Crankbait reel questions

[yddub24]

Recently purchased a crankbait rod but need some input as to the reel... I was planning to get a Daiwa Tatula CT 5.3:1 to match my other baitcasting reels, but read on here that the Tatula SV will cast small lures much better with fewer backlashes... But the SV isn't available in a 5.3:1, the lowest is 6.3:1... I'd like to get the better reel as there's less than a $20 price difference from my supplier on Ebay, but don't want to make a bad decision and have the wrong reel. I don't throw crankbaits that often, but when I do it's small ones such as Flicker Shads and 1.5 square bills... Mostly in water 10' deep or less.  So will the 6.3:1 be ok for me, or should I get the 5:3:1?The rod is a St Croix Legend Tournament small cranker, 7'2" Medium/Moderate. Thanks!

[Chance_Taker4]

If you are throwing cranks 10' or less and they are the smaller plugs then I would suggest the 6:1 reel. I only use 5:1 when I am using Deep XD cranks like 20-25' range.

[WRB]

"Fast moving lures slower ratio, slower moving lures faster ratio" Zona.

Tom

[SWVABass]

A quicker reel will allow you to pick up line quicker when a fish hits your crank coming at you, and you can always slow your retrieve if your fishing it to fast; hard to speed up a slow reel. As far as the difference between casting them I can’t speak to that but it sounds like the sv should fit the bill just fine.

[Scarborough817]

if it were me i wouldn't want an sv spool for throwing crankbaits. yes they can throw lighter baits with ease the issue i see is that they are a shallower spool, on a crankbait you want the most casting distance possible. obviously this needs you need more line which would mean a deeper spool. take a look at a lews tournament mg if you can find it, or a shimano curado200pg

[fishnkamp]

All you need or want is a 6.3-1 standard Tatula CT or Tatula CT Type R (depends on how much bling you want) if you are throwing wake baits, rattle traps, shallow and mid depth crankbaits that run less than 15 feet.  The only reason to go to a 5,x to 1 reel is to aid in fishing big deep diving crankbaits like DD22, stuff that digs the bottom in 18 to 25 feet of water.  Thed SV is a great tool but only in certain circumstances. Lets say you were going to set up a baitcasting combo to fish light weight jerkbait for sluggish wintertime bass. Many guys will fish a bait like the original Rapala floating diving minnow or a Lucky Craft Pointer 78SP and use spinning. The rod aI use for that is a 7 foot ML Bass Pro Extreme rod and then the SV spool would aid me in that light bait. But that is not my normal crankbait setup by any means. All of my normal jerkbait and crankbait rods fish perfectly well with a Tatula or Tatula CT 6.3-1 reel

[new2BC4bass]

The Tat SV holds 100 yards of 14 lb. test line.  I never know if the ratings are to the bevel or the 1/16-1/8 inch below that is normally suggested.  I fill to the bevel.  I assume you won't be going higher than 12 lb. for light lures.  Personally I use lighter.  You are one heck of a lot better caster than I am (not hard to be  ) if you can unload over 100 yards of line.  Besides, the smaller diameter of line on the spool at that point will automatically lower IPT if you are worried about a higher ratio reel.  If you like the Tat SV, then that is what I'd get.

[ww2farmer]

I used to throw cranks on slow reels, but that was back in the day when fast reels paired with a deeper diving bait felt like you were pulling a water logged roll of carpet off the bottom of the lake.

 

Today's reels with the over sized gears, coupled with crankbait mfgs. making deeper diving baits that pull easier have made low speed reels obsolete for me.

 

I use 6:1 or 7:1 reels for everything, with a strong preference for 7:1....even for cranking. In fact, I know I own a few 6:1 reels, but I am not sure they even made it onto the boat last year, or will this coming year either. The one disclaimer I have....about the biggest/deepest diving baits I use are SK 6xd's, and the 5xd is usually my go-to 10'+ bait. They are not hard pulling on 7:1 reels.....but other brands or bigger baits might be.

[yddub24]

Thanks for the insight. I actually have a CT in a 6.3 on my jerkbait rod, so I think I will order the SV and try them both. If the SV doesn't work like I want on the crankbait rod, I also need a reel for another rod I just got for light top water poppers so I could move it there and then get a CT or CT-R for the crankbait rod. ?

[Human torpedo]

IF you can afford the SV, get it!  I love my type R and my SV.  I just used the SV last fall in 6.3:1 and threw some light cranks bomber 2A 1/4oz on a windy day and I couldn't believe how well it casted. It's not so much distance it just doesn't backlash near as much. 

[ThatDudeThere]

This confirms what fishinkamp said...results at 12:46: 

 

[iceintheveins]

I'm old fashioned in that I prefer a slow reel for almost all cranking applications. I feel I can control the speed better this way. You can get away with a 6 ratio reel for shallow and medium cranking, but for deep cranking, as well as slow rolling spinnerbaits, a 5 ratio reel is mandatory.

[Boomstick]

5.8:1 might be the perfect speed for a cranking reel, but I've never had a problem with a 6.3:1.

On 2/2/2018 at 1:13 PM, yddub24 said:

Thanks for the insight. I actually have a CT in a 6.3 on my jerkbait rod, so I think I will order the SV and try them both. If the SV doesn't work like I want on the crankbait rod, I also need a reel for another rod I just got for light top water poppers so I could move it there and then get a CT or CT-R for the crankbait rod. ?

I use a SV and I think you will like it. It's particularly great with those lighter lures, and 3/8oz is really the start of the sweet spot on that reel. Given that a lot of crankbaits are around 3/8 or 2/5oz, it's a great choice for a cranking reel.

[Yudo1]

I think the 6.3 tatula sv will work nicely for your intended baits.