I just had this come across my Facebook feed a bit ago. I heard this rumor a few months ago I think, this was expected; yes?

I actually think this is a win, win for both Lew's and KVD.

I don't see why this matters at all. He DOMINATED the fishing world with Quantum for many years and in nearly every "which reel is the best" thread ever posted on the internet (haven't read them all, lol) I rarely, if ever saw Quantum mentioned. I don't think people care what rod or reel pros use as I believe most of us guys who have been around the block a while know what we prefer. The younger generation might be swayed more by what a guy is using, but I don't believe it to be that much of a difference on a companies bottomline. Fishermen aren't a bunch of young guys looking to is wearing the hottest new pair of sneakers so we can jump higher and shoot better. Most realize what brands are and have been reliable for years and many of us stick by those brands (fanboys I suppose you could say).

If he switched to Shimano then I would be impressed. 

From one sub par brand to another. Just goes to prove that it's not the equipment that makes these guys good. 

1 minute ago, Dwight Hottle said:

If he switched to Shimano then I would be impressed. 

Shimano doesn't NEED KVD....

Lews owns strike king as well.  Hackney jumped last year.

 

And Lews gear is not subpar.  I fish Daiwa, Shimano and Lews and dont feel like I'm taking a step down when I pick up my Lews.

Probably as simple as going to where the money is. 

KVD is a legend but on the back side of his career. Quantum has milked the relationship for all its worth and Lews is growing and made him a better deal.  Not shocking at all. 

Am I the only one that thinks that the pros using sub par brand rods and reels are actually using high end other stuff made to look like the sub par brand? 

Well 15+ years ago rumor was KVD was using Shimano made up to look like Quantum until their quality improved. Also supposedly Tiger used Mizuno clubs made to look like Nike until they got him clubs he approved of. 

But really these days the South Korean made reels like Lews are pretty good and probably on par with Shimano or Daiwa. 

9 minutes ago, Cheif250 said:

Am I the only one that thinks that the pros using sub par brand rods and reels are actually using high end other stuff made to look like the sub par brand? 

Probably - because in the contracts they require the sponsored pro to use their gear. If he's using something else camouflaged as their equipment - he's in breach of contract and can lose not only the sponsorship, but have to refund paid money under a penalty clause. Then of course is the 'Mike Long' effect added to that when it goes public.

Imagine how much better he could have been with a decent reel all along...  

I’m sure they use the sponsors reels. They don’t need each reel to last and work properly for many years. If they get 50 hours of hard fishing out of it and it craps out they have new ones to replace them. It’s much different then one of us having to buy them. This is just my opinion on the matter. Any reel can hold up for the first day. 

33 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Probably - because in the contracts they require the sponsored pro to use their gear. If he's using something else camouflaged as their equipment - he's in breach of contract and can lose not only the sponsorship, but have to refund paid money under a penalty clause. Then of course is the 'Mike Long' effect added to that when it goes public.

I can't speak to fishing gear, other than my own, but I know that in most major sports, sponsors are either complicit or aware of when pros use other gear made to look like the sponsors gear. 

It amazes me how you guys can so easily bash brands other than the one you like and use. I'll put my Quantum smoke reels up against any reel of comparable price you can find. I think the real truth is that any reel priced at $100 or more is probably a good reel.

8 minutes ago, BassWhole! said:

I can't speak to fishing gear, other than my own, but I know that in most major sports, sponsors are either complicit or aware of when pros use other gear made to look like the sponsors gear. 

Well, in some cases it's close enough

Abu, Berkley, Fenwick, Johnson, Mitchell, Penn, Pflueger, Shakespeare, Spiderwire, Stren - All owned by Pure Fishing.

Rapala, Storm, VMC, Suffix, Luhr Jensen, Blue Fox - All owned by Rapala.

He's being a company man. Not terribly surprised. 

KVD has been at this game a long time. I'd bet that he's looking way down the road as far as $$$ goes, which ya can't blame the guy, Secondly, he in my opinion is a great spokesman, and Lew's will benefit having him as such.  

2 hours ago, MBB Nate said:

Lews owns strike king as well.  Hackney jumped last year.

 

And Lews gear is not subpar.  I fish Daiwa, Shimano and Lews and dont feel like I'm taking a step down when I pick up my Lews.

I happen to agree......Quantum ? Eh

Kinda amazes me too that anyone can say lews is sub par. Just cause you don't use/like them, or they're not shimano or daiwa hardly means sub par. I think across the price range lews are very hard to beat.  Actually been replacing some of my daiwa and shimanos with lews tournament pros. Could care less if kvd uses them or not, but I'm assuming its beneficial for him and lews. Quantum has been crapped on for years and some of their new reels are pretty slick. 

Just now, Bird said:

I happen to agree......Quantum ? Eh

I just keep associating Quantum with Zebco as they're both owned by the same parent corp...and I never had good luck with Zebco.

Lews is far from sub par.I put my Lews tournament pro up against any Shimano or Diawa.

 

I am wondering what is going on with Quantum. In last year or two they have lost all the pros that have been with them for 10 or more years.

I wonder how bad this will hurt Quantum.

 

Also anyone saying Lews is sub par is just merely playing elitist.  There are plenty of abu/lews/pflueger etc reels that offer plenty of performance and reliability.