Gear Review: Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris CarbonLite Spinning Combo

Johnny Morris has been a name synonymous with fishing for ages and the CarbonLite 2.0 Rod and CarbonLite Reel are no different. Despite reviewing the Johnny Morris CarbonLite Spinning Reel every year, I was most impressed by the improvements made to it this past year. Casting with this reel has become a dream when using this rod and reel combo. I am able to make long and accurate casts with ease. The reel utilizes strategic cutouts and a carbon composition which drops the weight to just 7.7 ounces while maintaining core strength.

The handle is aluminum and the EVA foam lends to great grip even when wet. Another nice attribute to this reel is that it is “sealed” meaning that the reel will keep damaging contaminants out. This allows the reel to be used not only for freshwater fishing, but saltwater fishing as well.

The reel has a maximum drag of 22 pounds, so that on its maximum setting, the reel won’t take out any line unless the fish put 22 pounds of pressure on the line. The reel has a standard 5.1:1 baitcasting gear ratio with a 27-inch recovery per turn and is offered in both left and right handed retrieve options. For $79.99, you get a lightweight, beautifully balanced setup at an outstanding price.

This reel was partnered up with a CarbonLite 2.0 7-foot MH/F action rod. The rod is built with Carbon Coil Technology and made with RT4 Graphite which maximizes strength and sensitivity for the angler. The line I.D. is a cool feature which tells the angler what size line is currently on the rod. Fuji FaZlite guides are lightweight, but strong enough to work well with braided line and aid in the weight reduction of this rod. The grip system is another feature this year that really caught my attention. They utilize Winn Grips which cuts down on hand fatigue while also increasing rod control. The Skeletonized Air reel seat maximizes blank exposure, therefore increasing sensitivity. So much goes into producing a quality rod and it seems like Johnny Morris did his homework. For $119.99, this is a rod that competes with $200.00 rods.

Overall, I am impressed with the CarbonLite combo. I really enjoy using this rod and reel and have been really impressed by how well it casts, along with its smoothness and power. Fatigue overall is minimized by new designs, which make for longer days on the water. The result is a beautifully balanced setup at an outstanding price.

For more information on the Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris CarbonLite Spinning Combo, visit BassProShops.com.

Review written by Gary Elliott, facilitator of https://www.facebook.com/GarysOutdoorNewsandReviews and @garys_outdoor_news_and_reviews.