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Post 05 Dec 2018, 15:25 • #26 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19076
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
I'm back. My 7-wt slime line has a 35' belly. Pulled out that much running line.
From end of tippet at the reel (it would be the hook, now it's just a T-shaped clipped Duncan loop) - a foot-and-half front taper out of the rod tip, it took 2 false casts to get out the belly, and shot the rest on the 3rd stroke.
no bounce
What else could you ask for, except for holding 45' of the wrong line in the air.
I tried a bad action for a test, Picked it all up and tried turning it all over - it worked.
I personally wouldn't line this rod with an 8-wt, but I don't need to - I have a great WF7 redfish taper on another reel.

what makes the most sense is BPS has inventory, which costs them money.
they're loading up their crap in in their new Cabelas bricks trying to turn it (just in time for Christmas).
When they restock, they're going to restock what sells quickly, and that obviously means Cabelas fly tackle.
I'm still getting Cabelas Fly and Saltwatrer catalogs (this month).
I haven't received a BPS catalog, but of course I haven't made a purchase there in 15 years.
Cabelas (dba for BPS) doesn't need to ship these rods to stores when they can sell them all out from UT and deliver to happy customers in 2 days.


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Post 05 Dec 2018, 17:20 • #27 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/20/07
Posts: 8920
Location: US-ME
Thanks for great coverage, Bulldog. So vivid, I almost had to get one of my short 7 weights out and try about the same. But, well, the crusty snow on the ground might tear up the line, and it was getting dark when I read your post.

I think you are reading the marketing and distribution about right; it just isn't an acquire-to-expire purchase as has been speculated-- although of course changes will be made. The Cabela's name on the right stuff, and the OL marketplace are essential, just as for Bass Pro. In-store inventory is regionally strategic and relatively lean according to what sells.

I haven't seen CGR gear in my state's store but once years ago, but they have been selling all the while OL.. The glitz of a store is just as likely to induce "latest and greatest" buying, anyhow, and their graphite was always in the store--in a gateway location to a fishing vacation state.

In other words, a visit to any one store gives little indication of the status of a product in the total sales plan.

As for fishing shops or departments, the fly shop that stocks everything in hopes of selling something--or becoming BS central for a few guys who buy some tippet material now and then--there is a reason they come and go.

BP/Cabela's has the economy of scale of sourcing and inventory control going for it.


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Post 05 Dec 2018, 19:20 • #28 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/27/16
Posts: 2327
Location: US-IL
Pretty lucky that i have a Cabela's 20 minutes away .They always had a lot of fly rods in stock.Their brands as well as TFO and Sage.Was there over the summer and the CGRs were well stocked but full price.Primes were all gone.They had very few reels and they were all large arbor ,ugly and expensive.The CGR reels were gone.Really dont know if they will ever have the sales ,usually 50% or more off even on pricey Sage rods.


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Post 05 Dec 2018, 20:36 • #29 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/06/15
Posts: 1249
Location: Central Oregon
For me, the best line with the CGR 7/8 is an inexpensive Rio Mainstream Saltwater WF7. It is 7wt+ with a short head. I picked it up for a kayak trip in Baja, and found once we were there they weren't allowing fishing because of whale mating season.

I wouldn't recommend it for whale fishing, but just to see how it worked, I took it out on my little brush-lined float tube creek, casting clouser-weight conehead slumpbusters and streamers. It worked so well I always line it up with that line for that creek. It will cast as far as I ever need and I'm casting the line, not the fly. Very little false casting is needed to shoot out the line. I usually fish there in the winter, and saltwater lines are reputed to be too stiff and memory plagued in cold water, but that just has not been the case.

Thorns, alkaline mud, bush-whack floating, there is nothing like finding an affordable set-up which works really well. A friend took a 9' graphite rod there and broke the tip.


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Post 05 Dec 2018, 21:50 • #30 
Guide
Joined: 02/13/16
Posts: 326
Location: US-TX
Thanks for the detailed report Ron! Maybe I'll swing by the Cabela's. If they have it in stock as indicated, it's meant to be.


