Hello. I'd like to ask for some help about spinnerbaiting. After competing in my first tournament, I realized that I need a better selection of spinnerbaits as they are great search lures and the fish at my lake always seem to eat spinnerbaits consistenly during the season. But I first need to get a specific combo and bait selection. First of, what's the best reel ratio? I have a nice low-pro reel form Plfeuger with a 6.3:1 gear ratio but it seems to only be of use when the fish are in the top 5 feet of the water column. I want something that can keep a steady retrieve going but can also be a fair reel for burning a bait on top. What ratio?
Next would be the rod. Are the Loomis spinnerbait rods good? I'm building my own rod with a standard blank, so I'm thinking a med. acton should be good, with a length of 6'6"(I do a lot of accuracy casting at moderate ranges0 . I probably won't end up throwing anything more than 1/2oz. Any help would be great on this part.
Finally(and most importantly!), what are some good spinnerbaits out there? Note that the local lake I fish has been described to me as "Mini Clear Lake", meaning lots of tules, stunps, docks and all that good stuff. So I don't have enough money to consistently buy $7 or $8 baits for replacement. What are some good companies in this price range?