How Do You Personally Set Your Drag?

[Boomstick]

I used set it to 25-30% of the max of the line's breaking strength of the line or if using braid, the maximum breaking strength of the maximum line the rod is rated for. More recently I have been setting it to 1.5 lbs on a ML rod, 2 pounds on a M rod, 4lbs on a MH and 6+lbs on a H.

Sometimes early in the season I will get out the scale, but if I did it by on a scale recently I have a decent rough idea what it's supposed to feel like so I can do it by feel after that.

[Jonas Staggs]

On 2/15/2020 at 5:22 PM, CrankFate said:

Don’t even get me started on that point. Yes, please, spread the word. If you set your drag to x pounds with a machine,  it’s almost always going to be x plus something on a rod. This breaks rods and loses fish. Set it by hand. I personally believe a loop tied around a 5lb dumbbell best for light rods and a 10lb for heavy rods. Tie a hook on the line, hook the loop on the weight and lift. It’ll never work properly until you are completely able to tell if the rod is going to break if you lift the weight completely off the floor. Most bass rods should not lift a 5lb weight off the floor, most heavy rods will not lift 10.

No, when the rod bends, the rod increases the drag pressure. The more a rod can bend without snapping, the more it will increase the drag pressure. But, it absorbs shock, which could cause the line to snap, because the rod gives instead of the line. That’s why the rod Ben prevents snapping, because the energy from the line is transferred to the rod, but then it transfers from the rod to increasing the drag. So it will take more pounds to take drag on the bent rod than it will from the reel alone.

 

Thank you for the reply. So if I am reading correctly I should do it with a bent rod.  I never really bothered with my drag before. I always just had line strong enough to not worry about it. I recently began ultra light fishing and with both 4# and 6# line....lost a decent fish on the 6# due to line snap. So I now want to ensure I have a correct drag setup. As in theory, with a correct set drag and a good knot...the line won't snap...therefore I can still fight the fish aggressively to keep him hooked, and not have to worry about line snap. That was my thinking so now I want to make sure I got it set correctly for all my rods.

[Boomstick]

On 2/15/2020 at 8:22 PM, CrankFate said:

Don’t even get me started on that point. Yes, please, spread the word. If you set your drag to x pounds with a machine,  it’s almost always going to be x plus something on a rod. This breaks rods and loses fish.

Yup, very good advice, always set it on your rod at a 45 degree angle. Also, on a MH rod the average breaking strength is 6lbs, so I always set mine no more than 5lbs absolute max because at different angles, that drag may further increase or decrease, although I keep it to usually no more than 4.5lbs and usually no more than 4lbs myself.

1 hour ago, Jonas Staggs said:

 

Thank you for the reply. So if I am reading correctly I should do it with a bent rod.

Yeah, have a friend hold a scale and pull up like you're fighting a fish and try for a 45 degree angle on the line as best you can manage.

[Mbirdsley]

Spinning rods with lighter line I thread the line all the way to the tip top and than let out enough line to reach the reel. Grab the line and move it arms width away with rod in another hand and start pulling.  This loads the rod like fighting a fish.  I tightened the drag untill it’s tight enough to basically initiate the drag and let out a little bit of line. then turn the Knob one more click.  This is typically how river steel headers do it.  I want it so when a fish makes a run the drag just give a little bit to take pressure off the line or rod.  I want to hear the drag for a split second. Usually it’s set it and forget it 
 

 

bait casters I run tighter. might go 3-4 extra clicks but, basically the same as above until I can get a little bit of line off of the reel  My crank rod I run it looser like the spinning reels 

[Hammer 4]

I always have, and continue to set my drags with a pull of my hand. Never had any issues with line breaking, and I don't play fish to tire them out completely. On a spinning reel, your finger can be very useful if your drag is set to low, and your thumb can work wonders on a baitcaster.

[Jonas Staggs]

14 hours ago, Boomstick said:

Yup, very good advice, always set it on your rod at a 45 degree angle. Also, on a MH rod the average breaking strength is 6lbs, so I always set mine no more than 5lbs absolute max because at different angles, that drag may further increase or decrease, although I keep it to usually no more than 4.5lbs and usually no more than 4lbs myself.

Yeah, have a friend hold a scale and pull up like you're fighting a fish and try for a 45 degree angle on the line as best you can manage.

