What do you feel is most versatile ratio for shallow cranking squarebills? I’m leaning towards one of my 7.1:1 reels. I started with a slower 6.1:1 and my bro smoked me one day on cranks. At first we thought it was color, but it was a stark difference.

I then realized after that he had a 7.5:1 reel and my guess is a quicker, steadier cadence to his lure. The next trip was even better crank conditions and I had a 7.5:1 reel, and we both destroyed them on squarebills that day. So I’m thinking a 7.1:1 would be a good compromise. I’m newer still to serious bass fishing, but found the crank bite highly addicting and really enjoyable when it’s on.

I’m not trying to be rude but it seems you already know the answer to your question 🤔

1 hour ago, Eric 26 said:

I’m not trying to be rude but it seems you already know the answer to your question 🤔

There are a lot of other factors involved. Line used, rod used, positioning of the rod during retrieve (running depth), exact retrieve used. Assuming ya'll were running the exact same lures of course. I'd be willing to bet it was one of those vs the speed ratio.

Not saying it's the be-all-end-all answer, but I'm throwing squarebills on an 8.4 bringing in 37" per crank and cranking about as fast as I can spin the handle at times to draw a reaction.

If i could choose, it would be 6.8 with a 90mm handle. I usually use 6.3 or 6.4.

somewhere between 5:1 to 9:1

I usually stick with a 6.3:1 or thereabouts gear ratio, or about 24-26" inches per turn for crankbaits. There are some times where you can work them faster and maybe a 7.1:1 (28-29" IPT) would make sense, but that seems to be only a few weeks in August where faster is consistently better as far as I've noticed anyway.

I like 7:1. I usually fish them pretty fast with a bunch of pauses thrown in (stop and go) to get a reaction strike. You can still slow down with a 7:1 if you need to but in my experience that’s typically not the case.

6 something, around 26 to 28 IPT. With some of the casting reels getting smaller, I tend to look at IPT more than I used to. Handle length is also a factor. I can handle more IPT with a longer handle.

For 'normal', non magnum lipped crankbaits, I use a 5.1/5.6 in prespawn, and then move to a 6.8/7.1 when the water warms up. Burning with an even higher speed reel is something I do occasionally in the summer.

All my casting reels are 8.1.1 you can always slow down. It’s harder to speed up.

32 minutes ago, Susky River Rat said:

All my casting reels are 8.1.1 you can always slow down. It’s harder to speed up.

Watched 'The Bass Pros" tv show a couple years ago, and Timmy Horton agrees with you. He said he wanted an 8.1 for nearly everything.

@KP Duty I feel that picking up slack line as fast as you can leads to less fish lost.

I’m with Susky. I’ve migrated to 7 and 8 ratio reels for just about everything. My 7’s are general purpose. The 8’s are for crankbaits, topwater, and bottom contact. Only exception is a 6 speed met I got as part of a package that’s going to be my spinnerbait/bladed jig reel for the rest of this year to evaluate it. There are some times when throwing them I am going a little too fast and not realizing it until I see it riding 3’ below the surface on live scope when I want to be 6’ deep.

Not a big deal. I usually use high speed reals, and if I want slow retrieve I just slow down. I like high speed to return the bait after passing the targeted area. I don’t need a reel to slow down, my actions will do it all!

A while ago I was listening to the Bass After Dark podcast and the discussion was crankbaits. I can't remember who the experts were that night but one of them said that you can't reel a crankbait fast enough, meaning let it rip.

2 hours ago, Kayak Koz said:

A while ago I was listening to the Bass After Dark podcast and the discussion was crankbaits. I can't remember who the experts were that night but one of them said that you can't reel a crankbait fast enough, meaning let it rip.

I thought that crawling a crankbait was the answer for so long. Then you watch the pros during a tournament or some other experts and you realize just how fast they are cranking them. At first glance you’re like “no way a bass is hitting that”. Then you do it and it works well and you realize why they are doing it. You cover so much water and create so many reaction bites that you can’t help but catch fish. And then once you realize what it happening and why they are doing what they are, you can slow down and pick them apart (or not and keep covering tons of water).

Just for contrast, KVD always used a 5.X gear reel for his cranking. However, it isn't necessarily to move the bait slower. If you watch him...he's really working that handle most of the time. I'm the same way- I don't want to turn the handle slowly.

My square bill rod is a 6.7:1. I feel anything in the 6s is a good compromise between speed and power for a crankbait.

On 5/3/2026 at 10:31 PM, Eric 26 said:

I’m not trying to be rude but it seems you already know the answer to your question 🤔

I get what you’re saying and agree. I still like fish talk my man, and seeing what others run is interesting. That crank bite sure is fun when it’s rocking!

6 minutes ago, JonB2 said:

I get what you’re saying and agree. I still like fish talk my man, and seeing what others run is interesting. That crank bite sure is fun when it’s rocking!

I appreciate your understanding and to honestly answer the question I use everything from spinning setups ranging from 4.7:1 to 6.3:1 to 3 “Crank Bait” specific rods ranging from ML, MED & a MH that have 5.4:1, 6.4:1 & 7.3:1 speed reels paired to them.