smooth. Had great power to reel in some logs i got caught on. Also the 7:1 ratio is another plus in my book, gives me a fast retrieve after making a cast and gets me ready for another. Also another good thing about this is how easy it was to get to the inside, a flick of a switch and the sideplate was off and you can easily put in some hot sauce to make it perform a little better. I own two of these reels and they have both preformed great for me and have not had any problems with quantum yet ;D

[dmac14]

Haha nice well i guess you type a little faster  

[fish-fighting-illini]

Thanks for the post dmac; very nicely done I might add

re "Haha nice well i guess you type a little faster"

Nope I think I had a head start!  ;D

[cart7t]

Not a rod, or a reel or line.

Don't ever purchase Bass Pro Shops 20oz boat carpeting.  

Really, I mean this.  Ever!  

That is all.  

[fish-fighting-illini]

Not a rod, or a reel or line.

Don't ever purchase Bass Pro Shops 20oz boat carpeting.

Really, I mean this. Ever!

That is all.

 Hey Cart what was the problem with it? did it fade bad? hard to work with? snag lures easy? rot out?

[Micro]

The Jackall T/N70 and Yo-Zuri Hardcore Drum are the greatest lipless baits ever made.  

[cart7t]

Not a rod, or a reel or line.

Don't ever purchase Bass Pro Shops 20oz boat carpeting.

Really, I mean this. Ever!

That is all.

Hey Cart what was the problem with it? did it fade bad? hard to work with? snag lures easy? rot out?

I've carpeted quite a few boats.  Used everything from the cheap stuff that Lowes/HD sells to much better.  I've never used BPS carpet before and never will again.

It was virtually impossible to make a clean cut on the stuff without fraying regardless of whether I had a new blade in the knife or not.

Compartment corners, seams, edges... it didn't matter.  I couldn't get a clean cut on this garbage.  It's really ruined my resto job and made the actual carpeting part of the job take way longer than it should've.

[cart7t]

Now for a reel review.

Pflueger Patriarch

I was able to use these the last half of 2008.  I own 5 of them, 3 LP narrow spool models and 2 WLP wide spools.  These are really beautiful reels due in large part to the nice low profile and the stunning Titanium deposition finish.  This is literally the first baitcaster that I could say is nearly thumbs off backlash free.  The reel has a really solid feel similar to the Revo STX but is so much easier to cast.

Here are my likes.

1. The dual braking is incredible.  The centrifugal brakes system by itself works as good as the renowned VBS from Shimano, add the mag braking and you have an infinite variety of settings that can handle any size bait in any condition.

2. Weight. 8oz.  For a completely aluminum reel the weight is one of the best in the business.

3. The ported, V spool design takes line well.  The capacity is enough for most applications.

4. Fit and finish.  Excellent.  

5. Ergonomics.  The reel feels outstanding on the rod.  The profile is very similar to the Revo line as a comparison.

6. The reel comes with a very nice neoprene reel cover.

Now the dislikes.

1. It would be nice if they had a slower speed cranking version.  The gears from a Revo Winch will work in this reel but it would be nice to be able to purchase an off the shelf cranker.

2. I'm not a leftie angler but it would seem Pflueger is missing out on a market segment by not offering the reel in a LH version.

3. While I realize you should never use the crossbar on a reel as a hook holder, you should NEVER use it on the Patriarch.  Specifically, larger hooks on jigs or for soft plastic fishing.  For some reason a larger gap hook will get the barb hooked over the front of the crossbar in a near death grip.  It is nearly impossible to remove it without gouging the the crossbar.

[fish-fighting-illini]

 Shimano Convergence CVC-F70M ( 7" medium 8-17lb  1/4-5/8oz weight.

I got this on a closeout for $29 from my local tackle shop. It lists for $39

 First chance I had to fish with it was today. I used a 3" Storm swimbait on it with a Pflueger Supreme BC. The rod and reel together were very light. This is an IM6 rod. I loved the feel of it. It didn't hurt that I caught 4 nice size bass ( around 2lb ea) on it (I never catch bass this time of year). I like the action of a medium rod better anyway so I think that might have influenced my opinion vs say a MH rod.

 The rod felt very sensitive. I was fishing from the bank on rip-rap bumping a swimbait alon the bottom and I felt like I had an excellent feel of the bottom, rocks and when a fish. I felt like it was much more sensitive than my older series Berkley Lightning rod ( The berkley is a ML).

 I was able to handle the fish just perfect and it made for a very fun outing. I would worry about a fish any more than 4lbs though as it seeme a little light for it. I'm willing to give it a try though if a 6lb'er comes along!

 For the price I'd say this rod is a 4bobber's up on a 5 scale.

[FishingPirate]

How about a little tackle storage 8-)

Product: BPS Finesse Double Binder

Brand: Bass Pro Shops

Function: Soft Plastics Bait Storage

Price: $17.99

Pros:  Ease of use

        Compact Size, good for throwing at kids

        Durable, quality and ergonomically designed features

Cons: If full, outside pockets are nearly useless

        Bags are advertized as self-zipping, don't count on it

        Bags dont reduce that sweet plastics smell much

Comments: Great bags, advertized as finesse but I keep 10 inch worms in it with just a small amount of effort. To better utilize the space, I would recommend buying a pack of replacement bags and putting an extra five on each side giving you a total of 30 baggies in the one big bag. I would definitely reccomend this product.

