Goose52

OK. My records show that I put my "most used" (so far) PQ in service on October 26, 2009. I just set a reminder in my scheduling program to go off on October 26, 2014. I'll give you a report then. I have saved the link to this thread and will capture a screen shot of this post as well and have it on file if for some reason this thread is not viewable in 2014. At present, I have 12 BPS BC reels: 2 ProLites, 2 Rick Clunns, 2 Carbonlites, and 6 PQs. Of those, the ProLites, Rick Clunns, and the low-ratio PQs are niche reels that will probably last a lifetime at their current service rates. What I will report back on is those PQs and Carbonlites that have seen relatively constant use. Regarding "use rates" - I fished about 300 days last year. So, is that typical for all anglers? If my PQ reels do show wear or become unserviceable - then did they give 5 years of service? Are my 5 years the same as other angler's 5 years. How about northern anglers that have hardwater for 4 months - they only fish for bass for 8 months (or less if they have closed seasons). Then, they may be working and only fish a few times a week. So their "year" of fishing may only be 60 days on the water. Something to think about. I keep relatively good fishing records, but I will NOT be able to tell you how many days that I fished each reel since I maintain a "catch" log - not a fishing day log. I WILL be able to tell you how many fish were caught on each reel, and using an average number of casts per fish (probably around 25 or so - have no records on this...but my waters are not continuously productive - I get skunked from time to time!) I will be able to give an estimate of the number of "cycles" (casts & retrieves). I would be able to state (if I wanted to crunch the numbers) the total weight of the fish caught with each reel (it would take some work - not just file sorting). Another metric I could generate would be the types of baits that were used for each reel - this would provide some measure of reel service as a bait worked with the rod tip like soft plastics probably presents less strain to the reel than cranking for instance. Those are some metrics that come to mind that would provide some evidence of the amount of "use" and resulting durability of the reel(s). As an example: The reel that I put in service on 10-26-09 (PQ#2) has so far caught only 171 fish - perhaps 4200 cycles or so. I completely disassembled that reel for service last month and see no wear other than a little on the clutch return pawl - I'll be keeping an eye on that. At the same rate, in another 3.5 years, it would have only caught a total of 641 fish. Perhaps 16,000 cycles? Is that a lot? Who knows. Let's find out! In return, you can report on how many, or all, of your current ( by then old) reels are still in your possession and serviceable. See you in 2014... BTW - on old stuff (as I just posted in another thread) I sorta know how to keep gear in service. My "new" car is 23 years-old, my "old" car is 39 years-old. I fish 25 year-old reels, and still occasionally fish my 45 year-old gear. So, I'm somewhat familiar with using, and keeping older gear...

I saw that price on eBay and almost bought one myself last night! I was going to recommend a PQ for you but if you ended up happy with your cost - then you got a great deal on a fine reel. Enjoy!

Are you implying that all buyers of box store reels "Will Learn" to ONLY buy Shimano and Diawa. Maybe - time will tell. But time may also tell that these reels will give good service at their price points. If a person is happy with their gear - then good for them! On "learning", I'm sometimes glad I don't "learn" everything on this site. Just the other day I hopped in my 23 year-old car, drove to the lake, flipped the bail on my 25 year-old Shakespeare spinning reel, attached to my worthless broomstick BPS Extreme rod, tossed out a chatterbait on my also worthless 10lb BPS Excel mono, caught a 9.06lb LMB, released the bass, and then drove home. As I picked up some scissors that I've been using since about 1968 to cut my line to retie the chatterbait I started thinking, man, what I did was impossible - I should have had a new truck to drive to the lake, a ShimaDai reel, uber-expensive flouro on a St.CroLoomis rod, and at least used a new pair of line clippers to trim my line. How can you catch fish with this old equipment...everyone knows that this cheap stuff doesn't last or catch fish............. just sayin' :

Glad you like the new reel. I've seen them in the catalog but had not seen enough reviews on them to get any kind of idea of what they're like. Some people will say that it will fall apart after "a season" (whatever that means) but it may not. Keep it serviced, spread the use between all your reels, and collectively, you may be using it for a long time and get a lot of service out of it. Only time will tell - and I'm sure you will get your investment back in service. Have fun!

X2 !

Yowser! Thems fine fish indeed!!

I periodically repeat the "good old days" since I still have my rods, reels, and baits from about the 1959 to 1967 period and fish them all for nostalgia a couple times a year. The baits that I have from back then will catch fish today - jitterbugs, hula-poppers, rapala/rebel minnows, shyster spinners, etc. With an exception, the rods I still have from that era are just flat obsolete and I do not enjoy using them at all. The exception is my Shakespeare "Wonderod" fly rod. I will be using that this year but if I start catching fish - I'll probably finally upgrade that to a modern fly rod. My reels from back then still work, can cast and reel in fish - I wouldn't want to use them every day...but they would catch about as many fish as my more modern reels would (more modern meaning 1980s and newer). My Mitchell 408 spinning reel is an exception - I still LIKE to fish that reel...even though it has the clicking ratchet/pawl anti-reverse system. The only thing that bugs me about it is that you don't have selective bail close - you must crank to close the bail. Were they the good old days - sure...but not as good as today in many ways!

