in the 2009 catalog they had the pro qualifiers listed as having duralumin gears.

nope , the ''johnny morris signature series'' bait cast real has the

duralumin gears , i'm looking at the 2009 master catalog .

I retract that statement, but I would have swore that the pro qualifier was listed as having duralumin gears because I remember flipping to the extreme's to see if they also had the duralumin gears.

This is a big forum with a lot of BPS customers. Can anyone here produce any proof that BPS sold a Rick Clunn LTD special make-up combo? I'm betting no, since they never did.

I never said anything about trusting all companies. I said I can't imagine a retailer (refering to sporting goods) would try to deceive their customers into buying something & thinking they were getting something else. If they did, that retailer wouldn't be around long.

I still haven't heard an explanation how buying an upgraded reel with a free rod for the same price as the original is somehow a bad thing.

Are you saying that I am lying? Since I am the one who drove the 52 miles only to be handed the wrong reel, is that what you are saying? So either the salesman and his manager were both wrong, and insited the reel the handed me was the one on sale , and I drove back and forth for nothing, or it was the wrong picture in the circular.

Do you work for this retailer?

Have you used the search like I asked you to , it's easy and both threads are there. The one with the extreme from Christmas 2007 and 2008, that was a different rod then advertised and a former BPS worker here backs that up , right on page 2 of that thread.

The Father's day , actually has 2 combos in question. I am glad you came by, as we have all been wrong so long about these issues, GEEZ!!! :-?

This is a big forum with a lot of BPS customers. Can anyone here produce any proof that BPS sold a Rick Clunn LTD special make-up combo? I'm betting no, since they never did.

I never said anything about trusting all companies. I said I can't imagine a retailer (refering to sporting goods) would try to deceive their customers into buying something & thinking they were getting something else. If they did, that retailer wouldn't be around long.

I still haven't heard an explanation how buying an upgraded reel with a free rod for the same price as the original is somehow a bad thing.

Depends on what you consider an upgrade is, a free piece of crap is just that a free piece of crap, it'slike giving free ice to the eskimo's , just as useless

Is your last name Morris?

I actually found this very confusing. BPS online sells a Pro Qualifier Baitcast Combo for $190. Its a $100 reel saddled to a $140 rod. You save $50.  I don't why anyone would not buy the combo!

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_102398_100003001_100000000_100003000_100-3-1

The flier for the Springfield, MO location is offering a Pro Qualifier Tournament Baitcast Combo for $100. Sounds like the same thing as above. So it has upgraded gears, that's worth about $10 - $20. It says its a $200 value. That leaves ~$80 for the rod value.

Wondering just what rod you get in the package? What rod is regularly priced at ~$80 and is made using an IM-8 blank? Yep, a Bionic Blade.

OK, a nice reel and a Bionic Blade for $100. Wait a minute, though....Bionic Blades are usually on sale for $50 (they are right now, online).

What is this reel really worth?

If you look deeply into this type of pricing, you'll find it very difficult to determine that actual value of the items, making it more difficult for me to determine if the actual selling price is a good deal.

You don't see this outside of the private label brands because the manufacturers have an actual recommended retail price. In the fishing industry, normal price is usually pretty close to this value, and a "good price" is easy to spot.

I can see both sides of this, you get a nice reel and a free crap rod. I know they are crap, as I've broken more than a few. They are decent, though, and BPS stands behind their product, dolling out replacements ad nauseum.  Heck, it was free!

I can also see where this is all too confusing, with the waters being too muddied to see the true value of the purchase (sorry for the pun, I can't resist!). At first glance, I thought it was a screaming deal, until I did the research.

Marauder Yak,

I still shop at BPS, but I am skeptical of anything they advertise as 'Limited Edition' or 'Tournament Edition' or 'Special Purchase' or 'LTD' and the list goes on....

Here's one of the threads Muddy referred to earlier. This pretty much sums it up for me:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1195492478/0

Thanks Mr.Francho, you put a sensible take on what I am feeling. Daniel, I was hoping Mr. Morris would search out the thread, if he thought it so important. Thanks for the back up 8-)

I know I have a short fuse at times, and have had to apologize a few times but I can't stand someone implying that I am lying, this mook said it straight out. I am satisfied that the folks who know me here understand that I pride myself that I always tell the truth, and integrity means a lot to me

I actually found this very confusing. BPS online sells a Pro Qualifier Baitcast Combo for $190. Its a $100 reel saddled to a $140 rod. You save $50. I don't why anyone would not buy the combo!

