Why did they stop making 5:1 power gear ratio baitcasting reels?

[katmandew]

I’ve looked at Okuma, Shimano, Lews, etc.   Couldn’t find any in Okuma, Lews has the cheap LFS and found 1 Shimano in 200k that have it.  What changed that caused them to stop making the 5 power gear reels?

[JediAmoeba]

Daiwa makes them. 

[softwateronly]

Shimano also has the bantam in pg. 

 

scott

[islandbass]

I would guess demand. There was a time it was the “high” speed gear lol. If your not opposed to round reels, the Cardiff is a workhorse. I have the 301 and it’s one of my salmon reels but when in bass mode for cranking I’ll use it too. They have 200/201 size which is more convenient for bass fishing. It cast things as well as my old green curado bsf 201 and that easily casts down to 3/16oz things. 

[katmandew]

29 minutes ago, JediAmoeba said:

Daiwa makes them. 

Which model?  Found a Tatula, are they smooth?

24 minutes ago, softwateronly said:

Shimano also has the bantam in pg. 

 

scott

Looked at Bantam MGL 6.3 was slowest they had.  I need slow, power, and very smooth with good casting and braking.

26 minutes ago, islandbass said:

I would guess demand. There was a time it was the “high” speed gear lol. If your not opposed to round reels, the Cardiff is a workhorse. I have the 301 and it’s one of my salmon reels but when in bass mode for cranking I’ll use it too. They have 200/201 size which is more convenient for bass fishing. It cast things as well as my old green curado bsf 201 and that easily casts down to 3/16oz things. 

That just doesn’t make sense to me.  Did everyone stop deep cranking?  

[zell_pop1]

They are still made, just not in as many models as before. I recently bought the latest version of the Pro Qualifier just to have a 5x reel for cranking or for hollow belly swim baits. I really like it and might get another.

[mrpao]

I think most companies stopped making them because they didn't sell as well. The trend is towards faster and faster reels- at least here in the US. In Japan, some models are still offered in 5 gear ratios.

I like 5 gear raio reels as well. Spinnerbaits, catterbaits, crankbaits, swimbaits- all on 5 gear ratio reels.

[Hulkster]

I have the curado 200i PG which I believe was the last north american shimano baitcaster in a PG ratio. 

 

I think it was released in 2016 if I recall. its a 5.5:1 ratio. 

 

there is a bantam in a PG ratio but its a japan only model although you can probably buy it online I would think. 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

There’s a new Gen  Revo  winch that just came out. 

[JediAmoeba]

9 hours ago, katmandew said:

Which model?  Found a Tatula, are they smooth?

The best one may be the Crazy Cranker Zillion. I have a Tat 100 for smaller squarebills and stuff, a Tat 150 for large cranks and the Zillion for 10xd's. 

 

Tat 100, Tat 150, 2016 Zillion TW and the Zillion HD all come in a 5.x.x gear ratio 

[MickD]

9 hours ago, katmandew said:

Found a Tatula, are they smooth?

The new Tatula is amazingly smooth and easy to cast.  The previous model was very good, but the newest one is even better.

[garroyo130]

10 hours ago, Hulkster said:

I have the curado 200i PG which I believe was the last north american shimano baitcaster in a PG ratio. 

 

I think it was released in 2016 if I recall. its a 5.5:1 ratio. 

 

there is a bantam in a PG ratio but its a japan only model although you can probably buy it online I would think. 

 

Theres a Curado K CU200PGK being made/sold but its a totally different reel from the regular K with a different drive shaft and drag stack.

[msgf91]

Ark reels

Tatula 150

Zillion PG 

Previous gen Bantam PG

Revo x wide

Revo winch

[newapti5]

IMO this trend of chasing faster reels is mainly caused by reel makers' marketing needs and promotions rather than anglers' demand. They just keep telling young anglers "faster is better," through numerous pros and promoters. Now 7 speed is new norm and 6 speed is considered slow. It won't surprise me that 8 speed would become the standard speed and 6 speed would slowly disappear.

[softwateronly]

11 hours ago, katmandew said:

Which model?  Found a Tatula, are they smooth?

Looked at Bantam MGL 6.3 was slowest they had.  I need slow, power, and very smooth with good casting and braking.

That just doesn’t make sense to me.  Did everyone stop deep cranking?  

