Cabelas CGR Current Quality?

[ts47]

I noticed that Cabelas/Bass Pro dropped the price of the CGR. I'm curious to know if the quality has changed as well. Part of the reason I ask is that the CGR threads I used to see on this site seem to have gone quiet. Can anyone comment on the quality of the "current" CGR, good or bad? I'm really just curious.

 

[standman]

I have three CGR's, and have seen a drop in quality corresponding with the drop in price. The original CGR anniversary edition was certainly the finest, but the latest CGR is still a fine rod. What I notice most with each version, is there being more filler in the cork. The quality of the guides has also changed. But, you still get a fine, fun rod for the amount of money spent.

 

[trout trekker]

I have the CGR 676-3 ( 7'6" 5/6 wt. ) as it's being sold now. It looks like what it is, an offshore glass rod that would probably sell for much more than the $69 they ask for it, if it was finished to the same level by an American.

Overall, I think this is part of a larger inventory / sku reduction process brought on by the aquisition. At least that's what I'm hoping for. Long range, White River goes away, Cabela's becomes the fly arm for the company and with it, rather than splitting up the fish between two brands, all the fly resources go into one Cabela's cioppino. Maybe toss them the outfitting and camping brands too.

Dave

 

[ts47]

Interesting information, especially your long term predictions trout trekker. I'm considering picking up a 3wt CGR as a gift for a friend. I'm happy they are still thought well of. Thank you for the feedback.

 

[cooutlaw]

I could be all wet here, but Bass Pro started foundationally in warm water fishing supply, Cabelas started foundationally in hand tied flies and hunting gear. Bass Pro never had, arguably with Redhead Waterfowl gear, a dominant hunting presence, where Cabelas was more the "Hunting Outfitter" for upland, waterfowl, and especially big game. After Dick was gone, Cabelas, as a company, was never quite the same, I visited the original location in NE often since 1985 ish or so. The acquisition is actually confusing and thus far seems to be largely desegregated on what inventory stays and where and why and which goes the way of the dodo bird. I live pretty easily commutable to a newer CO Cabelas store and also drive-able distance to a Bass Pro, neither one seems to have their inventories stabilized, and the personnel is readily showing disgruntled and lacking in any standardized message or mission for today or the future. It's sad when two legacy icon retailers join forces and become weaker rather than stronger because of it. I would speculate that we are quite a way off from any form of standardization or stability within either of the brands. Given what I have observed so far, Bass Pro may be the worst thing that has ever happened to Cabelas, stepping into a winning situation and trying to remold it into what they already had more than enough of, and whether or not their warm water fortune will weather the storm is yet to be seen. I'm saddened - they might have just as well closed all of the stores and turned both into an online only retailer scenario....Cabelas will never be the same and Bass Pro will never be what Cabelas was....where I once saw stores with lines for parking spaces, I now see half empty parking lots, customer experience in in-person retail is everything, Bass Pro never did it well, and now they are training Cabelas locations to not do it well. Cabelas owned their own bank, which was not part of the acquisition, and Bass Pro transitioned Cabelas Credit Card holders over to Capital One, where obviously BP gets a kickback from their partnership therein, rather than investing and believing in their customers and quality of product to support in-house financial risk, that tells me a lot right there. Big Capitalism is the motivator for the acquisition and although I'm as pro business as it gets, the decisions about product line will inevitably be dictated by margin rather than quality first. My prediction, quality of product will decline, selection of product will fail to meet regional specific demand, inventory selection and volume per store will decline, pricing of product across all departments will increase to the consumer, customer service will decline, training will deteriorate, consumer trust will wane, store layout will become confusing, any form of expert or experienced department specific personnel will leave due to frustration, locations volume will decline, on line sales will show greatest stability, loyal consumer spend will decline, Destination visitors will decline, and ultimately some locations will be closed to recoup capital to correct mistakes that will be made. OK, off my soapbox. Carry on with the thread, sorry for the derail.

 

[mjkirshner]

I just got the 7/8 on a whim, for fishing off a SUP, figuring the slower action would be easier to cast while falling off the board. I had an Allen Kraken 2 with 7 wt redfish line all dressed up with no rod to pair, so I rolled the dice and picked one up at BPS. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality for less than $70. There is a fair amount of filler, but I've seen as much in rods costing twice as much or more. The rod casts very nicely. I don't have to slow the cast as much as I thought I would, and the accuracy is very good. It's not for long casts or windy days, but at the price point, it is very nice niche rod. I've already caught a couple of bass, so it's definitely a keeper.

