jeb2

Don't know anything about the Quantum, but I'd for sure get the STX over the SX. The dual braking on the STX is far more adjustable and does a much better job of controlling the reel under differing conditions and baits.

Yep, for those smaller rocks, FB's are great. When you get into big, sharp, boulder type rocky lakes like here in the Ozarks, I find the Omega jig type heads get snagged a lot less often.

The ONLY thing I hope they change on the Premier is giving it a harder finish. It doesn't bother me personally, but they do show boat rash pretty fast and I think that drives away potential sales. Making it a little lighter would be nice too, but it's already a very light reel. And I don't think we're going to see much there since that would then start infringing on the super light MGX's sales edge. I just hope they don't mess them up, more than anything else. I still think the current generation Premier is, by far, the best bang for the buck reel on the USDM market.

I have one of each, both with upgraded bearings, Orange Seals. Except for the weight thing, I don't think one is better than the other. Both are great little reels. The question is really if YOU think it's worth more to have the same basic reel (performance and feel wise) in a little lighter form.

Same here. The Premier is such a great reel as it is I'd hate to see them mess it up. The ONLY thing it needs to be absolutely perfect is a more durable finish, IMO.

I have not see the lower prices in any stores around here yet. But several online places have them for the same prices TW had them at.

Same here, except I didn't vote since there is not really a category for it, and I would not call it frankentackle. Need a category for "best performance, regardless of looks or brand", IMO. I have Loomis, Dobyn's and Kistler sticks. Daiwa, Shimano and Abu reels. Almost all of it pretty high end USDM stuff. I've moved them around to find the best overall performance for *me* given the type of fishing I do and my fishing style. I could not care less what the combos look like and pay zero attention to that kind of thing. I spend a lot of time on the water and all I care about is getting the best fish catching performance out of what I have. Not putting anyone down. We all have different perspectives, and different reasons for liking what we like. It's all good.

Depends. I try to match the hatch, so to speak. That might mean a small crawfish, a ring worm, a lizard, fluke, finesse worm, large ribbon tail worms, sweet beaver, etc. I've had good success with all of them, at different times.

The premier holds 145 yards of 12# line. And since a meter is pretty close to a yard, those casts won't really come close to emptying it. I use the mag and centrifugal brakes in concert on my Premiers, which have the same braking system as the STX. You might experiment with turning off one of the cents and dialing up the mags a little to see if you can get better performance. And like the others, I always dial it up a bit for into the wind use.

Shhhhhhhhh! Those darn things don't work at all. Now quit talking about them.

I've had the old and new version of the SX. Old one was really hard to control. To the point that it ended up on the shelf pretty quickly. And I always flush, clean, lube my reels before they ever hit the water. And often after that, too. But Abu had some kind of program on them, and exchanged it for a brand new, current model of it for free. And it's much better with it's 2 additional magnets. But it can still be finicky at times. Not my favorite reel, by far. My only other Revo's are 4 current generation Premier's. I can't say enough good about those. The best dual braking system on the market, in my experience. Light, super powerful drag, smooth as butter. Incredible reels. I think the STX is just a heavier version of the Premiers, so that's where I'd focus if you can't afford the Premier.

yeah it sure would be nice! or maybe they should discontinue some of their rods if necessary but i doubt that will happen lol I think they have discontinued some rods over the years, but I'm pretty sure the MBR series is still a pretty good seller. Wouldn't make much sense to discontinue what is likely still a profitable item for them, and a great rod to boot.

The MBR series was one of the rods that really propelled Loomis to fame back in the early days. And in those days, all that they say in the quote above was true. But as technology has improved, there are other rods, even in their own lines, that are better at more niche areas. Like the BCR's being more bottom contact sensitive. It would be nice if they pointed that difference out more, but it might cost them sales. So you have to look at their descriptions as advertisement and take it with a grain of salt, unfortunately. NOT knocking the MBR843 GLX, mind you. Love mine, as I said. It's just not "best" for everything, the way the ad makes it sound like it is.

