Bass Week: Reel Ratio Rationale

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In the bass fishing industry, lures get most headlines. And as novel fishing lines emerge, they’re big news. Revolutionary rods—lighter, stronger, and more sensitive—beckon anglers to buy the next greatest thing. Technology advances and new materials have fueled these introductions. All the while, reels have been something of an afterthought: If it casts and retrieves with minimal snarls, all good.

But there’s good and there’s better. Reels today are available in a wide range of gear ratios, especially among baitcasters. Today’s world seems to spin faster and so do reels. In 2013, Abu Garcia’s Revo Rocket raised eyebrows with its 9:1 ratio, which refers to the number of times the reel’s spool rotates for each turn of the handle. One with a 5:1 ratio pulls in roughly 20 inches of line for each crank, while one with a 7:1 ratio retrieves around 30 inches, determining a lure’s speed, with other factors equal.

Soon after, Daiwa built a 9.1:1 model in the Zillion TWS series that was only available in Japan, but they now offer a 10:1 model in the U.S. Abu boosted their top end to 10.1:1 in the Rocket in 2018.

Mark Copley, Manager of Media Relations at Lew’s, notes that the company added a 9.5:1 model, but it was initially available only at Tackle Warehouse. “That LFS Hyper Speed has proved popular,” he says. “It’s stayed sold out. Our fastest gear ratio in other models is 8.3:1. We see greatest demand for reels from around 6.5:1 up to 8:1, so we offer many styles in that range.”

We’ve had time to digest these evolutionary trends and present a seasoned look at the reel market from a sales perspective and from the experience of anglers who spend more than 150 days afloat. Discussion of reel speed involves other variables—line retrieved per turn of the handle (expressed as IPT or RPT), which is determined by gear size, spool diameter, and line diameter, notably in use of braid versus mono or fluorocarbon.

The Need for Speed

Some analysts view the trend toward faster reels as another sign of society’s need for instant gratification. We want faster Internet, cell service, and so on; why not in fishing, too? Viewers watch the clock on Major League Fishing broadcasts and know when anglers need to up their pace.

“Today’s anglers want ‘faster, faster, faster’,” notes Matt Baldwin, Director of Product Development-Reels at 13 Fishing. “In today’s market we see demand for faster reels from the public. Retail outlets request certain models, so our sales are skewed that way.

“We’ve raised gear ratios in the 13 Fishing lineup, but that doesn’t mean they’re always the best option for consumers. There’s also a trend toward fishing fast-moving baits: swimjigs, bladed jigs, and shallow crankbaits; less emphasis on dragging worms and slow-rolling spinnerbaits, for example.”

Andrew Wheeler, Product Manager at Abu Garcia, notes that anglers looking for a couple of good rod-and-reel combos tend to prefer baitcasters with mid-range speed, around 7.5:1 “They can perform nearly any type of presentation and catch a lot of bass,” he says. “We gather input from retailers and anglers of all sorts. Avid tournament anglers have been more closely following and perhaps driving the speed trend. They want fast reels for two types of situations.

“First, they recognize that bass often pick up a jig or softbait as it falls or on the bottom, and may swim toward the angler. To hook it, you must quickly reel all slack before setting. This is a concern when every bite can mean a tournament-winning fish.

“Tournament guys know that working down a productive bank with a flippin’ or pitching rod and hitting one target after another can be a winning proposition. Once the lure falls into the cover, they want it back immediately if no bite occurs, to execute another cast. It’s a machine-gun pace that may not be enjoyable for the average bass angler, particularly if their casting skills are not superb. Pros want to cover as much water as possible for maximum efficiency.

“In addition,” Wheeler says, “high-speed reaction-style presentations are easier with a super-fast reel—working a Berkley Choppo or other plopping lure parallel to the bank; or the staccato action of a pencil popper over open water to excite schooling bass. We’ve built the gears and teeth on them to have strength and surprising torque, as well as speed. You need an aluminum frame and side plate to hold the gears firmly in place. These features cost more to make, so high-speed models tend to be more costly. But that’s rarely an obstacle to the avid guys.”

Adam Diehl, Freshwater Product Specialist at Shimano, says that reel speed involves trade-offs. “Higher speed involves less torque and thus less power,” he says. “But fast reels match angler preferences in some situations. In the last decade, we’ve used larger gears for higher gear ratios. More teeth on a gear also increases speed. But their composition is important, too.

“At Shimano, we select different grades of aluminum or brass, depending on the reel’s gear ratio and intended use. We use our proprietary X-Ship design to increase the durability of gears. The pinion gear is fully supported on both ends by bearings, maintaining precise alignment with the drive gear.

