Will an 8:3:1 reel work for a variety of aplications

[Trey J]

So to start off I want to say that I don't have many combos nor do I have the money to buy a lot of combos. I am getting a reel that I plan on fishing with fluorocarbon and throwing Finesse jigs, swim jigs, crankbaits, chatter baits, some weightless senkos and really anything else that can be fished with fluorocarbon. Anyways, The reel I want is on sale and only available in 8:3:1. Would it be the end of the world to use it for these applications?

[Turtle135]

Not at all the end of the world. While a deep diving crankbait might wear you out some as you give up "cranking power" I suspect you will find the higher gear ratio beneficial to most of your other presentations.

[TylerT123]

I wouldn't use it for crankbaits, what reel is it? You might be able to switch our the gears to a smaller gear ratio. I bought a 6.1:1 for general all around use. It's got enough torque for crankbaits but I can speed up if I need to as well. Do you have a rod?

[BuzzHudson19c]

It will be fine except deep cranking. I like fast reels for everything so I'm biased.

[WRB]

Depends on the reels spool size and drive train components...what reel? And what crankbaits??

Tom

[Angry John]

Have you ever fished a reel that fast?  Do you like fast.  It will work but would not be my first choice.  It's hard to tell what someone else will like.  I find a 6 or 7 speed reel well suited to all around work.

[burrows]

I think an 831 reel for all around applications would be a mistake just my opinion.

[fishwizzard]

I bought into the fast real craze and now I sort of regret it and I started buying more middle of the road ed reels.  It's not really a make or break thing, but I wish I had gone slower for a few of them. 

[Viper0463]

It will do just fine. You may find that for diving cranks you'll need to really slow your retrieve and may lose a bit of power compared to say a 6.? ratio but, it will do the job. I have several reel in the 8+ ratio and love them. Frogs, jerkbait, soft plastics, jigs, spooks, plopper, buzzbait, popper, pompador, lipless and more. Just saying it's just fine for things.

[Rodney Smith]

All of Aaron Martens reels but one are 8.5:1. You can always slow down. I would say they are great for everything but crankbait fishing. I am a jig, worm, and top water guy. You want a fast reel for those applications to take up line quickly.

[burrows]

Aaron Martins is a master of being able to fish unbelievable slow if he has to, I’m no pro I can’t slow down like a pro, I will stick with 621 741 unless I’m pitching all day than 851 is ideal.

[RPreeb]

I'm not a pro at anything fishing wise, but I have no trouble at all fishing cranks with an 8.1:1 Tatula CT.  I guess that's because I've never had but one rod and reel at a time most of my life, so I made it work for whatever bait I was using.  It feels almost decadent now that I have one casting and one spinning combo, and I'm actually planning on a second baitcaster this spring.  The new one will be more of a mid-low range, but for me, that's a convenience, not a necessity.

[Scrapiron]

I went to using fast reels (8 speed) and realized I was fishing too fast. Surprise! LOL. It's easy to say just slow down, but for me, easier said than done.   I've replaced most of the 8 speeds for 6:1/7:1 ratio reels.  I've followed convention wisdom to use the "right" speed for the presentation I'm fishing.

[WRB]

The OP hasn't replied so my guess is he asking about Lew's MB 8.3:1 reel?

150 yds of 12 lb makes this a 200 size reel spool w/35" IPT full. Based on that information the reel wouldn't be my choice for all around use.

8:1 Daiwa Tatula CT 100 size reel would be a better choice as the IPT drops down when casting over 30 to 40 yards with moving lures, bottom contact lures you use the rod to move lures more then the reel so ratio isn't a factor until you need to take up line then high ratio is an advantage IMO.

Tom

[Trey J]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

The OP hasn't replied so my guess is he asking about Lew's MB 8.3:1 reel?

150 yds of 12 lb makes this a 200 size reel spool w/35" IPT full. Based on that information the reel wouldn't be my choice for all around use.

