Lew's Speed Spool VS. Bass Pro Shops Pro Qualifier?

Started by ryan1995, June 03, 2014, 11:17:41 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

ryan1995

I have been really wanting a new baitcaster. My last one was a cheap combo from dicks sporting goods when I was just getting into baitcasters. I wore that thing out in less than a season. I want a reel for frog fishing and would like to keep it under $100 and this is what I came up with. Both come in the 7.1 gear ratio which is perfect for frogs but which do you prefer?
Member of the LSCR club

Bud Kennedy

All of my on deck reels are Lews and so are the Mrs.  I am planning buying another one very soon.  The price point and performance of the Lews just meet all of my needs and could not imagine making a change now.  I say go for Lews, you won't regret it.

Princeton_Man

Yup! What he said. I like my Lew's. I have several of the Tournament MGs and like them a lot. I started transitioning from Quantum KVDs and Accurists a couple of years ago. Lew's are sweet! -Jim
Stratos 285 XL Pro 150 Evinrude ETEC

Dobyns Rods - LSCR Club

Polaris425

If you buy before July 31 lews speed spool has $20 mail in rebate. I saved the rebate form.
Fishin' Alabama
Building Rods, & Snatchin' Lips.

LgMouthGambler

If you are planning on frogging with the reel, which ever you decide to buy, make sure it is a metal frame. You need a solid reel for some tough frog fishing. The PQ is still the best bang for the buck reel with the metal frame and dual brakes.
My wife says she is gonna leave me if I go fishing one more time........lord how I will miss that woman.

ryan1995

Quote from: LgMouthGambler on June 03, 2014, 11:57:05 AM
If you are planning on frogging with the reel, which ever you decide to buy, make sure it is a metal frame. You need a solid reel for some tough frog fishing. The PQ is still the best bang for the buck reel with the metal frame and dual brakes.
Doesn't the lew's have a metal frame?
Member of the LSCR club

LgMouthGambler

Quote from: ryan1995 on June 03, 2014, 12:25:00 PM
Doesn't the lew's have a metal frame?

I don't know which model you are looking at. I cant keep track of the exact models since they are all called Speed Spools, lol. Im a Shimano/Daiwa guy. Just make sure it says that in the description.
My wife says she is gonna leave me if I go fishing one more time........lord how I will miss that woman.

ryan1995

Quote from: LgMouthGambler on June 03, 2014, 12:29:02 PM
I don't know which model you are looking at. I cant keep track of the exact models since they are all called Speed Spools, lol. Im a Shimano/Daiwa guy. Just make sure it says that in the description.
http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Lews_Speed_Spool_Casting_Reel/descpage-LSP.html
This one
Member of the LSCR club

Bigwrench

I also prefer Lews , have 9 of em and the only other reels I have are PQ's.  The PQ's are probably the best bang for your buck as has been stated. You won't be disappointed in either but between the 2 I'd go with the Lews also.
Stop by the Garage and let me know if you have Maintenance issues that you need assistance with.

LgMouthGambler

My wife says she is gonna leave me if I go fishing one more time........lord how I will miss that woman.

Drake691

I'd save up a couple more bucks and buy a Tournament MG. It's only $30 more
I have lots of great personality traits. Or as my doctor calls them, symptoms.

caddyjoe77

There is nothing wrong with the PQ, it is a good reel.  I had a PQ on my old frog setup and it served its purpose.  However, I did start to notice that the PQ is not as smooth as it once was on my flipping/pitching reel.  But, I upgraded all my stuff to Lews in the last year for that reason.  If you dont use it all that much, a PQ will be fine.  If you plan on using it every weekend and sometimes during the week go with the Lew's. 

The other thing to think about is this.  If you do use the PQ a lot, why not just spend the extra money up front and get the lews so later down the road you wouldn't have purchased the PQ first and then the Lews which means you are more in the hole overall. 

BeerMe

ryan1995

Ok, so it seems to be about 50/50 between the two. I guess either way I go, I will end up with a nice reel.
Member of the LSCR club

merc1997

i do not own either, but my buddy has three bb1n somethings.  just do see just how darn good these thing throw, we put some 6 lb. mono on one, and mounted it on a medium light rod, and i could throw an 1/8 maribou crappie jig a mile.  he also has a 400 dollar shimano, that does not even come close to the performance of the lew's.  his lews were in the 180 range.  if i ever have money to buy an new reel, i would have to look at a lew's.

bo
On Heaven's Lake

Wizard

I like round reels. Until recently I used old round 6 bearing BPS Pro Qualifers. I think they were around $50 new when purchased. About 5 yrs. ago I sent them to be supertuned. The bearings were replaced with quality double shielded Japanese bearings, the spool was polished and the entire reel was throughly cleaned. A special coating was applied to the internal parts to decrease friction. When the reel came back, the effect was incredible. I could cast the entire spool of line with no trouble and it was smoooth. The cost was about $75 to supertune at that time. Was it worth it? You betcha! I  recently bought my first low profile reels because I got a good deal on some slightly used Phfluger Partriarchs. I will get them supertuned also.

