reel speed opinions please

[Cheers]

I am about to buy only one reel for muskie fishing and would like a multi purpose speed retrieve . What would you suggest 4.6:1 or 5.4:1 or 6.2:1 \? I know I should get one of each but cant afford nor justify it . The 2 main lures I use are a jake and an inhaler spinner bait . So what one is the best compromise. What brand ? How about a Revo ?

[JimBuck]

I'd get as much speed as possible. You can always slow your retrieve down but speeding it up will wear you out fast. My main reel is a Revo Toro 60HS and I think it's perfect for most applications.

[50inchpig]

you can always reel a fast reel slower, but you can't always reel a slow reel fast enough, i don't own any baits i can't throw with my saltist, get the fast one for sure.

[clm]

+1. love my trinidad 16. for all around i would get a revo toro 60HS.

[RuKiddingMe]

50pig is spot on, and for the money the Saltist levelwind will get my thumbs up everytime, heck I just bought a 20LW today to match up with my 30LW and my 30th non levelwind.

[JRedig]

Best all around would probably be the 5:1.

I have a hard time agreeing with the "you can always slow down." I used to say it a lot but find that's not true necessarily in practice. I'll try to explain why...

It has to do with the ability to be smooth in your movement of the reel handle. A smaller diameter reel handle with a lower gear ratio is easier to fish at a steady state all day in my experience and keep an even pace of rotation. It is harder to maintain a smooth revolution of a larger diameter reel handle, especially after you tire from a long day.

Example: Slow rolling big blades. With my saltist 20 I can only go so slow with 10's or 20's. I find myself unevenly rotating the handle and the blades collapse. I put the same bait on a rod with a 400b and i'm reeling faster and smoother/more consistently, but the overall speed of the bait is slower and it keeps the blades open. Sometimes that's the difference in speed that matters.

This example makes it look lure specific, but i've found other lures that I can work for a specific retrieval with one reel and not with a faster reel. I used to preach that you can always slow down, bottom line, the best tool for every job can't be one reel, IMO. 5lb mini sledge for finishing work? Sure you can do it, i'm not about to though.

[chief]

I'm with JRedig on this one.

Before I offer reel advice, please let me rant to the public: The monster-sized, 2-bladed speed craze has blinded many people. There's a level of insanity surrounding use of these products that leads people to believe fish can't be caught on any other lure. Much of this madness is driven by the vanity, machismo, and ego of the many "new" anglers who fish only for muskies. Do these lures work? Sure they do, but they don't obviate the effectiveness of many other lure groups over the previous sixty years. Size and speed will always be triggers........but only some of the time. If you have the money for $400.00 reels, $300.00 rods, and $25.00 bucktails there's no down side to using them. If you want to turn a day on the water into a suffer fest, go right ahead. Remember, though, it's possible to be a very effective musky angler without shredding your joints or going broke.

Wheeeewwwwww...............sorry.

If you'll primarily use the lures you describe, I don't feel a "6:2-ish" ratio is needed. Neither do I feel a "saltwater" reel is needed.

If you use a "freshwater" muskie reel, your retrieve is primarily wrist-driven. This is a fairly compact motion. If you use a high speed "saltwater" reel, your retrieve, due to the reel and handle's increased circumferences, becomes wrist-forearm-elbow driven. Since this is a much bigger motion it's harder to execute slowly. In other words, you have more precise control of wrist motions than you do of arm and elbow motions.

A "5:3-ish" reel (Indurons (if you can find 'em), CTB400's, Revo Toro etc.) is a versatile choice that you'll still be using years from now. Jakes, inhalers, and similar lures won't unduly stress these reels at any retrieve speed.

Good luck. Have fun.

[RK]

I'm with JRedig on this one.

Before I offer reel advice, please let me rant to the public: The monster-sized, 2-bladed speed craze has blinded many people. There's a level of insanity surrounding use of these products that leads people to believe fish can't be caught on any other lure. Much of this madness is driven by the vanity, machismo, and ego of the many "new" anglers who fish only for muskies. Do these lures work? Sure they do, but they don't obviate the effectiveness of many other lure groups over the previous sixty years. Size and speed will always be triggers........but only some of the time. If you have the money for $400.00 reels, $300.00 rods, and $25.00 bucktails there's no down side to using them. If you want to turn a day on the water into a suffer fest, go right ahead. Remember, though, it's possible to be a very effective musky angler without shredding your joints or going broke.

Wheeeewwwwww...............sorry.

If you'll primarily use the lures you describe, I don't feel a "6:2-ish" ratio is needed. Neither do I feel a "saltwater" reel is needed.

If you use a "freshwater" muskie reel, your retrieve is primarily wrist-driven. This is a fairly compact motion. If you use a high speed "saltwater" reel, your retrieve, due to the reel and handle's increased circumferences, becomes wrist-forearm-elbow driven. Since this is a much bigger motion it's harder to execute slowly. In other words, you have more precise control of wrist motions than you do of arm and elbow motions.

A "5:3-ish" reel (Indurons (if you can find 'em), CTB400's, Revo Toro etc.) is a versatile choice that you'll still be using years from now. Jakes, inhalers, and similar lures won't unduly stress these reels at any retrieve speed.

Good luck. Have fun.

Amen - couldn't agree more.

If you're talking about a moderate-sized baitcasting reel (6500/Calcutta 400/Toro 60) reel, a high speed gear ratio will hurt more than help. They'll wear you out. Plus, the gears don't last as long frankly - smaller teeth on a smaller gear and no-stretch superline is a high wear combination.

In terms of versatility, durability and wear and tear physically, a 5.3:1 or a 4.3:1 7000 or Calcutta 700 is a far more versatile option. Especially for Jakes, Inhalers, spinnerbaits, topwaters, etc., a saltwater reel is overkill. Works, certainly, but so do lots of other options.

My $.02.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[50inchpig]

Wow Redig, I didn't realize cranking a power handle was so complicated

For me it's about taking up slack line and working less hard to keep up with a ripped jake, wtd topwater, phantom or bulldawg than it is about speed all the time. I haven't had the wrist/arm fatigue problems this year with the high speed that I had with the 7k last year.

[HugoBox]

As an aside and not an attempt at hi-jacking the thread I was on Rush with a couple buddies two weeks ago and tough fishing would be an understatement. I'm typically not a speed demon but to try to make something happen I started fishing a thousand miles per hour with a big workhorse reel. Meanwhile mybudde in the back of the boat is pulling 10's with his C3 4600. I kept harping for him to use my Toro or 7K or ANYTHING because I was sure his reel would explode and his arm would fall off and no fish would dare emabarrass itself by being snagged by substandard gear.

He was pretty set on using his own gear and he ended up with the 50 (which I was very happy about) and my fancy rods and lures got nothing but washed.

After reviewing the weekend we realized that even though only one ski was netted we caught a ton of other pike as well - all but one of the many pike we caught came on the "inderior" set-ups.

Maybe it was the speed difference of or maybe I just plain can't fish. Regardless, keeping things simple may not be bad advice (and that's coming from a horrible gear whore).

[bisekb]

I would have to agree with pretty much everyone on here, that a 5:1, or 5:3 is a perfect all around reel for your aplication. I just bought a toro winch and it is an amazing reel. The low 4:6 gears are nice for consistantly cranking your blade baits, especially larger ones although it is a little slow. Thats why i have a C4 for burning, put the two together and a 5:3 would be ideal.