K_Mac

Goose my friend your record keeping and attention to detail is an inspiration. All of my PQs have seen much service, though compared to yours maybe not so much. A fairly high percentage of my fishing is bottom contact techniques, so even with me and my wife using the reels we probably don't come close to your usage. With that said, I have yet to have a problem with any of them. They may not be as bullet proof or refined as some, but for the $80 a piece I have in them they continue to be a fine investment. Thanks for the update. I always enjoy your contribution to the site.

BC that is a valid reason for the smaller motor IMO. I have a 24V MK Fortrex on my boat. I regularly fish with a friend who has a 36V MG on his. The foot control on the MG is very awkward for me to use, since I've spent far more time with my MK. The tension adjustment on the MK control seems much simpler as well. Good luck!

Yep! At this level it is more about what feels best to you. With proper maintenance either reel should serve you fine. FWIW I like dual braking...

Yes the extra battery is worth the extra weight! Go with the 70# 24V and thank us later.

I love Barone's ability to see beneath the surface and put a personal face on whatever he writes about. I have long been a fan. I have not been a fan of Aaron Martens. I am now. Whether I like his style or not doesn't matter at all. He is willing to give back some of what he has been given, and that is an honorable thing. Thanks for the post RW.

My mother had to take injections for several years. When she was told of this she said she could not do it, and just had all kinds of anxiety. It didn't take very long and she was doing it as part of the daily routine without stressing over it. You can do what needs to be done. Good luck.

+1 It is a very efficient and effective way charging and maintaining a charge in all batteries. At the cost of good batteries it is an excellent investment.

In a recent thread a question was asked about which brand of jig trailer was our favorite, with a couple of choices given. I said that Netbait Pacas were my go-to choice because I had a good supply and they worked for me. Roadwarrior said that he had other brands (including Netbait) but used Rage products exclusively. He also said he would send me all of his non-Rage products if I would send him my address and pay for postage. I naturally sent him my info immediately! His shipment arrived today with a variety of baits that looked like I had selected them myself. For less than $10.00 in shipping I would imagine I received >$200 worth of baits and a couple of spools of P_Line CX. RW sometimes comes off a little dogmatic in his support of the products he uses. Many of us do, including me. RW's willingness to give away perfectly good products in favor of his preferred choice shows a level of commitment that I respect. Thanks again Kent. My goal now is to catch a new PB on one of your plastics! Not that I would bring it up if I did...

Done. As LMG said, there are many reasons for "birds-nesting" (I prefer the term professional overrun ). For those of us who have used baitcasters for a while it is almost always user error. If you can come up with a proprietary solution for that, you will be a very wealthy young man. Good luck.

Excellent post and customer service.

I was at a sand and gravel beach at Kentucky Lake years ago. It was early in the year and everyone was wading out ankle deep and whining about how cold the water was. I said, "let me show all you sissies how it's done" as I ran and dove into the water. What I didn't realize was the water was only a couple of inches deep until you were well off shore. I came up out of the water looking like I had been sandblasted. As I stood there with blood running down my face and chest, the rest of the group had a big laugh asking me to show them one more time. That was 25 years ago and it still comes up when talk turns to "genius ideas".

SirSnook you make a good point. One thing to consider though is that if the guy with the 30 year old driver is crushing the drive, how much better could he do with a new one? Being good does not depend on equipment, BUT it does matter IMO.

Several over 5-wacky rigged Stick-os (5 3/8" and 6") mostly. Nothing over 6...yet! Color doesn't matter as much to the fish as it does to me. BPS Crawberry is my #1 color.

I always target bigger fish unless I'm fishing with someone who just wants to catch fish. I get as much from putting someone on fish as catching them myself most of the time. I do not consider a 3# fish small though; If after catching a few fish in that range nothing bigger shows up, I will try something or somewhere else just to see if the bigger girls can be persuaded to bite. I am OK with being skunked as a result of focusing on bigger fish, and I don't mind fishing all day for one bite, but if in the process a smaller fish or two shows up it is a bonus for me. I like catching fish...

Congratulations. I wish you a dozen more.

Firstcityfisher as you can see we have some who are enthusiastic in their support of Shimano reels. We also have some who are way too willing to be critical of most all other brands. Pure Fishing makes many fine reels, in spite of comments to the contrary. They also make some lower end reels that are not a good value. So does Shimano. I have had great success with BPS Pro Qualifier reels, some others not so much. What has always been exceptional in my experience with BPS is their customer service. I would take the reel in and explain what happened. My bet is they will offer you a reasonable solution to the problem. Good luck and welcome to the forum.

Usually something between 1/8 and 1/2 depending on the jig and mood of the fish. A 3/16 shakyhead with a Zoom Trickworm or a 3/8 skirted jig with a Paca craw are my go-to baits right now.

As Alpster said, this topic comes up often. I am right handed and reel left. All of my reels are left handed, and I am no more likely to change than Ronnie. There is no right or wrong here! Use what works best for you. That old Shimano should serve you well...good luck.

Good to know J Franco. If I can save enough nickles I want to try one! It is interesting that as a confirmed budget fisherman I find myself defending spending a little more for rods and reels. As most know, I use BPS PQ reels that can be bought on sale for $80. They have held up to tough use for several years now without any problems. I have had other experiences with inexpensive gear (rods, reels, and other tackle) that just turned out to be "cheap". I would not advise a new fisherman to buy cheap gear. One good combo is worth more than several cheap ones. My opinion, based on my experience...

Going back to the original post, the question is where do you spend the most money-rod or reel? While my income doesn't allow for high-end combos Piscicidal's answer makes good sense to me, and shows the common price range for decent rods or reels. Yes, you can spend less than $100 for either, but you risk buying an inferior product that will lessen your enjoyment, limit your success, and cost more in the long term IMO. And yes, spending $800 or more for a combo is entirely reasonable to many if you want a high end combo that will be a pleasure to fish for a lifetime. FWIW the $79 for the handle is a judgement call just like everything else related to tackle. Over the life of a reel it isn't much money as far as I'm concerned if it increases the joy of using it.

Good afternoon. A little frost ain't a bad thing. I camped at Cedar Lake Thursday through Sunday, and was able to enjoy the fall rain, wind, and temps up close and personal. It was a great weekend, and I am with RW- I love the fall!

I drive about 90 minutes to my favorite local lakes on a regular basis. Plenty of good choices within 2 hours. With gas and other costs soaring, my trips are not as frequent as they once were. I do throw a tent and gear in the truck from time to time, and get better value for my gas dollar. I camped 3 nights and fished four days this past week for the price of one trip. I did have to haul water and everything else by boat to my spot, but a man does what he has to do to fish...

This is also how I do it. Another consideration is line size. 15# co-poly may handle a little abrasion, 6# will not. Most of the fish I've caught this past month have been deep on rocky structure. I've lost a couple of shakyhead fish not checking as often as I should. It only takes a second to check your line, and a minute to retie. It is a good habit to develop.

Bassh8er I have never done anything to my PQs but use them with an infrequent clean and lube. I will be curious to see what you think of your pimped out reel. I like your attitude. LMG you make a good case for Shimano, and I agree they are fine reels. They are not the answer to every question though.

I tend to use as inexpensive of gear as possible that will do the job. $100 for a rod or reel is about where that happens for me. I do have a couple of rods that exceed that price point, and if money were no object I would upgrade the other rods before buying any higher end reels. I would have no problem fishing a PQ reel on an NRX rod...