Fishing Reel Gear Ratio. What's That? (2024)

High Ratios? Think Speed - Low Ratios? Think Power

Fishing reel gear ratio equals spool size plus number and size of gears.

When anglers talk about fishing reel gear ratio in relation to a reel'sspeed or even its power, they often forget to include the reel's spoolsize in the equation.

A reel's spool works in compliment to its gears. The gears and spool "together" determine the reel's truespeed and power. But before we get into all that let's take a quicklook at the fundamentals of gears. Don't worry, I'll keep it short andin language guys like you and I can understand. You know, non-engineertypes.

To Understand Fishing Reel Gear Ratio You Gotta Understand Gears

A Little Lesson On The Fundamental Properties Of Gears

Certainly you all know what gears are and what they do. But inthe interest of being thorough I offer this brief explanation. However,I also offer this disclaimer. I am not a mechanical engineer. As amatter of fact, when something breaks around our house the wife fixesit. I'm just a retired old salesman and avid bass fisherman. So here wego. Hope for the best.

Gears are wheels, or discs, with teeth extending "radially" fromtheir outer circumference. Most of us think of gears as the traditionalspur gear, the classic cog-shaped gear with simplestraight teeth like that in the picture right.

Some of us may also understand that "helical" gears have teeththat, while protruding from the gear radially, do so diagonally acrossthe outside edge of the gear, rather than perpendicularto it. Helical gears tend to be quieter, smoother operating and longerlasting than spur gears. This is due to their broader distribution offorce or load along the teeth.

The complex shape of helical gears makes them more expensive than spurgears and are found in the more expensive reels. Well worth the money Isay. Helical gears, when used on parallel shafts, operate just likespur gears, but offer smoother operation. They can also operate well atan angle.

Gears are positioned in relation to one another so their teeth meshtogether. Torque, a turning/twisting force, is applied to one gear, thedriver", causing it to turn. It in turn transfers motion to the othergear, the "driven" gear. The driven gear turns in the "opposite"direction of the "driver" gear.

Gears can be used to increase (gear up) or decrease (gear down)the speed, increase or decrease the power (torque) or change thedirection of a driven unit.

There you have it. That's the best I can do fellas.

Now, what Does This Gear Stuff Mean To You and Your Reels?

First, a functional characteristic of gears that is importantfor bass fishermen to understand, in relation to fishing reel gear ratioand how it relates to their reel's performance, is that you can notincrease speed or power without reducing the other. Gearing up, thatis, increasing the number of complete revolutions (speed) of the spoolper crank of the handle, will decrease its power and vice-versa.Reducing the number of revolutions increases power but reduces speed.This is where fishing reel gear ratio comes in. Low gear ratio equalspower, high gear ratio means speed. Think, race cars go fast but can'tpull any weight while big trucks can pull heavy loads but can only moveslowly.

So the function of gears, and we're talking here about gears in fishingreels, is to produce either power or speed in the spool. In fishingreels there are two "primary" gears. The largerof the two is the "driver" or "input" gear. It can appropriately becalled a wheel, even a disc, as illustrated in the picture right.

The other gear, the "output" gear, is much smaller. It's known as the"driven" gear. That is, the gear that is turned (driven) by therotational force of the larger gear. These are identified as the mainand pinion gears respectively.

Both the main drive and pinion gears are spur gears, the most simple ofgear types. These gears are positioned on parallel axles in the sameplane so their teeth mesh. This is clearly illustrated in the photoabove. When the angler turns the reel's handle, which is directly linkedto the main "drive" gear, it acts directly on the "main drive gear"turning it.

GEARS and GEAR RATIOS

You have no doubt seen the many different gear ratios on bothbaitcasting and spinning reels. There are gear ratios of 6.3:1, 7.1:1,5.3:1, 5.4:1, 6.4:1, 5.0:1, 5.2:1, 6.0:1 and even 4.7:1,though this is by no means a complete list. So upon what are thesenumbers based?

The numerical "gear ratio" of any fishing reel is determined bythe number of teeth on each gear. Take the number of teeth on the largerdrive gear and divide it by the number of teeth onthe smaller pinion gear and you get that reel's gear ratio. Forexample, a 72 tooth main gear and a 12 tooth pinion gear produces a 6:1ratio. This reads as a "six to one" ratio.

