7.1 or 6.4 for General Applications

[ec1]

Hi all,
Was wondering what you guys generally like yourselves for a baitcaster that will do multiple techniques? I'm about to get a 3 powered rod that will hopefully be throwing spinnerbaits, poppers, weightless plastics, and light texas rigs. What gear ratio would you guys recommend?

Thanks! and Happy Mothers day!

[ecu daniel 14]

I consider anything in the 6's an 'all around' or "general purpose" reel....it gives you the option to burn or slow down without too much or too little work on your part (you want the reel to work for you, not you work for the reel)...I used to think the 7's would be more practical for everything, but I found out surprisingly enough they are a pain in the butt to slow down (at least for me)...it comes down to personal preference...however, I believe the 6's are much more practical for 'general applications'.

While 7's and 5's have their place, the 6's are great for everything.

[Pmedicbm]

I'd get the 6:3 myself for an APC reel..

[ec1]

Awesome! Thanks for the tips guys!
I was thinking at one point that the higher gear ratio would just be better in general, good thing I got called off before I went on the spending spree.

[Frying Pan]

Typically a mid 6 is the best all around gear ratio just be careful because what you are really talking about is IPT or inches per turn. A baitcast reel could have a mid 7 gear ratio with the same IPT as a mid 6 gear ratio with a larger spool. I personally prefer a 25-27 IPT for general use. This typically isn’t a problem for people who exclusive fish one manufacture but as you jump around brands it could be a problem.

[smalljaw]

Typically a mid 6 is the best all around gear ratio just be careful because what you are really talking about is IPT or inches per turn. A baitcast reel could have a mid 7 gear ratio with the same IPT as a mid 6 gear ratio with a larger spool. I personally prefer a 25-27 IPT for general use. This typically isn’t a problem for people who exclusive fish one manufacture but as you jump around brands it could be a problem.

This advise is spot on! I have a 100 size reel I use for shallow to mid depth cranks and other applications which is a 6.3:1, the IPT is 24" which is close to my 200 size 5.1:1 reel. I also have 2 reels that get a lot of time with a 7.0:1 and they are close to 30 IPT, I like those for spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, jerkbaits and jigs/soft plastics. Do yourself a favor and check the IPT as well as gear ratio as it will be different depending on manufacturer and reel size.

[vArm]

I like a 7:1 ratio as an all around reel when I'm fishing techniques that require picking up slack line like Texas, Carolina, Weightless and Topwater and Jerkbait applications.

I like a 6:1 ratio for an all around reel fishing moving baits like Spinners, Crank, and Buzz.

[GARRIGA]

I originally got a Core 101 because of the mid range gearing and later discovered it doesn't do anything great. Too slow for certain applications and too fast for others. I now prefer to have a 7 and 5 gearing to separate my tasks.