Qualls Service: Trolling Motor and Fishing Rod & Reel Sales and Service

quallsservice.com

The Qualls Combination - Faith, Family, & Fishin'!

The Qualls Story

Qualls Hours

Mon - Tue - Thur
1 pm to 6 pm
Friday
1 pm to 5 pm
Saturday
9 am to 2 pm
Wed - Sun
closed

    Qualls Service is more than just a business to owner Larry Qualls. It is his personal commitment to keeping solid work ethics and quality workmanship alive!

   Larry, his wife Paula, and a trained and dedicated staff have created a service that can't be matched by anyone.

Learn more about Qualls and the people behind its success
in the following reprints from various publications!
To see photo gallery click here.

Resurrect Your Trashed Tackle

by Steve Jones, Guide Conservation Editor
reprinted from Outdoor Guide Magazine

For over 25 (now 30) years, Larry Qualls has been at it. Qualls Rod & Reel Service, the largest reel service in Southern Illinois, is just the ticket for getting new life out of old fishing gear.
Located at 2705 South Broadway, Salem, Illinois, 62881, Larry and his wife Paula are ready to help bring your old tackle back to life. But not only do they repair tackle, they repair trolling motors, sell reconditioned tackle, and even build custom fishing rods.

   Need work on your MInn Kota or Motorguide trolling motor? Qualls is a warranty center ready to help you with those problems as well.
   If you are one of the few anglers who take care of your equipment, you already know that preventative maintenance can extend the life of your reels tremendously. Qualls offers a "tune up" for your reel that includes cleaning, lubrication, and adjustment....It would be a great annual habit to get into.
   Many rods and reels only have minor problems when we store them away and go buy a new one. But then, we knew that - otherwise we would have thrown them away to begin with. If you think about it, there is GOLD in them thar rafters!
   Call Larry and Paula at (618)548-1153 or visit their website....What are you waiting for?

Converts Trash Back Into Treasure

by Dave Shadow, Guide Conservation Editor
reprinted from Adventure Sports Outdoors

   Oh man, now I've done it! I've trashed the trolling motor and with a tournament coming up this next weekend, "this is a problem".
   Sound like a familiar scenario? I hope this hasn't happened to you, but it happened to me recently, and that's "the rest of the story."
   I was on Smithland pool, fishing out of the Golconda Marina and all was well. At least until I ventured way up Dog Creek and managed to hit a submerged stump with my new Motor Guide trolling motor. I did it up pretty well, actually. I bent the shaft, broke the cables, snapped a pin in the mounting bracket, among other things they didn't bring to my attention.
   But this is no problem, I kept telling myself. After all that's the beauty of having a Motor Guide!

Larry Qualls, owner

Alas, mine was too new for the repair shop to have repair parts for it. It seems that mine was the "new & improved" model and no one had managed to wreck one in the manner that I just did. Leave it to me! And with a big tournament just a few days off.
   I visited with Dale Greene at Lakeside Boat and Motors Shop in Mt. Vernon regarding the problem, and he assured me that in one way or another he would have me on the water on tournament day. Then he sent me to see Larry Qualls.
   Qualls Rod, Reel, and Tolling Motor Service is located just south of Salem, Illinois, on Route 37. This made it very convenient since that was on my way home. This location puts him in the center of a lot of fishing activity.
   Qualls is a warranty repair center for Motor Guide, Minn Kota, and Mercury trolling motors and has over 30 years of experience to serve you. His large parts department is a real asset when it comes to getting you back on the water quickly. He even has loaner motors for those cases when it's just not possible to repair yours soon enough.
   There are a lot of sources for equipment these days, but there's no substitute for knowledge. Qualls has both the "smarts and the parts" to solve most of your tackle and equipment problems, and to fill your needs for new equipment with the "state of the art" technologies. Depth finders, built-in transducers, and auto-pilot selections are among his fields of expertise. Whether it's rod and reel service or trolling motors and electronics, Qualls is the place to go for factory-trained service.
   The end of the season is a good time to get all your gear tuned up for the coming season. Qualls also offers a 12-point checkup on trolling motors.
   This is the ideal time to check rod guides, reel wear and cleaning, and repairs for all of those other little problems that you "patched up" during the busy season.
   It's Faith, Family, and Fishin!