“Spool diameter or circumference is important,” Diehl says. “Spool circumference is calculated by multiplying its diameter by Pi (3.14159). They’re generally reported in millimeters so convert it to inches to calculate IPT. That number is then determined by multiplying the circumference times the gear ratio. For example, our Metanium 150HGB with a 7:1 gear ratio has a spool diameter of 34 mm (4.22 inches). Multiply 4.2 times 7.1 to get 29.82 inches, which is rounded to 7:1.”

Diehl says that figure should be used for reference, such as comparing different models with a spool full of line. Diameter shrinks as line is removed or cast off a spool. “Our fastest reel is the 8.5:1 Curado XG, which retrieves 36 inches per turn. But the Curado 300 with a gear ratio of 6.6:1 takes up 35 inches, due to its larger spool.”

Pro Perspectives

Gerald Swindle of Alabama is a veteran who’s won at every level, including a Bassmaster Angler of the Year Award, which is regarded as the benchmark for consistent success. In a nutshell, he’s not on the speed bandwagon. “They hand out checks for bringing in the most bass,” he wryly notes, “not who cranks the fastest or makes more casts. In my experience, when we’re not catching bass, it’s because we’re fishing too fast, not too slow. It’s almost impossible to fish slowly with a fast reel.”

Known for his down-home humor, Swindle is old-fashioned in his reel selection as well. “In the last decade, I’ve watched the average gear ratio on a baitcaster rise from around 7:1 to 7.5:1 to 8:1. With a fast reel, you have the tendency to jerk too fast and pull a lure out of their mouth.

“For cranking, I use a 13 Fishing Concept A with 5.6:1 gear ratio, a Concept Z with 6.8:1 for everything else, including lipless baits. When I’m pitching or target-fishing, I can reel fast enough to get my lure back when it’s out of the zone. I’d prefer to buckle down and fish a spot carefully.

“When we fished with co-anglers, I saw lots of guys with fast reels who couldn’t turn the handle to get bass out of thick cover. They were handcuffed and lost one bass after the other. Those large-diameter gears on fast reels are hard to engage under pressure. I’d tell them they were speeding their retrieve and speeding their release as well. Lower gear ratios provide power, which is essential in thick cover.”

He makes another point on the side of slower reels—familiarity. “When I pick up a rod, I don’t have to adjust my retrieve,” he says. “Using the same reel with the same retrieve speed makes it easier to fish various lures without thinking about it.”

A different perspective comes from Michigan’s Kevin VanDam, who has a reputation for covering water fast. “I tend to use fast reels but make sure they have enough power when I need it,” he says. “You need top-quality bearings to support the gears. Years ago, we didn’t have the technology and materials that go into today’s reels; lower gear ratios made sense. But with recent breakthroughs, fast reels can offer power as well. It’s true that the bigger gears in fast reels require more start-up energy on the retrieve. That’s why you can’t use a fast reel to work big crankbaits. You’ll be worn out in few hours.

“I use Lew’s BB1 Pro with 6.2:1 ratio for deep cranking with Strike King’s 5, 5XD, 6XD, and even 8XD; the Super Duty LFS 300 with a 6.5:1 ratio for the 10XD. Its bigger gears have plenty of power and the deep spool and high line capacity allow super-long casts involved with fishing monster cranks.

“Fast reels are more efficient for flipping and pitching, so I use 8.3:1 models, to get the lure back and ready for another cast. I don’t worry about power in those situations because the rod does the work in getting a big fish out of cover.

“That applies to Carolina-rigging and topwaters, too. And I like a fast reel (8.3:1) for bladed jigs since bass often come up from behind and inhale them and you have to wind fast to catch up and set the hook. For topwater presentations for schooling fish like walking baits or a pencil popper, the faster you reel, the better. You don’t always have to reel fast but you have speed when you need it.

“One specialized technique we use a lot on tour is skipping lures under low-hanging cover with a baitcaster. Reels have to be adjusted just right to avoid bad backlashes. My new favorite is Lew’s SP with a shallow spool and 8.3:1 ratio. Its shallow spool avoids tangles and makes skipping smooth and easy.”

Takahiro Omori has been an innovative and successful angler on all the major bass tours for over 30 years. He’s keen for studying the action of his lures and along the course of his career has seen great need for fast reels. “I’ve been asking Daiwa, my reel sponsor, to offer reels with higher speeds for 20 years,” Omori reveals. “They gradually increased ratios from the mid-6s to 7s, 8s, and finally a 9:1 model, but it was only available in Japan. It was a great reel and we now have the Zillion 10:1.