Pro Reel

Both reels are built in the same factory by the same Koreans. They are both built on the same basic frame with about 70% of the parts being identical and will swap back and forth. They are both identical in quality. They do however have some slightly different features. The PQ has a dual brake system. The dual brakes are great for beginner anglers as you have more adjustability. Dual brakes are also great for multi purpose reels as the magnets can be turned up for pitching where they work better at slow speeds.
I personally would be hesitant to recommend one over the other for frogging as they are so similar that the only real difference is cosmetic and the brake design.

gramps50

My Tournament Pro has dual breaking, great reel I also have a Tournament MG which only has a single braking system, magnetic. I get more backlashes with it but I don't think it's the reel per say but the operator. I don't have a PQ so I can't compare the two.

Lews sells their refurbished reels on eBay at a decent price, but sometimes you have to wait for the model you want to come up for sale.
-- Gramps50

acwood04

I like the lews line more.  I have two lews (a BB1 and a tournament pro speed spool) and two bps pro qualifiers. The lews reels are both lighter than the PQ. Also, if your just getting in to baitcasting, the Lews tension spool knob "clicks" every time you turn it a direction, I really like being able to feel the spool clicking as I'm fine tuning the rod/reel/line/lure so I can use it as a point of reference so I can get as close to using the least amount of tension so I can cast the farthest.... Just my preference.

Pro Reel

Quote from: acwood04 on June 08, 2014, 11:54:06 PM
I like the lews line more.  I have two lews (a BB1 and a tournament pro speed spool) and two bps pro qualifiers. The lews reels are both lighter than the PQ. Also, if your just getting in to baitcasting, the Lews tension spool knob "clicks" every time you turn it a direction, I really like being able to feel the spool clicking as I'm fine tuning the rod/reel/line/lure so I can use it as a point of reference so I can get as close to using the least amount of tension so I can cast the farthest.... Just my preference.

To be fair, you have to compare apples to apples. Your Lews reels are from the higher end of the spectrum. Of course they are lighter, thats one of the things you get for more money. You can do the same thing with any of the other reels made by the Doyo fishing factory in Korea, such as bass Pro reels or Pfluger reels or Abu Garcia reels or lews reels to name a few. They all have base models and they all have nicer, and more expensive premium models. To compare a Lews Tournament pro to a Bass Pro reel, you would need to step up to the highest level Jonny Morris reels that are built with the same lighter materials. You could also look at a revo Premier or a Pfluger patriarch. All the same basic reels at the higher price points.

acwood04

Yeah I have the Johnny Morris also. It is good. Has a click in the tension spool too, but it's heavier than the tourney pro speed spool which I got for about 5$ more on amazon. I only fish left hand retrieve as it's just my natural way from my fly fishin beginnings. I've got the lower price lews baitcaster that cost less than the pro qualifier, and still like the lews better. I was at bass getting a revo winch as I wanted to pair a new abu rod, and the guys at bass pro said they recomended if I could get the lews for a good price it's a better reel they felt. Overall, both reels are quality. At that point it's about the ratio and then the rod you pair it with... Then it comes down to the Indian not the arrow. I'm sure you'd enjoy both reels a lot but the lews are better in my opinion, but they make several speed spool models too.

ryan1995

Thanks for all the replies. I ended up going with the Lew's Speed Spool which I just got today and I love it. Now I just need a new rod. ;D
Member of the LSCR club

IH__COLLECTOR

I did a lot of research and read a lot of reviews before i bought my first baitcaster. I went up to walmart to buy a old cheap baitcaster to get the feel of them. It was the lews laser, it was the smoothest they had, last week i went and bought a lews BB1 you talk about smooth! I wont buy any baitcaster besides a lews!

LgMouthGambler

Quote from: IH__COLLECTOR on August 04, 2014, 07:26:36 PM
I did a lot of research and read a lot of reviews before i bought my first baitcaster. I went up to walmart to buy a old cheap baitcaster to get the feel of them. It was the lews laser, it was the smoothest they had, last week i went and bought a lews BB1 you talk about smooth! I wont buy any baitcaster besides a lews!

Thats becuase you havent fished with a Zillion, lol.
My wife says she is gonna leave me if I go fishing one more time........lord how I will miss that woman.

IH__COLLECTOR


Mike Bush

Looks like I am late to the party on this one. I prefer Lews. Have about 16 right now, will be getting the new 8.0 gear in the Super Duty when available along with the newest reel, the Team Lite.

Super Duty for heavy work and the Lite for jerkbaits and Warts. Im not sure yet. Short sticks for the Lite reels for sure.