Newbie Question About Drags On Baitcaster

[Preytorien]

I'm relatively new to baitcasters. I got my first on last summer, and I'm hooked, no pun intended

 

I have a question about drags. I took the reel (Curado 201G7) apart this winter (since a lot of reel gurus out there say that Shimano comes pre-packed with too much grease) and cleaned the reel, and re-greased it.

 

I re-greased the drags, and only used a pretty small amount, some suggest using only enough to make a fingerprint mark on the metal washers of the drag assembly.

 

Now, I've caught a few dinks, and the drags held up fine, fish were landed no problem. But a couple of nice keepers this year got off because when I set the hook, the drag slipped and let line out and I didn't get a solid hookset. This is all while my drag is as tight as I can crank it. I'm no Barry Bonds with my hooksets, so I can't imagine I'm yanking so hard that I peel the drag.

 

These are brand new Siebert jigs, which have high-quality Owner Deep-Throat hooks, so they're quality and sharp as a tack, I doubt they are the problem.

 

Any ideas what I can do to more effectively get hooksets? What do I need to do to prevent my drags from slipping? I'm assuming it's something to do with greasing? I used specific drag grease.

[A-Jay]

Provided your drag was set to a level where you would not expect it to slip on the hook set, I'd open your reel up again and wipe / clean off your drag washers.

 

Sounds like your running too much grease there.  Some anglers use a very, almost completely dry drag.

 

A-Jay

[Preytorien]

Provided your drag was set to a level where you would not expect it to slip on the hook set, I'd open your reel up again and wipe / clean off your drag washers.

 

Sounds like your running too much grease there.  Some anglers use a very, almost completely dry drag.

 

A-Jay

 

It must be the addage of if you think you've got too little grease....take a little more off?

[.ghoti.]

The Curados I've serviced have all had fairly stout drags. You've either put something back together incorrectly, or used way too much grease.

 

Check the schematic when you tear it down, and wipe off almost all of the grease.

[Hogsticker]

Make sure the drag star isn't to far up or down the shaft when you put your handle back on.

[Hogsticker]

I should say the nut that sits inside the drag star on the shaft

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

What kind of grease did you put on the drag? Drags require a special drag grease (Shiamano, Cal's etc.) If you used regular gear grease the drag will have to come a part , be degreased and then properly lubed. If you over oiled something else, that may have migrated on the drag as well. Be sure the pressure washers are installed opposite one  another ()  not (( 

[Preytorien]

Looks like I'm going to be breaking this down tonight and checking a couple things....

 

Make sure I didn't over-grease the drags

Make sure I re-assembled everything in correct order

Ensure I have the drag star nut in the proper place

Check the pressure washers' placement

 

I'll do this, and do a quick check in my garage to see how it ends up.

 

Thanks guys for the input, I really appreciate it.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Don't worry about over greasing the drag from the standpoint of the drag not working correctly. Ant extra will squeeze out when you tighten it down. Just make sure you did't put the wrong thing on it.

[gulfcaptain]

What kind of grease did you put on the drag? Drags require a special drag grease (Shiamano, Cal's etc.) If you used regular gear grease the drag will have to come a part , be degreased and then properly lubed. If you over oiled something else, that may have migrated on the drag as well. Be sure the pressure washers are installed opposite one  another ()  not (( 

Yep, pretty much says it all.  

[Preytorien]

Well I cleaned off all but the most trace amounts of grease and ensured the assembly was correct......

 

Night and day difference. The drag is much better now, I didn't get to snag a keeper, but the ones I did catch didn't cause any issues, and I tested it in the garage, it took a significantly greater amount of pull to engage the drag.

 

I think my problem was too much grease. I could see where it had seeped onto the drag assembly from the gear teeth.

 

Thanks for all the input, problem solved!

[BobP]

I hope you picked up on what DVT said - drags, if they use grease, require DRAG GREASE, not regular grease.  Drag grease is a thick, sticky grease based on cosmoline and it's very different in viscosity and action than regular grease.  Regular grease will work for a short while, though the drag will have less max drag.  But after awhile, the drag will become jerky which is exactly what you don't want a drag to do.

[WRB]

I set my drag with a digital or spring scale at 1/3 the line strength for mono/ FC line: 12 lb test @ 4 lbs, never exceeding 8 lbs with any type of line, when bass fishing.

Use your thumb on the reel spool to aid in hook setting if needed, rarely is needed with today's sharp hooks.

Keep in mind that the Owner hook is a fairly heavy diameter wire hook and takes more force to set into bony mouth parts of some bass.

My hook setting technique is reel set with firm rod sweep when casting and retrieving jigs with FC or mono line. Reel quickly to load up the rod, then sweep back firmly. I use the snap set when using braid in heavy cover; snap the rod hard into slightly slack line.

Your drag should be smooth, not jerky at all settings.

Good luck.

Tom