Zee Baas, are they worth the money?
 

Yes-!! They are more fishable than fashionable believe it or not?
A new rough version is now available at $850-900.

Been using this reel now for two months without any problems what so ever. It is mounted to my walking/wading stick, I use to guide my way through 4' of water, as I climb over 3' boulders. I rarely rinse it and find it's performance to be light years ahead of VS and yet, as consistently smooth as a Stella. The crank power is like nothing before it. The drag adjustment is flawless with a precise liner control that prevents the accidental, over tightened drag, that leads to line break.
At this time last year, two separate VS's failed with basket bearings froze with rust from saltwater intrusion. Apples to apples! In total for this past year, that makes 5 VS's that I have held in my hands, that have failed for one reason or another and all where used in the exact same manor. VS"s are tough, but they are not ZB's

I'm not associated with ZB in any way except that I meet the owner of one of the few truly american made fishing products still available to us. You all wonder why everything is being made in China and hate it. But ZB is a reflection of what top quality products truly cost to design and build here in the good old USA. I support this man for his determination to deliver without compromise a product that will perform and outlast several generations just as old reels like Penn once did and to keep it here at home. Rob, the creator of VS sold the company only to start ZB. He doesn't come across as a wealthy person who just sold a company, even though we all might think he should be. My impression is that what ever he made from that transaction, is being dumped into his new product and at great risk as production cost in America put these reels just out of reach to most fishermen and therefore the risk is even greater.
No one here seems to have any problem dishing out $20 per wooden plug that is built in the USA. But that's what it takes for an individual to afford a meager livelihood in America these days. We must all do our part to support our local gear builders and lovers of our sport who are at risk.
So save any bashing for a more worthy cause, Please?

Z-Bass
 

Is this cheaper version of the reel you mentioned in this post the same size as the 1300.00 dollar model? Also, where can you buy this reel.

There's only reason the "rough" was made:the need to compete with VS.The Original ZB was way beyond almost anyone's ability to purchase.Hopefully the competition will drive the prices of both reels down and I can finally afford one or the other!

This is a good thing.

Just got off the phone with someone from zeebaas. You dont get a fancy box and they found a finish that is nearly identical to the titanium oxide coating they were using on the Zeebaas premium.

So they are able to offer the Z rough @ 859 with a single line roller and the small 2 inch spool. The 899 from what I understand is the 2.25 (150 VS size, just slightly larger) spool with 2 line rollers.

And it gets better. Come mid September you can swap out the rotor in the future along with larger spools. 2.5 & 2.3/4 size spools. Which are equivalent to a 200 & 250 VS. But will also be lighter than the VS. & all parts will work with one body. You can even swap out different rotors yourself with 3 screws. You can purchase different handle lengths as well. Schoolie stripers to Bluefin with one reel.

Im definately excited about maybe getting myself one with a 2.5 spool come September since the current 2 & 2.25 inch spools are too small for what I want to use them for

This will put Numbskull over the top.:smash:

Good move by Rob creating the Rough. It puts it in the reach of more hard core surf guys. So far so good with mine. Nightly dunkings and a few rock to reel bashes and no water intake or foul ups. I love this reel. Finally got some good bass that peeled line off the spool and the drag worked great. Will give a full review in November.

Nah. The cost isn't a big deal. It's just that it is hard to balance those big spinners on top of the rod, and I don't like reeling backwards.

i just picked up a zeebaas rough after speaking with rob koelwyn on the phone.

at a lower price point, the temptation was just too overpowering to resist. from a purely financial perspective, the zeebaas at $900 vs. a VS at $700 is a no-brainer.

of course, i also purchased it based on favorable feedback from other users.

the one really nice thing that Rob K told me about the reel was that even though the Rough is a VS200ish-sized reel, a larger spool and rotor assembly add-on module (approaching the size of a VS 250 reel) will be available this fall. I like the concept of a modular reel!

the drag is getting rave reviews.

one nit mentioned by a zb user here: it doesn't seem to like mono. but that's not an issue for me.

anyways, as i had posted over SOL - rob told me that the basic differences between the regular ZB and the rough boil down to three features:

1) the rough doesn't have as many polished parts.
2) the rough doesn't have the "textured" finish that some of the regular ZB's have.
3) the rough doesn't have titanium nitride rollers like the regular model does.

and...the rough doesn't come with the $150 box or the takedown tools.

HOWEVER - Rob mentioned you can get your own tools at Home Depot for about $20.

so, we shall see how this goes .

just an fyi - i'm evaluating some third party options for extreme environment finishes for the reel body (have to get some more skinny from rob on how the zb is finished ... is it anodized aluminum, etc).

I am great full to many of the S-B folks that pitched in last year and gave me a ZB as a gift.

I have not fished it as much as I though I would have as I'm still more prone to grab a conventional ;) but when spinning I've used it and I like it.

(Steve - if you want to try one out ;) )

The drag is sweet, the entire reel is solid and smooth, Mercedes like in its precision.

