Sports Authority has some downright cheap deals on Penn reels right now. Stores only, not online. Should be nationwide. Forget what the sticker prices show, including the clearance price stickers. Some of what I bought: 10kg and 15kg reels at $124 each. 16S International for $199. Also noted the 10 and 15 LD reels were under $100, and the nice little 225LD was $58. Even the staff was unaware how low the clearance prices really were. Mgmt told be it was significantly under their cost, as they shook their heads.

Obviously they are clearing out the discontinued reels. No VS internationals. 975's, or Graphlites to be seen. But the prices are a steal for good stuff. And what good is a rod without a good reel?

I got 2 Penn Surfmaster 100's NIB for $14.99 each.

Derek L. McMaster
Rohnert Park, CA

Born to Fish, FORCED to Work

Sounds like a good score Derek. I musta been quite lucky finding the stock I did on Sunday. Looked around some more yesterday at the 7 Sports Authority sites within a 50 mile radius of me in San Jose, and none of the top stuff was there anymore. Flying off the shelf I guess. Always wanted some quality 2 speed reels, and now I have a few... a 15kg, two 10kg's, and two 16S's.. I'm still in awe at being able to get 16S Internationals at under $200.

Be aware that some of the reels have been on their shelves for years. Tag on one of the 16S reels I got implied a 2003 date. So not a bad idea to open up, clean, and relube with good stuff. Depending upon how long the reels sat on a shelf and what the factory used, the lube in the reels could have degraded/dried and become gummy. It isn't just water incursion that prompts instructions to relube every year.

I just checked the Tacoma store in Washinton and they don't know anything about it. Must not have made it all the way to the West coast.

Jeff Hunter

I am West Coast. As is Derek. The fact that a guy in the store doesn't know does not mean it isn't happening. At the local stores I hit, no one in the store knew the clearance was firesale-ish. When I would grab 2 of the highend reels they were quite happy. There were clearance price stickers, but when rung up it was actually 50% off even those clearance prices. The 'clearance sticker on one of the 16S's I bought said $399... but it was really $199. Seeing the prices actually rung up really shook some of the store staff. One manager seemed even upset about it, saying it was far under actual cost (but I think perhaps they wanted to buy them for themselves at even more discount?).

I have seen nothing in an online or print ad either. But it is happening. My credit card and wife can both loudly verify that.