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Post 06 Dec 2018, 17:01 • #31 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19076
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
I learned something interesting today.
My WF7F Rio Redfish taper behaves so beautifully on my 8'6" Izch 6/7 S-glass para (truly a cannon that blasts line like my RPLX7 up to 15 knot wind).
But the line will not shoot on the CGR 7/8.
It's because this line has a very long front taper followed by a short belly. The line handles and casts beautifully on the CGR - like a DT - but the rod will not shoot the back taper more than a dozen feet - not with all my coaxing and best haul form. Shooting the belly shouldn't be affected by the long 7' furled mono leader plus 5' fluoro tippet.
Noteworthy, and not surprising, the CGR 7/8 would cast the long leader alone beautifully.

So I dug out my 333 WF8F Salt Rocket taper on my Young Sea Venture reel. Up front, it also had a total tapered leader and tippet of 12'
First off, the lighter weight of this reel is much better on the rod than the Ocean Prince packing the Rio Redfish.

With the 333 WF8F Salt Rocket, it behaved exactly the way it did yesterday, and I was able to duplicate the exact same cast.
A foot of front taper out the rod tip, holding my long dangling leader, 2 false casts through the belly, and 3rd stroke, shoot additional back taper equal to what was already in the air, and more.
The rod did ask me to control my arm movements and use my haul.
So for my shotgun start leader, ordered a couple of 50" mono furled leaders, which I'll balance to the rod length with fluoro tippet.
The CGR 7/8 likes the 7-wt slime line taper, and it also wants an equally short front taper on the floater, which the 8-wt rocket taper has.
A warning to try your lines with this rod if you want a shotgun start and still be able to cast to 70'.

Here's the pretty reel with the line, at work on my Fisher 9' graphite 8-wt Natural - of course progressive taper, a magic wand for quick accurate casts, but too long to do what I want sitting in a kayak.
I want to be able to make boat-length presentations to fish sign, and also be able to cast (some) distance.
Image

Added a shot of the CGR
Image


Last edited by bulldog1935 on 06 Dec 2018, 19:08, edited 2 times in total.

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Post 06 Dec 2018, 17:25 • #32 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/06/15
Posts: 1249
Location: Central Oregon
interesting stuff....

Here's the Rio Mainstream Salt I like---front body bigger than main body:

Image

Here's the Redfish that won't load as fast--front body smaller or tapered:

Image

Image


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Post 06 Dec 2018, 18:34 • #33 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19076
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
thanks, I borrowed those first two photos in a parallel post on TKF.
Honestly, the result surprised me - I though the Redfish taper would shine on the CGR 7/8.
And it does cast beautifully, it just won't shoot.


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Post 10 Dec 2018, 12:53 • #34 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19076
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Beautiful sunny day here - finally - just got back from an errand, and while I was in the garage, changed lines and took the rod to the back acre.
T130 - it casts beautifully, but the 130g head limits how far down it loads the rod - it will shoot out to 60', pretty much without effort, but no farther.
T200 will sail to the end of the running line.
The rod again demands good arm control - you must stop your forward cast with the tip high even when shooting line - haul pays off in distance.


Last edited by bulldog1935 on 12 Dec 2018, 13:21, edited 1 time in total.

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Post 10 Dec 2018, 15:15 • #35 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/06/17
Posts: 2498
Location: South of Joplin
Was at the Rogers store last night asking about these, in the back room he found three tubes/cases but no rods, upset him a bit, said they had just inventoried and matched tubes to rods.
BSing around a bit, he said not to expect discount sales on them, his take is that under BP management those sales won't be the norm as they were for Cabela's.


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Post 10 Dec 2018, 18:25 • #36 
Master Guide
Joined: 04/12/18
Posts: 457
I hate reading about these...

I have too many 7's and 8's now, but I have a $50 Cabelas gift card burning a hole on my desk. It seems like it would almost be a sin NOT to pick up one of these popular rods for twenty bucks. :-)

Tight lines,
Bob


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Post 10 Dec 2018, 20:29 • #37 
Guide
Joined: 12/09/11
Posts: 164
Location: US-MN
It's the best in the series IMO. Good rod for the money. Makes a nice beat around streamer rod or one for the kayak. Not a fan of the rest of the cgr series, but this one does a good job for a short 7wt.