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_102398_100003001_100000000_100003000_100-3-1

The flier for the Springfield, MO location is offering a Pro Qualifier Tournament Baitcast Combo for $100. Sounds like the same thing as above. So it has upgraded gears, that's worth about $10 - $20. It says its a $200 value. That leaves ~$80 for the rod value.

Wondering just what rod you get in the package? What rod is regularly priced at ~$80 and is made using an IM-8 blank? Yep, a Bionic Blade.

OK, a nice reel and a Bionic Blade for $100. Wait a minute, though....Bionic Blades are usually on sale for $50 (they are right now, online).

What is this reel really worth?

If you look deeply into this type of pricing, you'll find it very difficult to determine that actual value of the items, making it more difficult for me to determine if the actual selling price is a good deal.

You don't see this outside of the private label brands because the manufacturers have an actual recommended retail price. In the fishing industry, normal price is usually pretty close to this value, and a "good price" is easy to spot.

I can see both sides of this, you get a nice reel and a free crap rod. I know they are crap, as I've broken more than a few. They are decent, though, and BPS stands behind their product, dolling out replacements ad nauseum. Heck, it was free!

I can also see where this is all too confusing, with the waters being too muddied to see the true value of the purchase (sorry for the pun, I can't resist!). At first glance, I thought it was a screaming deal, until I did the research.

I completely understand your confusion as you've stated it here.  I do work in the industry & work with BPS alot.  Some times it's not so easy to see things from a different perspective.

When BPS lists a reel or combo with a regular name followed by "limited" or "Special" or "Tournament", they've made a special production run.  Often it's just a cosmetic change on a reel & paired with a matching rod.  In this exact case it meant taking their current PQ reel & upgrading to duraluminum gears.  When they list it in an ad, they often list a "value".  If the items were actually sold at a higher price they list a "savings".

What's the true value to you?  Well, I think that mainly comes down to the reel.  If you like the PQ, what's it worth to have one that's 7 oz instead of 8.8?  For the rods & reels I currently own, the rod in this combo makes for a great loaner combo.

If it would help in the future, I can usually get more detailed info as to exactly what these special purchases are.  For example, the internals of this reel are the same as that one.  I'm more likely to be able to help with BPS, but may very well be able to help with other retailers as well.

Thanks Mr.Francho, you put a sensible take on what I am feeling. Daniel, I was hoping Mr. Morris would search out the thread, if he thought it so important. Thanks for the back up 8-)

I know I have a short fuse at times, and have had to apologize a few times but I can't stand someone implying that I am lying, this mook said it straight out. I am satisfied that the folks who know me here understand that I pride myself that I always tell the truth, and integrity means a lot to me

I never said you are lying.  I said you were mistaken.  If you are positive you aren't mistaken...  then you're lying.  If I must, I can get pictures of the Father's Day ads for Harrisburg for the last three years.  Not only was this not advertised, it was never made.  I spoke directly with the importer that brings in all the BPS reels & he confirmed that there's NEVER bee a special make-up Rick Clunn.

I'm not going to presume what your intentions are, or your intelligence level is, but you're wrong.  Before you keep calling me names & making idiotic claims about me, you should attempt to get your facts straight.

When BPS lists a reel or combo with a regular name followed by "limited" or "Special" or "Tournament", they've made a special production run.  Often it's just a cosmetic change on a reel & paired with a matching rod.  In this exact case it meant taking their current PQ reel & upgrading to duraluminum gears.  When they list it in an ad, they often list a "value".  If the items were actually sold at a higher price they list a "savings".

And you can sit there and state that this isn't confusing?  Think about the target market for this product.  Its not the guy using the rod and reel that will be buying it.  It will be a wife or son or daughter that purchases it as a gift.  The item is specifically placed on back page, where higher price point items are usually featured.  A "Half Off!!" sale price on something that looks like a $200 item is like crack to the target audience.

Its not a bad deal, don't get me wrong, but it isn't that good.

Marauder Yak,

I still shop at BPS, but I am skeptical of anything they advertise as 'Limited Edition' or 'Tournament Edition' or 'Special Purchase' or 'LTD' and the list goes on....

