In this day and age - most folks seem to have made the move to 7:3:1 gear ratio (or faster !)  bait cast reels ... *For those that still have slower  6:3:1  gear ratio bait cast reels in their arsenal - what applications / tactics are you still using them for ?  ... Thanks in advance !

Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, chatterbaits.  

 

Spinner baits, crank baits (pick a size), and I like a 6 speed for top water poppers.

Heck, most of mine are 8's?

 

My 6's are for deep diving CB and larger swimbaits.

 

A "6" something reel is a good all around speed that can be used for everything you throw. 

Not too long ago they were considered fast reels. 

A slower "5" or faster "7 or 8"

are intended for specific presentations, like most everything else there are no rules. 

 

The majority of my arsenal are "6's" 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

Uh, everything I own is a 6.x.

 

I hook so many bass halfway back to the boat or almost under the boat that I'm never in a hurry to crank it in and cast again. Tuesday morning around 10 I had a 1.5-pounder bite the spinnerbait 10 feet from the boat and there was another one the same size trying to take the bait from him right up until the moment I pulled him out of the water. 

Paperweights.

I fish cranks and spinnerbaits with 6.8 Lew's Lfs . Rest are 7.5 reels Lew's Lfs. Debating getting an 8.3 for flipping stick..

I use 6.3 on all moving baits. 

1 hour ago, LonnieP said:

I use 6.3 on all moving baits. 

X2

Gear ratios were perverted as a marketing ploy a long time ago to the point they're all but meaningless now.

Gear ratio differences don't directly equate to line retrieval speed. The spool size can vary from reel to reel and more than make up for the differences in the gearing in many cases. Look at the line retrieved per turn. Your 6.3:1 could retrieve just as much line as a different 7.0:1 (ie - have the same "speed"), but it will have more torque available to you to horse fish out of heavy cover.

You're better off comparing ipt

for each reel you have or considering buying for what you want to do with it. 

 

Use the stated ratio as a guide. 

 

 

 

 

Mike

 

 

Spinnerbaits

Don't notice much difference between my 6.x and my 7.1

Crankbaits

I love 6.3:1s. I've tried my 7.3:1 for spinnerbaits, swimbaits, cranks, but it's way too hard to crank.

4 hours ago, newyorktoiowa57 said:

X2

Thanks - Looks like the 6:3:1 is best used for constant retrieve baits / reaction bait  strikes   :

 

Spinner Baits

Chatter baits

Crank Baits

Swim Jigs

Smaller Swim Baits

 

 

I suppose you could also add poppers , dead sticking a Senko or slowly crawling a T-Rig worm or a jig on the bottom as well ... While using your rod to move a bait usually pushes you up in gear ratio (7:1:1 or faster) these lures are slow enough that a slower gear ratio doesn't affect you so much ... Still tends to be a case of the right tool for the job (with some over lap of course) .

i use them for spinnerbaits & cranks. i'm also thinking of using them for jigs & plastics in cold water. i sometimes think i may be fishing way too fast during cold months

I fish primarily moving baits. That being said, the majority of my reels are 5:1 or 6:1 ratios. 

 

The world needs more lefty 5:1's!!!

Basically what everyone's mentioned, moving baits. Once I started picking up 7 and 8 gear ratios, I wouldn't have anything else for plastics, finesse, and slow crawling lures.  

everything but my crankbaits and \I throw them on 5.1:1 reels.

3 hours ago, ChrisD46 said:

Thanks - Looks like the 6:3:1 is best used for constant retrieve baits / reaction bait  strikes   :

 

Spinner Baits

Chatter baits

Crank Baits

Swim Jigs

Smaller Swim Baits

 

 

I suppose you could also add poppers , dead sticking a Senko or slowly crawling a T-Rig worm or a jig on the bottom as well ... While using your rod to move a bait usually pushes you up in gear ratio (7:1:1 or faster) these lures are slow enough that a slower gear ratio doesn't affect you so much ... Still tends to be a case of the right tool for the job (with some over lap of course) .

Agreed on the above list, I would add buzzbaits in there too. I like 8:1 for frogs, jigs, and any kind of T-rig., including senkos. 

9 hours ago, onthewater102 said:

Gear ratios were perverted as a marketing ploy a long time ago to the point they're all but meaningless now.

Gear ratio differences don't directly equate to line retrieval speed. The spool size can vary from reel to reel and more than make up for the differences in the gearing in many cases. Look at the line retrieved per turn. Your 6.3:1 could retrieve just as much line as a different 7.0:1 (ie - have the same "speed"), but it will have more torque available to you to horse fish out of heavy cover.

I don’t think this is an accurate account.   Ipt is the effective ratio between 1 turn of the handle and X” of line retrieval.  The torque required to pull a given load will be essentially the same for a certain Ipt regardless of spool size or gear ratio.    It’s like having larger tires on a truck, you have too lower the axle gear ratio to compensate  for the tires.  

Most moving baits. For topwater, I prefer 7.3:1 so I can reel slowly and reel up slack. Although to be honest if I had only 6.3:1 reels, I'd be fine with that.

TD-Z reels in 6.3:1 might be the best thing going...:)

 

But then again, the SV103H (6.3) and XS (7.9) have all bases covered...

 

Best wishes on the water.