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Post 19 Dec 2018, 07:05 • #38 
Sport
Joined: 05/15/18
Posts: 71
Location: Southern Shenandoah Valley, Virginia
Trev wrote:
Was at the Rogers store last night asking about these, in the back room he found three tubes/cases but no rods, upset him a bit, said they had just inventoried and matched tubes to rods.
BSing around a bit, he said not to expect discount sales on them, his take is that under BP management those sales won't be the norm as they were for Cabela's.


You can buy the CGRs (and other Cabelas branded equipment) directly from the Bass Pro website now. I can't imagine that they'll ever offer differing prices on them. I think the Cabelas brand may survive, but the online and physical stores will be Bass Pros.


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Post 19 Dec 2018, 07:50 • #39 
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Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19076
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
this again - I don't think that's how it will work - ok, they may close more Cabelas bricks in Virginia and Arkansas, but the opposite will be true in Denver and Nebraska - they'll close BPS bricks and sell from the same inventory at Cabelas.
There's no conspiracy at work - each brick is going to be evaluated by profit, they're going to stock by what sells and/or what they want to unload from inventory.
They may economize by closing some brick stores that are close to another based on profit priority, and they may eventually use dual logos.
I fully expect both San Antonio BPS and Buda Cabelas to remain open and each carry their current logo - their geography is perfect for high traffic and volume.

So many retail businesses operate better with multiple dba's, websites and multiple focus - e.g. Backcountry and Competitive Cyclist are one company and not surprising, both sell the full range of bike stuff online, though you can only order fly tackle or a Werner paddle through Backcountry.
It doesn't cost them anything (quite the contrary, it makes them more money) to run multiple websites that draw customers by web loyalty, and link to the same inventory.

As far as sale price, that's totally based on excess inventory. Since they have the option to sell the rod through both websites, and demand is obviously high, we're probably not going to see closeout prices.

Better on target - Guys on TKF buying this rod are asking for line recommendations - how about listing your favorite line on this rod?


Last edited by bulldog1935 on 20 Dec 2018, 10:39, edited 1 time in total.

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Post 19 Dec 2018, 13:48 • #40 
New Member
Joined: 08/20/18
Posts: 14
Location: Houston, TX
I have the CGR 5/6 and have liked it enough, and now have the 4wt as well. Both great rods.
I recently purchased a Fenwick FF856 and have been looking at the FF85.

Can anyone compare a CGR 7/8 with a FF85 for me? Not sure which direction to go.

I am currently selling my 5/6 if anyone wants to buy it or trade :)


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Post 19 Dec 2018, 14:41 • #41 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/06/17
Posts: 2498
Location: South of Joplin
Quote:
Can anyone compare a CGR 7/8 with a FF85 for me? Not sure which direction to go.

To me it's an apple and orange, the FF85 is a foot longer and mine is what I'd call kinda stiff/fast as compared to what seemed a soft/slow CGR that I wiggled last summer. but I never saw a CGR on the water and the reviews are here that you can read. I don't know but suspect the FF85 is an ounce heavier too, FF85= 4 1/8oz per label; I never saw a CGR published weight.. My FF85-J likes the line on the heavy side and works pretty well with a Gary Borger bass taper 9wt. or an TT8/9. It's labeled 8wt,( not listed that way in the site wiki.) But a different FF85 might be a different rod. From the wiggle, I would compare the CGR as closer to my FF80, but apparently slower in action. I'm interested in what others say to this.
I think you need both. (I have the FF and want the CGR. )


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Post 19 Dec 2018, 14:55 • #42 
New Member
Joined: 08/20/18
Posts: 14
Location: Houston, TX
Trev wrote:
Quote:
Can anyone compare a CGR 7/8 with a FF85 for me? Not sure which direction to go.

To me it's an apple and orange, the FF85 is a foot longer and mine is what I'd call kinda stiff/fast as compared to what seemed a soft/slow CGR that I wiggled last summer. but I never saw a CGR on the water and the reviews are here that you can read. I don't know but suspect the FF85 is an ounce heavier too, FF85= 4 1/8oz per label; I never saw a CGR published weight.. My FF85-J likes the line on the heavy side and works pretty well with a Gary Borger bass taper 9wt. or an TT8/9. It's labeled 8wt,( not listed that way in the site wiki.) But a different FF85 might be a different rod. From the wiggle, I would compare the CGR as closer to my FF80, but apparently slower in action. I'm interested in what others say to this.
I think you need both. (I have the FF and want the CGR. )


haha I like the thought of having both. I don't think I understand what each would accomplish though.
It would be my heavier Bass/Redfish/Carp rod.