Here's one of the threads Muddy referred to earlier. This pretty much sums it up for me:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1195492478/0

Thanks for the link.  I think I have a better idea of the skepticism.  Like I mentioned before...  next time I see a similar situation, I'll see if I can get more details to post here.

If I'm not sure about something, I won't present it as fact.

WOW...all this for housebrand stuff???? *rolls eyes*

Thanks Mr.Francho, you put a sensible take on what I am feeling. Daniel, I was hoping Mr. Morris would search out the thread, if he thought it so important. Thanks for the back up 8-)

I know I have a short fuse at times, and have had to apologize a few times but I can't stand someone implying that I am lying, this mook said it straight out. I am satisfied that the folks who know me here understand that I pride myself that I always tell the truth, and integrity means a lot to me

I never said you are lying. I said you were mistaken. If you are positive you aren't mistaken... then you're lying. If I must, I can get pictures of the Father's Day ads for Harrisburg for the last three years. Not only was this not advertised, it was never made. I spoke directly with the importer that brings in all the BPS reels & he confirmed that there's NEVER bee a special make-up Rick Clunn.

I'm not going to presume what your intentions are, or your intelligence level is, but you're wrong. Before you keep calling me names & making idiotic claims about me, you should attempt to get your facts straight.

So the only other possibility , when I got there for the Rick Clunn combo and they handed me another reel, was that they were mistaken! I would say that was a good possibility. 58 miles each way and 3 hours of my time and they handed me a wrong reel, it was not even Blue like the one I have.My friend Ron was with me, unfortunately he lives in Fla now, but this happened to me.

The other issue in this mess is, the upgraded versions are sometimes not an upgrade but a similar reel also made by whoever makes Pinnacle reels, as the insides are frequently interchangeable with both Pflueger and Pinnacle reels. Cart 7 from here took a few apart and made his own reel by combining the parts. Good guess that they come from a similar source

Adding Ball Bearings is not always an upgrade, depends on the bearings used and where they are put.

 There is a strong implication in the Extreme Case that the rods were the regular rods, being offered daily with the Extreme combos, those rods, on that Christmas sale were not the same rods.

BPS turned out to be the best salesmen for Cabelas, I own 4 bait casting outfits all with Cabelas Fish Eagle II rods and Pflueger Trions

They are much closer to me so I can take advantage of free to site shipping and they readily match their Internet sales pricing.

When BPS lists a reel or combo with a regular name followed by "limited" or "Special" or "Tournament", they've made a special production run. Often it's just a cosmetic change on a reel & paired with a matching rod. In this exact case it meant taking their current PQ reel & upgrading to duraluminum gears. When they list it in an ad, they often list a "value". If the items were actually sold at a higher price they list a "savings".

And you can sit there and state that this isn't confusing? Think about the target market for this product. Its not the guy using the rod and reel that will be buying it. It will be a wife or son or daughter that purchases it as a gift. The item is specifically placed on back page, where higher price point items are usually featured. A "Half Off!!" sale price on something that looks like a $200 item is like crack to the target audience.

Its not a bad deal, don't get me wrong, but it isn't that good.

It's not confusing to me    Looking at it from other's point of view... even my description was confusing.

I can assure you that the people responsible for the ads at BPS will watch this thread.  What precisely would you like to see them do differently with a promotion like this next time?  Not list a value maybe?  What if they took more room in the ad & flat out stated something like...  "We took our current Pro Qualifier reel and made the gears out of duraluminum instead of brass..."  I'm not assuming they are going to do what you ask, but I guarantee they'll listen to suggestions as to what people like & don't like.

When BPS lists a reel or combo with a regular name followed by "limited" or "Special" or "Tournament", they've made a special production run. Often it's just a cosmetic change on a reel & paired with a matching rod. In this exact case it meant taking their current PQ reel & upgrading to duraluminum gears. When they list it in an ad, they often list a "value". If the items were actually sold at a higher price they list a "savings".

And you can sit there and state that this isn't confusing? Think about the target market for this product. Its not the guy using the rod and reel that will be buying it. It will be a wife or son or daughter that purchases it as a gift. The item is specifically placed on back page, where higher price point items are usually featured. A "Half Off!!" sale price on something that looks like a $200 item is like crack to the target audience.

