Bps Pro Qualifier Bc Reel – 5 Year Challenge – Interim Report

[Goose52]

BACKGROUND:

Back in February 2011 we had a lengthy thread (70 posts) on whether you could get a quality BC reel for $100. In that discussion, the BPS Pro Qualifier (PQ) reel was recommended by many board members. Other board members expressed doubt that the PQ was actually a “quality” reel and that it was unlikely to last. Some of the comments included: “disposable reel,” “cheap, unrefined,” and “probably get $75 worth of use out of a PQ if you treat it right.” One board member issued a challenge for the PQ owners to report back in 5 years (implying that the reels wouldn’t last that long).

So, as the owner of 6 PQs, I accepted the challenge. My comments in that thread are here: Goose Accepts the Challenge

My “highest mileage” PQ was put in service on October 26, 2009. I have a reminder in my computer that will go off on October 26, 2014 and at that time I’ll report my 5-year experience with that PQ (as well as any of my other BPS BC reels that see considerable service by then). A problem is that I now have 21 BC reels, most on rods, and that while I am fishing about 300 days a year, putting a lot of service on any one reel becomes difficult. However, for the purposes of this challenge, I will continue to use this particular BPS PQ (6.4 ratio) as my primary BC reel for the period of the challenge.

As I mentioned in the earlier thread – I have excellent “catch” records but I don’t have “fishing” records. I know when I’ve caught fish using this reel but don’t have a record of how many days I’ve actually fished the reel. Also, for the purposes of this study, I will be using several assumptions, based on the catch data. Here are my assumptions for the calculations:

• I average about 1 hour of fishing time per fish caught (I don’t have productive water and I fish about 1,000 hours a year and catch about 1,000 fish).
  
• While fishing a moving bait, you will average AT LEAST 50 casts per hour – perhaps twice that with something like lipless cranks.
  

Using these two assumptions, and knowing how many fish are caught, you can roughly calculate how many cycles (casts and retrieves) on the reel – and thus make an assessment of the degree of “use” on the reel. A problem with many reports about the durability of a reel is that the usage of the reel is undefined. For instance, someone might state that the reel has worked fine for the last 3 “seasons.” It might turn out that a “season” for that angler is once a week for the 7-8 months that they have soft water – perhaps only 30 days on the water each season – a much different “season” than someone fishing every day of the year in South Florida. Thus my attempt to use some assumptions based on the catch data to quantify the actual usage of the reel.

Having said all of the above, if you’re still reading, here’s the report:

INTERIM REPORT

I’m making this interim report as a result of tearing down the subject PQ 6.4 for annual service. I had just begun having a problem with the line guide occasionally skipping on the worm shaft. The teardown showed wear on the line guide pawl so I replaced it ($2.10). The clutch return pawl is showing more wear than last year but is still serviceable - I’ll be watching that in future tear-downs. The drag stack is still stock and serviceable (capable of dealing with 40-pound fish). The spool bearings are probably a bit noisier than new but still serviceable. Otherwise, no other problems – no other signs of wear other than cosmetics. Due to the way I palm a reel, I’ve worn off the magnetic brake setting markings on the side of the reel (see photos).

As of today, I’ve used this reel to catch fish on 148 different days, and brought in 324 fish – the largest being several 40 pound grass carp. Of the 324 fish, 302 of them were caught on lipless cranks. This is significant in that lipless cranks are typically one of the farthest casting baits, as well as one of the most quickly worked in the water – indicating somewhat more reel usage on the retrieve than other baits (due to more line out on the cast) as well as more “casts-per-hour.”

Using the assumptions above: 324 fish = approximately 324 hours of use. 324 hours x 50 casts/hour = 16,200 cycles. This is a VERY conservative estimate of use – calculated only on fish caught – not on total days/hours used. There were many times where this reel was fished but there were no catches - this reel could have easily been fished for 200 or more days. Also, since it’s possible that there were often more than 50 casts/hour – the actual cycles on the reel could easily be in the 25,000 range (or more) - can’t say for sure. So, is 16,200 (or more) cycles a lot? Probably not for some, but it could represent years of use for others.

