I work at my local BPS in the fishing department, and while I can't speak for other stores, the guys in our fishing department are very knowledgeable about all aspects of fishing. We were on top of this reel before it ever hit the website. We have had several calls about the reel and as far as I know they should be hitting the stores around the first of the year.

I have been down to the Foxboro Mass. BPS and found the employees very helpful and more than willing to talk about gear and fishing much more so than the Cabelas store here in Maine

The full-time guys that work the Mesa, AZ BPS fishing department really know their stuff and have helped me catch bass. Pretty good sellers too.

It's a brand new reel, for goodness sakes. Not everyone that works there is a gear hound - some are into fishing, LOL.

It's a brand new reel, for goodness sakes. Not everyone that works there is a gear hound - some are into fishing, LOL.

With me, it's both. I love bass fishing and I am a tackle addict Have more gear than any one person needs. That's okay, I love this stuff. But you are right, we have guys who really know their stuff, but because of family obligations don't get to fish nearly as much as I do. I am retired, working at BPS 2 days a week to feed that addiction. Seriously, I am really blessed and I know it.

Hootie

Its back on the site again, still not ready to ship tho. They have the combos listed with the microguide rods. Maybe they fixed that guide problem

The guys at my BPS (Manteca, CA) are nice and generally knowledgeable about fishing, but they are not up to date on many things that come out. This past year a guy at the reel counter told me I was confused when I asked him when the Curado E's would be discounted since they were being replaced with Chronarchs and the G series... it was only after I told him that TW had had them in stock for weeks and he could check it out online that he finally figured it out. I was just in there this past weekend and halfheartedly complained that I bought a Curado 50e for $99 on their website to only have it yanked from me a few hours later... salesman told me that it must have been a different reel because BPS would never drop the price that low. I told him to check out BassResource.com for the actual link or give me the same price in store if I printed out my original receipt, and then he started back peddling and said that they couldn't do that. It shouldn't bother me, but I am a bit disheartened when I go in there and know more about a lot of the tackle they sell despite them being paid to know the product (and talk us into buying it).

The guys at my BPS (Manteca, CA) are nice and generally knowledgeable about fishing, but they are not up to date on many things that come out.

that's the closest BPS to me too. i was purchasing a reel one day and the older gentleman who was ringing me up couldn't even work the register well and wasn't very familiar with BPS reels but, boy, did he know fishing. we got to talking and, after about 5 minutes, it suddenly dawned on me who he was. i won't say his name but he was well-known on the tournament circuit and has had quite a few wins and a very impressive fishing resume.

Well according to the BPS catalog thie $129.99 price is an "INTRO SPECIAL" so from that it may go up in price at some point.

It could be just me, but it seems like the OZ weight of fishing reels has become a race similar to the HP race in Diesel pickups.

Regardless of the compromises made, lighter is I guess better.

Personally I don't have a problem with a heavy as a ton of bricks reel (by today's current standard anyway) (I would like to have a Core 50 though )

Just picked up my new Extreme and new colors of KVD squarebills. Got to love BPS! Ordered on Sunday (Christmas) with free ship to store and gift cards redeemed on-line, and I picked them up tonight. I'm a huge fan of the PQs (have 4 of them) and the old ProLite finesse reels (have 2 of them) and was never a big fan of the Extreme line. This one looks different and feels different. Light weight, sleek, and I can't wait to use it

New extreme looks like the prolite special that they make. I tried it and returned it(prolite special).

The Carbonlite spinning reel has some good looking numbers. Not sure how they get a 5.2 gear ratio reel to retrive 30" of line. But, I'll drink the Kool-Aid.

The Carbonlite spinning reel has some good looking numbers. Not sure how they get a 5.2 gear ratio reel to retrive 30" of line. But, I'll drink the Kool-Aid.

Spool diameter. These are some of the widest spools out there.

Yup, the spool is about the size of a pancake.

So, I gues with the lower gear raito you get more power, but the speed of a higher-gear ratio reel? I was thinking about getting the Pfluger Supreme XT, but now maybe not.

So, I gues with the lower gear raito you get more power, but the speed of a higher-gear ratio reel? I was thinking about getting the Pfluger Supreme XT, but now maybe not.

I'd still get the Pflueger if I was you.

So, I gues with the lower gear raito you get more power, but the speed of a higher-gear ratio reel? I was thinking about getting the Pfluger Supreme XT, but now maybe not.

Power? I don't understand and I only use spinning gear. If you mean reeling in power with a fish on, doesn't the rod supply the power ? I don't know about anyone else but my retrieve speed is predicated on what type of bait I'm using and at what speed I want it to travel, I'm going to work a soft plastic slower than a buzzbait. I make the choice as how I want to work my baits, I don't feel spinning gear should be operated in a mechanical manner, it's a feel thing. Gear ratio or ipt has no impact on what reel I would consider buying, I buy a reel for drag operation, smoothness and overall construction.

I won't tell anyone what reel to buy, but I have 3 supremes, not xt's, one of which I used for snook fishing for about 18 months, don't know if you can see the reel ( same as my avatar) that's a supreme on a med spinning rod......enough power?

Power as in the difference in 1st gear and 2nd in your car, you can still pull out in 2nd but its tougher. Is much easier to drag in a bait with alot of resistance with a lower ratio reel, the trade off being you have to reel your butt off to "burn" something with that speed reel. SirSnooksalot is probably right though as he and roadwarrior have said the rod seems to do the work in a spinning setup

If your having issues reeling in a square bill, you probably have some serious carpal tunnel, or something else going on. I like a faster retrieve with square bills. Burning them seems to trigger more strikes most days.

@weezy...........In spinning it is the rod that supplys the power, the reel takes up line, not that a proper drag shouldn't be employed, I don't believe in "tail dragging" a fish in, I play them. I know I may have a few hundred thousand people disagreeing with me, but I would never consider using a b/c to winch in fish under 20 or 30 #, I don't see the need.

i have not used th JM version, but the carbon lite had a pretty weak handle!

i almost broke it at bass pro shops when i was testing the drag! i felt like i could ripp the knobs off!

but it was really light.

Thanks for the heads up about the handle issue Team510. I didn't know about that, also welcome to the forums!

i would just ask around about that issue! i dont want to slam a company just becuase i got a funky test reel?

and thank you!

This sweet little reel has been selling fast at our BPS. I have one mounted on a 7'-6" MH BPS Crankin Stick. And, thanks to Adam (my go to BPS guy) I can pick up Sunline Sniper off the shelf.

This combo with 8# fluoro and my crank baits...well, lets just say it covers some water.