Functionally, this means that when the larger drive gear, whichis linked directly to the reel handle, is turned one full revolution bythe handle, the smaller pinion gear, which connects to the spool, turnssix revolutions causing the spool to do the same.

Note that the first number of a fishing reel gear ratio relatesto the smaller "pinion gear" or driven gear. The higher that number thefaster the spool retrieves line. If the number is low the spool turnsslower and the rate of line recovery is less.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT GEAR RATIOS

It's Also About "IPT" (Inches Per Turn), The Rate Of Line Recovery

A fishing reel's gear ratio is not the singular determination of itsspeed. Another factor that is often overlooked is the "IPT", "inches perturn" measure. This refers to the number of inchesof line recovered with each full revolution of the reel's handle.

Unfortunately, the reel manufacturing industry is notstandardized on speed and fishing reel gear ratio. Each handles it a bitdifferently. The size of a manufacturer's spool in any particular reeland its line capacity will more often than not be different from thoseof other manufacturers. Two reels with the same gear ratio but spools ofdifferent circumferences will recover line at different "IPT" rates.This is even characteristic of different reel models of the samemanufacturer.

Some companies have tried to clarify the confusion of fishingreel gear ratio and reel speed/power. They now provide anglers theamount of line that is taken up when you turn the handle one revolution.This tells the reel's "real" speed. For example, look through anyfishing tackle catalog. You will find both the fishing reel gear ratioand the line recovery number noted for each reel on a page. If you'recomparing reels you have to look at both numbers.

This explanation of fishing reel gear ratio could easily getmired down in words like... mechanical ratio relative to the gears andspool size which creates a geometric ratio as to the amount of line thatis recovered with a single turn of the handle... yadda, yadda, yadda.Uh? Say what?.

Listen, it's very simple. If you want to know the speed or powerof a reel you have or one you're contemplating purchasing, consider both"gear ratio" and "line recovery" numbers. Thatwill tell you all you need to know. The following table illustratesdifferences in "IPT" line recovery for 6.2:1, 6.3:1 and 6.4:1 gearratios.

What Fishing Reel Gear Ratio Is Best For Which Lure Presentation?

5.0:1 This range of gear ratios and those lower than this, have always been considered as crankbait lures,especially for deep divers. With the appearance of swimbaits the pastfew years it has grown in favor with many angler's for fishing theusually large and heavy swimbaits. If you're fishing big lipped, deep diving crankbaits or one ounce bottom hugging spinnerbaitschoose a reel with a gear ratio between 5.0 and 6.0. Anything higherwill likely wear your wrists and hands down to a nub by day's end. I'vefound the Abu Garcia® Revo Winch that has a 5.4:1 gear ratio to be agreat choice when a "slow speed" reel is needed.

Generally, reels within the low speed range of gear ratios,around 5.4:1, will recover 20"-24" of line for each complete crank ofthe handle.

6.0:1 The 6.0 range is probably the most widely usedbaitcast fishing reel gear ratio. Fast, but not excessively so. A goodchoice for buzzbaits, spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits.Those of us that flip and pitch find the 6.0 range of gear ratio fitsthe bill nicely, though many now use a reel in the 7.0 range. It's goodfor jigs, plastic worms, Carolina rigsand lipless crankbaits as well. Actually, this gear ratio can be usedfor most any application, especially if you are adept at controllingyour cranking speed.

Generally, reels with gear ratios of 6.2:1, 6.3:1 and 6.4:1 will recover 26"-28" of line for each complete crank of the handle.

7.0:1 High speed fishing reel gear ratios are becomingmore and more prevalent in freshwater baitcast reels. Some anglers usethem when "burning" spinnerbaits or crankbaits. Others find them veryhandy in catching up with bass who run directly at the boat, as manylarge bass will do. If you're fishing fast, covering a lot of watersearching for bass, this gear ratio allows for rapid line recovery andan increased number of casts.

Generally, reels with gear ratios in the 7.0 range will recover28"-31" of line for each complete crank of the handle. Remember, highspeed reels sacrifice "power". Something you might wish you had ifhooked up to a really big "hawg".

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