Goose52

I use the 7'6" MH Crankin' Stick for deep divers...and would be using the 7'10" rod but they were out of stock at the time I was buying. I've tossed up to a Mann's 30+ plug with mine - the rod is fine on baits in the 3/4 oz range, but I haven't used it for anything over 1oz. On the cast, the rod loads fine and helps toss the bait out. Although I usually fish standing in the boat, when using this rod on the retrieve, I sit down and take some of the load off my wrists by bracing the rod on one knee. I have a 19"IPT / 4.7:1 reel on the rod. I don't deep crank that often and probably have less than 10 hours on the rod so can only speak from this somewhat limited perspective...

You crack me up A-Jay - go get 'em in the spring!

Like I said brother, I still love 'ya....

Hmm... Well, as I reported above, I'm not aware of any issues with the Gen1 Carbonlites. I will soon have 4 of them so I obviously have confidence in them (along with the total of 17 BPS BC reels that I will soon have). The CL is basically a PQ with some aluminum bits (main gear, drive shaft, worm shaft, etc.) My 5-Year Challenge PQ has reeled in over 600 fish up to 50 pounds, and completed probably around 50,000 casts so far. My 6 PQs cost me an average of $64 each - GREAT values. Will these reels last 50 years like an ABU Ambassadeur 5000 ... nope. BUT, they don't have to. Value is indeed more than price. One definition would be services received for price paid. If the puchaser feels that the reel provides service commensurate with, or exceeding, the price paid, then it has been a splendid value and can be considered consumed/used-up/totally depreciated, whatever term you choose to use. Now, your statement: Issues right out of the box and over time. Sounds like problems with design, engineering, components, craftsmanship and quality control. Please post or describe your objective evidence that there have been issues "out of the box and over time." I am also curious to know if you have such an extensive background in a manufacturing environment that would give you the ability to state that there are inherent problems in the entire product cycle from design to delivery based on the evidence presented in this thead. I worked in the Quality field for 40 years, including more than 30 years in aerospace manufacturing and I couldn't come to that conclusion based on the evidence presented. Furthermore......................... STOP - I have to quit typing. It's not worth my time. I don't care what you say. RW - you are said to be a great guy, but you are so full of it sometimes. I love ya buddy but I got better things to do than spend a lot of time clearing out the smoke that you blow. A better use of my time would be to go fishing. Catching hundreds of fish a year, including bass up to 9 1/2 pounds, on equipment that "experts" on this board consider to be "unfishable." I perform the impossible nearly every day. To date, I have not worn out any of this unfishable equipment, and I have caught fish on 745 days over the last three seasons. It's one thing to sit behind a computer keyboard, and trash products. It's another to go fish them, then report personal experience with successes or failures. In my case, I mostly have success to report (there ARE issues with the Gen2 CL). And my perspective? In BC reels, I have (will soon have) 17 BPS reels, 3 Abus, 3 Daiwas (PX Type R, Zillion, Sol), 7 Shimanos (Conquest 50, Core 50, CTE100GT, 200E7, three 50E's). I have all this gear, yet I still fish my BPS reels. Why? Because they work, reel in fish, and represent great value. Proven. Phew......Okay, start again. I have offered the board members a tip on where they can get a reel that, in my personal experience, based on my own ownership, and based on (an extension of) the documented test results of my PQ 5-year challenge reel, will offer purchasers value exceeding the $60 investment. What people choose to do with this information is entirely up to them. All this for a $60 reel..................................geez

You are probably thinking of the Gen2 Carbonlite (the black 5.9oz reel) - some issues there for some folks...including me. I have a "grindy" one - but it still works, reels in fish. Never heard of anyone having any problems of note with the Gen1 (gold) models...

You noticed that I ordered mine first....then spilled the beans....

BPS has these on-line at clearance pricing - $59.88. Right-hand only. I just got two.... Have fun!

I don't have a bass raider style boat (I'm a canoe kinda guy)...but just wanted to say that any thread that has OVER 100,000 views, and 690 replies, is VERY COOL. Just shows how much interest there is in economical ways to get on the water and that you don't need to spend $50k on a boat to catch some fish...

Yeah - some good stuff on Jerry's site. I got the parts from him to convert my 5000 to a "high-speed" 4.7... Thanks for the tip to Etsy.....

Very cool. Was that off eBay by any chance? I've been bidding on 2500's quite a bit lately (haven't won one yet) and might have seen that one. I bid a max bid of $141 on a pretty clean 2500 the other day (no box or papers) and was blown away that it sold for $306 - yikes....!

Your timing is just a bit off. Several weeks ago, BPS had both the Pro Qualifier reel and the Crankin' Stick rod on sale. The reel for USD $80, the rod for $60. The rod is still on sale, but the reel is back to the regular price of $100. The good thing is that since you're in Ontario, you have lots of time until ice-out to make your decision then shop and wait for sales. I recommend the PQ reel as it has proven to be a best value at its usual price point, and an even better value on sale. It features dual-braking (both centrifugal and magnetic braking) that is often easier for many people to learn on than a single braking system reel. (BTW - If you end up choosing a reel with a single braking system, many people find a centrifugal system simpler/easier to learn on than a magnetic system reel.) You didn't mention your dexterity, but the PQ is available in both LH and RH in all 4 available gear ratios. If you don't plan on any real deep cranking, you might consider the 6.4:1 ratio - a good all-purpose ratio. If you think you will toss big, deep-diving cranks, you might consider the 5.2:1 ratio which will help you crank in those big baits and still work fine for medium and shallow cranks as well. You said that you didn't need help with the rod, but keep the Crankin' Stick in mind. Even some of the tackle junkies on this site give the Stick props for being a good cranking rod at its price point. Bottom line. You have said you aren't sure that you want a BC-based cranking set-up. So, no need to put a lot of money into it. The PQ has proven performance and quality, and longevity certainly adequate for someone up north that has a shortened fishing season. The Crankin' Stick has great reviews - probably as good or better than anything at its price point. Added together, at sale prices, you are at USD $140 (plus whatever taxes, shipping, etc. you might have) for a combo that will last you many years. If you decide that you like BC gear, you will end up getting a few more combos, thus spreading the fishing time between more rigs, making the PQ reel likely to last for years and years..... For additional info about these specific recommendations, search this forum for both the PQ reel and Crankin' Stick rod - you'll get plenty of additional info. Good luck in your decision.

