Smoked 2 pfhuegar reels this past week

[Mbirdsley]

Kinda rough week equipment wise FML.  First, last Sunday I was throwing cranks with my phuelgar supreme 5;4:1 bait caster.  I’m just bombing cranks out there. 
bomb the next cast out.  I start to reel and all of a sudden the reel feels really lose like it wants to fall off the rod.  I start to screw down the foam piece on the rod to tighten  the reel. hear a pop, look down and the reels only being held by the fishing line spooled through the eye lit.  Somehow the ears on the frame that connects the reel to the rod broke.  They were made out of some sort of metal not plastic.  Sucks because, breaking the frame means it’s terminal and up until that point that reel hand been a work horse.  I dunno if had a tiny stress cracks in it from something previous  that just got worse over time or what. I don’t baby my stuff but, I don’t beat or abuse it either. 
 

finally yesterday I’m using my president spinning reel throwing wacky rigs in my dobyns colt and reel is working fine.  I set the rod down pick up the crank rod. Come back to the wacky rig rod throw out a cast.  Go to flip the bail back to the reel position and nothing.  Awesome, bail won’t flip back or forth.  Sweet 2nd reel to die In a week. Luckily I had my abu premier with me so i didn’t need to tear it down.  I’m thinking the bail spring hopefully some how just slipped out of position.  Should be a fairly simple fix. 
 

I was going to buy $250-300  heavier jig rod/reel and $250-300deep cranking rod/reel this winter so I’ll add another higher quality light cranking reel and probably a better spinning reel to the list. I’ve had decent luck with the other Korean made reels however, pfluegars not so much.  

going to be a expensive winter haha 
 

[MN Fisher]

The Supreme is a Magnesium frame - lighter than Aluminum, but not quite as strong...kind of the best compromise between 'plastic' and aluminum. I'll have to watch my Supreme for things like that...one of my better reels.

 

The President could just be the Trip Plunger jamming....see circled item below...if not, then it's more serious.

[Team9nine]

Had Pflueger Summit that lasted many years before the bail mechanism went out. Got my monies worth out of it, so replaced it with a Trion this spring. Bail mechanism went out last month, so not impressed. Sold both for parts and starting over with two new reels (Favorite). We’ll see...

[Mbirdsley]

8 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Had Pflueger Summit that lasted many years before the bail mechanism went out. Got my monies worth out of it, so replaced it with a Trion this spring. Bail mechanism went out last month, so not impressed. Sold both for parts and starting over with two new reels (Favorite). We’ll see...

I bought the spinning reel 3 years ago as another trout set up as it came with a 5ft5 rod. It’s a size 30.  However, this is the first year I have actually used it. I used it a lot in the spring but, lately not as much. 
 

 

57 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

The Supreme is a Magnesium frame - lighter than Aluminum, but not quite as strong...kind of the best compromise between 'plastic' and aluminum. I'll have to watch my Supreme for things like that...one of my better reels.

 

The President could just be the Trip Plunger jamming....see circled item below...if not, then it's more serious.

Trip plunger seems like it is moving freely not getting binned up 

 

I think it has something to do with this little  plastic piece.

 

it’s getting late I’ll dig out my schematics tommrow 

 

 

[Mobasser]

I'm not sure what happened with Phlueger spinning reels? Have an older Trion( wood handle) that's worked great for years, and still going.                                                           Bought a new President several months ago. Felt grindy and rough out of the package. Returned it and got a Lews. It's good so far...

[Wprich]

Looks like one of the newer model presidents and I've read they don't make them like they used to unfortunately.  I got several of the older ones with the wooden knob between 8-10 years old that work nearly as good as the day I bought them.

[MN Fisher]

31 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Got my monies worth out of it, so replaced it with a Trion this spring.

Let me guess - a 2020 model without the anti-reverse switch. They're going downhill - unfortunately.

 

Just now, Mobasser said:

Bought a new President several months ago. Felt grindy and rough out of the package. Returned it and got a Lews. It's good so far...

Ya, the Presidents have been having issues the past couple years...my President XT-30 is smooth and quiet though. As is my older (2017) President-25.

 

[Mbirdsley]

3 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

I'm not sure what happened with Phlueger spinning reels? Have an older Trion( wood handle) that's worked great for years, and still going.                                                           Bought a new President several months ago. Felt grindy and rough out of the package. Returned it and got a Lews. It's good so far...

I have 3 pfluegar reels and I have had issues with all of them now.  I’ve kinda always herd that they were good for the average guy who fished every other week.  However, if you start getting serious and fishing 1-2 weeks you just need to buy better equipment 

[Mobasser]

Just now, Mbirdsley said:

I have 3 pfluegar reels and I have no had issues with all of them to some degree.  I’ve kinda always herd that they were good for the average guy who fished every other week.  However, if you start getting serious and fishing 1-2 weeks you just need to buy better equipment 

I still think some of the top end Phluegers are probably still good.

[MN Fisher]

58 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

I still think some of the top end Phluegers are probably still good.

For the BCs that'd be true...if they still made them. Only one they have currently is the President XT - Supreme, Supreme XT, Patriarch and Patriarch XT are 'missing'...as well as the lower-classes.

 

Also they're working on 'removing' the anti-reverse switch on the upper spinning reels.

