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Bass Pro Shops Mega Tournament Spinning Reel Review
How good could a $29 fishing reel actually be? That's what ran through my mind when I picked up a Bass Pro Shops Mega Tournament spinning reel. I've bought budget reels before and almost always regretted it. Most are plastic pieces of junk that would be more useful as weights for drop shot rigs. The stats of the Mega Tournament, at least on paper, looked good. Eight Ball bearings, aluminum spool, instant anti-reverse, graphite body, and it felt smooth to boot. It comes in four sizes ranging from 10 to 40. Since I was short on time, I grabbed the near-impossible-to-open plastic container that housed the reel, and set off to the lake. I figured if I got a few trips out of it, I'd be happy.
Spooling up with 12LB SpirderWire XXX monofilament, I rigged a Rat-L-Trap and took to the water. The pulled back and let loose my first cast downwind. My lure flew off into the distance so far that I cursed myself. I figured one of my notoriously bad Trilene knots had failed again and I was out $5. I started to reel in the line when I was surprised to feel the tell-tale vibration of the Rat-L-Trap on the other end. “Did a $30 reel just cast that far?”, I thought to myself. Sure enough, it did. I stayed on the lake until I reeled in a couple solid bass. I couldn't help but smile as I knew that the reel was almost as low as you can get on the BPS totem poll, yet it fished better then the old Shimano that had been on the rod. To be fare to Shimano, it was a $60 reel when I bought it...in 1992..ish.
So I took the reel out on a few trips, and to my surprise, it never let me down. About a year later, I needed a quick replacement for an ultra light reel, and a couple of guest fishing rods. I went back to BPS and picked up three more Mega Tournaments. Now, after giving everything a good run, I figured I would write a formal review.
I tested 4 BPS Mega Tournament spinning reels, all purchased at Out Door World Dania. The models were rigged as follows:
MTX10FA (Ultra Light) with 6LB SpiderWire Mono on a Fenwick (yes FENWICK!) rod.
MTX30FA with 12LB Suffix Siege Mono on a Bass Pro Shops Graphite Series 6' MH Rod
MTX40FA with 12LB Suffix Siege Mono on a Bass Pro Shops Graphite Series 6'6” MH Rod
MTX40FA with 12LB SpiderWire XXX Mono on an old BPS/Daiwa 6'6” MH Rod. The rod was made for BPS by Daiwa.
I tested all of them in my usual fishing haunts of South Florida residential lakes, Sawgrass Expressway Canal, and the Florida Everglades.
Build quality was good and consistent on all models. There were slight differences that could be felt more then seen, but visually there were no anomalies, any sharp edges, or problems. The body, handle, and grip all feel solid and strong, with almost no flex. This is a far cry from the $10 cheaper Mega Cast model which feels like it will fall apart in my hands.
The newer builds feel like they have a stiffer bail then the older ones, but it seems to have gotten smoother after a few trips, and may be a break in issue. The handle is slightly prone to loosening, but I don't expect perfection for $29. Give it a good twist before your first cast and you'll be fine all day.
Casting control and distance was very good. All models were able to cast far and accurately regardless of the line and rod. However, I should note that the SpiderWire XXX is a poor choice this reel (and any spinning reel really) due to it's high memory. That said, the MTX40FA I spooled with it has yet to have a tangle. The only reel I've seen any loops or tangles on has been the MTX30FA rigged on the 6' rod. I had a nasty loop appear and the reel ate the line. I was able to fix it without removing the spool, but it's something to be cautious of when running heavier lines in smaller reels. So far, the problem hasn't repeated itself, but I intend to respool with a lighter line.
The reel's action can best be described as smooth. Nothing under $30 comes close, and it compares favorably to the Abu Garcia Cardinal 100s. The bail, as I mentioned before, can occasionally be a bit stiff when it flips down as you crank the handle. However, I've experienced this on reels costing four times as much, and it isn't all that noticeable even when it does happen. I haven't caught anything bigger then 5LBS on one yet, but the drag has held up well. The anti-reverse is instant, and actually better then the higher end BPS reels.
Durability has been very good. Though it's not my primary rod, I've used the first MTX40FA for over a year and it has never failed me. The other MTX40FA and the MTX30FA are guest rods, and have taken a beating. Both have withstood it well and continue to smoothly cast and retrieve. Reports across the internet seem to echo my experience.
I haven't encountered any rod related issues with any of the rods I've attached to these reels save for this: The MTX30FA, with Suffix Siege, feels like it needs a 6'6” rod as opposed to a 6'. Going with a limper Mono will probably resolve that feeling.
Overall, these reels are an excellent bargain for what you get. I don't really have the preface that with your typical “for the money” statements because these reels fish as if they were in a higher price class. As a guest reels and starter reels, they're perfect. Match them with a BPS Graphite Series rod or a good old fashioned Ugly Stick and you have a $50 combo that's hard to beat.