For general casting jigs and worms do you think a 7 speed is needed. I abide by the rule that any time slack is generated such as jigging a worm you'll want a high speed reel. I mostly use 6 speeds for moving reaction baits. However I do quite a bit of throwing jigs and plastics in open water. For flipping I know to use high speed.

anything over 6.3 is fine.

I have moved to 7.0:1 + reels for deep water jit fishing. For taking up the slack while fishing deep I have been able to increase my hook setting percentage a bit.

Yep, 6+ or better will work fine. 

I use 8's for worms and jerkbaits. 7's for jigs and frogs. 6's for spinner/buzz/chatterbaits. And 5's for cranks.

I use to have a 3.8:1 Lew's that I used all the time for worms. It's not ideal at all but it can be done. Nowadays I wouldn't want to use anything other than a 7+. 

The highest speed reel you have will be fine. If you aren't sure just get reels that are in the 6 range, that is considered the all purpose gear ratio. I'll also give you a little help in deciding what you need, any technique in which you move the bait primarily with the rod, those techniques you will want a high speed reel, for baits that you move with the reel mostly, well you want a slower ratio but which one? The more resistance a lure has when reeling, the slower the gear ratio, but when in doubt, anything in the 6 range. The reason is the slower gear ratio reels have more torque which makes it easier to reel bait with high resistance like deep diving cranks, those that dive deeper than 14' for me get a 5.1:1 and it is the only bait that I use a slow reel for.

 Like several have mentioned already, 6 ratio on up will get the job done just fine. 

Calcutta 100A 5.8:1

You can make any reel work for it, but I'd say a 7+ would be best. 

Make it work!

I catch 1,200-2,000 bass a year with no problems!

If need a 7-8 gear ratio to take up slack ya got to much slack!

With being said use whay ya want

I use a 7+ on all soft plastic and jig rods but I'm honestly not sure that it makes that much difference in my catch rate.

The majority of jig and worm fishing is done using the rod to apply action, the reel to cast. Good rod is needed to help detect what is going on with the jig and worms as they are slowly moved among the bottom or line watching as the lure falls down through the water column. So far the reel gear ration doesn't come into play, other than retrieving a few inches or feet of slack line.

Because I use my reel to help hook set jigs at the end of a long cast and keeping in control of the bass, taking up line faster is an advantage, shorter cast with worms and jigs there isn't any advantage or disadvantage to use high speed reels over 7:1 ratio.

Tom

For general casting jigs and worms do you think a 7 speed is needed..

 

 

Anything that picks up the line is good for me. 

 

I remember when those "burner" reels came out so many years ago, man they were fast !............... 5:1 burning lightnin´ fast, of course back then we  fished with 3-3.8:1 reels. 

 

BTW, I do have fast reels, my fastest is a Daiwa PT33SH and to tell you the truth, it don´t help me catch more fish than other reels.

I have a Lews superduty 8:1