Trolling Motors...
with a little T.L.C they'll take you a long way

by Steve Zarley
reprinted from Z Bits

   For the most part the Midwest has survived another winter, and a mild winter at that. With the last of the ice on the waters a mere cube, sportsmen are loading the essential gear aboard their boats, chomping at the bits to get on the water for some early spring fishing action.
   How many times however, have you arrived at your favorite fishing hole only to find your trolling motor malfunctions, leaving you dead in the water at the most inappropriate time?
   If you stop and think about it, your trolling motor performs more hours of work than any other feature on today's fishing boats.

professional reel repair

Every year manufacturers work tirelessly to improve motor design, adding new features, greater thrust, and options that will satisfy the ever demanding requirements of today's sportsmen.
   Wanting to do an article on some of the things that should be addressed when maintaining your trolling motor, I contacted Larry Qualls. Qualls owns and operates Qualls Rod & Reel, Motor Repair in Salem, Illinois. Larry has been servicing trolling motors for the past 12 years. Larry is an authorized service center for Motor Guide and Minn Kota trolling motors.
   "There are a number of areas requiring attention by boat owners on the trolling motor," Qualls said. The following are areas that should be inspected on a regular basis, and repaired as needed.
   Today's new space age materials and prop designs provide for greater thrust by strengthening the blades for less deflection, and edge profiles that cut through grass more effectively. Current prop design has been improved with the introduction of graphite/plastic composites. Even with such modern technology, problems can and do arise.
   With demands placed on trolling motors, all props inevitably get nicks, cuts, and worn tips that can cause vibration and will pick up more weeds. Best performance is with smooth edges.
   We have seen an increase in lower unit seal damage caused by entangled fishing line that can lead to total failure. Check behind the prop every 20 hours for line buildup and remove it if you find any.

Another very wise move is to carry an extra prop, prop pin, and prop nut. Pull ropes also become frayed and should be replaced as often as needed. This is another excellent item to add to your spare part list.
Batteries require special attention relative to selection and maintenance. No matter how new your battery, it's very advisable to recharge it after each trip. Insure water levels are maintained and connections are clean.
No-maintenance batteries and onboard chargers increase the life of modern battery designs.

Small Town Service

Shaft set collars (bottom collar) that hold the lower bearing and cone can loosen due to vibration. Check the position and tightness of the setscrew to insure there is a minimum of play. A loose set collar can misalign steering cables and damage the top shaft bearing.
The small and low-cost trolling motor plugs, motor side and boat side, require inspection for rust, corrosion, and loose terminals. It's also recommended that the motor plug be disconnected while trailering and storage to prevent accidental operation that can burn out a lower unit or cut up a boat tarp. (Have you priced a boat tarp lately?)

Mounting brackets absorb the shock of open water running, trailering, and the normal daily operation. Wear on pivot point bushings, pins, and nylon spacers can cause the mount to become loose, allowing the motor to have excessive movement forward and side-to-side when power is applied.
Mounts with doors that hold the outer shaft, and also provide depth adjustment, can become damaged if opened under pressure of the stored position.

To avoid door handle problems, lift the motor shaft 45 degrees before opening the door. Doing this takes off the pressure that occurs when in storage position.
Trolling motors are designed to give the sportsman of today dependable service and greatly improve your time on the water. With a little time and expense you can protect a vital component, and hopefully enjoy a trouble-free day as well.
Contact Larry Qualls at: (618)548-1153 for sales, parts, service and any questions you might have on trolling motors. (My thanks to Larry Qualls for his collaboration on this article.)

Over 30 Years Experience!

2705 S. Broadway, Salem, IL 62881 Tel (618)548-1153 Fax (618)548-1153 lq@quallsservice.com

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