 

Thanks i bought the digital scale rather than spring thinking I could get all exact with it, but it has this stupid HOLD function on it, which ends up making it pretty much useless for setting the drag as once you stop tugging it holds that weight.

[Jonas Staggs]

14 hours ago, Mbirdsley said:

Spinning rods with lighter line I thread the line all the way to the tip top and than let out enough line out to reach the reel. Grab the line and move it arms width away with rod in another hand and start pulling.  This loads the rod like fighting a fish.  I tightened the drag untill it’s tight enough to basically initiate the drag and let out a little bit of line and then one more click.  This is typically how river steel headers do it.  I want it so when a fish makes a run I want to just give a little bit to take pressure off the line or rod.  I want to hear the drag for a split second. Usually it’s set it and forget it 
 

 

bait casters I run tighter might go 3-4 extra clicks but, basically the same as above until I can get a little bit of line.  My crank rod I run it looser like the spinning reels 

 

just gonna use this method. I didnt realize just how light drag needs to be set. my 4# rod needs to be set at 1, and my 6# needs to be set at 2. not a huge difference despite the pound test difference.

[Boomstick]

38 minutes ago, Jonas Staggs said:

 

Thanks i bought the digital scale rather than spring thinking I could get all exact with it, but it has this stupid HOLD function on it, which ends up making it pretty much useless for setting the drag as once you stop tugging it holds that weight.

I've seen that before, but there was a button you could hit to turn that off.

[tander]

Strong line and a pair of pliers!! Well not quite but pretty close, spinning is a little different.

[Mbirdsley]

8 hours ago, Jonas Staggs said:

 

just gonna use this method. I didnt realize just how light drag needs to be set. my 4# rod needs to be set at 1, and my 6# needs to be set at 2. not a huge difference despite the pound test difference.

.  I learned the hard way as a kid.  I lost a lot fish that I should have brought in. but, I had the drag crank all the way down and they would break me off.  I had to learn the hard way. 
 

Unless your using a scale you can’t really set the drag With reel off the rod. because if you do it that it does not take a lot lbs strength of pulling to get the drag to initiate even when the drag is crank all the way down. Put the reel  on your rod that way and that you are in trouble.  The rod and line have to work together.  The rod takes a lot of the abuse and saves your line  
 

When you pull to get the drag to go off you want the rod good and loaded but, don’t make to where you are reefing on it . 
 

when your using punching rigs into slop with heavy braid tour drag  will be tighter. your limiting factor there will be You don’t want to rip the lure out of the fishes mouth.  

[schplurg]

I adjust mine on the fly if I can tell it's waaaay too loose, but it seems to me that relying on that tactic when you don't know the weight of the fish is asking for trouble. I guess with enough experience it could work, but I don't see the point really.

[Jonas Staggs]

On 2/17/2020 at 10:29 AM, Boomstick said:

I've seen that before, but there was a button you could hit to turn that off.

if only i could find it!!! hahaha

[Jonas Staggs]

took your guys suggestions, caught this guy, didnt weight him but probably a couple pounds at least. 4# line. pics dont do justice and theres nothing to compare to but hes fat. No "cheating" by holding the fish in front of you and close to the camera to make them look big ? That small green strip is the tail of my tube jig.

 

[DanielG]

I just pull out some line until it feels like It would give enough if a fish grabbed it but not enough so he'd run away with it.

[Westcoast]

I never imagined setting the drag could be so complicated. For me if I want it loose I set it loose, if I want it tight, I tighten it up, and if I want it really tight I get out my pliers and give it an extra turn at the end. Done..

[Jonas Staggs]

59 minutes ago, Westcoast said:

I never imagined setting the drag could be so complicated. For me if I want it loose I set it loose, if I want it tight, I tighten it up, and if I want it really tight I get out my pliers and give it an extra turn at the end. Done..

 

I can only imagine drag set so tight you need pliers to do it, is going to snap your line. Unless your fishing with line much heavier than the fish your catching, which is exactly what I used to do. Light line requires correct drag settings, I wanted to make sure I had mine exactly correct. Like anything, theres a right way and a wrong way to do something, as well as more than 1 way to do something. Theres quite a few videos on youtube saying to just pull your drag straight out, which has been verified here as incorrect. I was ideally hoping to set it exactly with my digital scale. That being said, I am having much more success fishing with lighter line and lighter lures. I caught 5 fish yesterday in 2 hours, at a lake I fish a lot, and 4 in a entire day used to be a good day. I actually caught my PB Crappie yesterday too, massive crappie. 

