Need advice on baitcaster reels. I currently own one that I had since I was 19 a curado. I'm 35 years old now and I'm looking at all these new reels and I see 7., 6. , 5. Ratios. What's a good ratio for the following, Top water-pitching, Jig worms and spinner baits crank baits . I just bought three new poles for what I mentioned and now I need to outfit them. I'm new to bass fishing I have always had one pole but now with a boat I'm sick of tying knots.

 

For me Deep crankbaits like a DD22 or 6XD or bigger I like a 5:1 ratio. For pitching or casting jigs, worms etc. I like a 7:1 or faster, preferably faster. For just about every thing else I pretty much stick to 6:1. If I was looking for 1 ratio to pretty much do it all I would start with 6:1 and slow down or speed up a little as needed.

Think of it this way. High speed reels 7.xx or 8.xx -  For baits you work with your rod ie Texas rigged plastics, jigs etc... when you are ready to reel the bait back through the "dead water" you want to get it back as fast as you can so you can cast/pitch to the next target. It makes you more efficient which means you cast more times per day which theoretically means more fish.

5 speed reels- for deep cranking. Think of it like bicycle gears. You want to peddle easier up the hill. 5 speed reels allow you to do this. 

6 speed reels- for moving baits and everything else

Just my 2cents

7 minutes ago, Bass Turd said:

Think of it this way. High speed reels 7.xx or 8.xx -  For baits you work with your rod ie Texas rigged plastics, jigs etc... when you are ready to reel the bait back through the "dead water" you want to get it back as fast as you can so you can cast/pitch to the next target. It makes you more efficient which means you cast more times per day which theoretically means more fish.

5 speed reels- for deep cranking. Think of it like bicycle gears. You want to peddle easier up the hill. 5 speed reels allow you to do this. 

6 speed reels- for moving baits and everything else

Just my 2cents

I approve this message. I fish 8's for top water. Most techniques on top leave slack in your line a lot more often than others, so a lot of line per turn is good.

Thanks for info 

Not to complicate matters but the true measure of a reels retrieve speed is IPT inches per turn of the handle. A 5:1 or 24 ipt < reel has a mechanical advantage retrieving deep cranks (15'>). Other applications of ratio are personal preference. 

Ya IPT is more important to me than gear ratio. 

You want something with a high IPT for topwater, pitching and flippin'.... however Aaron Martens is one of the best in the game and he uses high Ratios for everything.. and I absolutely agree with him.. why not buy all fast reels and slow down your retrieve? I'm done buying slow reels... 7's and 8's for me from here on out.. people like 6's for cranking.. but I prefers to slow myself down and speed up as I please... higher ratio equals more control 

 

heres a link to what im talking about 

 

20 hours ago, pawpaw said:

For me Deep crankbaits like a DD22 or 6XD or bigger I like a 5:1 ratio. For pitching or casting jigs, worms etc. I like a 7:1 or faster, preferably faster. For just about every thing else I pretty much stick to 6:1. If I was looking for 1 ratio to pretty much do it all I would start with 6:1 and slow down or speed up a little as needed.

I like 5:1 for spinnerbaits, too. I have trouble slowing down, and many times spinnerbaits are more effective "slow rolled," or at least retrieved fairly slowly.

Yes, I like 5:1 for any resistance baits, but 6:3 can cover everything for me.

I been noticing us left handed guys have to step it up on price range to get a reel in different  Ratios. Any advice on a particular model around $100 to get me rolling  for a few years I figure get a 7, 6 ,and 5 cover all bases

I use a curado 200i PG which has a 5.5:1 ratio as all around use.

its awesome for crankbaits, spinner baits and big blade baits but I tend to fish too fast most of the time so I use it for all around use even with typically faster retrieve baits like lipless cranks etc.

1 hour ago, weso said:

I been noticing us left handed guys have to step it up on price range to get a reel in different  Ratios. Any advice on a particular model around $100 to get me rolling  for a few years I figure get a 7, 6 ,and 5 cover all bases

The Lew's Speed Spool LFS  Is right at $100. I haven't used that particular model but I really like my other Lew's models. They have other models near that price range as well.

I heard that from a few people now that Lews makes good reels

2 hours ago, weso said:

I been noticing us left handed guys have to step it up on price range to get a reel in different  Ratios. Any advice on a particular model around $100 to get me rolling  for a few years I figure get a 7, 6 ,and 5 cover all bases

Lews LFS speed spool retails normally  at $100 and has a lefty 6.8:1 and 7.5:1. I use the 6.8 for topwaters, and it's a great reel. Even better is a Tournament MB, which is a noticeable step up and has the same ratios in lefty models. Costs a little more normally, but you can sometime find one for about $100. I got one from Manventure Outpost at about that price; things come in and out of stock frequently there, but it's worth checking in to see if they have any.     

Another place to look for a good reel is American Legacy Fishing, which has lefty Daiwa tatula ($90) and Tatula Type-Rs ($110), in 6.3:1 and  7.3:1. 

Daiwa Tatulas and Tatula CTs are available for that money if you go to most online sources. I own a bunch of Daiwa Tatula, Tatula Type Rs and tatula CTs( the newest and smaller version) and I have paid between $100 and $130.  They retail for $130 to $199 normally.  They are just great workhorses. the T wing does help with casting distance and their drags are really smooth.  Most of the gear ratios are available left an right handed in the different models.. 

I think its all crazy.  I want a high speed reel.  If I want to slow down just turn the handle slower.  I often fish at a snails pace with plastics, but I don't need a special reel to do that.  Its crazy crap!  What I do need is, if I feel the slightest tick of that line, I need a reel to take up the slack fast so I can get a good solid hook set.  Fast speed for me all the time for everything.  I can slow the hand as slow as I want, any time I want!  No need to buy another reel to do that, I already have enough, ALL FAST!    Just one opinion, everyone has one.

Except for deep cranking, where you want leverage to slowly and steadily wind in a high resistance bait, I like a high speed reel. To keep pressure on a bass speeding towards the boat. To race back my lure to re-cast to the productive area. To take up slack for a hookset, or to keep the big one pinned when she shakes her head in the air.  And I have no trouble slowing down the handle on an 8.3:1 reel when finessing a jig or worm, or when working a swimbait, spinnerbait, or frog.

Lews tournament my off eBay for 110 dollars, multiple gear ratios and left handed options. I'm in the left handed club as well