What methods do you use to set drag? I'm still learning to fight a fish properly and I never really thought about the right way to set drag.
Consider your line first and set it thinking about big fish. I just give mine a tug, I expect to feel resistance but should be able to pull line off without breaking my line.
__________________
2010 Tracker PB20 90HP Merc
Vapor 10XT - Ascend D10 - Jackson Cuda
You need to set it less than the line test. Far less actually, for a variety of reasons. I have no idea what I set mine at, I just go by feel. It’s better to start off a too loose, you can tighten if needed. If you start out too tight, you may find out by having a fish break off.
One important thing to keep in mind when setting your drag is to not base you setting on the tension when tugging line directly from the reel but rather when it is completely through the rod. I don't have a good system to how I do mine either. It is really just a feel that you get over time. If you hook your line to a stationary object to simulate a fish or even a snag you can then try flexing the rod to see where the drag activates. Once you get the drag set to what seems appropriate then you can check to see how much tension it is when pull on the line at the reel. Over time that feel will become second nature. You are better off to have it set too light and increase it than the other way around.
I'm not too worried about breaking off with the bait caster because I have 50lb braid on them but the spinning gear has 10lb flouroclear. The reason I was asking is I think it was too loose and I lost a pike because my hook set didn't really take. Thanks for the input guys
Set your grag to put enough tension on the hookset without slipping, then if the fish warrants, tighten your drag a touch. Alot of nice fish are lost when a heavy drag rips the hook out of their mouth, besides, nothing like catching a 10 lb sheepie and getting a 5 minute fight !!! Mike
I pull my drag from the spool untill I get a good solid resistance but not quite locked down. My goal is to get a good hookset at the end of a long cast. I use florocarbon usually which I know has less give than mono but more than braid. I normally use a 7'2" medium heavy fast action rod that has a good backbone but good flex in the tip section. Once I believe I have a good hookset and if it is a big fish, I will back off the drag. If the fish runs under the boat, I don't want a tight drag. But this is casting for Bass. If I am trolling, I will set the drag a bit looser initially. In this case if a big fish or snag I don't want the boat motion being the prime factor on how much pressure I am putting on the fish. So it all depends on the type and size of fish you are targeting, the method you are using to present the bait, the line you are using mono vs floro or braid, and the length and action of your rod. Another factor to consider is the hook you are using. Worm fish with a single hook I want enough drag to drive the hook. Treble hooks are smaller and do not need as much pressure. Easy isn't it?
Spool diameter has a big effect on drag tension. As spool diameter decreases, drag tension increases. A drag setting at or close to the rated breaking strength of your line with your spool full of line will exceed the breaking strength of the line as the spools diameter decreases. The saving factor is line stretch and rod flex.
Spool diameter has a big effect on drag tension. As spool diameter decreases, drag tension increases. A drag setting at or close to the rated breaking strength of your line with your spool full of line will exceed the breaking strength of the line as the spools diameter decreases. The saving factor is line stretch and rod flex.
Well...the tension is the same, but the moment arm applying rotational force to the spool is shorter.
In addition, you have to take into account knot strength. For nylon and
braid, you can safely assume 90%. For FC, you need to use 70%.
So, for #15 FC, the knot strength puts you at 10.5lbs. Then you need to add safety factor (what if you have a nick in the line?) and you need to take into account the spool emptying. I use 30%. So, that puts you right at 6lbs for #15 test. If you can't get a single hook through the lip with a 6 lb hookset, you need sharper hooks.
Do the math for #6 or #7 FC...and it gets interesting.
Kind of silly to have #20 drags for bass...huh?
__________________
All warfare is based on deception
Well...the tension is the same, but the moment arm applying rotational force to the spool is shorter.
In addition, you have to take into account knot strength. For nylon and
braid, you can safely assume 90%. For FC, you need to use 70%.
So, for #15 FC, the knot strength puts you at 10.5lbs. Then you need to add safety factor (what if you have a nick in the line?) and you need to take into account the spool emptying. I use 30%. So, that puts you right at 6lbs for #15 test. If you can't get a single hook through the lip with a 6 lb hookset, you need sharper hooks.
Do the math for #6 or #7 FC...and it gets interesting.