Its not a bad deal, don't get me wrong, but it isn't that good.

It's not confusing to me Looking at it from other's point of view... even my description was confusing.

I can assure you that the people responsible for the ads at BPS will watch this thread. What precisely would you like to see them do differently with a promotion like this next time? Not list a value maybe? What if they took more room in the ad & flat out stated something like... "We took our current Pro Qualifier reel and made the gears out of duraluminum instead of brass..." I'm not assuming they are going to do what you ask, but I guarantee they'll listen to suggestions as to what people like & don't like.

im no rocket scientist but im going to go out on a limb here and assume you work at or for bass pro in some sort of way,cause i  dont think any normal person would care to much or argue this much over a sunday ad let alone a housebrand reel imo. lmao. also going out on a limb that this thread will be locked in a few,so keep going with the debates b4 its over.lol  ;D

Specifically say that the rod is a painted Bionic Blade. But it really doesn't matter. I don't use BPS stuff. Also, to stop posting on here, and trying to put a positive spin on the classic BPS' switcheroo deal.  You sound like a lawyer, LOL.

yall should gittt murrried

I learned how to bait cast on Extremes, I also love  the Clunn ,Fritts Cranking reels and The Older Extremes, as I haven't used the new one. In the spirit of truthfulness I do recommend these reels to fellas on a budget as they are good products, and will usually pm or post a link, so I know the reel I am recommending is actually the reel that they will be buying.

They just lost me as a customer, I am sure that won't break them

im no rocket scientist but im going to go out on a limb here and assume you work at or for bass pro in some sort of way,cause i dont think any normal person would care to much or argue this much over a sunday ad let alone a housebrand reel imo. lmao. also going out on a limb that this thread will be locked in a few,so keep going with the debates b4 its over.lol ;D

Thanks Mr.Francho, you put a sensible take on what I am feeling. Daniel, I was hoping Mr. Morris would search out the thread, if he thought it so important. Thanks for the back up 8-)

quote]

So the only other possibility , when I got there for the Rick Clunn combo and they handed me another reel, was that they were mistaken! I would say that was a good possibility. 58 miles each way and 3 hours of my time and they handed me a wrong reel, it was not even Blue like the one I have.My friend Ron was with me, unfortunately he lives in Fla now, but this happened to me.

The other issue in this mess is, the upgraded versions are sometimes not an upgrade but a similar reel also made by whoever makes Pinnacle reels, as the insides are frequently interchangeable with both Pflueger and Pinnacle reels. Cart 7 from here took a few apart and made his own reel by combining the parts. Good guess that they come from a similar source

Adding Ball Bearings is not always an upgrade, depends on the bearings used and where they are put.

There is a strong implication in the Extreme Case that the rods were the regular rods, being offered daily with the Extreme combos, those rods, on that Christmas sale were not the same rods.

BPS turned out to be the best salesmen for Cabelas, I own 4 bait casting outfits all with Cabelas Fish Eagle II rods and Pflueger Trions

They are much closer to me so I can take advantage of free to site shipping and they readily match their Internet sales pricing.

Yes, it is definately possible that you found an employee at Bass Pro who had no clue.  That sucks.  I really hate when that happens too.

As far as where the reel is made, I can usually tell you where reels are made.  That includes all reels.  But if I told you, I'd say... "it's the same factory that makes these other reels".  If I told you it was made at the Rushan Fudi factory that wouldn't mean anything to most people.

You are correct that adding bearings isn't always much of an upgrade.  If they add 2 bearings to the handle knobs, yeah it's going to feel a little different, but it's not really a performance upgrade.

And as I said before, you are correct that the picture in that 2007 ad showed the Extreme rod when it was really a cheaper rod.  I was told that all the stores were supposed to have a big sign close to the main entrance that explained that mistake, but it was still a big problem for them.

I have no problem with Cabelas.  I buy things from them as well.  For fishing I prefer BPS.

In before the lock!

In before the lock!

lmao :) ME TOO!!!!!

Well now...

This thread seems to have reached some level of resolution.

Before others get involved to rehash their "personal experience",

let's end it here. However, if you guys aren't satisfied, send me a

PM and I might reopen this one.

Good night Irene.

-Kent  a.k.a. roadwarrior

Global Moderator