Top Water Ratio??

[Nevadaboy]

What is the best gear Ratio on a real for throwing topwater walking waits and stuff??

[Andy Giannini]

I have an old reel that is 4.4 to 1 that I like for Chug Bugs and Zara Spook type baits.

It allows a bit more turn in the handle between walks and lets the bait coast a bit more before getting twitched the other way. I feel like I am fishing the bait with less contact or loose out there vs. being tight to the bait and in constant contact with it. For me, it seems to slow my reaction time to the strikes which end up in more hookups than a fast reel. That reel sits on an 5.5 pistol grip that has been rebuilt more than once. Walking can be done with bigger rods, but I am not that tall and a short rod just seems easier.

This application is different than my buzzer rod, popper rod, frog stick or other longer setups with faster reels.

5 to 1 is kinda medium, depending on the spool size.

.02 A.G.

[Ross England]

I'll go the other way. I can adjust my speed when working a bait but have found it way too hard to catch up to a fish after an aggressive strike with the slower reels. Many topwater presentations here on my lake have 20 feet of strike zone and 60 feet of cranking back to make another cast which is another consideration. For those two reasons, I have switched all of my topwater rigs to 7:1.

[DanIsaac]

What is the best gear Ratio on a real for throwing topwater walking waits and stuff??

7:1 hands down......Dan

[TannerS]

7.1 most of the time. Especially if I am fishing frogs in thick cover I want a reel with a high gear ratio so I can get the fish out of the moss and crap as fast as I can.

[Burke]

I agree with a 7:1 gear ratio for many of the reasons mentioned. Did slower gear ratio for many years but found that I sometimes couldn't get my lure up on top of the water fast enough before it would foul up, especially when i threw into areas where the weeds were just under the water.

[moorecat]

I also use 7:1 and 6.3:1 reels for topwaters, I want to be able to pick up a lot of line fast

[scott h]

7:1 for sure,picking up as much line as fast as possible is the single most important factor in controlling that fish after the strike especially if you are around structure.as far as walking baits like ross said you can adjust ur reeling to accomidate the action needed and if you spend enough time with a walking bait you can incorporate reeling,tip action,and wrist action and make it walk at several different speeds and actions as needed.tight lines..... Scott h.

[Vince Borges]

Not to mention, and it never fails, when you make a cast and all of sudden the fish start boiling 30' the other direction! I want a reel that can bring that bait back as fast as possible to fire another shot off at the active fish!!

[toddmc]

I bought a 7.3 Anniversary Zillion for buzzbaits. I keep Power Pro on it so I can also use this set-up to fish frogs and cast long distances at boiling fish. The 7.3 ratio is scary fast. If I want to work a Rico or spook slowly for long distances, I usually go with mono and a 6.3. Like everybody already said, you can't catch up to a fast moving fish with a gear ratio under 6.

[mark poulson]

I don't think the reel speed is as critical as the choice of rod, generally speaking. Even a 5/1 reel will pick up line pretty fast if need be.
Once you start a cadence with a walking bait, you won't even think about the speed of the reel. Your reel hand will adjust automatically to keep the lure moving the way you want it to.
Having a rod that can throw whatever lure you want to fish, achieve the action you want, and get the fish out of whatever cover you're fishing, if it's not open water, is more of a key to landing topwater fish most of the time.
But that's just my opinion.