Kind of silly to have #20 drags for bass...huh?
this is the best advice on this thread. me personally, i use 50% for floro and mono but 30% is far adequate. i dont think people realize how hard it is to apply 6lbs of pressure with a rod tip.
there is some terrible advice on this thread,if you use tokugawas advice, you wont be wrong.
Well...the tension is the same, but the moment arm applying rotational force to the spool is shorter.
In addition, you have to take into account knot strength. For nylon and
braid, you can safely assume 90%. For FC, you need to use 70%.
So, for #15 FC, the knot strength puts you at 10.5lbs. Then you need to add safety factor (what if you have a nick in the line?) and you need to take into account the spool emptying. I use 30%. So, that puts you right at 6lbs for #15 test. If you can't get a single hook through the lip with a 6 lb hookset, you need sharper hooks.
Do the math for #6 or #7 FC...and it gets interesting.
Kind of silly to have #20 drags for bass...huh?
This makes the most sense to me. I figure I can hook my fish scale and set my drag to about 4lbs on the mono and probably 8lbs or so on the braid since I throw it into the weeds a lot. Thanks for all the advice.
There are too many variables going in here to make this worthwhile. Don't turn this into a physics experiment, learn something simple that works and just have fun fishing.
OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors.
__________________
2010 Tracker PB20 90HP Merc
Vapor 10XT - Ascend D10 - Jackson Cuda
I'll throw a little gas on the fire with a totally different approach. My drag has one setting - as tight as I can get it. I don't want any fish stripping off line, I want to control the fight. If I need to give the fish line, I'll let it out under tension by reeling backwards, and make him fight for each inch. This also gives me the ability to try to turn the fish if it heads for something that might tangle the line. I do this regardless of the line weight (I use 4,6, or 20lb line depending on the rod). Some of you older members out here might remember this from the old Fishing Facts magazine or Lunkers love nightcrawlers.
I have mine pretty darn tight, probably tighter than most would ever use. I've never lost a fish to a hook set or due to my line breaking (that wasn't my fault). From 48" muskie to stupid bullheads.
That's not to say I haven't lightened up on the drag though once the hook was set.
I'll throw a little gas on the fire with a totally different approach. My drag has one setting - as tight as I can get it. I don't want any fish stripping off line, I want to control the fight. If I need to give the fish line, I'll let it out under tension by reeling backwards, and make him fight for each inch. This also gives me the ability to try to turn the fish if it heads for something that might tangle the line. I do this regardless of the line weight (I use 4,6, or 20lb line depending on the rod). Some of you older members out here might remember this from the old Fishing Facts magazine or Lunkers love nightcrawlers.
I am not sure if you were stating this as your actual practice or if this was tongue in cheek. If you do actually fish that way then for your sake I hope you are using the 20 lb line. I think most folks have encountered fish that will win the tug of war on 6# line at one point or another. Learning to use your drag is critical to handling bigger fish unless you are fortunate enough to hook them solidly with high strength braid. Even then without a drag working those large fish can tear loose because they get too much resistance.
Quote:
Originally Posted by backlashed
There are too many variables going in here to make this worthwhile. Don't turn this into a physics experiment, learn something simple that works and just have fun fishing.
Folks are trying to make this in to a physics class. They are just trying to put it in to terms that make sense. Some guys use the heavy braids and feel that drag is unnecessary and if that is the case for you then fine but many fishing applications do not condone using those heavy braids and playing a fish properly is necessary.
I'll throw a little gas on the fire with a totally different approach. My drag has one setting - as tight as I can get it. I don't want any fish stripping off line, I want to control the fight. If I need to give the fish line, I'll let it out under tension by reeling backwards, and make him fight for each inch. This also gives me the ability to try to turn the fish if it heads for something that might tangle the line. I do this regardless of the line weight (I use 4,6, or 20lb line depending on the rod). Some of you older members out here might remember this from the old Fishing Facts magazine or Lunkers love nightcrawlers.
That works fine for small fish, but it can very likely lead to a broken line or pulled hook when you start stepping up to larger fish. It’s also not something that should be suggested to a beginner.
Setting drag
Setting drag
Mike
leeabu
Linear Mode
