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Old 07-25-06, 12:23 PM   #1
Wishing2BFishing
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Default 6'6" versus 7' and gear ratio

I have only one baitcaster. It is a 6'6" BPS with a Shimano Chronarch. My casting ability is competent but not necessarily proficient. The important thing is that I no longer get the nasty snarls and seem to do exceptionally well working my crankbaits with the baitcaster. I now use my baitcaster for cranks and my spinning gear for plastics (I like the 6'6" size for my spinning rods).

Anyway, here are my questions:

1) Would a 7' baitcaster work better for throwing cranks?

2) Do I want a reel with a lesser gear ratio for the cranks?

I appreciate your anticipated responses!
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Old 07-25-06, 12:39 PM   #2
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1) a longer rod will make you cast your baits to a longer distance ( if you have the correct brake setting to do so ) than a shorter rod, also, a longer rod will have more leverage when fighting the fish.

2) Some will say that you can slow down with a fast reel ( Chronarchs have an IPT of 26" ), something thatīs easier said than done, Iīve been fishing with baitcasters since 1983 and I still find it difficult to maintain the bait running at the depth and speed I desire with a reel that fast; many baits, specially deep divers do not react well to high retrieval speeds, they roll on their side and do not run true at all, others like extra deep divers require a lot of muscle to reel in and fight more than the fish you intend to catch on them, after a while of cranking you are worn up.

Do you need a slower reel ?

That depends a lot on how much you fish with crankbaits, I fish a lot with crankbaits, if we split the time I spend fishing between cranks, spinnerbaits and worms & jigs Iīd say that 1/3 of that time I fish it with a crankbait, mostly deep divers, if I can keep the bait longer in the water by using a much slower reel I will do it, my crankbaiting reel is a Curado B38 ( 16" IPT ), with it I donīt have to worry in trying to slow down, I just crank in the usual way and let the reel do the job of slowing down on itīs own.

Gear ratio is not a measure of speed, two reels with the same gear ratio may and in most cases have different speeds, high gear ratio doesnīt necessarily mean faster.
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Old 07-25-06, 12:54 PM   #3
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Raul,

The Shimano Chronarch is sold with a choice of two different gear ratios. The regular version has a gear ratio of 6:2:1 and the "power version" is 5:1:1. My sense is that the 6:2:1 version reels the lure at a quicker speed than the 5:1:1 since the reel turns an additional revolution each time the handle is turned. Am I correct in this assessment? Assuming that the 6:2:1 is faster, would the 5:1:1 version be better for my cranking needs?

Does anyone own baitcasting reels with different gear ratios? Is there a noticeable difference? If so, is there any consensus as to whether the "slower" reel is better for working crankbaits?
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Old 07-25-06, 01:05 PM   #4
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I own three of the same quantums that all have dif. gear ratio, you can tell a dif in the speed reel in my opinion...I mostly use it for the buzzbait and spook. Did I need it? well bassmasters articles on lews speed reels that david fritz used to peddle told me i did ROFL...acutally I've have these same 3 reels for 11 years and no problems at all, I prefer a slower reel and shorter stick for crankin, I figure I can always reel a tad faster and mix it up.
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Old 07-25-06, 01:20 PM   #5
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The "power" version of the Chronarch B has an IPT of 21", quite a difference in line pick up versus de regular one. For an "all around" reel I find any reel with between 20 and 22" of retrieval to be the best choice specially when you are on a budget and canīt have one reel for each application. Not too fast, not too slow.

I do own many reels with different ratios and IPTīs, Iīve got:

Curado B38: correction 15" IPT
Curado B5: 21" IPT
Curado 200: 26" IPT
Curado BSF: 26" IPT
Chronarch BSF: 26" IPT
Chronarch 50 mg: 25" IPT
Scorpion 1000:25 " IPT
Alphas Itö: 25" IPT
TDZ: 26" IPT
TDX Air Metal: 26" IPT
AbuGarcia 521 XLT Plus: 21" IPT
AbuGarcia XLT Plus Scynchro: 21" IPT
Procaster 6+1: 28" IPT

Those are only the baitcasters. I donīt fish with them all at once I rotate reels depending upon where Iīm fishing at because in some Iīve got 10 lb test, in others 12 lb test and in others 17 lb test; I usually carry 3 baitcasters and 2 spinning. Slow and "general purpose" are used for crankbaiting, spinnerbaiting and swimbaiting while fast ones are for spinnerbaiting, worming, jigging.
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Old 07-25-06, 01:44 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wishing2BFishing
Raul,

The Shimano Chronarch is sold with a choice of two different gear ratios. The regular version has a gear ratio of 6:2:1 and the "power version" is 5:1:1. My sense is that the 6:2:1 version reels the lure at a quicker speed than the 5:1:1 since the reel turns an additional revolution each time the handle is turned. Am I correct in this assessment? Assuming that the 6:2:1 is faster, would the 5:1:1 version be better for my cranking needs?

Does anyone own baitcasting reels with different gear ratios? Is there a noticeable difference? If so, is there any consensus as to whether the "slower" reel is better for working crankbaits?
Your assesment is correct. What Raul was saying is the best way to gauge the true speed of the reel is in Inches Per Turn (IPT). Just because 2 reels have the same gear ratio doesn't mean they're the same speed. There are more things that dictate speed than gear ratio such as spool diameter, handle length, even the amount of line on the spool.
But yes I would say that a higher gear ratio is always faster than the lower one.

As for the need. We've had that discussion alot. I'm in the minority in saying it's not needed. Ever. Heres my reasoning.

I don't always hold the same cadence when reeling whether I use a fast reel or a slow reel. I fish my cranks by feel. I can tell if I'm reeling fast enough by the way the bait is vibrating. Same for spinnerbaits.