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Post 19 Dec 2018, 15:31 • #43 
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Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19076
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Having both rods makes a lot more sense than getting rid of one - unless you have two of the very same (I've had 3 of the same before - 7' Phillipsons; 8-1/2' 4/5-wt cane).
I definitely fish places where 6" makes a difference in fitting the rod or making the right cast.
Also, since no two rods are ever quite alike, you'll find places you like one better than the other. Always.


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Post 19 Dec 2018, 15:39 • #44 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/06/17
Posts: 2498
Location: South of Joplin
Bulldog have you rollcast that CGR yet?


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Post 19 Dec 2018, 15:44 • #45 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19076
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
no, haven't had it wet, and decided it definitely won't load with a T130 - seems to load perfectly at around 200 grains.


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Post 19 Dec 2018, 15:52 • #46 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/06/17
Posts: 2498
Location: South of Joplin
I think I will hold off on buying one til you make an on the water report. 90% of my fishing is low over head or no behind. I'm looking for that perfect roll caster.


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Post 31 Dec 2018, 21:58 • #47 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19076
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
ok, I found the Perfect line for the CGR 7/8 - at least for the shotgun presentation - Cortland Liquid Crystal Saltwater Guide Taper in WF7F.
The front taper is 3' long, it fires out like a cannon. 200gr belly.
I tried my test, rod staged with a foot of front taper out of the tip, 50" furled leader, and tippet to wrap around the reel foot and back to the hook keeper.
The 35' to end of back taper is out on the 2nd stroke, and the 3rd stroke will shoot to 70'.

The reason it works so well is that 2nd stroke loads exactly the way most WF8F lines will.
The rod is also more forgiving with this line than any of the other lines I tried.
Image

I would think this would be the opposite of good roll-casting, though.
Probably my Rio 7F Redfish taper with its long front taper that acts like a DT would roll-cast better.
Though it's a test I'll probably never do for you, because roll-casting is not why I bought this rod - I bought it for the shotgun.
Maybe I'll get it to the Guadalupe later this month and try swinging big hardware in our big wet-winter flows.


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Post 02 Jan 2019, 13:01 • #48 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/23/05
Posts: 4966
Location: US-MT
Roll casting....I had my 7/8 out on the Kootenai last year in a stretch I had to walk the bank and roll cast, it worked really well, I had a WF7F of some unknown make on it.

I usually fish an 8wt from the boat bass buggin.


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Post 02 Jan 2019, 16:00 • #49 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/06/17
Posts: 2498
Location: South of Joplin
Didn't work well for me. It worked, just not as well as cheaper rods. Glad you guys are enjoying them. fwiw, the one had did best with a wf6. I took it back so it might be in the Bargain Cave.


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Post 02 Jan 2019, 21:05 • #50 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19076
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
The rod is sensitive to the line, and the rate you're loading the rod, so the best line depends on how you want to use the rod.
Going to any of my older progressive taper rods, they're not near this unforgiving. I have plenty of 7-wts in graphite and glass that will load and shoot 130 grains just fine (the odd Water Witch will cast 100 grains as well as any 3-wt).
Most good tapers will compensate for the rate you're loading the rod, but the CGR requires you to load it at rate to compensate for your working line weight.
It loads perfectly to shoot with 200 grains out, but depending on how those 200 grains are spread out, you may not get line quickly through the guides. This is the reason it seems to load better being over-lined, but it definitely won't shoot well if it's over-lined.
It ends up being a temperamental rod, but picking the right line for how you want to fish it makes it a little less temperamental.
I mentioned with the x-long front taper of my Rio Redfish line, it acts like a trout rod throwing a DT (and ought to roll-cast beautifully with it).
The best thing about this rod, it has a lot of control for fishing close - it's like the rod is not going to let either you or the line weight slap the water.

I can only imagine the people trying to cast their 300+gr 40+' belly "7-wt bonefish line" with this rod.


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