What gear ratio for bass fishing?
Posted by Best Bass Fishing Lures on Tuesday, August 31st, 2010
I need a baitcasting reel for bass fishing that can do pretty much anything I want. I can only get one. What gear ratio should I get that is the most versitile? I don’t need suggested reels or brands, just a gear ratio. Thanks!
Filed in Bass Fishing Guides | 7 responses so far
FishSteelheadon 31 Aug 2010 at 11:12 pm 1Best bet I would think is 5.0 :1
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Tucker Mon 31 Aug 2010 at 11:39 pm 2In my opinion a 5.2:1 gear ratio is perfect.
Backwater Charlieon 31 Aug 2010 at 11:55 pm 35.8:1 to 6.4:1.
Grand Master Basser®on 31 Aug 2010 at 11:59 pm 4Five-point-eight-to-one to six-point-three-to-one should suffice for pretty much anything. All those ratios in between are good for draggin’ a jig or plastic worm on the bottom, rippin’ a jerkbait in, deep-crankin’ a big crankbait, walking-the-dog on top with a surface lure etc. and whatnot.
unmamfqlmon 01 Sep 2010 at 12:45 am 56.4:1 would be my pick. A lot of reel companies make this a somewhat standard ratio because of the versatility of it.
Jasonon 01 Sep 2010 at 1:42 am 6Mine is 7.1:1
Fisher_Kingon 01 Sep 2010 at 1:56 am 7What you need is a “middle of the road” ratio……
The two “general” ratio’s for baitcaster’s (currently) is either a 6:2:1 or a 6:3:1.
Not too fast, not too slow.
However, I must point out that personal preference is important when choosing a ratio because each individual has a specific “speed” they crank the handle on their BCer. Also, each individual “strikes” a fish differently.
Personally, I like a faster ratio because it allows me the ability to take-up slack line quicker, making for stronger hooksets and keeping up with fish that decide to swim AT YOU when hooked. Except on my deep Crankin outfit’s, I don’t own a reel that has a ratio lower than 6:2:1.
I’ve been following your line of Q’s- A single Bass fishing outfit cannot “do everything”. I understand your on a budget and you need something that comes close to doing everything, but the reality is- as you compromise in one “direction”, you lose in the other.
If you could purchase at least 2 outfit’s it would improve this dilemma.
A Medium action 7′ Spinning outfit AND a Medium Heavy action Baitcasting outfit would be a much better choice.
You could use your 7′ M Spinning outfit for Small Soft Plastics, (like Tubes, Drop-shotting, Shakey rigging, Weightless Worming, Etc), small Topwater lures and small to medium Crankbait fishing.
Your 7′ MH Baitcasting outfit would be best suited for larger Soft Plastics, Jigs, Swimbaits, 1/4-3/4 OZ Spinnerbaits, bigger Topwater lures, (like Spro Frogs, Heddon Spook Jr’s, Etc), Carolina Rigging and Flippin’.
With those 2 outfit’s you could “almost” cover every aspect of Bass fishing.
But with one outfit, your gonna be “short” in at least 1 category……….
Think about it. It’s better to start on the “right foot” than the wrong.
Hope this helps you somehow?