The Rooster

My spinners are set up for right handed retrieve and I cast almost exclusively with my left hand when it comes to a spinning rod/reel. My baitcasters are also right handed retrieve but I mostly cast right handed with them and then switch over so that the reel rests in the palm of my left hand while I reel with my right. Occasionally I'll cast left handed though if it's a bait that I want to come alive the instant it hits water, such as a buzzbait. That way I can engage the crank immediately so the bait doesn't have time to sink. No lost time switching hands. The reel is not palmed when I do this though, I have to remain holding onto the rear grip with one finger on the trigger. Seems to work though. I have tried reeling with my left hand and it just doesn't feel natural at all. I can cast with either hand using either style of reel but to retrieve it in I absolutely must use my right hand.

Got my new Bass Pro Shops Extreme in today. Was outside casting it around and it's so fluid with it's cast and retrieve that it's hard to imagine anything better to fish with. Now I have two of these things and want two more also.

Bass Pro Shops Extreme. Nuff said..................but anyone who knows me knows that's not all I'm sayin'!!! I would put this reel up against virtually any other reel on the market. My brother in law uses nothing but Shimano Curado D series reels, a reel that I know had quite a following while it was being produced. I fish my little green Extreme right beside his Curados and I'm able to do everything he can with them. Cast distance, smoothness and all, his Curado was just unable to beat my Extreme in any way. Not saying one is better than the other, they were just dead equal was all. But his costed $200 and mine costed $60 on sale. You do the math. Bragging aside, based on the facts alone this reel is worth every penny of it's full retail price and then some. It's got an aluminum frame where most reels priced this low have a graphite frame. It has a very easy to use braking system to help prevent backlashing it. I have mine adjusted so that I can cast a 1/4 oz crankbait straight into the wind and get no backlash, not even a line overrun. With no wind it will cast a very long distance, I was hitting over 70 feet with the 1/4 oz crankbait, and I don't have to thumb it at all. Just touch it to stop it before it hits water, and no overruns that way. The longest cast I was able to make was 125 feet using a 3/8 oz Roostertail. No overruns or backlashes at all. Never had a reel any easier to use than this one. Comfort factor is a big deal to me too. This reels ergonomics are awesome. It's very small and fits perfectly into the palm of my hand the way I hold the rod. It also comes in 9 different versions, 3 of which are left handed since I know you said you wanted that. There's a wide spool version, a finesse version, you can get a flippin' switch, 3 different gear ratios available, where else are you gonna find a reel that gives you so many options to buy from?? And right now in the Bass Pro Shops catalog they're on sale for $65 plus shipping. Get the Christmas catalog and get a $20 off coupon for spending over $100 and then purchase over the internet or call in an order (not in stores though). That way you can get 2 of them and save even more. Normally they're $80 each. You'll never beat the Extreme for value, quality compared to price (heck, quality in general), usability, comfort and ease of use, and it looks great too. I have one already and ordered one more that should be here tomorrow. With any luck I'll get 2 more by Christmas.

In order to get a reply to his question, he bumped it back up. You get the action of rod you want for whatever technique you want to use it for. Medium or medium heavy are a couple of good ones. Medium is more an all around general rod while medium heavy will give you a little more muscle in the rod, it doesn't give quite as much and is a good one for jigging or T-rigging (I think anyway). It also depends on how heavy a bait you will be throwing with it, they each have their own range. Usually a medium will be 1/4 to 3/4 weight while a medium heavy could be anywhere from 1/4 to 1 oz. and maybe even all the way up to 1 1/2 oz. weight. You just need to look a the rod specs to know more about it. Really though, nothing beats up close and personal inspection of the rod you're about to buy. I don't much care for online ordering of a lot of things, but for this deal here it might be worth the chance. Getting that combo for $80 is over 1/2 off of what it would cost to buy them seperately. But remember, in order to get the $80 price, you'll probably need to get some other small item to make it over the $100 mark. The coupon is for $100 and over orders but the combo is only $99.98 and I'm sure it won't qualify alone.

If you take the sideplate off you'll see the spool has a shaft that runs through the middle of it. I don't know about your specific reel, but in general the bearings are either on that shaft or they will be in the sideplates instead, which will have them separated from the shaft once the sideplate is removed. Some reels have bearings in both places. I have one that has 3 bearings on the spool shaft. When the left sideplate is off one bearing stays in it, and one stays in the right plate too (accessable by removing the tension knob), but one other one stays on the shaft itself with the spool during removal, on the side that makes contact with the pawl gear. If you know what a bearing looks like then they are easy to find. They'll look like a little silver wheel and should turn very easily if you touch them with your finger. One drop of oil is plenty and I can't really see that they need it after every single outing. I don't do mine that often and my reel casts a pretty long distance just the same. Just recently I measured it's cast with a 3/8 oz. lure and was able to hit 120 feet distance. Hard to imagine that it would cast any more freely than that.

Oh sorry. I got carried away there with people talking about Extremes and I sort of compared it to the Pro Qualifier. You asked about which PQ model I'd get over the other one, not even mentioning the Extreme. In that case I'd have to say the 6.4:1. To me it's the most usable all around reel of the ones listed. It's a good solid speed, fast enough to fish buzzbaits and keep them on top of the water but slow enough also to crank light weight medium to shallow diving crankbaits with. If I want it to go a lot slower I just slow down how fast I crank it, that's all. That might be harder to do with a 7.1:1 reel. And of course with the 5.2:1 reel, keeping a heavier buzzbait up on top of the water might be a chore. The 6.4:1 is sort of in the middle. I have one that speed and when I ordered my second one I got the same ratio again instead of trying something different. If I was building a deep diving crankbait rod I would have gotten the slowest speed of them all. If I was making a Texas rig/jigging rod or buzzbait rod I would get the faster one. You don't really need a certain speed reel for T-rigging or jigging but I find it convenient to cast my bait, work it through the strike zone and then once that's done I can retrieve it quickly for another cast. Those baits are worked with the rod, not with the reel, so speed is just a convenience and that's all. But I still got the 6.4:1 cause it allows me to fish a whole lot of baits with the same rod. T-rigs, jigs, buzzbaits, crankbaits, spinnerbaits.....just a lot of stuff.

As far as I can see, the new Pro Qualifier is a lot like the Extreme. Both are 7 bearing reels, both are built on the same frame design and should be roughly the same size (I say roughly cause the Rick Clunn looked like it would have been too, but when I ordered it, it was somewhat larger bodywise, and I could tell as I held it). The crank is the most obvious difference to me. Has the contoured "twisted" grips (like most Pfluegers) instead of just flat like the Extreme has. They are also a swept in design where the Extreme just has a straight shank for it's paddle grips to ride on. Either one is fine with me. And the Pro Qualifier has an aluminum drag star but the Extreme has a graphite drag star. Not a significant difference. They both have lube ports too. The Extreme lube port is for applying grease to the gears, its on the bottom of the gearbox and the reel has to be removed from the rod to access it by removing the screw holding the lid on. The Pro Qualifier "looks" like it's gonna be up on the side of the body based on the picture (not seen one personally yet to know for sure). There's a silver knob or cover of some kind visible on the same side as the crank is on, it's in a place where there's nothing on the Extreme so I'm assuming that's what they are calling the oil port. Not entirely sure how that's gonna work.......but really it's unimportant anyway. I only use the lube port on mine to temporarily smooth it out some to get me through one more fishing trip before a complete breakdown and relube anyway. If you are doing that then a lube port is unnecessary, you'll tear it all down and clean it, then relube it, not just add some grease in on top of dirt and old lube. A little less obvious difference between the Extreme and the Pro Qualifier, but probably the most important, is the braking system. It's a dual centrifugal/magnetic system on the PQ. Not entirely sure how that works, but I believe it physically has brakes that will spin out and ride on a drum to slow the spool down, and it also will have magnetics too. The Extreme has the ITB system, or inertia brakes. It's magnetic but it has a plate on the spool that spins out with centrifugal force to react to slow down the spool even further, the plate comes in closer proximity to the magnets in other words due to forces pulling it out, and it helps to slow the spool down. The faster the spool turns the farther out that plate moves and applies more magnetic force to slow it down. The only REAL difference I can see is that it's not physically letting a brake pad ride on a drum to slow it down. No actual contact is made with the Extreme brakes, but the Pro Qualifier does make contact. The new PQ's that is, the older 5.2 version you're looking at has the same ITB brake as the Extreme does. Otherwise it's virtually the same reel, just one is silver and the other is green. I think the PQ is a good reel based on what I've read about it, and had it been on sale I might have gotten it. But already owning one Extreme, and having them on sale too, was enough to make me buy another one instead of trying the Pro Qualifier.

And now comes the next deal!!! I got in the mail today the Bass Pro Shops Christmas 2008 catalog and it has the same Extreme rod and reel on sale for $99.98 ($100 roughly) but it also has a $20 off coupon that's good on internet or catalog purchases of $100 or more, and it specifically says it's not available in stores. So that will allow you to get that rod for $80 instead of $100 now. Now how you gonna beat that!!!! Only thing is, you'll end up having to pick out a lure or something to go with it in order to push it over the $100 dollar mark. It's $99.98 right now, and cause of that 0.02 cent difference, it won't qualify alone. You'll need line for it anyway, so get some of that and that will make the difference needed to save the $20.

Get a copy of the Bass Pro Shops fall angler catalog. In it they have their Extreme reel and rod combo on sale for $100. That rod is normally that much alone, and the reel is normally $80. Combo usually sells for $130 which is a $50 discount anyway, but right now it can be had for even that much less. Honestly I can't vouch for the rod, never fished one. But the reel is phenominal. I have one that's 2 years old now and one more will be here any day from now. Excellent reels for the money. But I've heard good things about the rod too, just have never used one. I have my heart set on a Shimano Compre rod for my Extreme reels, of course that's gonna cost me a good bit, but that's just what I want. But to save some money and have a good combo (especially the reel) then that's the way to go. Only catch is, ya gotta have the catalog to get the deal. The combo order number is not the same as just in the regular catalog, and of course there's a customer ID number on the back of the catalog too that you need. GET THAT CATALOG!!!

I just think it's a poor design because the threads are cut directly into aluminum, which is a soft metal for such a thing. That's where the risk of stripping comes from. The very first time I removed it, before I put it back on I was looking at it and could already see metal shavings inside the hole. What little time I had the Rick Clunn reel and removed the handle I could see that putting it back on it would be very easy to cross thread it. By the way I put it on I wouldn't really know it was crossed until it began to bind while turning it cause I would have too much leverage twisting it on by holding the paddles to do so. Crossing a nut on there I would feel it bind as I was finger tightening it, long before it did any damage. Also the nut is not aluminum like the handle is, so it just would hold up better. And while putting the handle back on the drag never slipped at all, it was cranked down too tightly as per instructions of the reel (it said to tigthen it up as much as possible, which I did). The spool did give though, it was allowed to turn because I was unable to hold it still enough to get the handle back on as tightly as it was from the factory. So to summarize, to me it was a bad design due to having to apply so much pressure to first remove it, which I felt could damage the clutch bearing or the frame it was housed in, being that the sideplate was made of graphite and all. Also cranking the drag down super tight like that I felt it could compress the washers together enough they might not slip later as they were designed to. And then being unable to put it back on tight enough to not come loose again on an accidental bump, plus the risk of a crossthread in soft aluminum. It was just not thought out well enough. Oh, and I really don't want to sound condescending cause I don't know you personally and would like to stay on good terms with everyone here (I'm just enjoying the great handle debate is all)......but if you think about it, I only have the nut and cap off when I'm removing everything else in order to clean and relube my reels. How can I lose those things when I take them apart in a very orderly fashion so I know what order it all goes back together in?? I have just as much chance of losing any other small part while cleaning it as I do those. But I do agree with you on the maintenance port. It's better to do a complete breakdown and clean. Sometimes I feel the gears need a shot of lube to smooth them back out a bit as they begin to feel some roughness setting in, just to get me through another fishing trip before I go ahead and tear it all down to thoroughly go through it. Having the maintenance port allows me to do that on mine. I know it's lazy on my part, but it does work. Just so long as I don't just continue to use that as my ONLY means of lubing it.

I have had that same feeling before from stuff very similar. Once I scrubbed the tip of my favorite rod on the ground as I was walking back to the car and snapped it off. Just before this happened I had the thought that I better watch out that that doesn't happen. About a year ago now I had the rods in the boat getting ready to go fishing and sat a battery over in the boat with them. Just as it was touching down I realized it "might" hit one of my rods. I yanked it back and thought I had caught it in time to not do any damage. Not so. It crushed the blank of a spinning rod I had just put a reel on and was looking forward to seeing how it fished. I had only owned it for a month and hadn't gotten to use it more than twice before I got the reel for it I really wanted. Luckily it wasn't a total loss, just the last 6 inches of it was all. Retipped it and sold it in a yard sale later that summer. I say luckily because some kid is now using it and it only costed him $5. I paid $25, it was a cheap rod really, an Abu Garcia Harold Ensley 6' spinner. Now it's a 5'6" spinner. ;D

Check out the Shimano Compre. To my way of thinking this is not a cheap rod, it retails for $90. But it should be a good one, this is the one I'm thinking of purchasing for my light lure duties. It's model CPC66MLB. It's a 6'6" length, medium light power with a fast tip. Rated for 8 - 12 pound line, and 1/8 - 5/8 lure weight. This rod based on it's ratings would be able to load right for the 1/8 lures you want to use but also be heavy enough to allow you to fish "regular" lures too such as 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 oz. weighted lures. Spinnerbaits, light crankbaits, buzzbaits, and other things.

Come to think of it, the reel I just ordered and returned said it would be subject to inspection if returned after 30 days.

I back off the drag after every trip. Anytime I'm not using it the drag is loose. That protects if from getting draglock. Otherwise I just wipe it down if it's dirty, which isn't much dirt cause I mostly fish from a boat. For storing them until the next trip I just lean them in a corner, which I know for most is a cardinal sin cause the rod is under pressure. My rods aren't that costly though. When I get the Shimano Compre's I want I'll have to come up with anther solution. I plan to build a rod rack, or just buy one. I know you're wanting a Daiwa Zillion rod..........DON'T LEAN IT IN THE CORNER!!

Uh...apparently nobody now. The guy deleted his post.

Quoted myself to have both sets of results together. Today I went back out to try the rod I used for the above results again, but this time for it's actual range of use. Again, it's a 6' medium rod (maybe a fast tip??) 1/4 to 3/4 lure weight, and I have it spooled with 14# Transitions fluorocarbon line. Bass Pro Shops Extreme baitcast reel. With a 1/4 oz. crankbait I am able to hit 75 feet casts consistantly and with moderate accuracy With a 7/16 oz. spinnerbait I was at 109 feet just trying for distance only With a 3/8 oz. roostertail I was 120 feet trying for distance only Again this reel amazed me, I didn't know it was casting as far as it does with my novice skills. I was also making it my business to learn to use the reel right. For the past 12 years I've been into fishing I've been using baitcasting reels but have always relied on the brakes to do the bulk of the work. I don't think I've ever really truly learned how to use these reels, only just enough to not have constant backlashes and that's it. Today I backed off the brakes a lot, down to 3 out of 10, and up to 5 out of 10 max (previously I had them set on 9 out of 10). Then I tightened up the spool tension somewhat cause I did have it ridiculously loose in order to get cast distance. I let my thumb do more work that it used to do today and I was able to cast like what I did. I think there's potential that I could let casting reels replace spinning reels for me. That would mean far less line twist, only would be a risk for lures such as inline spinners that tend to rotate on retrieve. Also it would mean more comfort for me, maybe increased distance too cause I can't imagine a spinning rod doing any better than what I've seen so far. If I get a casting rod in the right power and action, a reel to match and some light line that is. And everytime I disassemble it to clean it, the job will be simpler, I think casting reels are a bit easier to work on than spinning reels are. Not as many parts to take down.

