Forum

It seems like 7.1:1 is the new 6.3:1.  I've been dreading this day for quite some time but finally broke down and purchased two more 7.1:1 Steez reels.  For most of my fishing I can't stand to use the lower gear ratios any longer.  I waited for as long as I could thinking Daiwa would release a 7.3:1 Steez at ICAST but no such luck.

Think about it, for jigs and soft plastics presentations why would anyone use a 6.3:1?  The difference in line per handle turn between the two reels is 3.9" in the Steez (and if you compare the 6.3 to 7.3 it's a whopping 6") ; that may not sound like a lot, but considering it takes an average of 10-15 cranks to retrieve your bait out of unproductive water or at the end of your cast in deeper water it all adds up.  Even when pitching and flipping in shallow water 4-5 cranks back to the boat a couple hundred times will add up.  It may all sound like fuzzy math, but don't we all wish we had an extra 30 minutes at the end of each tournament to fish a little more or make just a few more casts?  It all boils down to making more casts at the end of the day with the higher speed reels.

And let's not even bring Falcon or south Texas into the mix – three or four cranks and an extra 12-16 inches in a matter of seconds could dramatically increase your odds of getting those pissed off fish out of that tree! 

Trust me, spend enough time throwing a Tx rig or jig on Austin with a 7.1 and then go back to a 6.1; the difference is night and day!  But I digress, there are plenty of anglers out there catching fish and cutting checks the old fashioned way…knowing where the fish are and putting their bait in front of them.  Unfortunately I have to rely on making as many casts as I can and hope to get lucky.