My only complaints are capacity - which looks like that is being resolved with modular options (pretty cool) and in limited experience, wasn't as mono friendly as I would have liked.

This "Rough" seems like a worthy option to check out.

Casting Zs - I believe you are missing a few VS company owners in the history between RobK & VZ/VS. Van Staal was not purchased from Rob. VS had 2 (I think) owners after Rob & before Zebco... That said, he does have a certain pedigree when it comes to reel design ;)

Do they come in mens sizes yet?? :hidin:

Doh!:laughs:

Um, you're a little wrong on your facts there ;)

Van Staal was sold because it went under. Tits-up, toes-up, however you like to refer to it. It was an aerospace contractor that made fishing reels as a sideline. The whole company went into Chapter 11 many years before Zee Baas was even a blip on the horizon. Reel Ventures LLC bought the fishing reel line. They made the reels in Mass. somewhere for several years Then they sold to WC Bradley, the parent compnay of Zebco/Quantum/Finnor et al. That sale had nothing to do with Rob, and I doubt he got anything out of it, including the start-up capital to start Zee Baas. I don't know what he did after VS, but obviously, it had something to do with engineering. He's always loved fishing, and I think he got a bigger kick out of making the reels than he ever did making aircraft parts.

There was some unpleasantness surrounding the sale of VS to Zebco, but again, that had nothing to do with Rob.

your VS point of origin
 

you noted you've had five VS failures. Were your reels mfgd in Stratford Ct? or were they MA or OK variants.?
I have two 100's,two 150's and two 200's. two are still in the original boxes.
all were stratford ct reels, never a problem , never sent back. jason and ron worked on all of them.
i'd be interested in your response.

gw:wave: :wave:

Boo Hoo. "...So find it in your heart to come up with $995 & get yourself a ZB. If not for yourself for the sake of humanity!"

There is not reason in the world to pay so much for a reel. Unless you are Bill Gates ....:spin:

There's no reason in the world to pay $70 grand for a 'Vette, either, when a $12,000 Toyota Yaris or Honda Fit will get you there just as quickly, just as comfortably, and even more reliably ;)

Here are the only two reasons anyone needs to buy anything:

1. I want it.
2. I can afford it.

And this reel fits at least one of those 2 questions for most when you look at the nuts and bolts, err. I mean titanium nitrate coatings and beveled gearing. It is a very nice, precise reel that looks as though it can be the king of the hill in its class - the uberbuilt submergeable spinning reel - time will tell. Added bonus for those that can afford it.

It used to be that you could spend $70 on a Penn 704 and beat the piss out of it for 20-30 years, and keep it going year after year with about $5 worth of parts.

You can't do that any more.

Now you spend $100-$150 on a reel that'll last you a season if you fish it hard. You'll spend $2 grand replacing it over the next 20 years.

Or you can spend the 700-900 clams once for a VS, ZB rough, Saltiga or the new Stella.

Or, you can learn to fish conventional, and spend $180 on a P-series Newell. But if you swim with your reels, there isn't a waterproof conventional out there and the prospects are pretty dim for there ever being one.

I don't know about that Mike.
I certainly wouldn't put a Saltiga or Stella in the same category as VS or ZB. There great reels if they're kept high 'n' dry and sand free, definately not submersible or reels that can handle abuse if you plan on the reel functioning issue free for a full season even though that's what they would like you to think.

For the Saltiga and Stella, I was thinking more along the lines of deep jigging in current. Something that'll kill aluminum or pot metal gears.

IMO, if it is worth the money for you and you are happy it makes all the difference to me it all has to do with confidence

Had no idea those where the facts! But then again, I try to fish more than researching a manufacturers history.

Just a long running story that has been around for years and most are familiar with it... Van Staal, and its varying ownership over the years, has been a staple of winter conversation

I have no idea where my reels where actually made. It shouldn't be long before they're made in China.
I do know they cost a lot of cash.
Three reels, 2-150 and a 250 took on water and seized the bearing under the basket. A 100 stripped its gears. A 250 developed spool to basket contact at the top of the spools ocilation.

:doh:

It shouldn't be long before more VS owners become ZeeBaas users, at least in the Northeast. :zup:

I've made several calls to several dealers.

Anecdotally, they can't keep ZeeBaas' on the shelves. Not that there are that many to start with.

Hope this reel performs as many say it is.

Uh--you wouldn't happen to own a black lab named Lughead, would you? You remind me of someone I ran into a few years back, that's why I asked ;)

I do not Mike.
Do you live near the NH seacoast?

No, no, no - Lughead was from ASSateague Island, remember?

Ben - you got one? Which specifications??

John -

After speaking with Rob Koelwyn on the phone, I lost all my willpower and picked up a ZB Rough last week. The lower price point at ~$900 was too much to resist. I had hocked several Van Staal's to save up for this purchase. :tooth:

The ZeeBaas was on the shelf for just a day, according to the guys at the shop.

Mine has two line rollers on it.