I Use Slow Baitcasters for These Baits 

I was the one who thought that all I need to do is slow down. I can do that , I know I can, but I know you are right. If I'm not concentrating 100% I go back to that natural speed that I have.

I was told by an old fisherman when I was a young'un that if you think you are going too slow, slow down some more ,keep it in the strike zone longer. God Bless you and yours

I love this F-ing dude. He needs to be on tv

Brian, I never realized how important reel speed was. This really helped. I see how distractions can really interfere with the bait speed. Thanks and keep up the great work.

I love how clean your garage looks and how organized all of your baits and tackle is

Low and slow for reaction bites has always produced for me. Good to see someone as respected as B-Lat can confirm I'm doing it alright. Thanks again.

Took this idea to heart last year, definitely truth to it. And thanks for pointing out how hard it is to slow down a fast reel.....waaay easier said than done. In fact, for the reasons you said, I think it's easier to speed up a slow reel the way fishing psychology works some times!!

6:4:1 on 7-2 MH Lews on 17 floro..love that combo for the three lures you described..just feels right. Awesome channel B Lat.

Awesome video man! Great video and I learned a lot! I’ve always heard faster reels are better but this is very refreshing to hear. I’d like to see more bait you use on different reels!

Thanks SO much for the Great details you provide. My #1 stop for fishing videos. Good Luck as you get started, looking Forward to you lifting that B.A.S.S. Trophy.

I think you're spot on with everything you said about slower gear ratios (which truly translates to inches per crank, inches per turn, etc.). However, I think you left out one important reason for using the slower retrieve rate reels while throwing baits like chatterbaits and crankbaits. There is more resistance while pulling these baits through the water. Anything that is less hydrodynamic puts more torque on a reel. When I was younger I burned out a few pinion gears before learning this fact. So there are MANY reasons for slowing it down. Great video...keep em coming!

Much love my brother I can personally say B Lat has 100 percent turned me from a casual fisherman to an obsessed angler. Thanks so much. My fishing channel drops August

This is so good! Plus, your use of the whiteboard in this and your other videos are a huge help. And, yes I use different gear ratios for different purposes...even though my wife says "Why do you NEED so many rods and reels?" The struggle is real. Keep this up B!

Great explanation I got one of those super speedy reels and had a heck of a time catching fishing. It is now just for live bait setups.

Great info bro. I thought my slower reels were out of date because everyone is always preaching fast reels but at the same time i rarely lose fish with my slow reels... Thanks for touching on this topic

Brian I feel you are exactly right.thanks

Glad I didn't make the "can't I just slow down comment". You described me perfect when things aren't working...lol! Thought maybe you had a camera on me or something and expected to see a video of me come up any minute and hear you say, "See this guy, this is what I'm talking about!"

I’ve always used a 7 or 8 speed reel for everything on top and on the bottom of the water column and 5 or 6 speed reels for everything in the middle. It’s also much easier to crank a moving bait all day with a slower gear ratio. Great video Blat

Brian I’ve got a 5.4 to 1 on a 7’10” cranking rod for throwing extra deep crank baits. Once somehow it ended up on a different rod when I was replacing all my line. Man I looked like the bionic man trying to retrieve a spinner bait with that thing my right hand was a blur lol. Take care bud and stay safe.

Yeah B Lat, I can agree with you on the whole slowing down your speed thing. I was thinking when you first started the vid was all you do is slow down your retrieve. But you brought up a very good point. Most of the time when I’m fishing under pressure, in tourneys or whatever, theres 8000 things going on in my head. Then if I lose a fish or make any kind of mistake, I’m fishing angry which in turn makes me fish faster. It is very very hard to consciously make myself slow down unless Im just putting all my focus on a slow retrieve.

You're absolutely right. I always thought fast reels were the way to go, after I started buying slower 6 speed reels, I started getting more bites.

Brian you are absolutely right on the slower gear ratio reel. I've been fishing probably 60 years now and I thought about maybe six or eight years ago that I needed to have a couple of high-speed reels and when I did bad things happened. All of a sudden I wasn't getting the fish that I was getting before on my hard baits anything with a treble hook. I went back to a slower real because I couldn't slow down enough with the high speed reel and I started catching those fish again I didn't change my tactics any just slow down would that slower gear ratio reel. So word to the wise for anyone who has figured out that they think they need a high speed reel save yourself some money or better yet go out and get another lower speed reel.

Thanks for all the great info!

I got me. 5:3:1 and a 6:3:1 recently just for that purpose. I noticed when I was using 7:5:1 that my spinnerbaits were rising high in the column. So I went out and found some slower reels and boy it paid off. Thanks for clearing that up Brian.

Yes, I love my slower reels I have a 4.9:1 Crazy Cranker & a couple of 6.2:1 reels. I am learning the importance of Muscle Memory & Cadence by using the right tool for the job. Thank you for reinforcing that. BTW, I just purchased an 8.1:1 for Punching this summer. Need for Speed, Lol!

Absolutely agree I can never slow down I have some high speed reels and some Medium speed reels and my slowest reel is a spinning reel and it gets the best reaction bites for sure. Makes total sense the white board demo is great!

