# gear ratios



## shinerman77 (Nov 15, 2007)

I got into a discussion with bassaddict about gear ratios and differnt reels. I say that the reel doesn't really matter. Unless it is a really cheap reel that is designed for one use only. All the reels that are out there with different gear ratios or different metals or bearings and such. I say that it is all in preferance. i don't think that the ratio or the metal or how many bearings are in the reel is going to help you catch fish. I have a BPS Bill Dance combo and a diawa procaster 100b. I like them both. I use the bill dance for worming and I use the diawa for heavier baits. Bassaddict Just got that new reel with the twitching bar. I say it is just an up grade from the rest to make life easy. What are your opinons?


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## Jim (Nov 15, 2007)

You both have valid points. I think you are correct that the reel will not help you catch fish. A $9 zebco 33 will catch allot of fish day in and day out. But if you ever fish...really fish an expensive reel and a not so expensive reel on the same rod with the same line, and the same lure. I think you will see that the more expensive reel will feel more.....refined, and polished. I dont think you will find the same smoothness and tolerances on a $50 reel when comapared to a $100+reel. Manufacturers have to cut corners somewhere when trying to produce a product at a certain price point. Shimano will not throw the same quality bearings and gears that they put in a calcutta or Stella in a spyrex or calyx. The twitchin bar Daiwa I have mixed feelings on. I had the Viento and played with the twitchin bar when I first got it. Then I started using the reel never touching the bar unless it caught my eye or soemone asked about it. Some love it, some think its a gimmick.

Abu Garcia had a reel once that had a plastic piece move up and down to stop the spool from spinning so it would not backlash...anyone remember the name? Xmytruck had that reel...now that was a joke.


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## Popeye (Nov 29, 2007)

Big difference in catching and landing fish. Put your lure or bait in front of a fish and you can catch him. If you can't cast there you ain't gonna catch one. More bearings and better materials means a smoother and farther cast with more control on the retrieve and better drag adjustments. Plus better materials means they last longer (generally).

Gear ratios for most of us become a preference in my opinion. I know I would like a higher gear ratio on my lead core rod cause reeling in 100yds of 27lb lead core, 100yds of 30lb Power Pro and 50 feet of 20lb mono leader is tiring enuff, add a 15lb King Salmon and it'll just wear you out with that 3.6:1 330GTi. Even on my ultralights I have a 4.6:1 and a 3.5:1 and notice I really have to crank more to achieve the same action with my lures. Makes swapping back and forth more tedious.


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## Popeye (Nov 29, 2007)

Sorry. Can't for the life of me figure out why my computer decided to repost this... 26 minutes after the first time.


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## Bryan_VA (Nov 30, 2007)

To me gear ratios mean nothing. I couldn't tell you the gear ratio on a single one of my reels. Just one more thing I don't need to be thinking about when I'm trying to catch some fish. :wink:


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## Jim (Nov 30, 2007)

Bryan_VA said:


> To me gear ratios mean nothing. I couldn't tell you the gear ratio on a single one of my reels. Just one more thing I don't need to be thinking about when I'm trying to catch some fish. :wink:



I sort of agree. I had a Zillion burner, but traqded it for a metanium MG regular. I think if you are concentrating on the bait presentation itself you can make it do what you want by either slowing down or speeding it up. IMO.


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## Popeye (Nov 30, 2007)

Bryan,

For most of my general use reels I don't take the gear ratio into account when buying either. I'm just saying that if you use one regularly and switch to a lower gear ratio, you'll see the difference and have to change your reeling spped to maintian the same lure action. Like with my ultralights, switching between the 4.6:1 and a 3.5:1 reels requires me to change my cranking speed to get the same action. It's not a hard thing to do but sometimes feels a little weird escpecially after 2-3 hours with one before switching.


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## Jim (Nov 30, 2007)

Some baits like swim baits need to be crawled...That would be painful doing it for a couple of hours on a burner type reel. You would get tired and give up after a bit. Then on the other hand if you are burning spinnerbaits with a slow reel (5.1) or something like that, you would burn yourself out quickly too.

So to solve the problem we need a ton of reels


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## redbug (Nov 30, 2007)

Jim said:


> So to solve the problem we need a ton of reels



WOW I just got a great idea! If I tell people they need different reels for each presentation they will buy a bunch and i can make millions! 
now all i need are names for them

lets try the *crawler* 3.1to 1 for that super slow type fishing 
or the *free for all* 5.3 to 1 for general use but sell these in 3 packs to get my numbers up 
and last the *warp drive* 7.1 to 1 for top water add a micro chip with scotty saying "I'm giving it all shes got captian"


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## Jim (Nov 30, 2007)

Cmon guys, Remember when we were young we had one rod for everything? You cherished that rod like it was a family member. Now....I cant stuff one more in my rod locker, but I keep on buying more...Sick man....Sick. LOL!


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## redbug (Nov 30, 2007)

I agree we are all nuts!!! 
I saw an add for fish hooks that read : Not for the average fisherman,
They cost about a dollar more than the other hooks but they were flying off the shelves 
If you build it they will sell.


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## BassAddict (Nov 30, 2007)

Shinerman calls my stuff an "upgrade" when in actuallity its not its just diffrent, my favorite setup is still my 5.4:1 mh extreme that i use for wormin'. My new megaforce is a 7.1:1 which is not at all suited for wormin' but has gotten me into trying to learn buzzbaits and spinner baits, try fishing them on a 5.4:1, is exausting!!! My point to all this rambleing is why should I just keep buying the same ole standard 6.3:1 reel... just to get a new better reel? That would be an "upgrade" and a waste of money, but by buying diffrent gear ratios it does 2 things: satisfyes my equipment buying fetish   and adds something diffrent to my arsonal for me to learn. And even though i hate spinning gear im currently looking at the shimano spirex just to have a spinning rig in my arsonal and hopefully learn to like spinning equipment.


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## Bryan_VA (Nov 30, 2007)

Jim said:


> So to solve the problem we need a ton of reels



I like your rationale


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