TackleTour

I've been using a baitcaster since I was 13 years old. I'm 42 right now. I have definitely seen the improvements on the casting reel throughout the years. I have a couple of 7:1 reels which I like. The trend seems to be going higher and higher. I couldn't picture myself using an 8:1 ratio plus. I could always get away with a 6 something gear ratio for almost every thing I throw. The only exception would be a 5 ratio for deep diving crankbaits. The benefit I see with an 8:1 plus gear ratio would be throwing frogs. Am I missing out on not using a 8:1 plus ratio?

I have a handful of reels that are 8:1 and soon will have one thats 9:1 (though its gonna be a steez air with a tiny spool so its not all that fast). The real benefit to me is saving time reeling my lure in to make another cast. I mostly use the higher ratios for bottom contact lures where Im casting at structure or in a very specific strike zone and once my lure is out of that zone I am able to quickly reel my lure in and make another cast. I do prefer reels in the 6:1 range for general use but theres definitely an advantage to higher ratios for bottom contact in my opinion

I find gear ratio itself an inaccurate stat. There are 8:1 reels that retrieve 36 inches per handle turn and 8:1 reels that retrieve 32 inches per turn. There are 7.4:1 reels that do 32 inches, but the new Speed Spool is a 7.5:1 and only does 28 inches... (But the Tranx 500 retrieves 43 inches per turn on a 6.6:1 - big reel!) So it all depends on the reel and how big the actual gears are.

I try to stay around the 28-30 inches per turn range for bottom contact (usually that means a 7.3:1 or so), 30-32 for frogs (can also be a 7.something:1). Lower gear ratios for regular cranks, spinnerbaits etc.

Biggest issue with a high gear ratio (8:1 or 9:1) is that they can lock up on you with big bass. Literally can't turn the handle anymore because there's so much pull from the other side.

I like to use fast gear ratios as much as possible. Other than my 4.9 Catalina and a 6.3 Tatula (BFS cranking), I use 7.1 and faster. For flipping, jigs and such I use at least 8.1.

I echo above where bringing you lure through "dead water" with a fast reel really adds up. Leads to many more casts through the day. It is also nice when a fish blows up on a frog and you need to blaze the lure back fir another cast or, you flip a new bait over to the spot.

Sometimes I’ll have two of the same rods but one reel with a higher ipt than the other.