B.lat I just want to thank you bc of your videos my fishing has gotten 100% better keep up with the videos and I thank you so much man

I just seen you on the highway Friday near douglasville ga wanted to speak but we are all busy these days so I was just glad to see you on your way to do what you love

Good luck this week Go Get’em!! 👊🏻🎣

I was actually just thinking this yesterday when I was ordering some new reels. I ended up ordering 3 of the concept Z reels in 6.6:1. Chatterbait, spinnerbait, and squarebill.

I agree 100% on this. Anything in the 6’s I use for moving baits. Seems to keep everything in the strike zone more often than not, plus the action you get outta the baits seems natural. I like to fish the speed of the bite. If the bite is fast I’ll go up to a 8 or high 7 ratio. If they want it slow, I’ll go to a 5 ratio. That way it keeps me consistent across the board.

Hey Brian...thanks for the vid bro. Good to see you the other day at the Jiminar. Best of luck in 2020.

Awesome! Almost all of my reels are on the low end of medium speed. I can slow down a medium speed reel a little or crank faster with it for good variation, but it's getting hard to find certain reels with ratios that I like. I don't fish in high stress situations like tournaments though. Seems like it's nothing but high speed stuff out there now which is great for a lot of stuff, but just not in comfort zone I think one of the two high speed reels I have, I actually bought on accident because I had two different combos in my hands when I was trying them out & put the wrong one down.

Just bought a curado 200e5 and it’s makes hell of a difference best reel out there

Good vid b lat u the man and the pro good luck this season and god bless u and the family

You are exactly right when you are tournament fishing and nerves are shot u ain't thinking about it, 100 percent correct

Well explained. Thanks!

I love a slower ratio reel like the Lew's lfs 6:8:1 it's great for spinning and jigs worms and such lures crankbaits work well with the slower gearing

Shoot yeah B.Lat. I just got the Shimano curado k 201 6.2:1 for Christmas. I'm eager to use it for the slow speed, as well as using it as my first left-handed reel.

Great tip. I agree.

Dropping that knowledge. Sold, thanks.

Another good one .. Good luck in the up coming week ...

Great vid! 👍

Nice shop. I could hang in there for days and never leave. 👍

Always solid on the technique. Just started doing just that this week! Slaying them down here in Florida bud.

Thanks for info!!

Great info thank you

Started fishing using zebco 33 spin cast. I think the gear ratio was 3.?/1 ratio. It was an amazing crankbait reel. I haven’t had much luck with crankbaits since I’ve switched over to a bait caster.

This help me out alot thanks

Great info

I could not agree more I have my very 1st big caster real that I purchased 30 years ago it still works takes a little extra time to adjust it properly for casting but it has a slow ratio of like 5:2ratio and especially Texas rig beaver bait Being dragged on the bottom slowly this real I'm fishes every other real I have with one downfall I have lost some big quality fish when they swim straight at you I compensated by using a longer Pole so I could swing the keep the tension just a thought

Great video as always bro...gotta try this out tho...keep the 🔥🔥 videos coming 👊👊

I was expecting slow as in 5:4:1

Slower allows blades on spinner baits thump really hard. I like 5:1!

I have watched videos of pros in a tournament catch a fish on a slow retrieve and (without them realizing it) for the next two or three casts, they were retrieving at a faster rate. No bites on those faster retrieves. I agree with your views about gear ratios.

Great info. I have a very fast natural reel speed so I use slower reels a lot. Good brain food.

Awesome tips

Love your channel Brian

I agree on the slower reels! I always use em.

Finally someone has explained it. I had a Curado 8.5:1 and Man that thing was way to fast for the fishing I do, luckily I won the reel and not paid for it. My fastest is a Lew’s 7.1:1 for frogs and my slowest which I use for everything else is 6.3:1/6.4:1. Thanks for the run down.

If you're used to faster reels you certainly can retrieve a bait at the same pace on a 7:1 as others can on a 6:1. It's just muscle memory. But I do agree, a slower reel will help baits like a chatterbait stay deeper. I usually fish 7:1 reels for everything but I hit the grass more with a 6.3:1 for my chatterbaits. As far as cranks go, fish LOVE when a crank is burning past them as fast as you can bring it back. They can't help but lash out when you're burning and stopping if the bait is right. So for squarebills and other cranks that don't have too much drag(cranks that don't dive more than 8-10ft) I actually love to fish them on my 7:1 Curado K. + the curado K has so much power that it's just easy to retrieve them on the 7:1 while with other brands it feels like 6.3:1 is a must for cranks diving over 8ft deep. And when cranking you don't need to worry about being slow, they're billed and they go as deep as they can no matter the reel you use.

I agree thank you sir

Just bought a 5:3:1, going to use it on some Crappie/Specks/Speckled Perch/Slabs(???), (I hope) at Okeechobee tomorrow! Thanks for the info!

I used 6.5:1 Daiwa baitcaster on a 6.9 rod. I have used the reel on my 7 foot Quantum smoke rod once.I also have 2 Quantum smoke S3 baitcaster with 7.3:1 with different line sizes from Sufix siege mono 12lbs and 14lbs except I changed to 10lbs on my softbaits reel.