For worms jigs and junk like that, well you fish those with the rod anyway and just take up slack line with the reel.

When I thought I needed a slower reel for crankbaits, I was pre fishing with a Rattletrap. I got bit and the fish swam right at the boat. I reeled as hard as I could and never caught up to the fish to set the hook. Now would I have caught up to him with the faster reel? I doubt it because she was haulin the mail but I do know that I would've had a better chance.

Thats just my opinion. Take it for whats it's worth and note what Raul says. The guy gives too much detailed info in every post not to know a thing or two about bass fishing.
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Old 07-25-06, 02:06 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wishing2BFishing
Anyway, here are my questions:

1) Would a 7' baitcaster work better for throwing cranks?

2) Do I want a reel with a lesser gear ratio for the cranks?

I appreciate your anticipated responses!

#1 the length of the rod will help with casting distance but I pitch crankbaits under docks with a 5'10" rod (had it custom made for this reason). The way I fish docks the tip of a 7' rod would get beat up after a day of pitching especially on hook sets in close quarters. If the 6'6" rod is comfortable for you and you get enough distance on your casts then you have the right length rod.

#2 has been covered really well but consider that some crankbaits are now designed to be fished very fast. Check out the Lucky Craft RC baits. Rick says he designed the 1.5 (I believe I read this right) to run as fast as possible (may have been the whole series not just the 1.5).

Take a look on how you intend to use the rod and reel and try to match the gear if you can. The previous posts have given you some very good information to use.
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Last edited by 3dkicker; 07-25-06 at 02:14 PM.
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Old 07-25-06, 07:13 PM   #8
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I fish deep cranks on a 5.1:1 simply because IMO it has more winching power than a 6.2:1, and throwing a big, deep crank can wear you out so I'll take all the help I can get .
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Old 07-25-06, 10:15 PM   #9
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just remember when you're wanting to know how fast a reel really(heh) is, look at the IPT number, not the gear ratio.
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Old 07-25-06, 10:26 PM   #10
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I like a slower reel and longer rod for crankbaits, but it's all in personal preference.
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Old 07-26-06, 10:05 AM   #11
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i throw cranks on a 6-8 allstar spinnerbait rod with a 5.2 to 1 pflueger trion round reel.i am not a fan of really long rods.my pitching rod is 6-10 and it's the longest i own.
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Old 07-26-06, 12:53 PM   #12
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Thanks everyone for the information. I guess that I should stick with my "regular" 6:1:1 version for now. I gotta hold off on buying a new reel since my wife and I just moved into our new house (the wife seems to think that buying blinds is more important than a new reel). When I go to purchase a new baitcasting reel, I will revisit this thread.

Thanks again everyone.

And I have two more questions:

When throwing cranks, specifically, mid-range cranks such as the DT 4 and DT 6, does it really matter if I use a "crankin' stick" versus a regular bass pro baitcasting rod?

Also, what is everyone's preference for throwing mid-range cranks?
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Old 07-26-06, 01:31 PM   #13
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The concept behind using a limber rod for treble hooked baits lies in the fact of using the rod as a shock absorber and remove part of the forces that are placed on the hooks by a fighting fish transfering it to the rod. Stiff rods do not act as a shock absorber, the forces remain on the hooks giving the fish a leverage point thus allowing the fish to unhook itself, this is true on crankbaits.

Do you need a specialized cranking stick ? In my personal experience you donīt need to spend in a specialized rod for crankbaits, yet I do have rods that I dedicate specifically for that purpose, all of them medium fast action rods, I get the limbness Iīm looking for in them.
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Old 07-26-06, 03:06 PM   #14
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Ahh the old limp vs stiff rod discussion!

(Man is that too easy or what? I'm not going there!!! I want to but...)
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Old 07-28-06, 11:52 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Raul
The concept behind using a limber rod for treble hooked baits lies in the fact of using the rod as a shock absorber and remove part of the forces that are placed on the hooks by a fighting fish transfering it to the rod. Stiff rods do not act as a shock absorber, the forces remain on the hooks giving the fish a leverage point thus allowing the fish to unhook itself, this is true on crankbaits.

Do you need a specialized cranking stick ? In my personal experience you donīt need to spend in a specialized rod for crankbaits, yet I do have rods that I dedicate specifically for that purpose, all of them medium fast action rods, I get the limbness Iīm looking for in them.
I have to disagree with not needing a specialized rod for crankbaits. This above all other techniques requires a true feeling of the bait, and obstacles on the retireve. Plus I have a rod for everything rotfl I truly do believe that many things work well with a 6'6" MH rod as a Standard for bassing, and I like your rod choice except I prefer a moderate action. This is of course because I use superlines for cranking. Again because it gives me more feel for the crank, and the action. These are just my preferences. I know that I'm in the minority for using superlines when cranking anyways. So OBVIOUSLY, what works for me, is not what works for most others when crankbaiting LOL.

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Old 08-03-06, 11:01 AM   #16
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Lizards, so you prefer the 6'6" for throwing cranks. What is your rod brand preference?
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Old 08-03-06, 10:32 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wishing2BFishing
Lizards, so you prefer the 6'6" for throwing cranks. What is your rod brand preference?
I use a 6'6" Medium Power with a Moderate tip from Saint Croix. It actually is the Premier Series, but my next crankbait rod will be the same but in the Legend series. I like 6'6" because I get more control on my casts. I still fish cranks around cover, so I need to be accurate on the cast. With the deep divers I will step up to a MH rod, just a little easier on me The 7' will give you more distance, but I don't usually cast more than 30-40 feet or so, unless I'm cranking open water, or trying to hit a certain depth, at a certain point, such as on a point, or hump. And throwing deep divers, usually the weight will allow you to cast it as far as you need to anyways JMO of course.

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