BPS Pro Qualifier Combo - Help Needed

[U-boat Aficionado]

Well, I just wrote a long post and it disappeared when I went to submit it, so I guess I'll try again. 

I've been a lurker here, wanted to get into bait casting and was waiting impatiently for the BPS spring classic where I hoped to get a Pro Qualifer on sale. With all I've read and what I want to spend, I thought it would be a good reel to start with. I live a short drive from a BPS so I've been able to look them over. Last week the store told me the PQ wouldn't be on sale (not counting the reel trade-in) but would instead be paired with a Carbonlite rod. Since I was planning on buying a cheaper rod to go with the PQ, it seemed like a good deal as the Carbonlite is well reviewed. 

Yesterday morning I went to BPS and the combos were selling fast. I'd wanted a two piece rod but the combos were all one piece. I needed a left hand retrieve and the store had one on a medium/fast rod, which was my preference. I grabbed it, along with an on sale Husky Jerk and a couple packs of on sale Gamakatsu hooks, and went home happy with my purchase. 

I started playing with my new toy and, being obsessive, did a search for the PQ combo and found a post saying the reel wasn't the same as if purchased separately. This upset me so today I called BPS and talked with someone in the tackle department. He confirmed the combo reels are labeled China and the box reel is Hong Kong. He also told me it is still a great buy and he's fished one for a couple years and the reel should be the same . The model number and specs of the reel I bought are identical to the regular PQ but I'm feeling like I made a bad choice. Maybe I'm worrying for nothing.

I'm no pro but since I live on the water I fish almost every evening when the weather is decent, haul in lots of smallies and my gear gets a good amount of use. I don't want to spend too much but don't want sub-standard tackle either. BPS prices usually run high so I don't buy much there but feel a bit taken advantage of after learning the reel may or may not be as good as advertised.

Any advice is welcome. I hope I got a good buy that will serve me well but I'm not opposed to returning it if was a bad deal. On the bright side, I stopped at Walmart for cheap mono to practice casting and found a box of Yum plastics for a buck a bag so I got enough Dingers, craws and various others to last quite a while. 

Thanks for any help  

Steve

 

[ranger7717]

i don't know about your particular reel, but i did read an article recently saying that just about all reels today from overseas share a lot of the same parts, with different levels of quality being in the higher priced reels . they are just assembled in different countries. there are different components in different reels obviously, and a lot of the parts that vary from brand to brand are based on the reels options and capabilities.i'm not claiming to know what all the differences are, and i'm sure some are brand specific, for different braking systems, for example, but i would be confident in saying that the two reels you are talking about are most likely identical. as far as getting good value, i'm a fan of lews reels....they always seem to get great reviews for quality in their price range... my baitcasters are lews along with two of my spinning reels, and the rods get good reviews too

[Goose52]

I have six PQs, some of them have stickers on the reel foot that say made in Korea - some say made in China. I expect that the reason for this is that the OEM for the PQ, Doyo in Korea, has another plant in China, or outsources assembly to a Chinese plant. I don't know the answer, and I don't care. I see NO difference in any of the 6 PQs regardless of the indicated manufacturing location.

From the photo I saw in the BPS flyer, the PQ in that combo looks to be the regular production PQ. If you have confirmed that the model number on the side of the reel matches the catalog/web site number for the regular PQ, then I think you can rest easy and just enjoy the combo and be satisfied that you got a GREAT deal.

Regarding the regular production PQ, it IS possible to wear one out but it might take you a long time to do it: BPS Pro Qualifier BC Reel - 5 Year Challenge

 

....AND....Welcome to BR !

[Goose52]

9 minutes ago, MountainMan83 said:

As someone who just purchased this combo Friday and read your test thread, thanks for the info. 

Keep the centrifugal brake drum clean and lightly lubed and enjoy...

[the reel ess]

I watched the Bass Dr this morning and the guy had 5 Pro Qualifiers on the deck. That's good enough for me. 

[BassBuster420]

I own two PQ reels. I bought them at the exact same time during the spring classic two years ago. One as a combo and the other as a box reel. Both are the exact same besides the gear ratios. (Actually the box reel came without the "pro qualifier" label on the frame above the line guide). When I bought mine the combo and the box reel were both on sale. I got the reel for $50 plus tax and the combo was around $120-130 plus tax. If the reel is different from combo to box it's just because of where they were manufactured not because of how they're sold. In conclusion I wouldn't feel bad about your purchase. I love both of my PQ bait casting reels and I feel they're one of the best reels you can buy for under $100.

On 2/13/2016 at 1:34 PM, U-boat Aficionado said: