Bps Pro Qualifier Bc Reel - 5 Year Challenge - Complete 2025

Goose52 reply :

The test reel for the PQ 5-Year Challenge hit its fifth service anniversary on October 26 (today), thus completing the 5 Year Challenge. The reel is still in service, most recently this morning.

Background:

Briefly, the 5-Year Challenge resulted from some board members expressing the opinion that the PQ reel was a “one-season” reel (it would be completely worn out after a "season"), and certainly wouldn’t stay in an angler’s arsenal for as long as 5 years. The subject reel was used to test those opinions.

Posts 2 through 6 of this thread reproduce the content of the earlier reports. Below are links to the other threads in this series in the event that someone is interested in the previous commentary related to these test reports. :

BPS Pro Qualifier BC Reel – 5 Year Challenge – Interim Report (12-7-2011)

BPS Pro Qualifier BC Reel – 5-Year Challenge – A Speed-Bump On The Road To Paradise

BPS Pro Qualifier BC Reel – 5-Year Challenge – Three Years In

BPS Pro Qualifier BC Reel – 5-Year Challenge – Time To Pay The Piper!

BPS Pro Qualifier BC Reel – 5-Year Challenge – 4 Years Down, 1 To Go

Current Statistics:

Reel placed into service: 26 Oct. 2009
Months of service as of this report: 60
Number of “catch days” (days when fish were caught with this reel): 502
Number of fish caught: 1114
Baits used for the 1114 fish caught: Lipless Cranks - 804, Misc. Hardbaits - 21, Soft Plastics - 289

Biggest fish caught: 48.6 lb grass carp
Biggest bass caught: 9.5 lb LMB
Number of cycles (casts & retrieves): 55,000+ (see note)

Note: Number of cycles is based on catch data, not on total days/hours of use (see Post #2 or the linked 12-7-2011 thread for how the metrics were established). The reel was used many days where no fish were caught, especially during the winter months. I fish this reel nearly every day and actual number of use days probably easily exceeds 1000. Actual number of cycles could easily be in excess of 75,000. As I have mentioned in the last several reports, the passage of years of time has made it difficult to calculate the number of accrued cycles on this reel due to the significant number of days where it is fished, but no fish are caught – resulting in thousands of uncounted cycles.

The biggest fish over the 5 year period - 48 pound grass carp:

Biggest bass caught over the 5 year period - 9.5 pound LMB:

Significant Events In the Last Year:

The reel has been mostly trouble-free for the past year but certain operational aspects of the reel (clutch actuation, centrifugal braking) are being compromised due to increasing wear (see the Current Condition section below).

The biggest bass caught with the reel during the past year was this 25", but emaciated, 6.28 pound LMB:

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 / cleaning (see Post #3 of this thread or the "A Speed-Bump On The Road To Paradise" thread linked above):
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.

January 2013 - Repair / cleaning / upgrade (see Post #5 of this thread or the "Time To Pay The Piper" thread linked above):

Repair – replaced the worm shaft, line guide pawl, and two idler gears.

Upgrade – replaced the stock drag washers with Carbontex washers.

October 2013 – Annual cleaning.

October 2014 - Annual cleaning.

Current Condition:

The condition of the internal parts of the reel have been mostly the same for several years. There is wear on the clutch return pawl (from impact by the rachet) that doesn't affect function, the rear and side surfaces of the clutch thumb bar have started to wear through the plastic plating, the brake drum and brake shoes show considerable (nearly unserviceable) wear, and the grooving on the frame reported last year has increased. Externally, the reel has some minor rash on the top of the reel, very little on the sides. As I mentioned last year, the spool bearings are noisy but spin well when cleaned. If you are familiar with the whine made by Shimano Digital Control reels during a cast…that’s sorta the noise I hear when I cast this PQ – you get the audio experience of a DC reel without the high cost… Otherwise, the reel is fishable, but it’s readily apparent that you are not fishing with a new, tight reel.

As I mention with every report, this reel has not been babied, and has often been rode hard and put away wet. In winter, 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. The reel has been placed on the ground hundreds of times while I measure/weigh fish, providing the opportunity for grit and debris to enter the worm shaft area and around the clutch bar - contributing to some of the wear in these areas.

Handle Knob Wear: While the reel has little exterior rash, some of the markings are wearing off. The real exterior indicator of the amount of use the reel has seen are the handle knobs. These EVA knobs have been on the reel for only three years and the grooving has nearly disappeared from wear:

Centrifugal Braking System Wear: This is the Achilles heel of this reel. The brass brake drum is soft, and wears easily, even when kept reasonably clean. BPS does NOT list the drum as a lubrication point - but they should. The captive brake shoes are small, wear easily, and are not available as spare parts. The only way to get replacement brake shoes is to purchase the entire spool assembly. I had already replaced the palm-side sideplate assembly in July 2012 due to brake drum wear. Now, 27 months later, the brake drum grooving is back. The brake shoes are original to the reel, but have now worn to the point where they are becoming ineffective, especially in combination with the brake drum grooving. Whereas when the reel was new, I would use two, sometimes only one, centrifugal brake, I now have to use four, sometimes 5 to achieve the same braking.

Current brake drum grooving:

New brake shoe:

Current condition brake shoe:

Frame Wear: This was first reported last year and the wear has increased since then. In the photo below, note the vertical grooves (indicated by the red arrows) cut in the frame by the “legs” on the bottom of the clutch bar - this entire area of the frame should be completely flat. The clutch bar is a plastic part but it does have some sort of plating on it. That plating, with perhaps the addition of grit and grime under the bar, have been enough to actually groove the aluminum frame. Thus, plastic trumps aluminum in this case. This condition results in the clutch bar being loose and making clutch operation somewhat dodgy at times. This condition potentially could be a source of an eventual frame crack.

Summary:

After 60 months of use, where are we at?

Parts replacements:

Parts replaced due to wear: (necessary) 1 line guide pawl, (optional) 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)

Parts ordered and installed but did not fix the problem: clutch bar and shims

Lessons learned:

Keep the brake drum CLEAN and appy lube to the drum to prevent premature wear.

Accept that the dual-braking system (DBS), along with its advantages, has some disadvantages - added complexity and potential wear to parts that are not readily replaceable - like the brake shoes.

Closing:

That's it - the final report of the 5 Year Challenge. I'll leave it up to each board member to compare the usage that this reel has received, to their own fishing patterns, to determine how this reel would fare in their own service.

For me? Well, the reel cost $80, caught 1114 fish, at a cost per fish of 7.1 cents. It reeled in my current LMB 9.5lb PB. It reeled in multiple grass carp in the 35-50 pound range. Value delivered for me. AND, the reel is not done working for living. There is a winter coming up and this reel will fish through the winter, as long as the braking system holds up and the frame doesn't crack. Next spring, the PQ will likely be retired to a nice warm place in my display cabinet.

The near future for the test PQ...

Epilogue:

Five years ago, the PQ was an outstanding choice for a value, workhorse baitcasting reel. Offered in four ratios, in both right- and left-hand, eight models total. Something for everyone. However, time, and technology, keep marching on. Today, the PQ still offers value at it's price point, and this test has proven that it is capable of offering long service. BUT, there are other competitors in the playing field to challenge the PQ, and BPS is falling behind on it's bread-and-butter model. While not a competitor at factory list price, the Daiwa Tatula at the "deal" prices is a game changer and something that BPS will have a hard time competing with. It will be interesting to see what BPS develops as the successor to the current PQ. One thing for SURE, the 'ole Goose will not be running any more 5 year tests on any future model PQs!

Goose52 reply :

FIRST REPORT IN THE TEST SERIES (December 7, 2011):

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…

Goose52 reply :

SECOND REPORT IN THE TEST SERIES (July 5, 2012):

The test reel for the PQ 5-Year Challenge became inoperative on July 3 due to some debris jamming the line guide pawl, requiring a repair and detailed cleaning; thus prompting this special report. During this repair, I also finally addressed the issue of centrifugal brake wear that had been getting gradually worse since this past winter (the “speed-bump” mentioned in the title of this thread – see below for details).

The “Speed-Bump” – Centrifugal Brake Wear:

I call this the speed-bump since this is the first problem with the reel that is not attributable to expected wear or damage from ordinary use. On a low- to mid-price reel like the PQ, one might think that failure modes would occur in the bearings, the clutch system, soft/cheap parts, etc. I’m not sure that I had envisioned a problem with the braking system.

Starting in the late winter, I noticed that centrifugal braking capability was gradually diminishing. I usually use 1 or 2 centrifugal brakes and minimal magnetic for tossing 5/8 oz lipless cranks. I was having to add more and more magnetic braking; as time went on, I added a 3^rd centrifugal brake. At that point, I finally got around to examining the reel with a magnifying glass. I was surprised to see a groove cut into the brake drum, and considerable wear on the brake shoes. In the nearly 2.5 years of use, I had probably not been attentive enough on the condition of the brake drum – assuring that it was clean anytime I removed the side cover. So, I can’t say if the wear at this point is endemic in all PQs, or was caused by my failure to properly clean the reel. See next photos for brake drum and brake shoe wear.

Brake drum wear - note groove in the drum on the left:

Brake shoe wear - worn shoe on left - new shoe on right:

Several months ago, I ordered replacement parts to address the brake wear issue. And yes Virginia, you can get parts for PQs…or the next higher assemblies. In the schematic below, I needed part number 87 to replace the worn brake drum. That part is not available separately; you have to purchase a complete cover assembly (parts 79-90). Cost was a reasonable $14 and you get a new bearing as part of the deal; this also addresses the cosmetic wear of the markings on the cover. I inquired about getting some new brake shoes (part 75) – but those are not available separately and the next higher assembly is (gulp) the spool assembly. I passed on those. This is the penalty you pay for the DBS system. Other centrifugal (only) braking systems have readily replaceable brake shoes – but the captive shoes on this design, made necessary by the addition of the magnetic braking system, are a wear point that is not conveniently serviced. At some point, the brake shoes in this PQ will become worn to the point that they are ineffective, at which time I will cannibalize some brake shoes out of my lower-mileage PQs.

When the reel locked up several days ago and repair was necessary, I finally installed the new side cover. While the brake shoes have considerable wear, the brake drum inside-diameter is small and precise enough for the brakes to still be effective. A test run yesterday showed that I am back to needing only 1 or 2 centrifugal brakes for my usual 5/8oz lipless crank, with minimal magnetic and spool tension.

After repair:

Added Maintenance:

BPS does not show the inside of the brake drum as a lubrication point. However, Shimano does show that as a lubrication point for their reels. I will now be paying attention to keeping the brake drum clean, and I will be adding a thin coat of lube to the brake drum surface (when I get to it – remember – rode hard and put away wet…. )

Closing:

Despite the required repair to the braking system, I’m still very pleased with my PQs. I have six of them, some bought new on sale, some bought used. My average cost per reel is $64. I have already, in my opinion, received more than that in value/use and it’s all bonus here on out.

In regards to the long-term durability of a PQ, my use data could be compared to your fishing activity. If you fish the same reel, for several hours a day, every day of the year, then indeed this PQ might have only lasted one “season” before requiring repair. However, if you are a once-a-week angler, for the 9 months a year that you have soft water, then this PQ would have lasted you over 7 years of fishing before repair. AND, I still don’t know if the repair was necessary as a result of my failure to maintain, or whether this wear occurs to all PQs. My other 5 PQs show some minimal wear in the drums, but then none have the amount of use of this reel.

More to come – 5 years is a long time…

(If you've read all the way down here - you must be a real PQ fan... )

Goose52 reply :

THIRD REPORT IN THE TEST SERIES (October 26, 2012):

The test reel for the PQ 5-Year Challenge hit its third service anniversary on October 26 (today). The bite is dropping off a bit here on the plateau but the reel did manage to bring in one 14" bass today to celebrate the anniversary.

Background:

This previous thread detailed the background of the PQ 5-Year Challenge: http://www.bassresou...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: 36
Number of “catch days” (days when fish were caught with this reel): 294
Number of fish caught: 630
Biggest fish caught: 48.6 lb grass carp
Biggest bass caught: 9.5 lb LMB
Number of cycles (casts & retrieves): 31,000+ (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 400. Actual number of cycles could easily be in excess of 40,000-45,000.

Significant Events Since the Last Report:

The last report on this reel was on July 5, 2012, to report a repair to the centrifugal braking system - see this thread: http://www.bassresou...ad-to-paradise/

Since the last report, the reel has brought in another 117 fish - the most noteworthy being my new PB LMB of 9.54lbs. Another grass carp was foul hooked and landed - this one was 45 pounds.

Since this reel is on my primary lipless crank rod, it will be seeing quite a bit of use through the late fall and winter - as long as I have soft water. Since a lot of fishing is done in winter...but not very much catching, there will again be quite a few "undocumented" cycles that will be accrued by this reel over the next few months...

The 9.54lb LMB:

The 45lb grass carp:

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:

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.

Current Condition:

The condition of the internal parts of the reel was reported in the July 5th thread. Externally, the reel has some minor rash on the top of the reel. Since the side-plate assembly on the palm-side of the reel was replaced in July, the cosmetics in that area appear nearly new. The spool bearings are noisier than when new but are still serviceable. The reel continues to feel a bit “loose” as compared to a new PQ but this is a subjective perception and I can’t attribute it to any particular causal factor other than "high-mileage."

As I mention with every report, this reel has not been babied, and has often been rode hard and put away wet. Indeed, in winter, 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 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.

The only operational issue of note at present is that the anti-reverse bearing slips a bit from time-to-time: I'm hoping that will be resolved when the reel is cleaned/serviced over the winter...and not that the AR bearing is wearing out.

Added Maintenance:

BPS does not show the inside of the brake drum as a lubrication point; I believe that this is a BIG mistake. I now try to remember to clean and lube the brake drum whenever I remove the side plate. The wear to the brass brake drum, and the captive brake shoes in the spool, are my only areas of concern on this reel and I believe are the weak link in the overall durability of the reel.

Closing:

This reel continues to provide excellent service for a reel at its price point. I own six PQs, some bought new on sale, some bought used. My average cost per reel is $64. I have already, in my opinion, received more than that in value/use and it’s all bonus here on out.

In regards to the long-term durability of a PQ, my use data could be compared to your fishing activity. I have used the reel somewhere between 300 and 400 days and reeled in 630 fish. For some anglers, that might be many years of use - for other anglers, that might be only one "season." And, there is still lots of life left in the reel.

More to come – 5 years is a long time…

P.S.:

So, people keep telling me that the PQ is a "one-season wonder" - it will just fall into pieces after the first season, its parts will tremble and disassemble when confronted by a whopper, it's drag washers will melt when pulled by a smelt...

I think not...

Goose52 reply :

FOURTH REPORT IN THE TEST SERIES (January 25, 2013):

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...

Goose52 reply :

FIFTH REPORT IN THE TEST SERIES (October 26, 2013):

The test reel for the PQ 5-Year Challenge hit its fourth service anniversary on October 26 (today). I cleaned the reel this morning, fished it mid-day, and wrote this report in the afternoon.

Other threads in this series:

BPS Pro Qualifier BC Reel – 5 Year Challenge – Interim Report (12-7-2011)

BPS Pro Qualifier BC Reel – 5-Year Challenge – A Speed-Bump On The Road To Paradise

BPS Pro Qualifier BC Reel – 5-Year Challenge – Three Years In

BPS Pro Qualifier BC Reel – 5-Year Challenge – Time To Pay The Piper!

Current Statistics (based on documented catch data and assumptions as discussed in the 12-7-2011 thread):

Reel placed into service: 26 Oct. 2009
Months of service as of this report: 48
Number of “catch days” (days when fish were caught with this reel): 373
Number of fish caught: 786
Biggest fish caught: 48.6 lb grass carp
Biggest bass caught: 9.5 lb LMB
Number of cycles (casts & retrieves): 39,000+ (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. I fish this reel nearly every day and actual number of use days probably easily exceeds 600-700. Actual number of cycles could easily be in excess of 60,000. Frankly, it is getting difficult to calculate the number of accrued cycles on this reel due to the significant number of days where it is fished, but no fish are caught – resulting in thousands of uncounted cycles.

Significant Events In the Last Year:

On January 25, 2013, I filed an interim report to detail a parts replacement necessary due to damage to the level wind system caused by debris lodging in the worm shaft (See the “Time To Pay The Piper” thread linked above). Otherwise the reel has been mostly trouble-free for the past year (see the "When Plastic Trumps Aluminum" section below).

