The Ocean Master Jigging Reels reels are a private-label, different color, version of the "Talos NTS" series of reels made by "Omoto" (a Taiwanese company), I'm fairly certain. You can go here to see the Omoto version:
OMOTO Reel | Fishing Reels | Big Game | Saltwater, Taiwan
Omoto claims to sell their reels through a dealer network under their own brand, but the single "official dealer" that is listed in the U.S. only has a --non-commercial-- email address, a phone number, and the word "Adidea" shown on the "Dealers" map. That doesn't exactly inspire a lot of confidence in me personally.
They also supply their products to various resellers not found on their website. I found several sellers on Amazon & eBay, and another online tackle shop or two that sold some of their products (labeled as "Talos" or "Talos EX") under the Omoto name.
The "Talos NTS" versions of the reel, on the other hand, are nowhere to be found --except for BPS's equivalent Ocean Master Jigging Reels. I believe that is because the "Talos [EX]" reels are older versions, while the "Talos NTS" is a newer version (it appears in the 2017 Omoto catalog, but not the 2016-2017 edition).
What's the main difference between the older "Talos" & "Talos EX" (which seems to be a "wide" version of the narrower "Talos" reels) and the "Talos NTS"? The "Talos NTS" reels are geared a little higher than the older "Talos [EX]" reels, and they are, I believe the narrowest version of that reel series that Omoto offers, one that is designed to augment the older series with a reel that better serves jiggers.
There are two concerns I have related to the reels:
(1) There is very little info online (that I could find, at least) regarding usage reports or reviews by actual anglers. That makes it hard to get an idea of the fit, finish, and reliability one could expect from the products.
(2) I assume that if one of the Ocean Master Jigging Reels failed during the warranty period BPS would simply replace it with a new one. But what would happen after the warranty expired? Would BPS have to send the reel back to Taiwan to be repaired? Or is there some sort of central service/repair facility located here in the U.S.? And the same concerns apply even if the reel is bought with an Omoto label on it.
(3) As far as (1) (above) goes, given the relatively low cost of the reels and the small amount of generally positive info I ran across during my searches I think I'm just going to take a chance and buy 2 of the OM12N's at the BPS about 20 minutes away (in Port St. Lucie, FL).
(4) Regarding (2) I plan to contact the U.S. "dealer", BPS, and Omoto to see if I can get any additional info related to parts/service. Maybe that will raise my confidence level a little bit.
It would be nice if the reels turned out to be decent products, but I'll just have to wait and see...they do look solid and well-built, but who knows what's really under the covers?