Dude. You and Mr Clark Wendlent should be friends. Y’all both do a great job @ explaining things! Thanks

Couldn't agree more with everything you said I read and listened to people on how they jus slow down sold the reels and went back to 6 gear I couldn't slow down I feel like I reel fast even with a 6 gear sometimes

I use a spinning rod and reel. They have a slower ratio. 6 to 1 baitcasters. For cranks, chatters and spinnerbaits. I have one baitcaster reel 7 to 3. For topwater and Texas rig's. Thanks B. Lat. Shawn.

Yeah I noticed that with a slower gear reel on crank baits my hook up is a lot better in I don't lost as much when they come up on jump whats the word on the fishing school can't wait B lat fishing school

Brian thanks for the reel comparison. Dude...killer garage or man castle lol.

100% agree

Great video

I agree with you

Thanks for all the great videos. Back in the 70"s when I was in college most baitcasters were 3 to 1. I was almost afraid to buy one of the new high speed reels. It was a Daiwa Millionaire 3H with a 5 to 1 gear ratio. Things change. I hope you don't.

Hey B Lat we need to get you some TRC Covers for those rods.

I use slow Reels for cranking the California delta.there is lots of weeds and rocks .the baits stay in the strike zone better.good luck on the Bass masters this year

Had 5.4 reels missed so much using single hooks jigs lures, now I use faster reels and dont missed that much and reeling in. Better controle 7.3 or 8.1 no problem at all or distance hook up. Getting the slower 5.4 doing faster is almost not possible. Only use 5.4 for bigger fish cold water or treble hook lures. So say'd that you tell me 🤔 left or right is the way you fish boat from the bank Topwater small lures wind etc be faster works. Nice video great opion about reel ratio, its also the weight u using too.

I catch substantially more fish on a crankbait when using my 5:4 than I do fishing my 7:3 cranking setup.

Awesome video, I would take the old 3:8:1’s if I could get them

The fast reel i have is my abu the rest of them (Shakespeare) and i love them

Great Video Blat! Please do the same video on Rods!

I was thinking 4.7 -1 as a slow reel 6.8-1 seems on the high side

0:15 Damn Brian you looking thicc after the holidays.

Sounds crazy I but slow for me means light line 10-12lb line medium light rod moving baits floro or mono. Early spring early winter killer combo.

I use a Lew's tournament MB 5:6:1 for deep cranking,slow rolling spinner baits will use a 6:3:1 for square bills

Nicely done B LAT,ALL THOSE NON BELIEVERS HAVE NOT WON A FLW TOURNAMENT..NEXT B.A.S.S. BOUND,GOOD LUCK...THANKS FOR THE VIDS OVIEDO FL

completely agree. Problem is trying to find slower gear ratio reels! Used to use like a 5:6.1 reel for a speed worm that I felt you could always speed up if necessary, but now Im using a 7:3.1 reel and trying to figure out how slow I can move the bait. Doesnt work the same and can tell you from the fish I catch from it, size and numbers. Kind of had to switch over to baitcaster since my shoulder is messed up and the gear ratio is lot different than a spinning reel. Another question for you is why have I noticed such a difference in gear ratio between spinning and baitcaster of the same ratio? Would love a response.

I'm with you on slower reels for moving baits, I think people miss alot of fish by fishing a moving bait too fast

Slow as in 5.4:1 is right. My wake bait set up is a Shimano Calcutta conquest, the rod is a 7’2” expride. Round reels have a slow retrieve, typically, you’ll never see one in the 7 range.

6:8:1 is normal to me. That’s what I’m use to crank. I’ve also got plenty of 6:3:1. I consider 7 and 8 to be fast

man you got some good TV personality.

B-Lat, I recently bought a 5:1 ration for crank bait fishing. Do you use slower reels for crank baits or not?

Just bought a abu Garcia revo x and got the 6.6:1 and I’m watching videos on what I should use but what are recommendations

I use a 6:3.1 for my chatterbait and spinnerbaits,and a 5:2.1 or 5:4.1 for most crankbaits

I use around that gear ratio for all tackle I use to catch all of my fish

Would you still fish your 5:5:1 curado if you had/have it for a chatterbait? I have one that I have only fished a few times just because it is so slow. I prefer my bb1 in a 6:4:1 if I go to a slower gear ratio

AMEN!

I think he’s making the people that can’t afford to buy nice reels feel better

So is a 7 to fast for chatterbaits and spinnerbaits?

Right on I use a 6.3.1 for dame baits

For certain scenario slower reel is better. For example i own reel as high as 9.3:1 but i also own one as slow as 5.3:1. 9 gear reels i usually used for giant snakehead or really fast fish like hound fish or generally top water scenario but slower reel is best for Red Tail Catfish or stripe snakehead or generally deep water scenario. So i just reel line normally and let the reel do the rest. And most of time i used the slower reel because it'd got so much torque basically it's a winch and not gonna wore you down fishing all day long