8:1 Daiwa Tatula CT 100 size reel would be a better choice as the IPT drops down when casting over 30 to 40 yards with moving lures, bottom contact lures you use the rod to move lures more then the reel so ratio isn't a factor until you need to take up line then high ratio is an advantage IMO.

Tom

sorry, i missed your post... I am looking at the johnny morris carbonlite that will be on sale for the bps spring classic

[Ratherbfishing]

That's a pretty high gear ratio.  Because you'll have speed but less torque, you will probably wear yourself out if casting deep diving crankbaits, and working fishing soft plastics and jigs  s l o w l y will be painfully difficult to do.  Of course you can use it but it isn't ideal.

[WRB]

44 minutes ago, Trey J said:

sorry, i missed your post... I am looking at the johnny morris carbonlite that will be on sale for the bps spring classic

What about the second part, crankbaits being used?

Tom

[Trey J]

1 minute ago, WRB said:

What about the second part, crankbaits being used?

Tom

I will not be using any deep divers just lipless, squarebills for the most part

[WRB]

2 minutes ago, Trey J said:

I will not be using any deep divers just lipless, squarebills for the most part

I don't know which reel company is currently making BPS Johnny Mooris baitcasting reels? The specs 120 yds/12 lb mono indicates a 100 size reel spool and that would be close to the Tatula 100 size 8.1:1 IPT at 30 to 40 yards and should work for you.

It's important to learn who made this reel for repair purposes to find parts when needed. BPS is a private label, they don't make reels or rods.

Tom

[Chance_Taker4]

16 hours ago, fishwizzard said:

I bought into the fast real craze and now I sort of regret it and I started buying more middle of the road ed reels.  It's not really a make or break thing, but I wish I had gone slower for a few of them. 

This is me to a tee. My reel arsenal was 7:1, 8:1 and 9:1. Now I regret it more than anything and sold of a majority of my reels at major losses to purchase 5:1 and 6:1 reels. We may like to reel fast but the majority of the time the fish like it slow, IMO.

1 minute ago, WRB said:

I don't know which reel company is currently making BPS Johnny Mooris baitcasting reels? The specs 120 yds/12 lb mono indicates a 100 size reel spool and that would be close to the Tatula 100 size 8.1:1 IPT at 30 to 40 yards and should work for you.

It's important to learn who made this reel for repair purposes to find parts when needed. BPS is a private label, they don't make reels or rods.

Tom

The new BPS reels are defiantly DOYO. 

[WRB]

Reel gear ratio/IPT only come into play when retrieving a lure using the reel. It doesn't when dead sticking, shaking, dragging, hopping, twitching, jerking while working a lure.

Deep diving crankbaits larger diameter spool reels with lower gear ratios overcome the water resistance force the lure creates, the slower ratio is a big advantage. Slow moving bottom contact lures you work using the rod to pick up slack line and higher gear ratio reels has the advantage picking up slack line faster.

I use 8.1:1 ratio baitcasting reels for all my bottom contact lures like jigs and worms the past 5 years and prefer them over 6.3:1 reels I used prior. I doubt many bass anglers fish slower then I do keeping a jig or worm in the strike zone, or make longer casts hook setting on bass over 30 yards away, that is when high ratio reels shine.

Tom

[LionHeart]

I have been using faster reels (31-35 ipt) for most things.  I think it 's the obvious choice for presentations where you move the lure with your rod.  For reaction baits like spinners, chatter baits, and crank baits, I find it easier to slow down if I let the lure tell me how fast to reel.  I just focus on the vibration of the lure instead of how fast or slow I'm turning the handle.

 

Having said that, a 31 ipt (7 speed) would be the most versatile speed.  I think it can do most things well, even bigger crank baits up to a 6xd.

[JawjaBoy]

I recently faced a similar quandary.  I've fished for the last 30 years with NOTHING over 5.2:1(!), and decided I wanted a new reel with a higher gear ratio.  After looking around a bit, I decided to go with the Lew's MB, but I didn't know what ratio.  I finally settled on the 6.8:1 as it pulls in around 8" more line per turn than any of my other reels.  I figure if I like it I might step up to a 7 or 8 next time.