I'll have to admit that I bought my first Red Eye Shad after the classic last year. I was just starting to rebuild my bait collection and was looking to try something other than the couple of Super Spots that I had been using. I caught some nice fish on that first RES and ordered some more. I ended up catching 164 fish on the RES last season, and have already caught 12 fish on the RES this season including a 4.40 lb LMB. So, it was a good choice for me. It's now my standard lipless crank. I have some others, and like the Yo-Zuri bait as well, but the RES seems to be a good balance of quality, performance, and cost. As for the original question - one answer might be that some anglers may not be looking for a "magic bait"...but they may be more comfortable in buying a bait that has proven to be (in one set of conditions) a successful bait. There are hundreds (thousands) of baits out there and some beginning or just occasional anglers may just flat not know what to buy. They may be thinking that if it's good enough for the champ, then.........

I have a 5.2:1 BC reel on my "heavy" spinnerbait rod (say 1/2oz to over 1oz baits). I use a 6.4:1 BC reel for 1/4-1/2oz baits, but also sometimes use a spinning rod for those. For 1/8 and 3/16 SBs, I use spinning or a 6.3:1 BC reel on an ML BC rod.

Keep the pics coming Shane!

Mine too - starting about a month ago.

Go get 'em Raul ! Not too bad. Last ice I saw was 10 days ago. Have only caught 31 bass so far this year though...and no LMB bigger than 9.06lbs yet...

WOW - great fish indeed! I love the snow in the background!! ;D Stay warm....

My fish count is not high. 31 so far this calendar year. It started well with a 3.76lb bass on New Years day. Then nothing until Jan 30/31 when I got a 17" and 19" fish. Much of January the lakes were iced-over. However, starting on February 1 I've just been nailing them in this cove. Not so much in numbers...but quality fish. I've had the cove ice-over with skim ice twice in February so I lost some fishing opportunities there. But when the water was soft, and 39 degrees or above, I've been doing well. I've really been able to capitalize on some air and water temp fluctuations, combined with some low-pressure fronts, that have brought the fish into this cove. On quality - here's the weights of the top 10 fish so far this year (these numbers are much better than I did ALL last season): 9.06 6.32 5.31 4.87 4.60 4.40 3.92 3.76 3.54 3.04 Those are just phenomenal numbers for any time of year in my lakes - let alone in Jan/Feb in water from 39 to 49 degrees! Quality is good for sure ! 8-)

Last ice I saw was about 10 days ago! We could possibly have one more "freeze-over" but the odds are getting smaller of that every day...

I've only caught 31 bass so far this YEAR...you're way ahead of me for sure !! Good show !

I'm a chatterbait newb - only been using one for 2 days and only caught 3 fish: 9.06lbs, 6.32lbs, and 1.45lbs. Don't know about longevity but the bait seems to work. The bait - Z-Man TrailerZ. :

Weather is fine for now but all good things will eventually come to an end... : Bait? Z-Man TrailerZ

LOL - you got that right. Won't be too much longer before I'll be driving to all of my 11 lakes, trying to catch 12" bass... ;D ;D Thanks Paul - things are pretty good right now on top of the plateau ! Brett - I bet you've got a couple baits that you haven't used yet - get 'em out and give 'em a try!

So I go over, again, to the cove where I've been having good catches on spinnerbaits, lipless cranks, and now chatterbaits. As I'm at the car putting on my gear, a guy pulls up and says: "I saw you out here fishing yesterday - did you get anything?" So I proceed to tell him that I spent a whopping 3 hours fishing there yesterday and only got one bass. I said "I think the water is still too cold." He wisely nodded and agreed and drove off. Phew... So I go to "the spot" (flat rock where I can cast to most of the good water) and work that end of the cove slow with the chatterbait. Nothing. I go out to a little fishing pier at the end of the point and start working the approaches to the cove that I can cast to. Nothing. I turn around and yikes! Another angler is on "the spot"...but he's using a spincast rod with a lipped crank so I figure he's not going to be much of a problem. So, I go over to "Cove B" where I've picked up a few fish. Nothing. I work back to "Cove A" and the guy is still on "the spot." I move to "Cove C" and beat the water waiting for the guy to leave - he finally does. I go out on the pier and work the approaches to the cove with a lipless crank and get a 12" white crappie. I then leave the pier and go to "the spot" and start working back in the cove as far as I can with the lipless crank (stumps in there...). I switch back to the chatterbait and tell myself "self - just work the water in front of 'the spot' and then call it a day." Just like yesterday, on what was going to be about my last cast...BAM. Bonus fish to follow-up my PB from the day before! 23" - 6.32 pounds - surface water temp still 49 degrees. Life is getting better all the time high on the Cumberland plateau in Tennessee ! 8-)

Thanks again guys for all the positive comments! The saga continues - see next post...

On February 8th, I answered this question theoretically. Yesterday (February 22) I caught my first 9 pounder (9.06). ...my answer is STILL the nine pounder for SURE!

That smile says it all! Any February fish is a GREAT fish indeed!!

Top-water frog hits get the adrenaline flowing for sure - great fish!

Tooooo Cool ! Looks like a great day indeed!