 

[jimmyjoe]

1 minute ago, Jonas Staggs said:

 

I can only imagine drag set so tight you need pliers to do it, is going to snap your line. Unless your fishing with line much heavier than the fish your catching, which is exactly what I used to do. That being said, I am having much more success fishing with lighter line and lighter lures. I caught 5 fish yesterday in 2 hours, at a lake I fish a lot, and 4 in a entire day used to be a good day. I actually caught my PB Crappie yesterday too, massive crappie. 

 

 

   Now THAT'S a good job for an ultralight!  Good fish!    jj

[Jonas Staggs]

2 minutes ago, jimmyjoe said:

 

   Now THAT'S a good job for an ultralight!  Good fish!    jj

 

Thanks dude, funny enough, I found fighting them on the UL easier, and easier to keep them hooked as well. The other bass i posted jumped like 3 times, and he was definitely much bigger than that crappie

[jimmyjoe]

11 minutes ago, Jonas Staggs said:

..... easier to keep them hooked as well.

   That's the reason I like ultralights so well. I used to have a set of lures I called Little Giant Killers. One of them was the Rapala Mini Fat Rap. If you've ever seen one, you know how small the trebles are. An ultralight keeps that lure pinned better than anything I've ever used.

   Good luck!    jj

[Michigander]

I want to test my whole system when setting the drag. I have two two pound weights and a one pound weight. Just some abandoned fitness equipment I got at the thrift store. I looped heavy braid through them a connect them with a carabiner clip to get the total weight I want and then dead lift it with the rod. I keep increasing the drag until I can just barely lift the weight(s) without the drag slipping. Works great for me and I haven't had any drag related fish losses since I started doing this. Most of my rods are set at 1, 2, or 3lbs of drag.

[Jonas Staggs]

35 minutes ago, jimmyjoe said:

   That's the reason I like ultralights so well. I used to have a set of lures I called Little Giant Killers. One of them was the Rapala Mini Fat Rap. If you've ever seen one, you know how small the trebles are. An ultralight keeps that lure pinned better than anything I've ever used.

   Good luck!    jj

i know em, caught a bass a few weeks ago on their fire tiger color one

29 minutes ago, Michigander said:

I want to test my whole system when setting the drag. I have two two pound weights and a one pound weight. Just some abandoned fitness equipment I got at the thrift store. I looped heavy braid through them a connect them with a carabiner clip to get the total weight I want and then dead lift it with the rod. I keep increasing the drag until I can just barely lift the weight(s) without the drag slipping. Works great for me and I haven't had any drag related fish losses since I started doing this. Most of my rods are set at 1, 2, or 3lbs of drag.

good idea, i bet you fish 4, 8, and 12 pound test lol. 

[RB 77]

By feel, by hand. Been doing it this way since I was a wee youngster from what my Dad taught me. What I have found out testing it with a scale is that I fish a "heavy" drag by nature. Usually about a 1/3, but not too much more than that ever. I am good with this. Pops usually fishes his a little bit lighter, closer to a 1/4.

 

It's not necessary to fish a stouter drag setting for green bass fishing, but I like to PULL on saltwater fish. Keep them away from rocks, tangles, sea lions, etc. This is where a heavier set drag comes  in handy. There is a fine line though, and I try and walk this every time I'm on the water.

[Jonas Staggs]

continuing on drag questions........will a longer rod, help reduce stress put on the line as well? For example, my UL rod is only 4'......however they sell the same model in 7'...I was considering grabbing it for casting distance and it occurred to me that the longer rod may also add the benefit of reducing tension on the line due to the longer length, more bend, etc. 

[Team9nine]

44 minutes ago, Jonas Staggs said:

continuing on drag questions........will a longer rod, help reduce stress put on the line as well? For example, my UL rod is only 4'......however they sell the same model in 7'...I was considering grabbing it for casting distance and it occurred to me that the longer rod may also add the benefit of reducing tension on the line due to the longer length, more bend, etc. 

Yes

[TnRiver46]

Drag???? We don’t need no stinking drag!!!! If the fish feels big, click over to backreel for spinning and push the button for bait casting. Viola, “custom drag”