       

[Uncle Leo]

St Croix Mojo Slop and Frog

I purchased this rod for it's attended purpose and to second as a smaller swim bait rod. These techniques I use rarely but wanted to incorporate them this season thus I did not want to spend a large sum of money. Well I have to say after using it briefly I am quite happy. I paired it with a Citca 100 DVS and it balanced perfectly. So far I have used it with a unweighted Money Minnow and am quite impressed with the distance in the cast. This rod really loads up well. For the price point i would highly recommend this rod.

[bigmountaineer]

St Croix Mojo Slop and Frog

I purchased this rod for it's attended purpose and to second as a smaller swim bait rod. These techniques I use rarely but wanted to incorporate them this season thus I did not want to spend a large sum of money. Well I have to say after using it briefly I am quite happy. I paired it with a Citca 100 DVS and it balanced perfectly. So far I have used it with a unweighted Money Minnow and am quite impressed with the distance in the cast. This rod really loads up well. For the price point i would highly recommend this rod.

x2 I use the rod for the same application.  

[adclem]

How about a little tackle storage 8-)

Product: BPS Finesse Double Binder

Brand: Bass Pro Shops

Function: Soft Plastics Bait Storage

Price: $17.99

Pros: Ease of use

      Compact Size, good for throwing at kids

      Durable, quality and ergonomically designed features

Cons: If full, outside pockets are nearly useless

      Bags are advertized as self-zipping, don't count on it

      Bags dont reduce that sweet plastics smell much

Comments: Great bags, advertized as finesse but I keep 10 inch worms in it with just a small amount of effort. To better utilize the space, I would recommend buying a pack of replacement bags and putting an extra five on each side giving you a total of 30 baggies in the one big bag. I would definitely reccomend this product.

     

Yes this is a very nice bag.  I did add the 10 extra pages and it made a big difference.  I have not had any problems storing larger plastics in the sleeves either.

Later,

[PlasticMan135]

09 Quantum Energy 6.3:1

I picked up my 09 Energy online for $145, plus free shipping. So far I have taken it out in the river 3 times. I will give you the rundown.

Pros:

Light(er) - 7.7oz. is very light for a Quantum.

Drag - 18-20 pounds will work.

Ergonomics - This reel fits my hand much better than the older Energies.

Casting This is a double edged sword for me. It can cast great.

Smooth retrieve due to handle bearings.

I like the new handle design. It looks cool.

Cons:

Casting The ACS system has caused me troubles. I wish it had more break settings.

The line guide on these reels seems really loose to me. I have checked a few out in the stores and they all share this feature.

I do not think that the Energy is a huge step up from the Catalyst. The Catalyst has 7 bearings to the Energies 9. The extra 2 bearings can be found in the handle. From what I have heard the insides on all of the new PT's are the same, so if you are on a budget, the Catalyst will work just as well. For $40 more, I wish the Energy had more than the Catalyst.

One problem that some have complained about in the past in the durability of Quantum reels. I hope that they have this resolved.

Overall, I am pleased with this reel. It has all the features I like, and I was able to get it cheaper than the Catalyst. I would not hesitate in getting the 7.1:1 for frog fishing.

[Pitchinkid]

ABU GARCIA REVO -SX 7.1:1

Very smooth reel out of the box. Took it apart and was amazed how well built it was. Retails i think for 169.99( I didnt pay that much however). Defitnaltey worth the money in my opinion. The Linear magnetic brakes are excellent. The things picks up slack line like a fat kid picking up donuts. Awesome black gloss paint finish.Very easy to tune for flipping or casting. I have always been a Diawa man, but there will defitnatley be a spot for this reel on one of my rods. In my opinion its one of the best reels for the best price on the market today.

[Tokyo Tony]

Okuma swimbait rod - 1/2-5oz, 7'6"

Very impressed with the lightness of the rod for the price ($109.99). No problem throwing ~3oz wakebaits. Unfortunately, haven't had the chance to catch a fish with it yet, but I'm certain that it will perform well in that respect.

[fish-fighting-illini]

Shimano Curado D   CU200DHSV  7.0:1 ratio

List price= $199  I think I paid $139 ?

 Very nice looking reel. Just holding it feels like excellent quality. The reel is very smooth. I got the reel very very late in the season so I have not had a ton of time to use it. Not enough fish to really judge the drag.

  A couple of problems I've noticed.

     1) The brake weights seem to come loose from the spool a little too often. In defense of the reel is has been when I've been throwing a heavier than normal weight.

     2) After adjusting the weights the side plate can downright be a pain to get to fasten back down. I'm no BC weight guru but I don't have as much problem on other reels. I almost had to give up and take the reel back to my truck the last time.

      Despite the drawbacks I still like the overall quality of the reel.

At this point I definitely don't think it's worth $199 maybe the $139. I also don't think it's worth the $80 more than the Citica but I need to fish longer with it to be sure.

FFI - AKA Matt Crum