[Wprich]

3 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

For the BCs that'd be true...if they still made them. Only one they have currently is the President XT - Supreme, Supreme XT, Patriarch and Patriarch XT are 'missing'...as well as the lower-classes.

 

Also they're working on 'removing' the anti-reverse switch on the upper spinning reels.

Got a Patriarch XT I just bought I guess its the latest edition as it doesn't have the anti-reverse switch on it.

[ironbjorn]

Pflueger quality just isn't what it used to be. For an inexpensive reel I actually prefer the Trion over the President these days. My fiance has 1 Trion in use and my son has 1 President left in use. No more after these are done. With a Daiwa Legalis sitting at $70 Pflueger and Pure Fishing better get it together because their existence is quickly becoming irrelevant.

[Mbirdsley]

14 minutes ago, ironbjorn said:

Pflueger quality just isn't what it used to be. For an inexpensive reel I actually prefer the Trion over the President these days. My fiance has 1 Trion in use and my son has 1 President left in use. No more after these are done. With a Daiwa Legalis sitting at $70 Pflueger and Pure Fishing better get it together because their existence is quickly becoming irrelevant.

That legalis might be something to look at and put, on my dobyns colt rod.  

[Team9nine]

11 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Let me guess - a 2020 model without the anti-reverse switch. They're going downhill - unfortunately.

 

 

Yep - the no AR switch was a bad surprise because I’m a backreeler. My mistake for not reading the description closer. The spring/bail mechanism going bad in a matter of months just guaranteed no future purchases. 

[Mobasser]

49 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

 

Yep - the no AR switch was a bad surprise because I’m a backreeler. My mistake for not reading the description closer. The spring/bail mechanism going bad in a matter of months just guaranteed no future purchases. 

This is why I went with a Lews Speed Spin. Thick bail wire, smooth, and lightweight- and still has an AR switch. I like to backreel also.

As has been said, Diawa makes some nice options here also in this price range.

[Team9nine]

5 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

This is why I went with a Lews Speed Spin. Thick bail wire, smooth, and lightweight- and still has an AR switch. I like to backreel also.

 

I've got one in service being heavily used, I believe at least 2 yrs now, and has been flawless. My only “complaint” is the silent drag mechanism, but otherwise...

[Tatsu Dave]

The two president xt's I just bought from TW both have anti reverse switch's. I can't talk long term as I just started using them hard but many 28 SM bass trips and they should show any weakness pretty quick. My sons president is 5+years now and as smooth as when it was new. We'll see how it goes in the long run, can't fix or replace what ain't broke I suppose. 

[MN Fisher]

47 minutes ago, Tatsu Dave said:

The two president xt's I just bought from TW both have anti reverse switch's.

Ya, they haven't 'mucked up' the Pres-XTs yet by removing the AR switch...just wait, they'll get to it.

 

47 minutes ago, Tatsu Dave said:

My sons president is 5+years now and as smooth as when it was new.

I think any President prior to 2019 is a good one...they made a 'minor' change for the 2019 model and it went downhill.

 

My 2018 President-25 is still smooth as silk...

[Tatsu Dave]

Guess I better get the other one now then, need one more Pres XT to fill last vacancy. Thanks for heads up.

[Mobasser]

Just remembered my wife has a small Trion( wooden handle) that she's used for crappie fishing. Probably ten years old, and still works well with moderate use each year.                                                       Here on BR, you can read lots of past threads about the President reels. Lots of guys using them , and recommending them to others. Kind of sad to see them go downhill.

[Mobasser]

I think because there's so much competition among reel manufacturers, every few years they change them and make an upgrade. But, these upgrades are not always good. Had they left the President as it was, you'd see no complaint. They messed up a good thing.

[MN Fisher]

33 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

I think because there's so much competition among reel manufacturers, every few years they change them and make an upgrade. But, these upgrades are not always good. Had they left the President as it was, you'd see no complaint. They messed up a good thing.

Exactly - don't fix what ain't broken.

[DogBone_384]

On 8/27/2021 at 11:04 PM, Wprich said:

I got several of the older ones with the wooden knob between 8-10 years old that work nearly as good as the day I bought them.

Ditto.  Presidents, President XTs, Supreme XTs and one Patriarch XT.

[Mbirdsley]

So I ended up buying a legalis 3000.  Nice reel for the money.  Mounted it on my dobyns and feels really good.  I found it on sale for $55 bucks online.  Felt way better than the president out of the box. 

 

right now due to it being fall and cooler temps up here. It is  pulling a lot of jerk bait and shad rap duty.  When it warms up next year it will go back to wacky rigs and other finesse stuff 

[bulldog1935]

As far as broken baitcaster feet, there are much more significant manufacturing differences than just aluminum and magnesium. 

Base-line frames are going to be die-cast.  The pot metal structure will be coarse and contain non-metallic inclusions (dirt) in as-cast shapes.  These features combine to produce metal fatigue over time. 

Top-end reels have forged frames - the metal work produces fine texture in the metal structure, literally squeezes out most of the dirt, and what remains is small and round, not affecting metal fatigue. 

(The makers stick silly marketing names on the process, such as Hagane)

Here's the forged frame on a top-line Abu Revo.