 

[gpwhitejr]

I bought a 5 wt CGR within the past year and I like it a lot. I also have a one-piece 6 foot 3 wt Prime that I like too, but they seem to have discontinued that one.

 

[ia_trouter]

I haven't wiggled a 2019 CGR "model". I should be a near a Cabela's store soon and I'll have to give them a look. I have a vintage 2018 and 2016 CGR in 4 and 5WT. The hardware on both is surely low end, but functional. The cork has some filler, like any other sub $150 fly rod. The blank is what I am paying for. Just a blast to cast and the appearance is as good as rods that cost double. It's actually hard to believe the rod is so affordable strictly from appearance. When I fish with friends they always want to give it a try. When I fish with them a few months later they are showing me the new CGR they just bought. You know in five minutes you "need" one lol.

I've purchased a lot of low end fly gear I was very soon not pleased with. This isn't one of those times. Still cheaper than a pair of fancy fingernail clippers.

 

[rsagebrush]

cheaply made, marginal build quality, I love mine.

 

[patrick62]

A couple years ago when the CGRs were on sale for $40 I bought all the ones I didn't have, so I've got the whole line.

The one I use most is 6 1/2 ft 4 weight. A terrific rod for small mountain streams. I'm going to buy another of this model as a backup. I always assume if someone makes something I like it will be discontinued.

But they all get used, if only to justify buying them.

 

[karstopo]

When it was just Cabelas, that company would list the rods for $129 or something close to that, but frequently drop the price, sometimes as low as $40. It doesn’t seem like BPS follows that same pattern.

The only one I’m missing is the 3 weight. I use all of mine frequently, like almost everyday, except the 4 weight. I just somehow left it out of the rotation. I’ve fished for coldwater trout on a New Mexico stream with the 7’ 4/5 weight, now called a 5 weight. All the others torment bass, bluegills, catfish, Crappie, carp out on the lake and some have had a time frustrating a number of the local saltwater species.

I don’t know what BPS could do to improve them.

 

[mjkirshner]

When it was just Cabelas, that company would list the rods for $129 or something close to that, but frequently drop the price, sometimes as low as $40. It doesn’t seem like BPS follows that same pattern.

The only one I’m missing is the 3 weight. I use all of mine frequently, like almost everyday, except the 4 weight. I just somehow left it out of the rotation. I’ve fished for coldwater trout on a New Mexico stream with the 7’ 4/5 weight, now called a 5 weight. All the others torment bass, bluegills, catfish, Crappie, carp out on the lake and some have had a time frustrating a number of the local saltwater species.

I don’t know what BPS could do to improve them.

What line are you using on the 7/8 and what size flies? This is the first glass rod I've owned, and I'm having trouble finding the sweet spot for loading it right. I don't know if it's the wrong line or my casting.

 

[karstopo]

What line are you using on the 7/8 and what size flies? This is the first glass rod I've owned, and I'm having trouble finding the sweet spot for loading it right. I don't know if it's the wrong line or my casting.

I’m currently using an 8 weight SA Titan Taper on one. I have two 7/8 weight CGRs. I have an 8 weight SA grand Slam on the other 7/8 weight CGR. I have had an 8 weight Airflo Tropical Punch Bruce Chard taper on the rods and that line worked well. The Chard and the Titan lines are overweight per the standards, I’m not sure about the grand slam. Flies, on the lake, it’s size 2 and 1/0 deer hair divers, size 1 or 2 Balanced leeches, etc. Out in the salt marshes, it’s mostly size 2 or 4 redfish crack, Borski Sliders, etc.

The only line I really didn’t like with the rod is an 8 weight Wulff TT. It was just different and weird and didn’t fit what I wanted to do. I’ve done a SA 7 weight Bonefish line and it’s alright, but maybe not what I wanted for closer in fishing which is what I primarily do with the 7/8 weight CGR.

I tend to like shorter head, heavy lines on most of my rods. I’m generally trying to make short and mid range casts with minimal false casts rather than carrying tons of line in the air.

 

[mjkirshner]

I tend to like shorter head, heavy lines on most of my rods. I’m generally trying to make short and mid range casts with minimal false casts rather than carrying tons of line in the air.

That makes sense. Tim Rajeff also suggests shorter, heavier heads (so you're in good company!) on fiberglass rods. I tried the Echo BAG and just didn't like it much. The faster action was too much like a graphite rod, but it was heavier, so I didn't see much advantage. The color was cool, but I just didn't feel much else. I like the CGR more. The CGR feels lighter than the BAG, although it is almost an oz heavier than my BVK, but because it is shorter, more of the weight is near the handle, and it balances better with a light reel than the TFO. I don't love the CGR as much as I would like to, but I'm hoping to get used to it. At least for $70 it is worth keeping; at four times that price, the BAG was not. I tried SA Redfish 7 wt on the CGR, and it seems like it doesn't load well. It is not as heavy as the lines you are using, and that may be the problem. I have some 8 wt Rio Bonefish Quickshooter that is similar to the Grand Slam and Chard in profile, so I will try that. I actually got the rod for very light salt on my SUP, so maybe I will exchange it for the 5/6 and see how the 7-wt line works with that. I wanted a 7, and the 7/8 is actually heavier than I need. I was hoping there was a 6/7, but no such luck. The SA Redfish 7 is 200 grains, which falls between the Grand Slam and the Titan in 6-wt, so if those lines in 8 work well on the 7/8, the Redfish may work nicely on the 5/6. I got the CGR for very close fishing around mangroves and shorelines in the Intracoastal Waterway where I paddleboard. I need it to load very close, and I am not looking to hook big fish with it, because that would not work real well on a SUP: I'd be surfing instead of fishing.

 

[karstopo]

That Bonefish quickshooter should work well. I had that line way back when and used it with a 6-8 weight TFO minimag I had. That line's taper is a lot like the SA Titan. The 7/8 weight CGR feels like a twig compared to my 9 weight BAG Quickshot. I can see why you didn't care for the Echo BAG, it is truly a heavy rod, at least the 9 weight is. I got mine for The big Jack creavelle, 3'-4' tarpon and bull reds that I come across once in a while.

My plan this year is to get my 5/6 weight CGR into the saltwater action a lot more. I picked up the Piscfun sword for cheap so now I have a reel to handle the salt. I've got a 6 weight SA titan on that rod and it casts great with that line.

 

[mjkirshner]

The Titan in 6 wt is 210 grain @ 30' with a total 33.5' head, and the QS in 6 wt is also 210 grain with a 35.5' head, so they are very similar. The SA Redfish Warm in 7 wt is 200 grain @ 30' with a 31' head, so other than the shorter head, the Redfish 7-wt is a lot like the Titan or QS in 6. In that case, it would probably work great on the 5/6. The Titan looks like nice line, but the SA site says it is cold to warm water, and the Redfish is for warm to hot. It hit 90 here yesterday, and it is only May, so I probably need to stick with hot weather line.

I tested the 8-wt QS against the 7-wt Redfish on the 7/8, and I honestly cannot tell which cast better. I picked a patch of weeds floating around 35' out, and tested to see which line I could cast more accurately more often. I used the same fly on each line, and I could pretty much drop it within a few inches of target every time, no matter which line I used. The 8-wt threw a little tighter loop, which makes me think that it is loading the rod better. The thing is that I have rods for the kind of fish I would target with an 8. What I don't have is a 7, or even a saltwater 6. My new Sage Foundation casts Rio Bonefish (not QS) in 6-wt very nicely, but I probably won't be taking it out on the paddleboard. Part of the reason for the fiberglass rod is that it is shorter, and less likely to get hung in the mangroves, and it is durable, in the event it gets dropped off the SUP onto rocks, and also it is cheap, so if it does get banged up, I won't feel too bad. The CGR is definitely just a niche rod, but I'm feeling like the 7/8 is more like my 8-wts, and the 5/6 may be closer to what I am looking for. It is a dilemma but the solution is simple: BPS has free 2-day shipping. The nearest BPS stores are about 50 miles north and south of me, but I am going to be near each of them on business within the next couple of weeks, so I will order the 5/6 and see which one I like best, and then return whichever one I like less.