Reel Gear Ratios

[FlyPelican]

Can someone educate me on why I'd want different gear ratios on reels? Higher/lower ratio depending on which lures I'm fishing? What's the rule of thumb here?

- FP

[Gulfcoast13]

If I am running a popping cork I like a 7:1 ratio so I can really burn that line in. For the opposite, I like the 5:1 when fishing corkies for the slow retrieve. Yes, you can just slow down the rotation but I get antsy with the 7:1 sometimes. I personally throw all 7:1 wit the exception of my corky stick.

being said you have to be careful in a boat watching someones rotation if they are catching fish. Who knows what ration they are throwing.. hah

[Hogie70]

6:3:1 is a good ratio for me all year long. 7:1 is just a little fast for my style. 6:1 is the perfect ratio but its hard to find these days.

[Gilbert]

6:3:1 is a good ratio for me all year long. 7:1 is just a little fast for my style. 6:1 is the perfect ratio but its hard to find these days.

X2

[dPop]

6:3:1 is a good ratio for me all year long. 7:1 is just a little fast for my style. 6:1 is the perfect ratio but its hard to find these days.

Same here. The 6.3:1 or the 6.1:1 work great for me. I don't care for the 7s or the 5s

[SaltyBass]

As you can see its got a ot to do with personal preference really but like they said slower lures are better with slower ratios and in my case it's also because I get too antsy with a high gear reel.
All I can really add is to check the actual line per inch retrieval because some reels have smaller spools and even at 7:1 they'll only be as fast as an average 6:3 or so.
Only knock I've got against a slow reel (when one is needed) it's hard to keep up with a fish that makes a run at you.