Who makes BPS rods and reels?

[luckyinkentucky]

A buddy of mine and I have a debate going. He says Bass Pro Shops makes all of their own rods and reels. I say they don't, but that they contract the work out since they don't have any production facilities to make this kind of stuff.

What is the answer?

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Who makes BPS rods and reels?

Good question. I doubt very much that they make there own. I'll ask on a fishing site which I am a member of.

 

[John_S]

Re: Who makes BPS rods and reels?

My bet is on you. Same goes for Cabela's, Gander's, and others house brands. On the reels, you can easily find other mfg with same exterior and feature profiles. Internal parts, gears, bearings, and bushings, may or may not be the same. Sometimes finding schematics of the house brand version can be hard. I had a ****'s Sporting Good's house version of an Okuma. Okuma support was only able to provide schematics that were close. They actually sent me two different versions because the house brand had cross of both.

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Who makes BPS rods and reels?

So far it looks like Pfleuger had the contract but don't know if they still do.

 

[luckyinkentucky]

Re: Who makes BPS rods and reels?

I got the nerve up and called to ask.

They're supposed to be getting back to me when they get the information since they evidently don't give that information out to lowly telephone salesmen. I'm interested to know if I've been paying inflated prices for Zebco reels.

 

[nimmor]

Re: Who makes BPS rods and reels?

Don't know about the BPS reels but was told Cabela's were made by Diawa.

 

[luckyinkentucky]

Re: Who makes BPS rods and reels?

Here's the official answer.

Abu Garcia, Daiwa, Pflueger, Shimano, and Bass Pro Shops bait cast reels are all made by a 'Parent Company' in China.


The Johnny Morris Elite Reel is basically the exact same reel as the Shimano Citica. So why the extra $100 for the reel?

The lady did go on to explain that each different reel company has their own quality standards that have to be met, and that is where you find the variation in the different models by company. She then went on to say that the Pflueger reels don't compare to the Shimano, Garcia, or Bass Pro Shops reels from her standpoint as a quality control specialist.

You'd be surprised what people will tell you if you just get the right person, and ask the right questions. Looks like I'm changing my standpoint on BPS reels, and will be switching to the Garcia or Shimano reels for future purchases.

 

[John_S]

Re: Who makes BPS rods and reels?

"Abu Garcia, Daiwa, Pflueger, Shimano, and Bass Pro Shops bait cast reels are all made by a 'Parent Company' in China. "

I think that statement is highly suspect. I could believe that all of them have mfg plants in China, and/or some of them have contracts with the same mfg, but all? I have allot of Daiwa and Shimano spinning reels. None of the parts seem to be interchangable.

 

[luckyinkentucky]

Re: Who makes BPS rods and reels?

As she stated.... all are made by the same parent company by each company's standards. So, it would make sense that this would be the case. GM makes several types of cars, but none of the parts are interchangeable. In other words you can't switch out a Corvette Flywheel for a Saturn's or even a Hummer's Camshaft for a Z71's. See my point? It actually makes a lot of sense to me considering the fact that it would cost tens of Millions of dollars to build a plant that mass produces rods and reels. The common sense thing to do would pay someone else a 'piece of the pie' to make them for you and brand your label on them.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: Who makes BPS rods and reels?

I dont doubt it could be true. I wonder where the rods come from. There are not all that many companies that have the mandrels and other equipment to manufacture graphite rod blanks. Most brand name rods, buy the blanks and then complete the build in there own facility. When you buy a rod , what your buying for the most part is the blank.

 

[John_S]

Re: Who makes BPS rods and reels?

I think its more equivelent to saying all GM, Ford, and Chysler are made in one plant, to different specs.

It could be that I am interpreting "one parrent company" and "made to their specs" to mean, the company owns the designs, and each company selects a design and quality of the parts inside. Thats what I doubt.

If it really means that there is one parrent company in china, that assembles all those reels for different companies. I could see that. Each company would still own their designs and yes each company would have their own quality standards and specs. Each company would have moved its mfg equipent to china, and the parrent company is just a space and labor provider.

If the latter is true, BPS would still have to contract with the design owners. They can not just go to the china factory and say "make my reel like that shimano but in red". While it wouldn't surprise me that china would make them, but Shimano would have BPS in court in a second.

 

[gonefishie]

Re: Who makes BPS rods and reels?

If the latter is true, BPS would still have to contract with the design owners. They can not just go to the china factory and say "make my reel like that shimano but in red". While it wouldn't surprise me that china would make them, but Shimano would have BPS in court in a second.

That is what preventing them from having the same exact product. Manf. like that have to sign contract with whoever they're doing business with to not share information with anyone else. They won't even sell you the stuff (parts, fully assembled, etc.) directly, you have to buy it from their customer who owns the design and brand name. This is a very common practice in the manufacturing world. Lot of electronic products have their internal component, main pcb board for example, made by a single manf. such as Samsung. Back to the fishing reel topic, look up --Ever Winner Industrial Fishing Tackle Co., I think it will clear up your mystery some.

 

[John_S]

Re: Who makes BPS rods and reels?

Yes, that was interesting. Thanks.

In doing so, found some additional info on this that is pertinent to this discussion. These articles would indicate that BP does take a more pro-active role in design features.

