Reel cranking power

[Kevin aka Aethelbald]

Might be a daft question, but it seems to be a given that bigger reels provide more cranking power. Is that necessarily true and where exactly does it come from?

For example, I have two Shimano Baitrunners - a DL2500FB and a DL4000FB - the bodies are exactly the same size, but the front end and handle are bigger on the 4000. Is it simply a matter of physics, that the larger spool diameter and longer handle of the 4000 provide the reel with more cranking power than the 2500?

On reels with the same spool diameter and handle length, but different retrieve rates, how does the retrieve rate make a difference to cranking power? Presumably, a reel with a slow retrieve of say 4.7:1 requires less power per rotation than one with a fast retrieve of around 6.2:1 - would that potentially place less strain on the line, when, theoretically, pulling the same weight?

Just curious - and I'm not big on physics, so it would be interesting to know what's going on, explained by someone who is.
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[mikench]

It’s my view that the size of the reel determines the amount and diameter of line it will hold and it’s the gear ratio on the retrieval which determines “cranking power” ie the speed at which the feeder or rig can be retrieved. The fish will have a say in that of course. One wouldn’t take a 1000 size reel with 30 yards of 0.35 mm line on for large fish. Physics will play a part( it always does) but it wasn’t one of my strong suits.

 

[nottskev]

It tells you something that big fish reels have lower gear ratios and small species match reels higher. The higher the gear ratio, the more your input energy is absorbed in turning the reel and the harder to turn the handle, the more so with a fish pulling the other way or a heavy feeder/lure to retrieve.

As a neat example, I have two versions of the same Shimano reel here. The feeder version GT4000 has a ration of 5.1. The match version GTM 4000 has a ration of 6.2.

Another way to bring ratio into focus: I've found centrepins much better for big fish near snags than fs's. With the rod fully bent, it's often impossible to get a turn on the reel with a fs. With the pin's big spool and ratio of 1:1, it's almost always possible to reel in some line to move the fish away from the snag.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Totally agree with regards to a centrepin reel.

A gear ratio of a f/s reel for smaller fish I’d say is designed with speed of retrieve in mind over ‘power’

 

[RMNDIL]

Think of bicycle gears. High & low. Cycling uphill which would you use ?

 

[Ray Roberts]

I think some people are under the misapprehension that a larger spool means increased winding power when the opposite is the case., everything else being equal.

Centrepins are different in so far as there are no gears to lose efficiency through but if you had two pins with the handles the same distance from the pin then the reel with smaller arbour/diameter would have the higher winding power. The downside of course is that the amount of line recovered per turn of the handle is less.


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