I often get asked by people to explain the difference in “reel speed” on the new bait cast-reels, and what advantage or disadvantage there is to each.

Well this is fairly complex subject, one that may take some time to try and detail. I will answer the speed question first and next week get into the advantages or disadvantages. First of all a bait cast reel that says its speed is 6.3 to 1 means that for every 1 rotation of the handle the spool rotates 6.3 times. So the different speed reels out like 7.1 to 1 or 3.5 to 1 these all refer to the handle rotation vs. the spool rotation. Hence the faster reels, the spool will rotate 7.1 times for every 1 rotation of the handle and your bait moves through the water faster than a 3.5 to 1 reel.

Now here is where it’s complicated, the more line on a high-speed reel the faster it moves. What this says is that as the spool builds with line a full spool will run your bait faster than a spool that may be almost empty. In other words, the more line you put on a spool the faster the bait runs regardless of the speed of the actually reel itself. This is because as the spool builds with line the spool gets wider and wider, and the actually retrieve in inches of line can change. A full spool reel in a 7.1 to 1 ratio can pull 31 inches of line for every rotation of the handle or 27 inches of line if the spool is say half full.

Now that you know the difference next week I will get into the advantages of them.

Fish Lake Guntersville Guide Service
www.fishlakeguntersvilleguideservice.com
Email: bassguide@comcast.net
256 759 2270
Captain Mike Gerry