Goose52

LMB - 25" / 9.06lb - caught this past February on a Z-Man TrailerZ Chatterbait tossed with a spinning rig that cost less than $100 for rod, reel, line, and bait. The full story was here: http://www.bassresou...page__p__756243

With the proviso that I have mostly all open water and don't pitch into slop... Baitcasting: St. Croix Avid 7'mf / BPS Carbonlite 6.4:1 / Yo-Zuri Hybrid 10 lb Spinning: St. Croix Avid 6'8"mxf / Pflueger Supreme 30-size / Yo-Zuri Hybrid 6 lb

Sure does - thanks for pointing that out. I finally got around to checking out the Midas reel this morning. That commonality is a good thing in that the system has been proven on another reel model and is not being piloted on the new CL.

Good deal to still be catching 'em! It must be global warming - you still have soft water up there? A guy from RI posted on my "Its great to have soft water" thread that he still had soft water as of last week.

For those that are interested, the page for this reel is back on the BPS web site - but still listed as out of stock.

No, I think it's working OK...I thought this was funny: Just funnin' ya....

Most folks here, at least us mature (read older) folks don't understand "geek speak." The point is that your comment added nothing of value to the thread and indeed gave most readers a negative vibe. Regarding naysayers, if it didn't start on post #24, then it started on post #37 with the comment: "It's for things that are cheap, work, and you're better off owning it than not owning anything at all." There's a generalization that owning BPS reels is only a step above not owning something at all. I personally believe that is incorrect - at least for the latest generation of mid- to upper-end BPS BC reels. The reels provide good value and will give years of service to many of the anglers on this board. For many/most anglers, there is no need to spend more just to catch fish. Having said the above - my vote is not yet in on this particular reel. It's tough to make that 5-ounce class and I'm interested in learning how BPS got the weight out of the reel. Perhaps BPS reached too far and the reel will not last. Perhaps it is a fine reel that will just blow away other lightweight reels based on value and performance vs. price. No one knows yet...

It's the nature of this board. I predicted the naysayers in Post #2. They didn't come along until post # 24 so this thread actually made it much longer before it went south than most BPS-related threads...

I've been using one of these for two years now. It's small, convenient, and fits in the small fanny pack I wear when fishing from the bank...AND, every time I've performed test pulls...it is scary accurate. I decided to get another to have as a spare and it arrived today. Performed test pulls on both units at two weight ranges (Unit 1 is the older unit). Results below - scary accurate. Good enough for talking purposes for sure. Unit 1: 3.65 lb / Unit 2: 3.63 lb / Actual weight: 3.63 lb Unit 1: 14.47 lb / Unit 2: 14.41 lb / Actual weight: 14.39 lb Note: Actual weights are calculated by using a known number (of a known weight each) of jacketed bullets, including the weight of the packaging. The bullets were weighed on a laboratory-quality electronic digital scale. (the 14.39 weight was based on the assumption that the 1k box actually had 1k...and the handloaders out there know that you usually don't get shortchanged on 1k boxes...indeed you usually get a few extra...)

Another one - from the same spot as the other day - same bait - a RES. Only 20" / 4.16 lb but ain't it wonderful that there is still catchin' to be had! This is very cool - I had hard water about now the last 3 years and this year I still have water temps in the 40s - 49 today !! This one is for A-Jay - I'm trying to give you another fix buddy...

Could be! I'll be finding out whenever they become available. I have a NIB 1st gen CL and perhaps on a snowy day I'll tear down both versions and see where that .8 oz weight savings came from. (Although tearing down two reels at the same time would mean I'd have to buy another J Francho signature-model muffin pan... ) One thing for sure, I'm already committed to the 5-Year Challenge on the PQ so I won't be able to run a similar test on this new 5 ounce class reel...

WTG! I like fishing small ponds and just walking around the edges and working the water to see what you can get....and it looks like you ended up with some nice fish !

I noticed that too. Don't know why they pulled it off the web. The new Extreme reels and rods are still on the web and still listed as out of stock. When the 1st gen CL was released, BPS pulled the listing for the reel off their web site several times but that was because they had started selling them and were constantly selling out. It took several months before they caught up with demand. In the case of this new CL, they haven't started selling yet....

X2 - I'm now used to the somewhat paler colors of our Tennessee bass and everytime I go back to FL and catch a bass I always notice the darker color...

The slide show worked great - looks like it was a VERY good year !

Good deal - I'd love to be able to catch fish that size in my lakes! Up here, a 23 incher would be in the 6lb class, perhaps 7lb if it was a fat one - sounds like you had a very nice fish!!

No one that I know of has handled and disassembled this reel yet to determine how they got the weight down. While it may turn out to be suitable for service with braid and hard-hooksets...one doesn't know for sure yet. I will be using this new CL on my worm rod, replacing an earlier (Gen1) CL.

WTG Paul ! I'm still catching up here on the plateau too but it's day-by-day - it will be winter for real eventually...

Nice fish indeed! How was the fight?

Thanks guys! I went back to that same cove this evening - nobody home. BUT, the good thing is that when you cast, you hear a "splash"..............instead of the lure skidding across the ice !

Now THAT'S close quarters - great job !

X2 - I'll keep fishing a BC rig through dusk and into full dark. But if I start fishing and it's already dark, I tend to favor spinning as well.

At this time last year, my lakes had surface water temps in the 30s and were about a week away from icing over. This year, I've still got 46 degree surface water temp and fish active enough to hit a lipless crank. Thank goodness for soft water! 22" - 5.7 pounds. Not a huge bass...but any bass is more than I was getting last year! No snow or freezing temps in the forecast for the next 10 days so maybe soft water for the rest of this year - life is good up on the Cumberland plateau! Open wide !

All of the above plus spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, other large single hook baits. I also have a 7' MH-F spinning rod. I have a 035-size Pflueger Surpreme reel with 12lb test on it. I don't fish it much - but it has come in handy a couple of times when it was VERY windy and I didn't want to fight with a BC rig to toss spinnerbaits into the wind. It also comes in handy when it's very cold and I start losing dexterity to use a BC reel. Also, spinning rigs have bigger guides and no line guide on the reel - both make the rig a bit more usable in icing conditions. It IS a niche rod for me though....

And BPS still has their free shipping for over $75 going on too. All you folks that were looking for a deal on 50Es should be all over this... If I didn't already have a 50E NIB, I'd be ordering one myself.