Fly Products: Balzer Jewel Fly Rod and Titan Reel

About a month or so ago I got a package in the mail with a new rod and reel in it from PS Fishing. The package included a rod named the Jewel 255 TX and a reel called the Titan Fly Reel, both made by a German company named Balzer. I really didn't know what to think when I initially used them, I was totally unfamiliar with the companies but I guess thats good, no bias. Along with this gnarly package of goodies, I got a phonebook sized catalog from Balzer. Its amazing, after reading through its entirety, that I've never heard of this product. These guys have a legit team and carry as much gear as Bass Pro. Balzer has most of their products imported from Germany into the US and P&S Fishing is the North American retailer for Balzer.

Anywho, going into this review, like I said, I had no idea what to expect. Here's all I had to go off of for the rod, other than the actual demo (which was yet to come at that point).

Jewel Fly Fishing Rods 255 TX

4 sections versatile travel fly fishing rods in convenient transport length. Line class: AFTMA 5/6. Jewel Fly fishing rods are supplied in hard shell rod cases. 

Item # Length Sec- tions Transp. Length Weight AFTMA Handle Price Qty 11185/255 8' 5" 4 30" 4 Oz 5/6 Natural Cork $95.92

Rods are built from featherweight rod blanks with outstanding casting characteristics and an extremely unobtrusive design, just as fly fishermen want them to be. Reel seat made of stainless steel and woven carbon. The biggest closest to handle guide is equipped with SIC (Silicon-Carbon Metal Ceramic) inset.

In a nutshell, these are superlative fly rods at affordable prices.

As you can see, the rod comes in at just $95.92. This initially made me put the rod into the same categories as the White River Dogwood Canyon or Cabela's Wind River rods, initially. The only difference in my mind was that this rod came with a legit rod tube, loved that.


So, the it was time for a demo...I strung it up for a go at Waterworks Park, our local bass reservoir. Right from the first cast I was awestruck. Not only did this rod cast and feel like a $200 Sage or G. Loomis but it caught fish like one too. I had an awesome day, with double digit fish in hand and more hooked up on. I'm not saying it was the rod but it gave me an awesome opportunity to demo the rod. The casting range, flex, action all fit the category of, rather than a starter rod, something you may string up for every trip you want to take within the 5/6 wt rod range. Not only does the rod have amazing feel but it just looks pretty. With its woven carbon reel seat and red flair when the sun hits it, it really just makes you look good too. At 8'5" and a 4-piece design, this rod was made for good bass trips, especially with the little fighting butt that Balzer has added on, convenience.

After a few demos at Waterworks, I refuse to leave this rod at home for any trip now. Overall, this rod gets a serious 5 out of 5 stars. You cannot compete with the price for the quality of this rod. It shoots line, casts far, and its stiffer backbone helps you put that 1/0 hook right through the gill plate of a 22" Pickerel, no complaints here.

On to the next one, the Titan reel. When I first picked it up, not too impressed. It looked like something you pick up in the bargain bin of no name products at your local tackle shop. The reel is made of aluminum and coated with titanium alloy. The titanium alloy sets weird on the reel making it look like some sort of art class, painted clay project. Its not uniform and just doesn't look too pretty. The reel is loud as well, almost like a Martin or Pfleuger reel, just not as smooth as higher end reels. Here is the description from the P&S Fishing site.

Titan Fly Fishing Reels Fly fishing reels with elegant appearance and technology for the more demanding. Wonderful fly reels with an outstanding technology and offering a unique price performance ratio. The reels can be adapted for left-hand use in a matter of seconds. The aluminum body and spool are coated with a fine titanium alloy. The jerk-free high performance drag enables fly fishermen to play even large fish safely to the end. Reel is supplied with transport bag. Item # AFTMA Class Price Qty 10798/056 5/6 $33.20 10798/067 6/7 $40.48 10798/078 7/8 $40.56 For the cost, one really cannot complain. The one I got, matched the rod, it was a 5/6 wt reel. I strung it up and gave it a go on the same day as the Jewel Rod demo and wasn't too impressed. The drag didn't really do that great of a job and the noisiness just was a turn off. Fish were caught and the reel didn't spool when they ran so no complaints there. After that day, I put the reel back in its travel case and laid it on the shelf. I put my G. Loomis Venture 5 on the Jewel 255 TX and damn, perfect bass combo. Needless to say, this reel got a 2 out of 5 stars. I want to take a second and thank P&S Fishing for sending us some legit stuff to review. The rod has made its way into my wall rack among the elite rods such as my St. Croix, G. Loomis, and Orvis. It is now my #1 bass rod and I plan on making many memories with it. I hope y'all find this review helpful. Check out P&S Fishing's full lineup on their website, including their fly gear. You can also check them out on Facebook. Boom...Morgan