Goose52

I have two Rapala mini-digitals. Both have been scary accurate in pull-tests against known weights. Here are a couple threads where I posted my results: Rapala Digital Mini-Scale - Quick Test Report Digital Scale Test

Thanks everyone. I'll be glad when the next 21 months are over so I can give some of my other BC reels some "love"...

The test reel for the PQ 5-Year Challenge became inoperative on January 7 due to the line guide pawl jamming on a worn worm shaft, requiring parts replacement and thus prompting this special report. This event was directly related to the original damage to the worm shaft that occured on July 3, 2012, and was reported in an earlier thread. See the "Time to Pay the Piper" section below. I ordered the parts and installed them today. While the reel was apart, I also performed a quick cleaning and finally upgraded the drag stack with Carbontex washers. Background: This previous thread detailed the background of the PQ 5-Year Challenge: http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/94972-bps-pro-qualifier-bc-reel-%E2%80%93-5-year-challenge-%E2%80%93-interim-report/ Briefly, the challenge resulted from some board members expressing the opinion that the PQ reel was a “one-season” reel, and certainly wouldn’t stay in an angler’s arsenal for as long as 5 years. The subject reel is being used to test those opinions. Current Statistics (based on documented catch data and assumptions as discussed in the earlier thread): Reel placed into service: 26 Oct. 2009 Months of service as of this report: 39 Number of “catch days” (days when fish were caught with this reel): 300 Number of fish caught: 636 Biggest fish caught: 48.6 lb grass carp Biggest bass caught: 9.5 lb LMB Number of cycles (casts & retrieves): 32,000+ (see note) Note: Number of cycles is based on catch data, not on total days/hours of use. The reel was used many days where no fish were caught, especially during the winter months. Actual number of use days probably easily exceeds 500. Actual number of cycles could easily be in excess of 45,000-50,000. Significant Events Since the Last Report: Since the last report on October 26 (see this thread: http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/109086-bps-pro-qualifier-bc-reel-–-5-year-challenge-–-three-years-in/ ), the reel has been fished every single day (minus 3 days I was out of town). The good news is that I have had soft water so far this winter; the bad news is that there has been no lipless crank bite and that's what this reel is used for. So, in over 70 times on the water since the last report, the reel only brought in a whopping 6 fish... However, each time on the water is a minumum of 50 casts, and probably averaging about 75 casts. Since usage on the reel is calculated on metrics related to fish caught, this winter has produced, so far, at least 5,000 casts that are "undocumented" cycles. Previous Maintenance/Repairs: December 2010 – Annual cleaning. December 2011 – Annual cleaning. Replacement of line guide pawl at about 26 months of use. Interesting factoid – the pawl had probably made at least 320,000 passes across the worm shaft at the time of replacement. July 2012 – Repairs: (documented in this thread: http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/104414-bps-pro-qualifier-bc-reel-%e2%80%93-5-year-challenge-%e2%80%93-a-speed-bump-on-the-road-to-paradise/ ) Repair 1 – debris jammed the line guide pawl causing the pawl to create a burr on the worm shaft. Filed off the burr and thoroughly cleaned the reel. Repair 2 – centrifugal brake wear – replaced the palm-side sideplate assembly as reported in the July 5th thread linked above. January 2013 - Repair / cleaning / upgrade Repair – replaced the worn shaft, line guide pawl, and two idler gears Upgrade – replaced the stock drag washers with Carbontex washers Current Condition: The condition of the internal parts of the reel are about the same as previously reported. Externally, the reel has some minor rash on the top of the reel, very little on the sides. Spool bearings are still a bit noisy but spin well when cleaned. I had earlier reported that the reel felt a bit “loose” as compared to a new PQ but that has been dimished somewhat with the new Carbontex drag stack. As I mention with every report, this reel has not been babied, and has often been rode hard and put away wet. This winter, as in previous winters, the reel is frequently rode hard and put away frozen, with ice still in the line guide when taking the rod out of the trunk of the car. I still believe that much of the centrifugal brake wear that I reported back in July 2012 may have been a result of cold-weather service (air temps down to below freezing) - causing some of the grit and congealed oil film on the brake drum to become particularly abrasive - accelerating wear on the brass drum. On the last report, I mentioned that the anti-reverse bearing was slipping a bit from time-to-time. I removed excess lube from the AR bearing today and the AR system is working much better. I still need to properly flush/clean the bearing at some point in the future. Time to Pay the Piper: Back in July 2012, when debris jammed the line guide pawl causing the pawl to create a burr on the worm shaft - I performed a repair by using a jewelers file to remove the burr. Removal of the burr also removed the plating from that area of the worm shaft, creating a soft spot. I should have immediately ordered a new worm shaft then, but frugal as I am, I delayed ordering the part. The worm shaft wear quickly accelerated and a jam again occured on January 7, 2013. At this time, the worm shaft was officially toast, and the jam also chipped the line guide pawl. This pawl had only been in service for 13 months and probably had at least another year of service life left so that part was toast prematurely. The worn worm shaft The chipped/damaged line guide pawl: As long as I was ordering parts, I decided to also replace the nylon idler gears on the worm shaft and crank shaft since those gears slip and get a bit bunged-up when the line guide pawl jams. The idler gears probably didn't have to be replaced, but they are very inexpensive so I added them to the order. So, the parts used to finally complete the repair were: Worm shaft (a kit that also includes a bushing, washer, and e-clip) - $6.50 Line guide pawl - $2.10 2 idler gears - $1.05 each An inexpensive repair, and parts are readily available and only a phone call away. The replacement parts - nifty that the worm shaft comes with the bushing, washer, and clip: Upgrade: After over 600 fish, including carp in the 40-50 pound class, the stock drag washers were starting to get pretty thin. So, I finally installed the Carbontex drag washers. A smoother drag, and the increased thickness of the drag stack has taken some of the loose feeling out of the drivetrain. Summary: After 39 months of use, where are we at? Parts replacements: Parts replaced due to wear: 1 line guide pawl, original drag washers Parts replaced due to damage caused by debris: (necessary) worm shaft, line guide pawl, (optional) idler gears Parts replaced (probably) due to my failure to maintain: palm-side sideplate assembly (to replace the brake drum) Lessons learned: Keep the brake drum CLEAN and appy lube to the drum to prevent premature wear. Accept that the DBS system, along with its advantages, has some disadvantages - added complexity and potential wear to parts that are not readily replaceable - like the brake shoes. That's it. Hopefully, I won't have another report until the reel hits its fourth service anniversay this coming October. Stay tuned - another 21 months remain in the challenge...

