General IPT for most all treble hook baits

[The Rooster]

I'm torn between an Abu Garcia Orra Winch with 22" IPT and the regular Orra SX with a 26" IPT for use on a rod I want to use for shallow and medium crankbaits with the potential for deeper diving baits, as well as nearly every other treble hook bait also. Things like jerkbaits, small jointed swimbaits, and even top waters. Some of those I think of as needing faster line recovery, but I'm afraid using the faster reel might affect my cranking depth as well. I suppose I could just reel slower, but besides that, won't the faster reel mostly eliminate deep diving baits getting down deep enough? It even has less line capacity, and not only no extended power handle, but it even has a handle that's slightly shorter than standard reels have. I think the regular SX vs. the Winch will change this rod altogether. Thoughts?

[Tavery5]

Optimally you would have more than one setup to cover this diversity of techniques/baits.   One setup can do the job, you just need to decide which end of the spectrum you will use the most and choose the setup around those baits. 

Speed has little to do with diving depth of crankbaits, the two biggest factors are casting distance and line diameter.  You will loose a little time at maximum depth of the crankbait with a faster reel, but this is not always an issue.   

A longer handle will give you a mechanical advantage in terms of leverage and allow to apply torque to the  crankshaft with greater ease.  Myself I only find this a true advantage with the deepest of crankbaits,  10XD, DD22 these type of baits.   

With Jerkbaits and Topwater baits you are working the baits with the rod, the reel is only retrieving slack line, I find I can do this with about any reel, it is just in your retrieval cadence.     

I presented these thoughts with the hope that it may give you food for thought and make your decision easier, I would not try to recommend which way to go, only you know what will work best for you.
 

[The Rooster]

I think I'm gonna have to go with a 26" retrieve. Ideally I'd have more than one rod for all these, but now that I am bank bound I don't want to carry so many anymore. So one crank rod will need to do it all. I figure most times I'll be fishing less than 12' depths anyway but there are a few places I can go where it is just a sheer 18'+ dropoff at the water's edge. I may just have to improvise on those places. The faster reel will be more helpful all the other times. Plus, I'll be using another identical one on my spinnerbait/jig/worm rod in a faster 29" IPT so this way they'll all have the same feel when switching from one to the other.