“Fast reels fit my fishing style perfectly, as I primarily target bass in less than 10 feet of water; that’s my strength.” Indeed, “Tak” as he’s known has won major events, including the Bassmaster Classic, with shallow crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and swimbaits. “I have patience,” he says,” and I can reel a fast reel slowly. I use Daiwa’s Zillion with a 10:1 gear ratio for shallow cranks, spinnerbaits, ChatterBaits, and buzzbaits.

“Sometime, I’m targeting a small area some distance away and I can wind in fast after I’ve covered it and make another cast. It’s all about efficiency. That’s particularly true when I go down a bank flipping and pitching. Drop the lure in a spot; twitch it once it hits bottom; then wind in as fast as possible. That 10:1 is just right.”

Bassmaster Elite competitor Justin Atkins of Florence, Alabama, has settled on four models of baitcasters, two of them in different gear ratios. “I try to keep my selection as simple as possible,“ Atkins says, “so I use a 5.4:1 Revo Winch for summer cranking with big divers. For larger swimbaits, squarebill crankbaits, and spinnerbaits, where you typically make shorter casts to targets and work the lures methodically, Abu’s Revo STX with 6.6:1 fills the bill. An STX with 8:1 is for pitching and flipping, and casting worms and jigs. And I use the 10.1:1 Rocket for surface lures like the Choppo that you reel quickly. It’s key to start the retrieve immediately after a long cast. I also use it for a Warpig rattlebait, since I often yo-yo it. Bass eat it and swim toward the boat, so you have to take up slack fast.

“Sometimes I use a Revo MGX 6.4:1 for downsized cranks and swimbaits, and an 8:1 MGX for jerkbaits. These reels excel for light-line presentations, and I use 8- or 10-pound test. I use line diameter to fine-tune retrieve speed. For example, a lure’s retrieved faster with 12-pound test than 8-pound, using the same reel and turn speed.”

The Spinning Scene

The mechanism of spinning reels is totally different, and they’re more efficient and innately faster than baitcasters due to the action of the rotor in gathering line. For example a baitcaster with a 6:1 ratio picks up about 26 inches of line on a turn of the handle; a spinning model with the same ratio picks up around 35 inches. So there’s less variation in gear ratio. Moreover, avid anglers tend to employ baitcasting models for a wider range of presentations than they do with spinners.

Abu Garcia’s spinning version of the Revo Rocket has 7:1 gearing; the 300-size retrieves 40 inches of line on a handle turn, while the 200 winds 37. That’s apparently the fastest available, as Shimano, Lew’s, 13 Fishing, and other companies offer many spinning models with ratios in the 5:1 and 6:1 range. Daiwa still offers the SS Tournament series, with a couple of models in the upper 4:1 range.

Marc Mills, Field Marketing Manager at Daiwa, sees the need for spinning reels with lower gear ratios. “We’re considering one with a gear ratio around 4:1,” he says, “which would translate to baitcasting reels with 5:1 in terms of retrieving line. It would be ideal for slow-retrieve situations, such as working current and techniques like spybaiting. Anglers find it hard to learn to fish them correctly because of the extreme slow retrieve required.”

At the other end of the spectrum, some anglers want faster spinning reels for fishing lures like shaky-head jigs and drop-shot rigs, and even Ned rigs. While the presentation itself is slow and precise, bass often pick up the light lures and swim off with them before the angler recognizes the bite. Or else, a sense of feel disappears.

Quickly retrieving slack and getting into position for solid hook-sets is important. Smallmouths, in particular, often bite on bottom in 20 feet of water and rocket to the surface before an angler recognizes the bite.

A few other speedy presentations work well with spinning tackle and light line, such as working a fluke-style bait over vegetation or for schooling bass.

As pro anglers and reel experts suggest, personal fishing style and personality play a role in selecting the right reel. Recently, there’s been significant recruitment of new anglers. Highly sophisticated approaches to fishing and the advancements in tackle, boats, and electronics can be intimidating.

The key is for novice anglers to start by selecting a couple of spinning and baitcasting combos that will work for nearly all standard presentations. Those who come to embrace the intricacies of the sport can expand their tackle array as their interest and budget dictates.

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In-Fisherman Field Editor Steve Quinn is a bass authority and National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame inductee. He’s educated anglers through his articles on bass fishing tactics and tackle in In-Fisherman publicatons for over three decades.

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