What should I do here....keep and use or upgrade??

[The Rooster]

I have a few Bass Pro Shops Extremes, the ones with the straight handles and the inertia brakes from before the current series.

I take them out and use them (I went today for a couple of hours, no fish though :'() and they're smooth enough casting and retrieving, not bad at all really. The drag is a little sticky which I don't like but otherwise I could get by. The cast control knob is so small it's hard to get hold on it and it's tight to turn too, but I can manage when needed.

Then I grab either one of my Shimano casters and I wish I'd never seen an Extreme reel then. They're ultralight compared to them, feel unbelievably refined, and I just wish I'd gotten all Shimanos instead.

So, should I just sell them all and take a hit on the loss, or maybe upgrade the drag so it's not sticky and then use them for something where I just throw it out and bring it back like crankbaits, or maybe jerkbaits where the rod is the main weapon and the reel just holds the line??

[BASSclary]

Its up to you really, If you find yourself not enjoying fishing with them, i'd sell them. But however If you still enjoy using 'em, keep using 'em till they break.

[MNGeorge]

To me, reels like the Extreme are not worth the trouble and expense to upgrade. If an upgrade of the Extremes is necessary for you to enjoy using them, I'd be inclined to sell them and get something you're happy with. 

[Revo_Carrot Stix]

I feel your pain. As mental as we make this sport, get rid of them for something you love. Not worth the pain and agony. I'm sure there are plenty of diehard BPS Extreme guys out there who'd buy 'em.

[Fat-G]

Upgrade them man, life is too short to fish with a POS.

[breezy]

If drag is your only issue you may be able to upgrade to some carbontex washers relatively cheap. It sounds like you have more problems with the reels than that though.

Personally I almost always hang onto all of my fishing equipment. Even if I'm not using the old stuff it's nice to have backup reels or loan out to friends. I would rather have the extra reel than go through the hassle of selling it for a low price.

[The Rooster]

I'm thinking about getting some drag washers for a couple of them. They are usable reels and not bad, but just don't feel like a Shimano. Drag upgrades wouldn't cost a lot though and otherwise they are "ok" reels.

I'll see how I feel as the season opens up. They're definitely getting sold and replaced at some point. I'd just like that to be sooner rather than later. I don't think I'd have enough even if I sold them all to get another Curado and that's what I'd want so I might have to wait until I can get some money to go with it and then sell them. They'll sell later for what they'd sell for now I'm sure. By then they might have upgraded drags too.

I shouldn't complain too much, one of them did catch me that fish in my avatar.  No problems on that at all. 

[Shane J]

Just ask your friend, the bait monkey. He'll give you some sound advise on what to do.

[Grey Wolf]

The never ending story continues , get rid of them and upgrade , you know that's what you REALLY want to do.

[BigGame0892]

Go ahead and sell them and get yourself another Curado.  That'll settle your mind. 

Never was impressed with the old Extremes, had one for a day before something got messed up with the gearing and I had to return.  It was a blessing though - I returned it and got my first Shimano and haven't looked back since!

[Raul]

When I really like a reel I keep it, if for whatever reason there 's something that bugs me about it ---> time to discard it and I 've discarded a lot of reels ( inclding great reels like a Calais 100 and a TDX Super Tuned ) I only have what I really like; I don 't bother in trying to make a reel better, I just go and get a better one or one that I like better.

So, you are not completely comfortable with them ( tension knob cap too small & sticky drag to put an example ) sell them and get what you liked.

[fathom]

if you gots no doubt, keep 'em.

if you gots doubt, sell 'em, upgrade 'em or give 'em to the yancy streeters down the block.

[Whets Lines]

My belief is when deciding upon selling an item, do not think about whether you are taking a loss or not. If you buy anything new, you will take a loss if you decide to sell it. I consider my time using the item credit towards the price I bought the item for.

If the cost of buying new is an issue, then you should upgrade and use what you have. If it is not really an issue or none at all, don't fret. Sell the reels you have and by all means get something you like.

The BPS Extreme was one of the first casting reels I purchased. It was also one of the first I sold. I hated it. Of course, I was learning how to use a baitcaster and it wasn't, in my opinion, conducive to a newbie. Anyway, it is long gone and I'm much happier for it. I worried about the cost when I got the replacement reels, but now, that is a long distant memory.

