Reel for crankbaits?

[Matt_3479]

Last year I bought a 13 fishing concept c for my imx pro 845c cbr throwing mainly squarebills. The reel is... okay at best. Sure I can really launch it but I’ve never seen anything more finicky. I am a shimano guy and would like to replace it with a shimano reel. Which shimano casting reel have you guys had luck with for squarebills and lipless? Stick with 6 gear ratio or try something else? Was told the 7’s are nice for lipless and squarebills for ripping them around weeds and such?

[hwright38]

I fish lipless and squarebills with a 7.2:1 Curado K. Excellent reel for moving baits because of those big rubber handles. 

I throw the rest of my crankbaits on a Lew's Mach 1 (the old version) just because it's what I have (again, a 7.1). Honestly for everything but the bigger deep diving ones (6XD or bigger), I don't really pay attention to gear ratio or anything like that. 

 

If you fish a lot with a 6, I'd stick with it. I learned with a 7 so it's my baseline. Either way the difference is minimal.

[GreenPig]

I run the Curado 70 HG

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I like dual or centrifugal brakes in a cranking reel and agree that ratio is personal preference but a 5:1 is nice for deep cranking 

[A-Jay]

I "crank" with a round reel.

A-Jay 

[Matt_3479]

3 hours ago, hwright38 said:

I fish lipless and squarebills with a 7.2:1 Curado K. Excellent reel for moving baits because of those big rubber handles. 

I throw the rest of my crankbaits on a Lew's Mach 1 (the old version) just because it's what I have (again, a 7.1). Honestly for everything but the bigger deep diving ones (6XD or bigger), I don't really pay attention to gear ratio or anything like that. 

 

If you fish a lot with a 6, I'd stick with it. I learned with a 7 so it's my baseline. Either way the difference is minimal.

I was debating the curado k, curado dc or another chronarch mgl as I have so many and love them. The rod is fairly light and figured the chronarch might be a better fit but at the same time might be nice to get something a little cheaper and a true work horse. I have one and have been pleased but love my chronarchs 

 

[Heartland]

Curado E5

 

[TBAG]

I have CU 201K's on both my crankbait rods, can't beat them.

[Fishingmickey]

12 hours ago, A-Jay said:

I "crank" with a round reel.

A-Jay 

Which round reel is that A-Jay?

FM

[Log Catcher]

I use a Lews BB1 in a 5:1 gear ratio. For any crankbaits I will use a 5:1. It doesn't matter what brand it is.

[A-Jay]

18 minutes ago, Fishingmickey said:

Which round reel is that A-Jay?

FM

Shimano Callcuta 200D

A-Jay 

[Boomstick]

I prefer slower speeds myself. 6.3:1 is the all around happy between fishing them slow and faster later in the year, so thus far that is what I use. Maybe one day I'll try a 5.5:1 gear ratio.

[Matt_3479]

Thank you. I’m leaning towards the curado K as I have one now and love it. My favorite all around reel is the chronarch mgl and if I can find one on sale I’ll probably go that route

[FishTank]

Personal favorite over the years was the Shimano Calais 201A but it is long since gone.  Since then I have tried a Curado G, a Curado K, an Abu Garcia Winch Gen 4, a Shimano Calcutta 251 and a Shimano Bantam MGL.  I like them all in their own way but if I had to choose one I like the Curado K.  I can't find any fault in it.  It's smooth and easy to handle.  The breaking though on the Winch is really good though.  The Bantam is super smooth but it's is slightly heavy and it doesn't cast light baits as far as I would like it.  For me, it also depends on how the rod loads and how the real feels with it. 

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

I have a Curado 70 with the 5.5 gear set in it.

[PaFrogThrower9]

I used to only use 5:1 reels for crankbaits but I started using a 6:3 for my squarebills and lipless cranks. Now my 5:1 is only for my deep cranks. I've used a 7:3 for squarebills before and caught fish with it, but it felt way too fast to me. 6:3 feels perfect.

[Matt_3479]

Thank you everyone. I’m defiantly leaning to a 6 gear ratio. I never deep crank so no need for a 5 gear ratio and don’t usually fish heavy weeded lakes so probably don’t need a 7 gear ratio either.

 

going try and get a few different reels on the rod to feel balance. It’s going be the k or chronarch mgl 

[Nathan.bass.canada]

I have an antares 5.6 from japan, you can find them pretty darn cheap on ebay and as far as a smooth reel it dosent get any better . And for the ratio, a slower speed with help cranking all around the water column, and while fishing you womt see a huge difference between a 5 or 6.