I've noticed this in some of the smaller seasonal catalogs from BPS as well - deleting the specs. Too bad; that's one reason why I leave catalogs in the head and on the tackle bench in the garage - so I can look up that kind of stuff...

This would take you from the stock 25" IPT on the 50E to 28" IPT (the IPT for a Core 50). The spools are same diameter/capacity between the two reels so the IPT from the Core should apply.

I haven't seen any other reports since this thread...but I have noticed that eBay sellers have got the Lexa 100 down at $115 shipped - a pretty good deal....

Ho, Ho, Ho !

Well, I was hoping to find a bass under the tree this morning. Wasn't there so since I still have soft water, looks like I'm going to have to hit a lake or two today and see if I can get one.....

Merry Christmas Mike ! Thanks for the help this year.

And Merry Christmas to you and yours! .....Your card shows a scene that many of our members are seeing in their neighborhoods right now...

All my stuff (except a few "princess" combos) stay in the garage all winter. My garage is insulated, but un-heated, and gets down to the mid-30s temps; only once has it gone below 32 deg. out there...

With nylon mono or flouro, there's no reason to. After the line makes a few turns on the spool, it won't slip. With braid, slippage can be an issue, and the usual solution is to either tape the braid to the spool, or, like Darren said, use some mono backing. Although not usually an issue for bass fishing, another consideration for some is whether it is likely that they could be "spooled" by a fish. If that is any possibility, then taping the line to the spool is a great way to go. If you get spooled, then the line just tears off the tape, and you're not in the position of having a connection to a fish with no line left, no drag, and a lot of strain on your spool shaft. With high-test braid, the fish could win and end up with your rod.... For me, I have a slight chance I could be spooled, but I use an arbor knot as I know that knot will likely pull-through (or the line will break) before there's any chance of damaging the spool or losing my rod. (And, it avoids the gummy residue tape might leave on the spool.)

I still have soft water and am fishing every day. Not catching much but at least I get out for 30-60 minutes a day and beat the water. The last bass I caught was on December 21st. Surface water temp was 42deg., air temp was 31 deg., wind was 25mph gusting to 35, wind chill <17deg. The bass was 15".... I sure work hard for my fish...

Arbor knot.

If you haven't found it yet, here's a thread from back in August with the same question - 48 replies and some good info there: Kayak or Canoe? Here's what I posted on that earlier thread: Really, only you can answer that question. Some types of small watercraft (canoes, kayaks, bass raiders, float tubes, pontoons, inflatables, etc.) are perfect for some people. No one type of small watercraft is perfect for all people. In selecting whether you want to get a canoe or a kayak, you need to make a list of your needs, and then determine which craft is the better fit for you. Some of the factors to consider: Stabililty and standing capability (moving around, landing fish, another person or kids or dogs in the boat, standing to fish, etc.) Cargo/gear storage (how much stuff do you want to take) Inboard storage & handling (canoe) versus handling things in your lap or over the water (yak) Seating position (usually, but not always more upright seating in a canoe vs. legs-out in yak - have back problems?) Vessel weight (how much can you lift/transport) Transportability - to the water and possible portaging (do you have a truck, trailer, going to car-top, need to portage, etc.) Storage at home - how much room do you have to store how much boat? Inside garage, on driveway, storage shed, outside on the lawn, etc. Ease of paddling Will you want the capability to motor it? Manueverability Type of water (lakes, streams, white water, etc.) Number of people in the craft Stay mostly dry or don't mind getting a bit wet Length of voyage (couple hours or a couple days) Etc. Once you answer those questions based on your own capabilities and needs, you'll come closer to chosing either a canoe, a yak, or a hybrid. All are great watercraft in their own ways, you just have to find the best fit for YOU. I faced the same decision as you are tying to make now but I was open to all types of small watercraft from float tubes up to bass boats. The best solution for ME, was a heavily accessorized canoe. I only fish my local, small (1.5 to 201 acres), no-wake lakes. Some of these lakes don't have boat ramps. I needed something car-topable without a special rack, modular, very light weight, with as much capability as possible. I wanted stability so I could stand and fish all day, lots of inboard storage, motorized, and little to no maintenance. I didn't want to have to buy a truck or other tow vehicle, I didn't want to consume a garage bay or driveway space with a boat and trailer, didn't want high expense and high maintenance, and didn't want to use gasoline power. Taking everything into account, I ended up with a canoe, trolling motor, and outriggers for stability. From what you have said in your initial post, espescially about car-topping, a couple things to keep in mind: consider the weight of the boat that you select - you are going to have to lift it up on your roof; and how are you going to secure the boat to the roof. If you get a kayak, you will mostly likely need to get a special roof rack at added cost. With a canoe, you might be able to get away with just using the foam blocks like I use. In my case, all of this: ...fits into and on top of this: and stores like this...

According to the TW web listing - it's a whopping 1.92 oz....

EXCELLENT site selection. That's a nice drop-off, about 10-12 FOW, with a small boulder field on the bottom - about 3' to 4' boulders - some good fish-holding cover down there. The bad news about my lakes is that while they ice-over...the ice never gets thick enough for safe ice fishing...