Sorry for all of these reel questions, but can you use a 7.3:1 baitcaster for square bill crankbaiting, spinnerbaits, swimming jigs, topwaters, etc. or should you only use a 7.3:1 for pitching and worming? Thanks. -Alex

I use a 7.5:1 for top water, square bill, lipless, worm and jig, and jerkbaits. I haven't done much with spinnerbaits or swim jigs so no help there. 

For the moving baits I'll say that unless you want the bait to be moving fast, it's easier to get a good cadence with a slower reel but not something that can't be done with a 7.3:1

You can use it for any of those things, although I prefer not to for the cranks and spinnerbaits. 

I normally use a 6.4 for spinnerbaits but it depends on the bait and time of year. If I'm burning them I want to have that high gear ratio. 

51 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

You can use it for any of those things, although I prefer not to for the cranks and spinnerbaits. 

Can't you just slow reel a 7.X:1 and get the same action as a 6.X:1?

Personally I use 7 and 8 speed reels for basically everything (besides spinning gear). Is it ideal for every application....no, but I would rather slow down than speed up. I don't crank a whole lot, so if I ever get a cranking set up I might decide to try out a 5.8:1 or something. 

15 minutes ago, ASD said:

Can't you just slow reel a 7.X:1 and get the same action as a 6.X:1?

Sure you can take a 8.X:1 and slow it to a 5:1 as well. Some issues are the reel loses torque by nature of the gearing. As stated the cadence or speed will have to be taken care of by the angler. In other words he will have to make the concerned effort not to get to BSing, watching the birds, looking for that next spot to cast, etc and start reeling to fast out of habit. Or just forget he is using a higher speed reel than the bait really calls for the entire time using that setup. 

It will work.

37 minutes ago, ASD said:

Can't you just slow reel a 7.X:1 and get the same action as a 6.X:1?

I can't, no. Maybe someone else can, but I can't.

As mentioned, there's the torque factor as well. Cranking a spinnerbait on a 6.2 ratio is easy, put it on a 7.1, all the sudden I'm trying to crank a 5 gallon bucket through the water. 

Almost every baitcaster I own is of the high speed variety. I have no issues slowing down, but could see where some would. The few baitcasters I own that aren't in the 7:1 range are those that were not offered in that speed, but I bought the highest geared one they offered. One of my favorite baits is a squarebill, and I have no problems catching fish on them with a 7:1 reel. I don't have issues catchin' them on those other techniques with a 7:1 either. There's no right or wrong way to do it, only what works for you. 

It's really personal preference. About the only real mechanical advantage is a low ratio / ipt reel for deep cranking and even then there are differing opinions and preferences. 

On 06/02/2016 at 1:08 AM, Bluebasser86 said:

I can't, no. Maybe someone else can, but I can't.

As mentioned, there's the torque factor as well. Cranking a spinnerbait on a 6.2 ratio is easy, put it on a 7.1, all the sudden I'm trying to crank a 5 gallon bucket through the water. 

Is that why I've been having so much trouble? I switched reels on my spinnerbait setup from a 6.x:1 tournament MG  to a 7.x:1 tournament pro. Ever since then reeling the spinnerbait in seems to want to bend my rod in half, and I can't seem to keep the spinnerbait under water. It always wants to surface. Same problem with chatterbaits.

LC

20 minutes ago, loudcherokee said:

Is that why I've been having so much trouble? I switched reels on my spinnerbait setup from a 6.x:1 tournament MG  to a 7.x:1 tournament pro. Ever since then reeling the spinnerbait in seems to want to bend my rod in half, and I can't seem to keep the spinnerbait under water. It always wants to surface. Same problem with chatterbaits.

LC

Very likely that it's why that's happening. 

On 6/2/2016 at 11:36 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

You can use it for any of those things, although I prefer not to for the cranks and spinnerbaits. 

Ditto 

 

Mike 

On June 2, 2016 at 0:28 AM, ASD said:

Can't you just slow reel a 7.X:1 and get the same action as a 6.X:1?

 

Yes.  Yes you can.  [insert nerdery about "power" vs "speed" and infinitely subjective observations here]

Well if you want to get technical, you can reel a 6 faster to get the same a 7 would give also. I just prefer not to. 

 

Mike 

A lot of us tend to fish faster than we need to already. I'm definitely in that group myself. It's easier for me to speed up a little verse slowing down. There's also certain baits for me that don't work well on a faster ratio.