BASSclary has a good memory. If you're talking about the Gen1 Carbonlite (gold color) then there are only two - one behind the drive gear, one in front of the drive gear. Just use the small washer in your kit behind the drive gear, and ONE of the larger washers in front of the gear. The 4-washer kit you have was probably intended for the Pro Qualifier which has a 4 washer system. The Gen1CL has the 2 washer system, and a reduced drag rating of 8lbs (as compared to 10lbs for a PQ), perhaps as a way of limiting stress on the aluminum drive gear of the CL.

Hey RW - as the leader of the posse - do you get models that the rest of us can't get? 50E7 and 100E7? Should that be 50E and 200E7...or does that mean you converted a 50E to 7:1 gears and converted a Chronarch 100 to a Curado or.... Slow down that typing big guy....

WOW - Mike came up for some air. Hang in there good buddy during your busy season!

WOW - WTG Dwight and Robert Now THAT'S fishin'. I don't know if that pond has a name - but if it doesn't - you should name it "Shangri-La" ! You guys got more quality fish in 90 minutes than I've caught in the last 5 MONTHS..........

The dual-braking systems used on those reels have spring-loaded shoes. Centrifugal-only systems, going back 60 years to the Ambassadeur 5000 (as Tom just mentioned) and moving forward, to include Shimanos, and the Revo S for instance, do not have springs on the brake shoes - they free-float. Not trying to nitpick - you did a GREAT job...but some of your declarations are not true for all systems...

VERY cool - good job! Where are you going to source the longer tongue? When I first got my canoe, I thought for sure I was going to have to trailer it as I had a shoulder injury and couldn't even lift the 34 pound canoe up on the roof of the car. Put a hitch on the car and was getting ready to buy that very expensive ($1k) aluminum trailer that's on the market. Then, my shoulder got better and I started car-topping. For SURE, if I DO have to trailer in the future, I will be following in your footsteps on this kind of build. Thanks for posting.