"http://www.tackletour.com/reviewcabelas2007reelpreview.html"

"http://www.tackletour.com/reviewbasspro2007reelpreview.html"

"http://www.tackletour.com/reviewbassprojohnnymorrisreel.html"


As far as rods go, I will try to find out who and where the Gander Mnt Proguide Series are made. My son, who works PT in the fishing dept, should be able to find out. He has said in the past, that the high-end ones used St. Croix blanks.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Who makes BPS rods and reels?

When you buy a rod , what your buying for the most part is the blank.

The rods are built on a "per piece" contract. They drop a load of blanks off at your house. You build them using their componets and to their specifications fand in return your get X dollars per finished rod.

A blank is typically less than 10% of the price if that. Figure 1/2 the price you pay is for labor and material and the other 1/2 is profit and warrenty provisions.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: Who makes BPS rods and reels?

The rods are built on a "per piece" contract. They drop a load of blanks off at your house. You build them using their componets and to their specifications fand in return your get X dollars per finished rod.

A blank is typically less than 10% of the price if that. Figure 1/2 the price you pay is for labor and material and the other 1/2 is profit and warrenty provisions.

If by your estimate the blank is less than 10% of the cost, you are buying absolute garbage. The funny thing with your facts is I have a saint Croix blank catalog right here in front of me. For an example,, I can buy a St Croix 3C62MFX blank for 75$ . The finished rod built on that blank is a AC62MFX ,, cost is 150$. A far cry from a less than 10% of the cost of a rod even if you do figure markup. Keep in mind this is a St Croix, you would think the markup would be higher because these are built in house, and carry a lifetime warranty.

That said I doubt very much any rod maker drops blanks off at someones house to have them built. The amount of machinery and equipment needed to mass produce rods is staggering, not to mention they have to be built to certain specifications. Do you realize how many bass pro rods are on the market?? Has to be over a million. They are built in factory's to bass pros specs.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Who makes BPS rods and reels?

If by your estimate the blank is less than 10% of the cost, you are buying absolute garbage. The funny thing with your facts is I have a saint Croix blank catalog right here in front of me. For an example,, I can buy a St Croix 3C62MFX blank for 75$ . The finished rod built on that blank is a AC62MFX ,, cost is 150$. A far cry from a less than 10% of the cost of a rod even if you do figure markup. Keep in mind this is a St Croix, you would think the markup would be higher because these are built in house, and carry a lifetime warranty.

That said I doubt very much any rod maker drops blanks off at someones house to have them built. The amount of machinery and equipment needed to mass produce rods is staggering, not to mention they have to be built to certain specifications. Do you realize how many bass pro rods are on the market?? Has to be over a million. They are built in factory's to bass pros specs.

Well,%

 

[roscoe]

Re: Who makes BPS rods and reels?

That said I doubt very much any rod maker drops blanks off at someones house to have them built.

I actually attended a job fair in Park Falls, back in 1997.
St Croix was there.
They were looking for people to work - out of their homes.

Completed blanks were measured, cut, marked for spline and eye location.
Then sent out to individual homes where people would do the windings, paid per rod. A true community wide cottage industry. Helped to bring much needed extra income to many households.

Rods are taken back to the factory where reel seats, handles, coatings and epoxy was applied. Their coating and drying room is really something to see.


From the St Croix website:

http://www.stcroixrods.com/content.asp?id=9&section=about


Over the years, there were a variety of goods manufactured that were essential to the development and success of the company. Solid and tubular rod blanks were sold to other companies such as Zebco and Waterking. Private brand rods were created for Orvis, L.L. Bean, Cabela's, South Bend, Cortland and many others. Sundry items such as Department of Natural Resources shocking rods and landing nets, pool cues and marine antennas all contributed to the company's longevity.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: Who makes BPS rods and reels?

Dont buy it,, You cant put a reel seat or handle on a rod when the guides are already installed. If you can it is a VERY poorly built rod.

A friend of mine has a small rod building factory ( http://www.versitex.com/versitex/home.html )and those big cylindrical driers are really something. I cant imagine the size of the ones a manufacturer like St Croix would have.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Who makes BPS rods and reels?

Dont buy it,,
A friend of mine has a small rod building factory ( http://www.versitex.com/versitex/home.html )and those big cylindrical driers are really something. I cant imagine the size of the ones a manufacturer like St Croix would have.

It looks like my post didn't make it. Bottom line, with my wholesale pricing and quantity discounts I can probably cut the price of your covenanted St. Croix blank by close to 1/2. Buy them in the thousands and the price would drop substantially from that.

Here is some info on ?Out wrapping?.

http://www.rodbuildingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=16106

http://www.sportsfish.com.au/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=19100

Who do you know at Versitex? I?ve got an account there and a good friend of mine lives not far away and is pretty tight with them.

You cant put a reel seat or handle on a rod when the guides are already installed. If you can it is a VERY poorly built rod.

I just replaced a reel seat and replaced the cork on a Loomis GLX blank for a friend. Are you Insinuating that it's now somehow compromised and is now somehow a very poorly built rod?

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: Who makes BPS rods and reels?

Yes I am insinuating that the rod is compromised. The only way to do it RIGHT is to strip the blank and start over. What good is a GLX blank if the handle and seat have a huge arbor or tape bushing in there because somebody reamed them out to fit over a butt end of a rod?? Then filled it all in with rod bond? A GLX blank deserves better.

I know Fred at Versitex, ask your friend if he knows him. I visit the shop often.


But hey,, who am I to argue, if you guys think a rod that is built backward in some dudes house is the way things are done and is a good rod thats good enough for me. I guess I have been doing it all wrong. You win! Have fun. Happy building.