Deep cranking gear ratio

[Matt_3479]

I’ve been trying to do as much research as I can on deep cranking but my question is I’ve always read that you want a slow gear ratio for deep cranking. But more recently I’ve been hearing you want to burn your deep crank back, or a speedier retrieve at least. So would steeping up to a faster gear ratio save you from wearing out on burning it back 

 

im looking at a bantam mgl either 6 or 7 gear ratio?

[RoLo]

 

Today, most anglers would probably go with 7:1.

I always lean toward power, and prefer 6:1

 

Roger

[jimmyjoe]

   Maybe I'm crazy, but my opinion is that the slower gear ratio saves the fisherman's aching back and forearms. It doesn't have anything to do with the action of the lure, because you can just slow down a faster-gear-ratio reel, right? Yes, but if you slow down a faster-gear-ratio reel to fight that long, resistive bill on the deep divers, you'll find out that the mechanical advantage disappears .... unless you install a longer handle, which many do. And no, you won't notice the effect for the first hour or two. You sure will after that, though.

   As for hearing that now you want to burn your deep crank back .... just remember that if you scan the web long enough you'll read everything there is, whether true or untrue, good or bad. The best solution is ALWAYS to do it yourself and see whether it's true. Unfortunate? Yes. Expensive? Yeah, maybe could be. Reliable and definitive? Absolutely!    jj 

 

   p.s. - I use a Curado 200i PG (5.5:1 ratio)

[Ogandrews]

I have done a good amount of deep cranking on a 7.1 and had no issues with it. It does give you the benefit if really being able to speed up your retrieve if you want to. 6.1 is a great compromise though because it is easier to retrieve and also still has enough speed to get the thing going. One thing I never hear people talking about with deep cranking is using a bigger reel. Look at a tranx 300 5.8.1, one of my favorite reels I own. It has a low gear ratio which will make pulling high resistance baits easy, but still has 30 inches per turn, which is the same as most bass sized 7.1 reels, so you will be able to get the bait moving really fast when you want to. A tranx 300 will bomb a deep crank as far as any other bass reel, I have even thrown weightless flukes on mine with no issue just to see if I could. I know it is a $300 reel but if you really want a great setup I would strongly consider a tranx 300, you can even get a power handle for it and really get some horsepower out of it.

[Angry John]

I like my zillion HLC and the 6.3 gear ratio works just great.  The size of your crank will matter and I use a 6xd and the norman deep n the most.  I have pulled a 10 and 8xd and they wear me out in a hurry.  If that's your goal I defer to people who fish those.

[Tywithay]

Honestly, I haven't noticed much difference between 5.x, 6.x, or 7.x ratios, as far as torque. At least not in modern reels. This biggest difference is made by handle length, in my opinion. I've tried cranking with an 80mm handle and it is a chore. Get some leverage with a good 100mm or 105mm on a quality reel and you can winch in a boat.

[Matt_3479]

Thank you everyone, I’m going go to my local store and handle the tranx, but if not then I’ll grab another bantam if I prefer the feel and go with a 6 gear I think to be safe. 

[jimmyjoe]

   Today, my retailer finally got both the TranX reels and the Bantam. I got to check both of them out. I admit the Bantam is absurdly smooth and quiet. The TranX, however, makes it feel like an itty-bitty toy. If the TranX will throw the lighter set of lures that you will use, forget the Bantam. Go with the TranX.         jj

[FishTank]

I am using the Bantam MGL 6.2:1 for deep cranking and it's not bad but I prefer a slower reel for this> Revo Winch.  

 

My favorite though is the Antares 16 5.6:1 but oddly it has about the same retrieve (IPT) as the Bantam.  Both are fantastic but the Antares cast further, it's a fuzz smoother on the retrieve and when a fish is on and it slightly more powerful when bringing in fish from deeper water.   I picked up the Antares for less than I paid for the Bantam from this guy on eBay......

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Shimano-AnTares-Left-Handed-Low-Profile-Baitcasting-Fishing-Reel-5-6-1-Brand-New/333614135704?hash=item4dacf3b998:g:ky0AAOSw8exdjTRl

[Bankc]

On 6/2/2020 at 12:50 AM, Tywithay said:

Honestly, I haven't noticed much difference between 5.x, 6.x, or 7.x ratios, as far as torque. At least not in modern reels. This biggest difference is made by handle length, in my opinion. I've tried cranking with an 80mm handle and it is a chore. Get some leverage with a good 100mm or 105mm on a quality reel and you can winch in a boat.

That's more or less my experience.  While there is a noticeable difference in gear ratios, you can easily adjust your retrieve to match any speed you want, or at least I don't have a problem doing it.  I fish everything from a 3.8:1 to an 8.1:1 and I never really feel that one is too fast for any application, or one is too slow.  I mean the 8.1 is just a fraction over twice the speed of the 3.8.  The only time I worry about torque is if I get hung up and I'm trying to winch a bunch of vegetation up.  And even then, I'm using the rod more than the reel for the torque.  I think it might matter for more for saltwater anglers, but for stuff like bass, you usually have the drag set low enough that any torque advantage isn't all that important. 

 

I do notice that shorter handles will wear out my forearms though.  However, I do sometimes like short handles on crankbait reels because I have a tendency to jerk them a bit on the retrieve (from spinning the handle in too small of a circle for comfort), which gives the lure a bit more of an erratic pace.  It seems to generate more strikes, especially if you're running them in the middle of the water column.  Or maybe that's just all in my head.  

 

Then again, I never fish for like 16 hours straight like some people will, and maybe its on the back half of that that those little details start to become more important.  So it's just my personal opinion that with things like gear ratios, while they do make a difference, are more luxury than necessity.  And tiny differences in gear ratios, like 6.1 to 7.1, are more mental than practical.  

[Tizi]

I am using a Tatula 150 with 5.4:1 gear ratio and 12 lb YZH.  I also use a 6.3:1 Fuego CT for my cranks.

[LonnieP]

The Jdm Bantam is available in 5.5

[Heartland]

I use the same reels that I have owned for the last 10-12 years.  5.4:1 gear ratio, won the editor's choice at another very popular fishing related site.