Reel Mechanic told me he stores his vertically (standing up or hanging), never horizontally (laying down). He said if you hang it by the tip guide then first remove the reel to get the weight off. After that you can use a cup hook to hand it by.

I don't normally do it until I feel that the reel needs it, and by feel I actually mean feeling the gears meshing together as I crank it, sort of a grind but not severe. One time a year at the beginning of the season usually does me until fall. Depends on how much I use the reel between March and October. With that RC reel I had, I was worried that it would fish smooth for a year and then need a lube and removing the handle would be a problem, or a hassle, or something......and I wanted to make sure it would not be a problem while I still had an option to return it, not a year later when it was too late. But with the Extreme I got to replace it, it's not even that much of an issue cause I can lubricate the gears without even taking the reel down, it has a lube port on the bottom of the gear box (one phillips screw and it's open), and I can get to the bearings on the spool by simply removing the sideplate, no tools required. That works for a temporary fix. Very convenient, but still not as good as a complete breakdown and thorough cleaning. Only bearings I can't reach without removing the handle and breaking out the tools are the ones on the main gear shaft, one ball bearing and one clutch bearing. For those two I have to break it down and that means removing the handle. Fortunately, it's such an awesome design that that is an easy job. They had the good sense to use the nut and nut cap.

I'm with fish-fightin, this is a POOR design and I just returned my brand new Rick Clunn reel partly because of that to exchange it for an Extreme which does not have to be done this way. I think rather than causing a drag problem though, it's far more likely that the threads in the aluminum handle will eventually strip from the strain of removing and retightening again over and over. Might last a while, even a long time maybe, but it's just a poor design all for a smoother looking handle. I much prefer the nut and nut cap design. When I got my RC baitcaster I removed the handle just to see how hard it would be to do and on the very first removal I was already seeing metal shavings and what appeared to be one thread broken from somewhere, there was a small sliver of metal that came out. It was on there so tight it couldn't be removed without way excessive pressure, and then it couldn't be tightened up like it had been from the factory after reinstalling it again. I know I've said this already but it's a really really bad design. Otherwise Pflueger makes top notch baitcasters though.

From what I've read on here BPS has no problems swapping out their branded merchandise when something happens to it. If you have the reciept and it clearly shows you purchased the "gear guard" then how can they argue with that even if you didn't activate it?? You have nothing to lose anyway to take it back and see what they say. But I think you'll be surprised they'll take it right back.

I just ordered and returned a Rick Clunn myself. Mine didn't have any problems mechanically but it did let the sideplate move slightly when I pulled back in a hook setting motion. My Extreme doesn't do that so I just sent it back and ordered another one of the Extremes to replace it with. Extremes are great.

Sorry to hear that about your BPS reel. Which model did you have?? Nice that you got a Zillion though.

You must have the greatest thumb of any baitcaster fisherman anywhere. With settings like that on my Extreme, it would constantly be backlashed severely.

I trust anything you tell me about reels to be solid info. I found that out too a long time ago by putting too much grease on the clutch bearing on a Garcia Cardinal spinning reel. It sometimes wouldn't catch on the reverse. I thought that might be what was happening but all I did was wipe off as much as I could and then added oil in an attempt to thin it out some cause I didn't want to take it completely apart, I was afraid I would ruin it. The oil seemed to help some and I used it for 10 years before giving it away, still in working condition too. It never was completely rock solid again though, it would rotate in reverse about 1/4 inch before it caught. So it makes sense what you are saying here, that must have been what happened to it.

Such blastphemy!!!! Shhh!!! We do not speak of such attrocities here!!! ;D PRETEND YOU DIDN'T HEAR THAT PFLUEGER!!!!!!!