Setting Drag

[CC268]

I am not 100% on how to set drag on my BPS Pro Qualifier Baitcasting Reel...I have heard some people say go out and buy a fish scale and tie it to the end of your line and pull till you get about 30% of your line weight....I have also heard people just set it by feel and don't be overly concerned about having it be exact....what is the correct way to do this...?

[WRB]

It becomes a combination of learning what feels right by setting the drag with a known force.

Most fresh water bass rods that are labeled medium heavy or 3 to 4 power may break with more than 6 pounds of force applied to them when bend 180 degrees, a full arch. Rods rated heavy or 5 to 6 power are a little stronger and may break at 8 pounds of force.

It's good to know what 3 to 4 pounds of pulling force feels like by using a scale and this usually takes 2 people, one holding the scale and reading it, then other pullin with the rod bent and setting the drag. Ounce the drag tension is set, then pull line off the reel by hand and feel what the force is like when set with a scale.

You should also do this before every trip to check out the drag for smoothness, no jerky drag. When you re done fishing for the day, back off the drag setting to prevent it from taking a set.

Tom

[CC268]

It becomes a combination of learning what feels right by setting the drag with a known force.

Most fresh water bass rods that are labeled medium heavy or 3 to 4 power may break with more than 6 pounds of force applied to them when bend 180 degrees, a full arch. Rods rated heavy or 5 to 6 power are a little stronger and may break at 8 pounds of force.

It's good to know what 3 to 4 pounds of pulling force feels like by using a scale and this usually takes 2 people, one holding the scale and reading it, then other pullin with the rod bent and setting the drag. Ounce the drag tension is set, then pull line off the reel by hand and feel what the force is like when set with a scale.

You should also do this before every trip to check out the drag for smoothness, no jerky drag. When you re done fishing for the day, back off the drag setting to prevent it from taking a set.

Tom

Thanks! I guess I will pick up a scale then. Now when pulling on it...do you pull down from the rod tip like a fish would or straight out from the tip?

[paul25]

i do it more by feel i set it and pull on the line right above the line guide i tighten it until it's got good resistiance coming off the spool. Then when i hook a fish if it pulls drag on the hookset i will tighten it a little bit more, and just loosen it as need be it is too tight reelinf in the fish. imo i don't look too much into it really you will know when it feels right.

[ClackerBuzz]

great drag post by RW:

 

 

Set your drag properly at 25%-30% of the breaking strength of your line, but not more than 3-4 lbs.

There are several ways to measure the weight. I suggest putting 3 pounds of weight in a plastic

grocery bag and tying your line to the handles of the sack. GENTLY lift your rod tip until the drag

begins to release. Tighten the drag accordingly.

 

Now pull your line out with your hand. Over time you will get a pretty accurate feel for the setting.

Once set, I NEVER adjust anything when I have a fish on...NEVER. I fish #4 & #6 Yo-Zuri on my

spinning tackle. My two main spinning rods are 7' MF. The drag is always set at approximately

2 1/2 lbs. Both smallmouth in my avatar and the Big Bass on last year's RoadTrip were all caught

using #4 Hybrid.

 

On baitcasters I am fishing #12 Yo-Zuri Hybrid or 50 lb Sufix 832 for bass, 65 for striper. The drag

on my bass rods is 3 lbs regardless of which line I am using, 4 lbs on my striper rig. I'm not going

to use "never" because that came back to bite me a few years ago, so I "rarely" get broken off.

[Marty]

Yes, a scale can be used to check the amount of drag. There are different schools of thought on how your drag should be set. When I was new to fishing there was a lot of advice to set your drag just below the breaking strength of the line. Later I read advice to set it much lighter, from 15% to 30%, which makes a lot more sense to me. I haven't tested in years, but I think I'm using around 20% and just set the drag by feel. Whatever you do, check it at the start of each trip or you might be in for for some unpleasant surprises.

[Deleted account]

On treble baits I set the drag so that it pulls off fairly easily, I don't measure it, but I'd guess a pound or 2 at most, for 12-14 lb test t-rigs and spinnerbaits, I want line to almost slip at hook set. for 20 lb mono and frogs, turn the star drag as tight as possible, then add 1/4 turn with pliers...

[CC268]

thanks for the help guys...I suppose I should get a scale and measure

[Loop_Dad]

If you are using braid, you might want to make the drag a bit looser as the line does not stretch. How much looser? My line slips a tiny bit at the hook set right now.

[Crabcakes]

For bass fishing the 20-30% measurements don't really make sense since the introduction of braided line. Many guys fish with both 8 lb mono and braid up to 50 or 65 lbs. You'd never fish 20-30% of breaking strength with that heavy of line on bass gear. Not only can bass reels not put out enough drag drag for that, a bass can't put that kind of pressure. Twenty lbs of drag is a lot, like tuna fishing a lot. It's actually quite tiring and much beyond that people use fighting belts. 