I've never really heard anyone say that. I think it's the stiffer tips on most of the BCR's that gives them the extra feel. The BCR803 is still a rod used to measure almost all comers against for bottom contact sensitivity. If you're going to get one and the specs fit your needs, that's where I'd concentrate my efforts.

The MBR GLX series is not the most sensitive rod in the GLX lineup. It's claim to fame is that it's a versatile rod that is still very sensitive. The BCR series rods is all about the bottom contact baits, jig and rigs. I have some of each and almost never use the MBR's for bottom stuff. The BCR's are just better at it. But they're less versatile. That's where I feel the NRX's niche is. It combines the sensitivity of the BCR and the versatility of the MBR, at least for much of the NRX lineup. I do agree with others, though, that the brand is being tarnished by Shimano, especially with their warranty and service program constantly changing for the worse the last year or so. And the various quality issues in the NRX line have been just flat horrible. I don't think Loomis is the only game in town, either. There are lots of great rods out there. I have some Dobyn's Extreme sticks that are really great. Shop around and find what works best for you.

That "silly notion" is one the manufacturers started and marketed as an advantage over their competition.

Interesting. I've heard of none of those issue on the forums. Where is this information available?

I understand. But I still think something is wrong with your reel. I have Curados, Cores, Calais DC and higher end Calcutta reels. The only ones that approach my Premier's for smoothness are the Calcutta's. Casting is won by my 2 DC reels, but the Premier's are right with or better than the rest of them. And since the STX is just a little heavier version of the Premier, I'd think they should be about the same in those regards. But it sounds like you got a bad reel. That's unfortunate, especially since it's your first experience with the brand, it seems.

But there is nothing to indicate the current discounts on the Revo's has ANYTHING to do with any spool tension issues. The only reel I believe they acknowledged that issue on was some of the 09 SX line. And they gave me a free 10 model SX in exchange for my 09 SX that had that issue. Rumor has it the current discounts are more about some possible new models coming out at iCast this year, and PF/AG just flushing out the supplies of older stuff before that happens.

Some of the bigger online fishing stores have just reduced the prices on many of the Abu reels. Brand new Premier's at $199, for example. Some great deals. If I didn't already have 4 Premiers, I'd be getting some more.

Yep, great rod for sure. I've been transitioning over to the NRX's from my mostly GLX collection, but the 843 is a rod that has stayed on the deck. Mine has a Calais DC on it and is super versatile. I don't use it for jigging much, though. It's a very sensitive rod, but not quite as much as some of my NRX's or other GLX's for bottom contact stuff.

I fish c-rigs a lot. One of my favorite methods to catch fish. I use mostly what are called "walking sinkers". I picked that up from reading forums on C-rigging in very rocky areas. I fish mostly Ozark Mt lakes, which are extremely rocky with no grass, weeds, pads, etc at all. The bullet sinkers get wedged into rock crevices all the time, forcing break offs. That gets time consuming when tying c-rigs. And expensive if you're using tungsten. The walking sinkers still get hung up some, but not as much as bullet sinkers. And they seem to come out much more often. I do use bullet sinkers on weedy lakes, though. Another great thing for c-rigging is these "tackle tamers", so that you can pre-rig a few leaders. I tried to paste in some pictures, but it would not let me "in this community". Don't know why, but you can find both of those items at Cabela's.

Agreed. Bummer, but it sounds like you got a bad reel. Pure Fishing is really good about taking care of stuff like this. Might want to give them a call before abandoning it. I have lots of Shimano's and Abu's. Both are great, but both have the occasional bad reel make it out the door.

What Revo is that exactly? My Premier's can be cast smooth or with considerable force with no issues. Same braking system as the STX. My SX is much pickier, but that's not the subject here.

I agree it's more about the pressure. We were fishing a power plant lake Saturday after a cold front had moved through. The lake is always higher temps than other lakes in the area. And it was still quite warm on Saturday. But the fishing was way off compared to our normal trips there. I also went fishing yesterday on Beaver Lake and it was really bad. Never put a bass in the boat from 6:30 to noon. That's very unusual for me. Strong NNW winds to boot. Tough day on the water. But a 21" walleye did provide a little fun, and will look good in the frying pan!