How To Use Baitcaster Reel

Baitcaster Gear Ratio Guide – Which I Should You Choose?

UPDATED 12 NOVEMBER 2021

by Robert Ceran

If you're new to fishing, chances are you lot're a little confused about the different baitcasting reel models and gear ratios, and wondering which one is correct for y'all.

In this article we'll encompass the three main baitcaster gear ratio categories, and volition explain what each of them is used for, and so you tin choose the all-time one for your purposes.

Fishing reel gear ratio explained

A fishing reel gear ratio is a three digit number that describes how many times its spool rotates every fourth dimension you plow the handle once. For example, a 7.v:i gear ratio means that the spool rotates seven.5 times for every single plough of the handle.

Then, the higher the gear ratio, the faster the retrieve speed of your reel. In general, casting reels are faster than spinning reels, which usually become from 5.ane:i to effectually 6.5:1, while baitcasters outset around five.5:i, and go all the style up to ix.3:1.

Baitcaster gear ratio

Baitcasting reels usually have a college gear ratio than spinning reels, and equally a result are frequently used for angling applications with high speed retrieval. Only yous can also get models with a depression gear ratio, if that works meliorate for your purposes.

The three master categories of baitcaster gear ratios are: slow, medium and fast, which together cover all the different fishing tactics and applications you can utilise this reel type for.

Baitcaster gear ratio chart

Gear ratio	Speed category	Call back rate	Main applications
five.5:ane to 6.6:1	Slow speed	23" to 27"	Fishing heavy lures (due east.g. big crankbait and swimbait)
half-dozen.7:ane to 7.9:ane	Medium speed	28" to 33"	Standard applications (e.g. spinner baits, swimbaits, plastic worms, bottom bouncing rigs, etc.)
8.1:1 to 9.3:one	High speed	34" to 39"	Open up water angling, long casting, pitching/flipping, targeting bass close to cover

The baitcaster gear ratio chart above covers the three master speed categories of baitcasting reels, plus the line-fishing applications they are most commonly used for.

Now let's look at each of these speed categories in more detail.

Low speed baitcaster

Let'southward commencement with a low speed bad casting reel, which is anything from five.0:1 to 6.9:i. These are mostly used for angling high resistance lures, or heavy lures that you lot're casting long distances, and that create a lot of resistance in the h2o (such as deep diving crankbaits, large rigs and large swimbaits).

A depression speed gear ratio on a casting reel works just like the depression gears on a bicycle. A low speed generates a lot of torque when you lot turn the handle, which allows you to fish big baits without getting exhausted during the day, so reels in this category are great for those applications.

See too: What is the best gear ratio for glide baits?

Medium speed baitcaster

Side by side, we've got medium speed reels, which includes models with a gear ratio from seven.1:1 to 7.9:1.

This is a really good standard gear ratio for baitcasters that tin be used for a wide variety of fishing tactics – anything involving spinnerbaits, chatter baits, or shallow diving crankbaits. Medium speed reels are besides good for bottom bouncing tactics with worms, jigs, and Carolina rigs.

Most casting reels nowadays autumn in this moderate speed category, and the groovy affair virtually them is that they are well suited for a wide multifariousness of tactics. So if yous're looking for a single speed y'all tin utilize for everything, this is the 1 to get for.

Specially if you're a beginner, nosotros suggest choosing a reel in this category, and one time you're more experienced you lot tin can start trying out the other models, and test more specialized applications and tactics.

As a beginner, you probably besides want to get a reel with constructive backlash technology. For more data on this, check out our review on the best baitcaster for beginners.

Loftier speed baitcaster

Now let'south expect at high speed reels. These reels include anything that's 8.i:ane or higher. Some of them really get all the way up to x.1:1, which is an ultra high speed reel. An example of this is the KastKing Speed Demon, which has a ratio of 9.three:1.

High speed baitcasters are useful for:

Targeting schooling fish in open h2o
Long casts and quick retrieval
Pitching or flipping from a drifting boat
Targeting bass close to encompass

Let's look at each of these applications in more detail:

When you're fishing for schooling fish in open water, it can be catchy to stay on superlative of the fish, and you might notice that the school has moved to a different spot right after yous've made a cast. In that case y'all want to retrieve your lure every bit fast as possible, so you can cast it again to the new location.

Fast reels are also good for tactics where yous're making long casts so retrieving your lure through a strike zone that'due south far away. After you've covered the strike zone, yous want to exist able to reel it in really quickly so you can make some other cast.

Encounter too: What gear ratio is best for chatterbaits?

Also, when you're jigging, pitching or flipping from a drifting gunkhole, you usually simply get one or ii casts in each fishing spot, and if you miss the target on your first cast, y'all want to be able to retrieve your bait very rapidly, so y'all get a second chance to hit the strike zone before you're out of range.

Finally, whenever y'all're targeting bass close to comprehend, such equally lily pads or submerged trees, you run the risk of getting the fish snagged on that cover right afterward setting the hook. That's where a high speed reel comes in very handy, as it allows y'all to booty that bass away from the danger zone as fast equally possible.

What is the best gear ratio for baitcaster?

The best gear ratio for a baitcaster is adamant past the blazon of lure or angling rig that you want to throw with it. In case y'all're non certain which speed is best for you, just start with a medium speed model that has a gear ratio between 6.7:1 and 7.9:ane, since this can be adjusted for almost any purpose.

With that being said, any of the different speed categories tin exist bang-up for catching fish, depending on the specific tactic yous're using, and you lot can refer to our chart and word above to figure out which one is best for y'all.

Best gear ratio for bass fishing

Most bass anglers prefer medium to loftier speed reels ranging from 6.vii:one to nine.iii:1 gear ratio. The reason for this is that bass are often establish close to cover, and if you hook a bass close to embrace, y'all want to be able to haul information technology away from the cover before it can snag the line, and having a loftier speed reel helps a lot with that.

Also, bass pros commonly like to use reels that are on the faster end of the scale. This is because they want to waste as little time equally possible retrieving their lure after it is out of the strikezone, so they tin brand another cast right away to maximize the chances of catching more fish.

A great all round reel for bass is the Tatula 100 (for more details cheque out our article comparison Daiwa Tatula 100 vs 150).

Conclusion

So hopefully that covers baitcaster gear ratio for you lot, and will assist you to choose the right ane for your fishing tactics.

To summarize: the best reel speed to choose as a beginner is a medium speed model, since y'all can apply that for nigh annihilation. Then, as yous become more experienced, you lot tin can kickoff experimenting with lower and college speed models.

Tight lines and see you on the water!