 

RW is right in that less than 5 lbs is your range. When using braid remember that it might seem hard to pull off the reel when set properly at 3-5 lbs because the line itself is hard to grab. It's useful to use a scale or wrap the line around a dowel to get a good feel for what it feels like to pull on braided line with the drag set correctly.

[J Francho]

For bass fishing the 20-30% measurements don't really make sense since the introduction of braided line.

That's 20-30% of the line's breaking strength, or the rod's max line rating, whichever is lower.  So, yes, it's correct.  Kent just wasn't completely clear on that, and I'm pretty sure he only uses braid on one setup.

[BassinB]

On treble baits I set the drag so that it pulls off fairly easily, I don't measure it, but I'd guess a pound or 2 at most, for 12-14 lb test t-rigs and spinnerbaits, I want line to almost slip at hook set. for 20 lb mono and frogs, turn the star drag as tight as possible, then add 1/4 turn with pliers...

Don't do this.

[Crabcakes]

That's 20-30% of the line's breaking strength, or the rod's max line rating, whichever is lower.  So, yes, it's correct.  Kent just wasn't completely clear on that, and I'm pretty sure he only uses braid on one setup.

 

Ah this does make sense. A good rule. 

[papajoe222]

Until a few seasons ago, I set my drag fairly tight and was ok with it set that way.  I lost my share of fish, not to line breakage, but to hooks tearing out of a fish's mouth or bending.  Except for my jigging rod, I now set it on the lighter side. If I need to turn a fish, or just slow it down as it's pulling, I'll drop my thumb down on the spool just long enough to turn the fish's head. The result has been fewer lost fish and I've been going with a lighter line which I believe has increased the number of bites I get.

[WRB]

Thanks! I guess I will pick up a scale then. Now when pulling on it...do you pull down from the rod tip like a fish would or straight out from the tip?

Put tension on by lifting the rod to a 90 degree bend, no further, you don't want to damage your rods.

1 pint of water (16 oz) weighs 1 pound, if you want to use dead weight, however a scale is easier. You will be surprised how much 3 to 4 pounds loads up your rod!

Tom

[CC268]

Thanks guys...and I am just using 12lb mono...for now I just set it with feel

[SirSnookalot]

I don't think it takes too much practice to set your drag where you think it should by feel.  I do not use a scale and not really concerned with the actual poundage number.  I can think of times when I would be tossing that 25-30% setting out the window.  I use 15# braid for a lot of my fishing which is around the same diameter as 4lb mono, at 30% that would be 1.2# of drag.  If one is setting their drag based on the line using that theory the drag would be the same using a 2000 or 4000 reel (I only fish spinning). I don't always have control of what kind or size of fish I may hook, I can tell you many fish I hook that are no than bigger 15lb 1 or 2# of drag is like being in free spool, won't phase them a bit. In fairness fishing from a boat you have the option of chasing them down and can get away with a little lighter drag. You just need to learn by experience where to have that drag, tight enough to slow them down a bit, but not tight enough to snap the line.  When the situation dictates I almost always will adjust my drag with a fish on, and that's pretty much second nature as I've been doing it his way a long time.  I don't think there is a "blanket" way to set it, it's up to the situation.

[roadwarrior]

That's 20-30% of the line's breaking strength, or the rod's max line rating, whichever is lower.  So, yes, it's correct.  Kent just wasn't completely clear on that, and I'm pretty sure he only uses braid on one setup.

 

Yes, that is an important clarification!

 

 

 

[Hyrule Bass]

i set mine by feel, never used a scale. i tighten it all the way down, then back it off until i can pull some off by hand, and may tweak it a little from there. the way i set it, bigger fish can go on runs and the smaller ones dont have hooks ripped out of their mouths during the fight...

 

i refuse to set my drag too loose. last thing i need is to reel a fish up to the dock, take my hand off the reel, get the net in my hand and go to net it and have the fish start peeling off drag out of net range while i dont have a free hand to reel it back in...

[HeavyDluxe]

i refuse to set my drag too loose. last thing i need is to reel a fish up to the dock, take my hand off the reel, get the net in my hand and go to net it and have the fish start peeling off drag out of net range while i dont have a free hand to reel it back in...

 

To play Plato's advocate, though:  The risk there is that the same fish suddenly accelerates with the same force.  With your rod tip elevated and drag set too tight, there's nothing systemic to absorb the shock of the fish's sudden pull.  You risk the line snapping and losing the fish altogether as a price for not doing 'the landing dance'.

 

Again, if you're using braid or higher test lines, no biggie.  

 

But, the key takeaway from this thread for the OP is that the our rod flex, line, and drag are all supposed to function together to absorb the force of the fishes fight.  Setting the drag properly will, in many cases, significantly reduce the 'break offs' that an angler experiences.

[J Francho]

Fish near the boat, on a short leash is always a dicey operation.  Experience increases your odds.  The good thing is you're catching.  That's the only way to get practice at landing.