A good writeup - E for Effort. Centrifugal brake shoes are not normally spring-loaded. Standard magnetic brakes (not to include Daiwa Magforce V and Z which is a whole 'nother topic) affect the spool rotation throughout the cast - not just at the end of the cast. For the zillionth time - BPS baitcasting reels are not made by "Pure Fishing."

Holy Cow - a Catt sighting! Good to see you around...

For mostly 1/8 oz, I'd be using ML, and perhaps even L, especially if you were talking about a spinning rod. If you were talking baitcasting, then the lightest power BC rod you can find along with a BC reel capable of tossing that light of weight. There have been lots of threads about $100 rods - search a bit and you'll find them. There are lots of very nice rods available for $100 nowadays.

I've used it in 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 17lb test and for both spinning and baitcasting applications. It's a good (enough) line. Are there better nylon monofiliment lines? Sure, but they usually cost considerably more. Excel is a good value and works well enough. Is there some memory? Sure, but nothing that affected castability or fishability to any extent. Breakage? The key is "line watchfulness" - so to speak. Keep an eye on the line for abrasion, retie often, trim back 6" or a foot on the retie, etc. I also have to say that just about all my water is open with hardly any slop, although (like most of Tennessee) I have quite a few rock ledges underwater that introduce an abrasion factor. In my water, Excel works well. I would still be using Excel for nearly all applications if I hadn't jumped on the Yo-Zuri Hybrid bandwagon - another great value line. I do still use Excel in 14 and 17lb, but YZ has mostly replaced the other pound test applications. Below are examples of the performance of 10-pound Excel: 37lb grass carp 9.06 lb LMB

One of these days I might try to target grass carp with bait so I'm taking notes. I did have one 37-pounder hit my lipless crank on the fall - perhaps it thought it was plant matter falling through the water column. Otherwise, I usually inadvertently snag them as collateral damage when fishing lipless cranks across grass flats for bass as shown by this photo of a 48-pounder...

The new Bionic Plus reel has certainly been upgraded, but it does not have the dual-braking system (mag and centrifugal) that the RC, PL, PQ, CL, etc. have been using for a while now. The Bionic has the "Smart Cast" system originally introduced on the Enigma. If you check on-line or in the catalog, you'll see that the Tourney Special reel has also been upgraded to the Smart Cast system. Smart Cast IS a dual system - but it's two centrifugal systems. One system is the traditional system where the centrifugal force from the spool rotation throws the brake shoes out against an outer brake drum. Added to that is a second centrifugal system where the brake shoes are springloaded to act against an inner brake drum. Spool rotation forces the inner brake shoes away from the inner drum until the rotation slows enough where the spring pressure outweighs the centrifugal forces and the inner brake shoes are then pressed by their springs against the inner drum. So, the outer system works traditionally at the beginning of the cast, the inner system engages near the end of the cast. Both the inner and outer systems can have different brake shoe combinations engaged. There is an external system to select some of the options, other combinations are said to be manually adjustable on the spool. BPS has been tinkering with the adjustment methods and I believe that there are at least two versions of how it's done - one used on the first iteration of the Enigma, and another version used on the later Enigma. I don't know if any changes were made to the adjustment system for the new Bionic Plus and Tourney Special. I have heard that the system works very well - but it might be complicated for a beginner to adjust....and the system is targeted at beginners primarily. Like I said when the Enigma was first introduced - PROPS to BPS (and their OEM) for coming up with a totally new braking system. However, I guess the jury is still out as to whether this is a great solution to a problem...or whether it's an answer to a question that no one asked....

The BPS catalog is also where I started drooling over the the Type R..............but if you DO decide to go for it.................shop elsewhere and save almost a hundred clams....

Shallow - Mann's 1-minus Mid - Storm Wiggle Wart Deep - Luhr Jensen Hot Lips Express

The new Cumara has micros.

Since you mentioned it, that rod is my most-used spinning rod - my "grub rob." It has landed over 1,400 fish in the past 3 seasons (that's how you make a GLX pay for itself!). It's a 7'1" m-xf. A tip soft enough to toss weightless 5" grubs a reasonable distance, but tuff enough to also toss 5" stick worms. All SORTS of power below the tip - a beast for a medium power spinning rod. Here's a BSR852 with a 4.45lb LMB - seems to work - catches fish...