I say upgrade. Bass fishing is that one thing which takes us away from our daily grinds. Make sacrifices during the work week, but by all means but don't sacrifice your weekend play.

Whets

Bass Fishing Enabler

8-)

[KenG85]

I can sell you some stock Revo washers. Just pm how many you need. that'd make for a cheap upgrade.

[The Rooster]

I can sell you some stock Revo washers. Just pm how many you need. that'd make for a cheap upgrade.

I'm not sure how many I'd need.  These reels have the 6 disc drags but I'd actually like to make them more like the Revos with just one large carbon disc and one large steel disc against the main gear, and then one more smaller carbon disc on the back side.  I think all those extra parts on the Extreme's drag makes for no good to come from it.  The Shimanos I have are similar to the Revos in design, just two dartanium discs and they are sooooo smooth, plus I can back them off to where the line will slip freely out of the reel.  The Extremes' loosest point is still sticky to some degree.  I always back them off after every trip and I have to leave the Shimanos cranked in just a little or they're too loose.  Extremes could be even less but it's as far out as I can go.

I think I'm just going to end up keeping these reels and use them for awhile.  I have them, they're lined up and ready to fish, they do work...just not as well as I'd like, and I wouldn't have as many available rod/reel combos by selling them off now since I can't replace them with Shimanos all at once.  I'd maybe end up with one Shimano reel after selling all the Extremes, and I think I'd probably have to put money with that, and that's considering the Citica E price, not the Curado that I'd like better (no knock on the Citica though).  I'll just upgrade over time, and sell them after I've gotten one to replace them (one Christmas and birthday and anniversary at a time ;D), and in the mean time I have them to fish with. 

[bilgerat]

If you own a rotary tool (dremel) you can hugely improve your drag. Take the stack out and polish the metal drag washers on both sides until they're slick and shiny. The best carbon drag washers in the world aren't worth squat if the metal ones are rough. Use the polishing wheel with some metal polish (Flitz, Brasso, etc)

Wrap tape sticky side up around a block of wood and stick the washers on to hold them flat while you do this. Whether or not you grease the washers with drag grease is personal preference. Either way, doing this will do wonders.

[The Rooster]

Hmm....I wonder now if this would work using a very fine grit sand paper.  I used to have a rotary tool, 2 actually, but sold them both.  Never had much use for them.  I have a palm sander here and could put some uber fine sand paper on it, or just do it by hand. 

I'd like to stay away from drag grease since that coupled with gear grease, I'd probably end up with too much inside the reel and it would get into the spool casting bearings.  Had that happen once, it's a pain to clean since the bearing is locked onto the spool shaft and I don't have a pair of the pliers used for pulling the pin out to remove it.  Don't want to go that route again. 

[bilgerat]

Nope, gotta polish 'em. Fine sandpaper is a good first step to knock down the real high spots, but polishing is crucial.

[.ghoti.]

Don't use sandpaper. Felt wheel, fine polishing compound, and about two minutes per side will do the trick. Get "em shiny, and use a good drag grease. I use Shimano drag grease, and will recommend it.

In the mean time, keep an eye on the flea market. A great deal pops up fairly often. I've bought several rods and reels from guys here, and have been happy every time.

The upgrade bug is in all of us. I've been on a roll myself the last couple of years. My line-up is not where I want it to be, but it's closer than it was last year, and a lot closer than it was three years ago. A little patience will make your hard earned cash go a lot further.

[The Rooster]

Don't use sandpaper. Felt wheel, fine polishing compound, and about two minutes per side will do the trick. Get "em shiny, and use a good drag grease. I use Shimano drag grease, and will recommend it.

In the mean time, keep an eye on the flea market. A great deal pops up fairly often. I've bought several rods and reels from guys here, and have been happy every time.

The upgrade bug is in all of us. I've been on a roll myself the last couple of years. My line-up is not where I want it to be, but it's closer than it was last year, and a lot closer than it was three years ago. A little patience will make your hard earned cash go a lot further.

Mine's about like yours.  3 years ago I was just starting to upgrade to better stuff.  I'm a lot closer now than I was then but I'm still not there yet.  It'll be a while getting there, mostly because of the price of the reels and rods I want.  But I'll slowly chip away at it and eventually I'll get there.  My only concern is that Shimano will change their designs again before I make it. 

[.ghoti.]

Rooster, you've hit the nail on the head. This upgrade thing gives us a constantly moving target.