 

Nathan

 

 

[billonaboat]

shimano citica... 20 percent off on tackle warehouse right now. pretty sure it's almost identical to the curado, with the only exception being that it is not rated for saltwater.

 

i have a 6 something to 1 on my glass cranking rod, and a 7 something to 1 on my spinnerbait rod. love them both. i went with the lower gear ration for my cranking rod based on lots of posts i read here, but looking back i might even prefer a higher gear ratio like a standard 7 to 1. i definitely would not go lower than 6 to 1, unless you plan on fishing a lot of 18+ foot divers.

[Ratherbfishing]

Truly I say unto thee:  You're making it too complicated.  The only suggestion I have is that for ANY bait that provides a lot of resistance, you'll want a lower gear ratio so you don't wear yourself out.

[Matt_3479]

13 minutes ago, Ratherbfishing said:

Truly I say unto thee:  You're making it too complicated.  The only suggestion I have is that for ANY bait that provides a lot of resistance, you'll want a lower gear ratio so you don't wear yourself out.

I’m going to go back with another 6 gear ratio just haven’t decided which reel

[CrankFate]

IMO, crank baits load up the rod, start up the spool very quickly and fly very far because they are compact and heavy. That causes early to mid cast overruns, which magnets aren’t as good for as a reel with good mechanical brakes.

[Fairtax4me]

I bought a Shimano SLX exactly for this purpose. I don’t run crankbaits as often as other lures, but I needed another decent low ratio reel. Having run some $100 range Lews and Abu reels in the past I figured I should give the SLX a try since my curado 200 and 70 reels have been stellar since I bought those. 

 

Smaller crankbaits and squarebills it does very well with IMO.  Very easy to wind them in with the 6:1 ratio. I also like it for jerk baits and for slow reeling small swim baits. The very first fish I caught on it was a 3.5lb smallmouth on a 3” rage swimmer. Also caught several other 3-4lb largemouth that day, and within a few trips after that I landed a 6.2 largemouth on the same lure. I’ve thrown that reel a LOT over the last few months and it still feels like a great reel. I don’t expect it to last as long as the more expensive shimano reels, but it’s still a solid reel and definitely better IMO than other reels I’ve used in that price range. 

 

I have fished crankbaits plenty with my curado 70, but it’s the 8:1 ratio so they take a bit of work. In a 7 or 6 ratio I think that would be an excellent reel for crankbaits. The curado 200 was the first shimano feel I bought and I’ve fished the heck out of it for two years now and it still feels as nice as the day I bought it. Everything from jigs and worms, to crankbaits, swim baits, and A-rigs I’ve thrown on the 200 and it’s still buttery smooth. 

If you’re decided on a Shimano, I think it just comes down to how much you want to spend, but I don’t think you’ll regret any of them. 

[Matt_3479]

8 hours ago, Fairtax4me said:

I bought a Shimano SLX exactly for this purpose. I don’t run crankbaits as often as other lures, but I needed another decent low ratio reel. Having run some $100 range Lews and Abu reels in the past I figured I should give the SLX a try since my curado 200 and 70 reels have been stellar since I bought those. 

 

Smaller crankbaits and squarebills it does very well with IMO.  Very easy to wind them in with the 6:1 ratio. I also like it for jerk baits and for slow reeling small swim baits. The very first fish I caught on it was a 3.5lb smallmouth on a 3” rage swimmer. Also caught several other 3-4lb largemouth that day, and within a few trips after that I landed a 6.2 largemouth on the same lure. I’ve thrown that reel a LOT over the last few months and it still feels like a great reel. I don’t expect it to last as long as the more expensive shimano reels, but it’s still a solid reel and definitely better IMO than other reels I’ve used in that price range. 

 

I have fished crankbaits plenty with my curado 70, but it’s the 8:1 ratio so they take a bit of work. In a 7 or 6 ratio I think that would be an excellent reel for crankbaits. The curado 200 was the first shimano feel I bought and I’ve fished the heck out of it for two years now and it still feels as nice as the day I bought it. Everything from jigs and worms, to crankbaits, swim baits, and A-rigs I’ve thrown on the 200 and it’s still buttery smooth. 

If you’re decided on a Shimano, I think it just comes down to how much you want to spend, but I don’t think you’ll regret any of them. 

Thank you. I’m definately set on shimano. I have 1 13 fishing, 2 daiwa, 5-6 shimano’s I think and they are by far my favorite. Like I said as long as balance is okay I’ll be leaning towards another Curado K, and if not then chronarch mgl