 

I guess my brain was thinking the 18 jdm model should have been more specific......

 

https://www.digitaka.com/item/5/4/2/4969363038555

 

scott

[Captain Phil]

1 hour ago, newapti5 said:

IMO this trend of chasing faster reels is mainly caused by reel makers' marketing needs and promotions rather than anglers' demand. They just keep telling young anglers "faster is better," through numerous pros and promoters. Now 7 speed is new norm and 6 speed is considered slow. It won't surprise me that 8 speed would become the standard speed and 6 speed would slowly disappear.

 

There was a time when a 5/1 casting reel was considered High Speed.  When the Ambassador 5500C came out it had a high speed label on the side plate.  The standard at the time was 3/1.  Power fishing is what created the demand for faster reels.   Some techniques, like Rattle Trap and buzz bait fishing, work better at high speeds.  With  other techniques a higher speed reel actually hurts you.  You can still buy 5/1 reels if you look hard enough.  5/1 is my preferred ratio for spinnerbait fishing.  I have been successful using a 3/1 reel in dead of the winter.

[Jar11591]

Lews Speed Spool LFS

[LrgmouthShad]

Finding a 5 gear ratio with right hand retrieve is not all that hard. Finding one with a left hand retrieve is more challenging, but there are still some options on the market. I have two REVO Winch Gen 4s and love them. Bait monkey wants me to get the new generation 5 and I don’t know how much longer I can hang on ?

[Jig Man]

There is a Shimano Gloomis buy sell trade Face Book page.  They sometimes have good deals on quality used reels just like the flea mkt. here.

[ska4fun]

18 hours ago, katmandew said:

I’ve looked at Okuma, Shimano, Lews, etc.   Couldn’t find any in Okuma, Lews has the cheap LFS and found 1 Shimano in 200k that have it.  What changed that caused them to stop making the 5 power gear reels?

The disadvantages of higher speed reels are way less important than the strong positive points: better line retrieval, without the need of frenetic control, better line slack control, quicker catching overall...

[Kirtley Howe]

I find it much easier to slow down reeling with an 8.1 than to speed up reeling with a 5.1 or 5.3. The only reason I own a lower speed reel is so I can use the slower reel to get big fish out of thick weeds. The lower speed reel has higher "cranking" power. In more open water that has never been a concern for me. That said, some pros swear by the slower reels for certain techniques. To each their own. Some people have a very difficult time consistently slowing down reeling, and if you happen to be one of those then for sure get a slower speed reel. 

[Log Catcher]

Lews has the Tournament MP in 5.6:1 and 23" IPT. I have that reel in 6.8:1 and it has been a very good reel. I have several 5:1 reels and use them for crank baits, spinner baits and some top water baits.

[papajoe222]

Demand is what changed. More and more anglers are shying away from big billed crankbaits and switching to other presentations that don't tax the angler's wrists like trying to work them with a 7.1.

Here's a hack for your higher gear ratio reels; only fill your spool half way with line. The smaller diameter reduces the IPT of the reel. The only thing you won't gain is the torque the lower gears offer.

I ended up ordering 5.1 gears for my Daiwa Fuego because there was no offering in that gear ratio for that model. Diawa does offer other models in 5.1, I just wanted that particular model. I now have two reels with lower gears ratios, one for deep/slow cranking and the other for slow rolling spinnerbaits. I have difficulties slowing down and those two make it a lot easier. 

[katmandew]

10 hours ago, ska4fun said:

The disadvantages of higher speed reels are way less important than the strong positive points: better line retrieval, without the need of frenetic control, better line slack control, quicker catching overall...

I’m cranking a deep running cb (14-16 feet) for 8 hours straight so a 6.3 will wear you the heck out.  Even worse the faster you get.  The rule of thumb for what I’m doing is the slower the better.  Slack control is of no concern, nothing about what I’m doing calls for speed.  Speed kills your chances in this case.  I currently use 4.7:1  pro qualifiers and a 5.1 older Orro Winch.  Just have a couple that need replacing.  I may just pull the trigger on a gen 5 revo winch.  Thanks all.

[A kid from Canada]

Just bought my first 5:1 last month, new Revo Winch and I will never go back to cranking with a 6 or 7 speed like I used to. So much easier and runs them the perfect speed. As a Daiwa guy I'm very impressed with this Abu reel.