The biggest fish caught with the reel during the past year was this 34 pound grass carp:

The biggest bass caught with the reel in the last year was this 6.08lb LMB:

Special mention goes to the smallest fish ever caught with this reel, landed just a few days ago: a 1 7/16” minnow! It was a tough fight but I managed to land the fish (And how the heck that treble drilled the minnow right through the eyes I'll never know.)

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 / cleaning (see the "A Speed-Bump On The Road To Paradise" thread linked above):
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.

January 2013 - Repair / cleaning / upgrade (see the "Time To Pay The Piper" thread linked above):

Repair – replaced the worm shaft, line guide pawl, and two idler gears.

Upgrade – replaced the stock drag washers with Carbontex washers.

October 2013 – Annual cleaning.

Current Condition:

The condition of the internal parts of the reel are about the same as previously reported – some wear on the clutch return pawl that doesn’t affect function, and the centrifugal brake shoes have considerable wear (as reported in the "Speed-Bump" thread). Otherwise, things are looking pretty good inside. Externally, the reel has a bit more minor rash on the top of the reel, very little on the sides. Spool bearings are getting increasingly noisy but spin well when cleaned. If you are familiar with the whine made by Shimano Digital Control reels during a cast…that’s sorta the noise I hear when I cast this PQ – you get the audio experience of a DC reel without the high cost… Otherwise, the reel is fishable, but it’s readily apparent that you are not fishing with a new, tight reel.

As I mention with every report, this reel has not been babied, and has often been rode hard and put away wet. In winter, 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.

When Plastic Trumps Aluminum:

Earlier this year, I noticed the clutch bar (thumb bar) getting a little loose. My initial thought was that the bar had cracked on the inside surface (it’s a plastic part) and that the nylon(?) shims on each side of the clutch bar were probably worn. I added a clutch bar and a set of shims to a parts order without disassembling the reel to determine the actual cause for the looseness. When the parts came in, I stripped the reel and quickly found the actual cause – wear to the aluminum frame caused by the action of the clutch bar. I went ahead and installed the new parts but they did little to tighten up the bar so I am not reporting them as necessary parts replacements.

In the photo below, note the vertical grooves (indicated by the red arrows) cut in the frame by the “legs” on the bottom of the clutch bar - this entire area of the frame should be completely flat. As mentioned, the clutch bar is is a plastic part but it does have some sort of plating on it. That plating, with perhaps the addition of grit and grime under the bar, were enough to actually groove the aluminum frame. Thus, plastic trumps aluminum in this case. This is the causal factor for the loose clutch bar and potentially could be a source of an eventual frame crack. I checked my other 5 PQs and this wear (to a lessor degree) is present - the severity based on the amount of use of the reel.

Summary:

After 48 months of use, where are we at?

Parts replacements:

Parts replaced due to wear: (necessary) 1 line guide pawl, (optional) 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)

Parts ordered and installed but did not fix the problem: clutch bar and shims

Lessons learned:

Keep the brake drum CLEAN and appy lube to the drum to prevent premature wear.

Accept that the dual-braking system (DBS), along with its advantages, has some disadvantages - added complexity and potential wear to parts that are not readily replaceable - like the brake shoes.

Closing:

That's it. Hopefully, I won't have another report until the reel hits its fifth service anniversary and I issue a final report in October 2014.

Will this PQ last another year? Stay tuned and we’ll find out...

Ima Bass Ninja reply :

Goose,

For me this has been the best thread/topic/review etc that I have seen on BR. Congrats on completing such a challenge for the rest of us to use as a reference or guide in the future.

Kevin Beachy reply :

On 10/27/2014 at 6:46 PM, Ima Bass Ninja said:

Goose,

For me this has been the best thread/topic/review etc that I have seen on BR. Congrats on completing such a challenge for the rest of us to use as a reference or guide in the future.

AMEN

kickerfish1 reply :

Cliffnotes?

Just kidding! As always top notch stuff Goose. The reel seems like a winner in the sub one hundred dollar range.

Catch and Grease reply :

Wow... Way to prove people wrong, You can buy quality gear at affordable prices that are built to last!

Post like these are why Bass resource is amazing.

kikstand454 reply :

Amazing job goose! One of the best threads I've ever read on here. .... or anywhere else.

fishballer06 reply :

You must have a lot of spare time on your hands to keep all of those stats. Very impressive.