Anyway, there you have it – a quantification of use, albeit with some ROM assumptions. More reports to follow if I have any failures or replace any more parts on the reel.

Getting back to the original thread this past February, can you get a quality baitcaster for $100 – the answer is sure. The PQ is one, but not the only option. Is the PQ disposable? I don’t think so. Is the PQ cheap and unrefined? Perhaps – compared with some $200 reels (OTOH, the Lew’s Tournament Pro that many are fawning about has essentially the same lockwork design as the PQ so if the PQ has an unrefined design, then so does the Lew’s reel – lol). Will the PQ give $75 worth of service? To me it already has, and much more (AND, my average cost for my 6 PQs is about $64 per reel so I’ve already “made money” on this one!).

Finally, will the PQ last 5 years. Well, this one has already lasted for 5 “seasons” for those folks that might only fish 30 times a year. Will it last 5 years at my usage rate? Time will tell…

[Ima Bass Ninja]

Great report Goose!!...Since i don't get to fish anywhere near as often as you i can expect to be buried with my PQ's :lol:

[deep]

Awesome Goose! Continued success to you and your PQs.

[new2BC4bass]

Nice write up, Goose. Wish I could fish more. Didn't get out 10 times this year. You think you don't have time to make good use of 21 reels with 300 days of fishing, try 13 (10 rods tho) fishing less than 10 times a year.

Actually I forgot about my time fishing while visiting Florida in Feb., so I have to amend that to less than 15 times out this year. I've got 2 reels that haven't even been spooled yet, and 2 used reels that were shipped with line, but haven't been fished either. Heck, every time I grab a reel it feels like it is the first time it has been used!

[ChiCityBasser]

Great report Goose and I actually remember that original post and some of the comments being made. Thanks for update and keep us informed as you said. That's alot of fihing and I have some setups that have only been out once or twice.

[K_Mac]

Good report Goose. Based on your numbers, the value of the PQ is hard to beat; of course you and I already knew that. Thanks for the information.

[Goose52]

Good report Goose. Based on your numbers, the value of the PQ is hard to beat; of course you and I already knew that. Thanks for the information.

Yup! Too bad others are realizing this as well...I can't get PQs on eBay for $30 or $40 anymore!

[roadwarrior]

Excellent review!

[Goose52]

Thanks RW. Not trying to start another "reel wars"...just trying to look at the subject of reel longevity based on some sort of objective, rather than subjective, data...

One thing for sure, the bite is so poor here right now that this reel is getting lots of "cycles" that aren't showing up on the "catch" data...

[boonhogganbeck]

Keep it up! I really like those reels.

[Jason Penn]

very nice report!

i got back on board with the bps reels in 2009, and sold off all of the daiwa's i had except for a fuego that i switched over to 5:1. i will probably sell it when i get the new carbonlite 5:1 this year.

i got on a steez kick for a while and bought up a few and really liked them. one day while fishing, i was really comparing the steez to an older model revo premier, and i just realized i liked the premier more. i decided i'd take a chance on the carbonlite since they really looked similar to the revo frame-wise. i ended getting 3 of the pro qualifier tournaments after that because i liked the carbonlite so much!

i have used them now since 2009 pretty regular, though not as much as you, and i've not had any problems. i caught my personal best last feb. with one of the pqt's. i had no problems with the wimpy drag.

i'm probably the only person on these posting boards using bps reels on steez rods, but i've found the gear that feels the best and works the best for me regardless of the name or price that is on it.

[Goose52]

i'm probably the only person on these posting boards using bps reels on steez rods, but i've found the gear that feels the best and works the best for me regardless of the name or price that is on it.

Almost the same thing - CL on GLX...

[Hooligan]

Almost the same thing - CL on GLX...

You gotta hide your secret baits better, Goose. I see what you've been throwin*!!

[Goose52]

Hah - no secret there - that little Speed Craw got me some fish in cold water last winter so I tied it back on this year when the water temps started to drop. However, the weather has been so mild so far this year that I haven't spent much time with jigs or soft plastics. I'm still getting bit on lipless cranks. Anytime I have a choice between cranking and just dragging something slow across the bottom...I'm gonna crank!