A medium-xf spinning rod would work well for the single-hook baits you mentioned and probably give you enough power and tip to do what you want. I think light crankbaits (treble hooks) should be on another rod but if you have to do it all with one rod then a medium-fast might be considered. Length is up to you...but the 6'8" length mentioned is a nifty length that is a good compromise between the 6'6" and 7' lengths. Match it with a reel with two spools - one with 6lb or 8lb mono/flouro/copoly and the other with 20lb braid and there's lots you can do that with that rig. Here's a 6'8" m-xf rod that I used to toss a 1/8oz SK Mini-Pro buzzbait. Result = 5.11 lb LMB...

Lots of folks seem to like them. I certainly like the looks of the bag they're closing out better than the new one with the yellow accents and such. I'm still temped to order an old one while they still have them..........and I don't even use a tackle bag....

I just read through all the posts and I think most of the points of view have been covered. For me, there is more to fishing than "catching." Like SirSnook said, it's one way to get outdoors. No cabin fever for me as long as I have soft water - I fish, at least for 30-45 minutes, every day I can, in the nastiest weather if necessary. A mild winter here so far, the coldest that I've been fishing (and caught a fish) was 31 deg air temp, winds steady at 25, gusting to 35, wind chill 17 degrees or lower - all that for a 15" bass. I fish in the same or worse weather and often get no fish. The point is to get outside and enjoy it. I don't want to sit on the sofa and think about fishing, I want to go fish. Now, once I'm on the water, do I scoff at <3lb fish. NO way. Fish size is dependent on the quality of your water. The good news is that all my lakes are within a 6-mile radius of my home - I can jump in the car and be at a lake in a couple minutes. The bad news is that these lakes are not very fertile, and I could quote all the bad news from our lake consultant's reports but basically, conditions are poor in my lakes for size and quantity of fish. There ARE some big fish to be caught...but not many. After catching over 3,300 bass in the last 3 seasons, and having a pretty good idea of what's in my water, I've established these LMB size categories for my lakes: <10" = dinks, 10"-13" = OK fish, 14"-17" = nice fish, 18"> = BIG fish. Another measuring stick - the local bass club allows 10" as a keeper, and the 6-7 hour tournaments are often won with 5 to 7lb (2-angler) bags. Some boats won't catch a 5-fish limit. So, with that kind of water, I have to take what I can get. If I can get a couple nice fish (14"-17") during an outing, it's been a nice day indeed. So, what ARE my goals when fishing? 1) to catch a fish - any fish. I want to feel that tug on the line, 2) to catch a bass (after all, I'm supposed to be a bass angler), 3) to catch a bigger bass... If I DO get a 3 pound fish - man, time to celebrate - they don't come often... I work hard for my fish....

The outriggers are to provide secondary stability. You set the floats so that they are off the water when you have the boat moving and trimmed on the roll axis so there's no drag from the floats. When you stop to fish and stand up, you can lean a bit one way or the other to have one of the floats contact the water and then you're pretty solid on stability.

Dunno, never really added it all up. I'd guess about $2500 to $2700 or so. Everything was new - canoe $1000, HB 798 $800, MK Traxxis TM $320, battery box/battery/wiring/connectors $150 or so. Then add the outriggers $225, and all the bits and pieces. It adds up....

Canoe outriggers seem to be polarizing - some anglers that fish from canoes won't leave home without them...some folks hate them and consider them unwieldy and obtrusive. I guess it just depends on what your vision is for your canoe: 1) a trim watercraft to get into tight places with minimum bulk and complexity, or 2) a stable casting platform and bass boat substitute. They're not for everone, however, they DO let me stand the whole time I'm on the water. OTOH - they can be a PITA if you're paddling - they have to be mounted well forward, or well aft - may or not be a problem depending on the length of the canoe. They are no problem when motoring. If outriggers aren't for you - I think flyfisher had a great sugestion about the use of spinning gear. In addition to skipping, I also pitch with a spinning rod and have flipped with a spinning rod when I've got my canoe under a tree canopy or at the end of a creek channel with overhanging bushes and such. One of these days I might buy a short spinning rod (5' - 5 1/2') just for this purpose...