K_Mac reply :

Outstanding work my friend! It is very rare to see such honest and detailed analyses, especially over this long a time. Your attention to detail is well beyond anything most of us could manage, or even consider. Based on your recommendations and usage, I expect my PQs to outlast me. Thank you for a job well done.

roadwarrior reply :

On 10/27/2014 at 6:46 PM, Ima Bass Ninja said:

Goose,

For me this has been the best thread/topic/review etc that I have seen on BR. Congrats on completing such a challenge for the rest of us to use as a reference or guide in the future.

Briefly, the 5-Year Challenge resulted from some board members expressing the opinion that the PQ reel was a “one-season” reel (it would be completely worn out after a "season"), and certainly wouldn’t stay in an angler’s arsenal for as long as 5 years. The subject reel was used to test those opinions.

I think the term was "disposable".

Mike2841 reply :

Very thorough report, let's see a 5 year stella write up next

Felix77 reply :

Amazing review ... best I have ever seen. I bought one new and just received my 2nd used one. Looks like it won't be my last

Goose52 reply :

My thanks to all that have replied. This was a best effort (and a long one) to try to quantify wear on a reel, using a standardized metric and leveraging my existing record keeping system. People often refer to reel longevity using terms like "years" or "seasons", but these terms have little true meaning since people fish at varying rates. I tried to put the maximum mileage on the reel that I could over the 5 year period, and use the recorded catch data to quantify the actual use on the reel over the long haul.

Meanwhile, the test PQ was out again this morning - it still works; casts out, reels in fish. That would now be 1115 fish caught and 503 "catch days"...

ChrisD46 reply :

I have two PQ's - patiently waited until they were on sale to buy and both have worked well ... That said , for around the same price as the non sale price of a PQ you would be hard pressed not to consider a Tatula .

NorcalBassin reply :

Wow, awesome job and thank you for following through for all 5 years!

CarolinaBoy4Life reply :

Awesome review. I have 9 PQ's now and all of them have held up well. Great info and indepth review that took quite a bit of time.

Goose52 reply :

Thanks again guys. The PQ was on the water again today................lots of casts.................but no fish reeled in...

ChrisD46 reply :

Goose52 - you are to be commended again !! ... Your dedication and effort to provide your fishing peers a five year study of a VERY popular BC reel is simply unmatched in terms of : length of study , information , content and detail provided . Kudos Goose52 - job WELL done !!

Goose52 reply :

Thanks for the kind words ChrisD46,,,

Poolshark reply :

Excellent article. I've always been bias against the bps reels in favor of abu and shimano. This proves me different. How would you rate the castability of these reels with lighter baits? Also, has it ever been a struggle to find parts for them after a few years?

Slipknot_Fan666 reply :

Awesome post, now time for me to try one out. I really liked the picture in the snow, just a random thought.

Goose52 reply :

Thanks guys!

On 10/30/2014 at 5:47 AM, Poolshark said:
Excellent article. I've always been bias against the bps reels in favor of abu and shimano. This proves me different. How would you rate the castability of these reels with lighter baits? Also, has it ever been a struggle to find parts for them after a few years?

These reels do fine down to about 1/4oz. Depending on the rod and line being used, they could perhaps go a bit below that. Theoretically, these reels are somewhat at a disadvantage at the lighter weight range due to their somewhat heavier spools than some other reels. The captive brake shoes & springs, and the cover plate, add weight to the spool compared to other designs.

Parts? I can't speak for all BPS reels but parts for the PQ are only a phone call away: Outdoor World Rod & Reel Repair

Delaware Valley Tackle reply :

If you're savvy enough you can often get Revo parts that drop right in.

Goose deserves all the praise being offered and then some for seeing this through to the end. It's rare these days to find people that not only will commit to a long term endeavor, but have the self discipline to see it through on their own. It's also refreshing to see such unbiased reviewing or a product. Kudos Goose!

Goose52 reply :

Thanks Mike !

On the Revo parts - there was a board member on here a number of years ago that interchanged many of the lockwork parts between a Revo S and a PQ with satisfactory results...

ColdSVT reply :

I know my bps rick clunn had been going strong until this spring...( drag diac is shot lol) bought it new in 2003.

This winter it is off to mike at dvt for a carbontex drag and a supertune...

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