I am fairly new to Bass Fishing. I am about to spend some $'s for several reels and need help better understanding the different reel ratio's and when to use what? What are the recommended ratio's for the various applications?

1) weightless flukes, worms, etc.
2) Texas or Carolina riged plastics
3) Spinner baits
4) small crankbaits or rattletraps
5) large crankbaits like DD22's

Right now price is not the driving factor. This being the case, what reels should I be looking at?

Any and all help would be appreciated.....

You will probably get alot of different opinions on this subject. But typically I think that for slow moving baits most (or some) will say that a lower speed ratio is best. For fast moving baits (like a topwater buzzbait), a higher speed is best. Then there are probably others that say they can adapt to whatever is needed with any given reel.

Try this:
Cranks, Traps use 5:1ish
CRig, TRig use 7:1ish
Flukes, Weightless, SB use 6:4ish

These are the basics, as mentioned above you will get a few different aspects of it. But this will be a great starting point. Also its up to the fish, if the want the trap burning across the grass, they put a trap on a 7:1, if they want it crawling along the top of the grass, throw it on a 5:1.
I dont think there is a true answer to the question but many of us go 5:1 for cranks and other baits that you work at a consistent pace.

Hope this helps

i don't like anything less than a 6.3
you can always slow a retrieve but lose a couple of fish when you cant catch up to them and that will make you wish you had a faster reel in your hands.

You WILL get a lot of opinions on this subject. I will try to do a quick over view for you. The lower the gear ratio (3.8:1 or 4.7:1) the more powerful the reel is, but you get less line retrieval per reel handle turn. Those two will retrieve about 15" to 21" per reel handle turn (when the spool is full). If you want to have a LOT of speed in your reel, you go with a higher number, 6.3 or 6.4:1 or 7:1 or so. These reels will take up between 24" to 32" per reel handle turn.

If you look at most applictions, a general reel gear ratio will be good for most of them. Something in the 5.4:1 or better a 6.2 or 6.3:1 ratio. If you are wanting to throw deep diving CBs or a 1.5 oz weight or something, a slower speed will give you less wear and tear on your shoulder, but more wear and tear on your wrist and forearms (you have to turn the reel handle much more to recover line). If you are throwing deep diving CBs, then a slower speed will not wear you out as fast. This also keeps the lure in the strike zone a longer time (given a constant reel retrieval speed).

If you are like Rick Clunn, he uses the same gear ratio and rod for every situation, just rigged differently. Here is an example of what I use, MOST of the time.

Deep diving CBs and medium and even shallow diving, a 4.7:1 or a 5.0 or 5.1:1 ratio.

Spinnerbaits I normally use a 6.2:1 or 6.3:1 ratio. Same for topwater baits.

Jigs/T anc C-rigs, I normally use a faster retrieve to take up line quickly, more like a 6.1 to 6.3:1 ratio.

Traps, however, I want to be able to take up a LOT of line quickly (if I am ripping grass) and I use a 7.1:1 ratio. Less full power, but a lot quicker line recovery.

The bass never like any ONE speed of retrieval at all times. You have to experiment to figure out what is best at that particular time. Some say it is easier to slow down a faster retrieve than spped up a slower speed. Tomato ta mot oh. I like to have reels suited to the application that I am using. If you are fishing only for GIANT or HUGE bass like Mike Long does, a slower speed reel would be a MUST to power those brutes in (IMO).

Hopefully, this helps give you an explanation of some different points of view on gear ratios.

Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

Thad Rains pretty much gave you the same recommends I would. I would only add that my choice for flipping and pitching is a slower speed reel. I use around the 5:1 are in left handed retrieve ( I'm right handed and flip right ) and definitely want a flipping switch option. Rest is covered above as I use them also.

They pretty much have it covered, it ends up being a trial and error thing for each of us. I am so conditioned to the 6-2 to 6-4 speed that I just cant work a 5-1, it doesn't load the same and it makes me crazy, but cranking enthusiasts are right about it being less work for the big plugs. The 7-1's are great for c-rigs and so forth but I can't slow down and get my cadence right for cranks and spinnerbaits. I guess I am not flexible but the middle of the road gear ratio reels do it all and nothing feels different when I change techniques. More important is to get something light and low profile that feels comfortable all day. Revos are great and shimano is about as low maintenece of a reel as it gets.

I use a 5-1 for cranking deep cranks like the Fat Free Shad and DD22's because of the power you have with that ratio to pull in those crank baits that have a lot of water resistance.

I also use a 5-1 for spinner baits because I have a habit of reeling fast so the lower gear ratio helps me slow down. If i use a 6-1 for spinner baits like many people do I would have the blades skipping out of the water, but thats just me.

I use a 7-1 for burning traps.

For everything else (pitching, casting, cranking med. and shalow) I use a 6-1 ratio. I do a lot of pitching and I don't want a slow reel for that. I work jigs and soft plastics with the rod so I just use the reel as a winch and when I get bit with either a jig of soft plastic I want to get the fish turned (powerful hookset) and headed my way as quick as possible thats where the faster ratio reel helps. I use the 6-1 ratio for my carolina set up also.