Best gear ratio for reaction bait setup

[LunkerJunky]

I am going to be purchasing a Lew's KVD rod and reel casting set up in 7' MH. Bass Pro and the Lew's site both have awesome sales going on right now but after doing some looking I found out that I can get the set up from Bass Pro sale for about $10 cheaper than with Lew's sale on site. Thing is, Bass Pro only carries the KVD casting reel in 6:2:1 and 8:3:1. I would prefer a 7:5:1, but the store does not carry that ratio so could I get away with the other two sizes or is it worth the extra money and hassle to pick it up from Lew's? I would also be purchasing the line for the set up too so ordering from Bass Pro might be easier so I can get line with it and not pay extra shipping charges, but I wanted to hear your opinions. 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

I prefer a reel in low 6's for most moving baits other then some topwater.  If the reel has a power handle, that is definitely a big help IMO.  

[A kid from Canada]

I switched to a 6:1 this season for moving baits and prefer it over the 7 speed reels. Unless you fish with Mono then I like a faster reel to pick up line Stretch. 

[softwateronly]

I'm in the 7:1 camp and would go to 6:1 if it wasn't available.  I keep my one 8:1 on my jig rod.

 

scott

[Pogues2300]

Pretty sure it’s easier to slow down than speed up. I use high gear for everything and apparently the bass don’t mind. In the past the technology made it much harder to reel deeper cranks on higher gears… I use metanium 8 for my depths up to 16 feet because I like to speed crank and it’s effortless. Another reference is Google Aaron Martens high gear…. Pretty sure he said he uses 8:5:1  23 out of 25 setups… he was one of the best of all time

[WRB]

11 hours ago, A kid from Canada said:

I switched to a 6:1 this season for moving baits and prefer it over the 7 speed reels. Unless you fish with Mono then I like a faster reel to pick up line Stretch. 

Are you nuts! How much force can a deep diving lure put on line to, stretch it? answer it takes 1/3rd the line pound test to come close to start mono to stretch and that is close to the MH rods power limit!

Tom

[Pogues2300]

3 minutes ago, WRB said:

Are you nuts! How much force can a deep diving lure put on line to, stretch it? answer it takes 1/3rd the line pound test to come close to start mono to stretch and that is close to the MH rods power limit!

Tom

So I use 30 

 

5 minutes ago, WRB said:

Are you nuts! How much force can a deep diving lure put on line to, stretch it? answer it takes 1/3rd the line pound test to come close to start mono to stretch and that is close to the MH rods power limit!

Tom

See you on a vast amount of threads I look at. I know you love big game… wondering if you also think you need slow gear ratios to fish. I’ma fan just asking

[SproDD79]

I like a 5 gear ratio for moving baits. I say go with a gear ratio as low as you can get when picking a moving bait reel.

[Pogues2300]

Just now, SproDD79 said:

I like a 5 gear ratio for moving baits. I say go with a gear ratio as low as you can get when picking a moving bait reel.

Why?

Moving baits many times produce reaction strikes. I’m basically a novice in bass fishing compared to many of you but I’ve caught my biggest 5 bass speed cranking around 14 ft on an 8 metanium mgl b … so I think there’s something to it

[WRB]

13 minutes ago, Pogues2300 said:

So I use 30 

 

See you on a vast amount of threads I look at. I know you love big game… wondering if you also think you need slow gear ratios to fish. I’ma fan just asking

30# Mono on a MHF rod rating is 4 lb max lifting power! 

I was fan of10# and 12# Big Game until discovering Sunline Deifer Armilo about 6 years ago; 22# / .015D = 15 lb BG @ .015D. 11 lb Armilo is .011D, less line resistance going through water = less line bow.

What bass anglers feel as line stretch is line bow underwater, line isn’t stretching.

Gear ratio to me = IPT. Deep diving crank baits a lower gear ration (5 to 6 to 1) moving less line per handle turn making it easier to retrieve a lure with bing water resistance.

 

[Pogues2300]

1 minute ago, WRB said:

30# Mono on a MHF rod rating is 4 lb max lifting power! 

I was fan of10# and 12# Big Game until discovering Sunline Deifer Armilo about 6 years ago; 22# / .015D = 15 lb BG @ .015D. 11 lb Armilo is .011D, less line resistance going through water = less line bow.

What bass anglers feel as line stretch is line bow underwater, line isn’t stretching.

Gear ratio to me = IPT. Deep diving crank baits a lower gear ration (5 to 6 to 1) moving less line per handle turn making it easier to retrieve a lure with bing water resistance.

 

The biggest increase in sensitivity for any fishing I’ve done is when I went braid to fluoro on my spinning rod all your numbers measure that?

[SproDD79]

11 hours ago, Pogues2300 said:

Why?

Moving baits many times produce reaction strikes. I’m basically a novice in bass fishing compared to many of you but I’ve caught my biggest 5 bass speed cranking around 14 ft on an 8 metanium mgl b … so I think there’s something to it

Lower gear ratios often equal lower ipt, sometimes spool diameter and the amount of line can impact ipt as well, but that lower gear ratio lowers fatigue on the arms and shoulders and gives you better torque making it easier to throw a moving bait like deep diving crankbait all day. I would imagine my arms and shoulders would feel very different cranking with an 8 gear ratio all day versus a 5 gear ratio.

[WRB]

29 minutes ago, Pogues2300 said:

The biggest increase in sensitivity for any fishing I’ve done is when I went braid to fluoro on my spinning rod all your numbers measure that?

Low knot strength with FC line negates any advantage, 2 FC knots to fail with poor FC knot strength. Small diameter braid is an advantage regarding line drag. 

You also need to factor in the average bass size being caught, 3 lb bass use whatever works, DD knot strength can be a big factor.

Tom

[Jar11591]

11 hours ago, Pogues2300 said:

Pretty sure it’s easier to slow down than speed up.

I find the exact opposite to be true. 

[PourMyOwn]

1 hour ago, Jar11591 said:

I find the exact opposite to be true. 

It's easier for me to speed up, but after a handful of casts I find myself back to normal speed again. I really have to focus to do anything other than reel at my normal cadence. 

 

That's why I have reels ranging from 4.9 to 8.1. (22 IPT to 34")