@Wizzlebiz, I think this is a great question. One angler's "slow" could be another angler's "moderate." Retrieval time is dependent on the speed in which the reel handle is turned, the inches per turn of the reel, and the length of the cast. The inches per turn is affected by characteristics such as the reel's gear ratio, the diameter of the spool, and how much line is on the spool. If sweeps of the rod are used to move a lure, the length of the rod, speed and distance of the sweep, and pauses between sweeps come into play as well. Often, we use terms such as slow, fast, and moderate to describe retrieval speeds, but those descriptions don't provide much information to an angler trying to learn. I am guilty as anyone of using these terms.
As others have stated, retrieval speed varies based on conditions and the activity level of the bass so the answer is a continuum from the slowest retrieval to the fastest used. Keeping that in mind, below are my answers noting the slowest and fastest actions taken.
Typically, I let a senko type worm soak for 20 to 30 seconds before making a slight movement. When bass are very active I will cut this to 10 seconds. When they are lethargic, I might let it sit for a minute. After the initial dead stick time, I move it ever so slightly and let it fall again, and then dead stick it again as mentioned above. I do this until the lure has left the target area where I think a bass would be and then I reel it in.
See number 1.
I am assuming you are referring to a spinnerbait. My fastest retrieve would be to bulge the surface. I can't tell you the time of the retrieval but you know you are going the right speed when your spinnerbait is bulging the water at the surface. The slowest speed would be slow enough to be just above the bottom and keeping the blades turning, or a slow roll. You determine this speed by going so slow that you hang or hit bottom, and then speed up just enough that you are no longer hitting bottom.
For dragging jigs, I move them with both the rod and the reel. I usually let the jig sit for 10 seconds or so after it hits bottom. Then I make a very slight movement and let it sit for 2 to 4 seconds. I will do 3 or 4 of these in a row and then take a longer pause of 5 to 10 seconds. I typically only fish the jig in the target area and might work it a few yards outside that area before I reel it back in. When bass are active my jig often gets hit on the fall or the first, second, or third movements after it hits bottom. When fish are very inactive such as in the dead of winter, my pauses are longer and can reach up to 30 seconds.
For hopping a jig, I usually only do this mixed in with dragging a jig. If the bass don't seem to want to bite on the drag, I will throw hops in to see if I can trigger a bite on the fall. Pauses again vary similar to number 4 and are based on the perceived activity level of the fish.
For chatter baits, I fish them similar to number 3 except I rarely fish them as fast. I usually fish them at speeds that allow them to pass just over the tops of cover or the bottom.
For Swimbaits, I haven't fished the very large ones enough to comment. For hollow body plastic swimbaits like Keitech Swing Fat Impacts, I typically use them for suspended fish or fish that are willing to come up to hit them. I never fish them super fast but keep them at a steady pace slow enough to hold them at the depth I have counted them down to. I'm not sure of how long that retrieve lasts, but making a guess I would say maybe 30 seconds for a 30 yard cast at mid depth. The closer to the bottom I go, the slower I fish them.
I know this leaves a lot out between the slowest and fastest retrieves. You have to work those out based on what you perceive to be the activity level of the fish. And you may find that these speeds do nothing for you. As always, YMMV.
