What Do You Have Your Drag Set At?

[tcbass]

I believe I saw a tv show where the host stated had he has his reels drag locked all the way down so that the fish wouldn't pull any line when he set the hook or pull out any line and allow the fish to go back into the slop and escape. However, isn't that ruining the purpose of the drag? Granted, most bass under 6lbs can be horsed in with today's super lines and rods. Mine are set so you can pull like out and if I set the hook normally I have my thumb on the spool so the spool doesn't move when I set the hook.

How do you have your reels drags set?

[roadwarrior]

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.

[Tywithay]

I do it by feel, but in testing I do about 1/3 of the line "diameter" breaking strength. I say diameter, because 50lb braid might have 12lb or 14lb diameter. I don't want to lock it down so I'll use 3-4lbs. I have one rod locked down and it's solely for frog fishing.

[new2BC4bass]

 

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.

 

 

 

Then why did people complain because the Fuego drag was only 6# maximum?  Why do people think the 14-24# drags on Abu and Lews reels is a plus?  I will never have your experience, so I would like to understand why you say never to set a drag over 3-4 pounds.  Personally I don't measure drag.  I adjust it by pulling line off the reel.  I set 12# higher than 8# line.  Quite certain I run it heavier than you suggest.  Never had a problem yet.  There have been times I have thumbed the spool to keep it from slipping while I tried to pull a fish out of the weeds.

 

I am not trying to say you are wrong, but I have to think that a lot of people set their drags over your suggested limit.  I can see where it could cause a problem being too high if using treble hooks, but not single hook lures.

 

Only time I'll lock my drag down is when trying to remove a backlash, pull a fish out of cover, or release a snagged lure.

[SirSnookalot]

Assuming the tv host was using a bass reel and catching 6# bass, nothing wrong with a locked down drag to horse fish in fast.  When I say nothing wrong with that technique if applied to a tournament fisherman who is trying to make a buck, imo that ain't fishing.  As a recreational fisherman I would never do that.

 

I agree with setting the drag about a 1/3 especially for bass fishing, a bass isn't going to take out much line anyway, many times they swim right back at you.  I'm a braid user 10-15 in freshwater and 15 and 20# in salt, nothing heavier.  The line strength isn't really crucial, as long a fish is pulling out line it should not break.  The drag is there to tire the fish out, with some I just have to tighten it down and put more pressure on or I might not land them. 

[tomustang]

For that particular type of fishing no its not. If you're finding them in the slop and don't want them to dig down and get you stuck you need to horse them in. Drag pressure isn't a factor so it's just locked down

[Zach Dunham]

Assuming the tv host was using a bass reel and catching 6# bass, nothing wrong with a locked down drag to horse fish in fast.  When I say nothing wrong with that technique if applied to a tournament fisherman who is trying to make a buck, imo that ain't fishing.  As a recreational fisherman I would never do that.

 

 

You definitely would do that if you were fishing extremely heavy cover or slop and if the fish goes anywhere it wants to you lose it.

I usually set my drag by feel. I adjust it mid-cast sometimes.

[mjseverson24]

i typically have my drag set pretty heavy... many of my reels have drags nearly locked down, I do not like to have my reels release drag on the hook set... Once the fish is on I can adjust the drag accordingly, also if i need to i can hit the spool clutch and thumb the spool to keep appropriate pressure... i lost too many fish when i first started with casting equipment due to too light of drag...

 

Mitch  

[SirSnookalot]

You definitely would do that if you were fishing extremely heavy cover or slop and if the fish goes anywhere it wants to you lose it

 

I guess you haven't fished in Florida, we have plenty of slop here and it's year round.  No I don't lock drag or use 65 braided line and don't own a b/c.  Pulling 5 or 7# bass out of cover really isn't too big a deal.  The OP made no point of saying the tv host was fishing heavy cover, he merely was asking if a locked down drag "is ruining the purpose of the drag", I agree it does.

I would have a difficult time calling fishing using 65# braided line, with a locked down drag, winching a 6# fish in at warp speed a sport.  Personally I have give all fish a sporting chance, you won't even break a sweat pulling a bass.

[ccummins]

I set mine on 50% of line test strength on light lines (up to 14 lb test).  I check that by pulling against my Rapala electronic scale; need someone to hold it and read it for me though.  On heavier lines I put it at about 50% of what drag there is on the reel and adjust accordingly to the fight the fish puts up; on 65 lb braid I know I will run out of drag before I break the line.

[WRB]

I am in the adjust your drag camp about 1/3 rd the line strength for mono or FC. If you buy quality reels with excellent drags why button it down? Trust your drags bass are not that strong, all you need to do if a big bass is in heavy cover or trying to tree you, turn it by using added pressure on the spool with your thumb.

A lot of anglers lose that bass of a lifetime at the boat because of tightened down drags.

You can break a X heavy bass rod with 8 lbs of drag. Try lifting a full 1 gallon jug of water if you don't believe that. 2 quarts or 1/2 gallon of water is 4 lbs and that is about max for me with bass.

Tom

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Then why did people complain because the Fuego drag was only 6# maximum?  Why do people think the 14-24# drags on Abu and Lews reels is a plus?  I will never have your experience, so I would like to understand why you say never to set a drag over 3-4 pounds.  Personally I don't measure drag.  I adjust it by pulling line off the reel.  I set 12# higher than 8# line.  Quite certain I run it heavier than you suggest.  Never had a problem yet.  There have been times I have thumbed the spool to keep it from slipping while I tried to pull a fish out of the weeds.

 

I am not trying to say you are wrong, but I have to think that a lot of people set their drags over your suggested limit.  I can see where it could cause a problem being too high if using treble hooks, but not single hook lures.

 

Only time I'll lock my drag down is when trying to remove a backlash, pull a fish out of cover, or release a snagged lure.

Reel makers pushing the "More is better" marketing lead to this line of thought. Locking down a drag puts undue stress on rod, reel and line. If you don't care about maximizing the life of your equipment or being sporting at all to the fish then I guess it doesn't matter. 7# of drag would be the standard setting for 20# line, more than adequate for any kind of bass fishing. 

[doyle8218]

Reel makers pushing the "More is better" marketing lead to this line of thought. Locking down a drag puts undue stress on rod, reel and line. If you don't care about maximizing the life of your equipment or being sporting at all to the fish then I guess it doesn't matter. 7# of drag would be the standard setting for 20# line, more than adequate for any kind of bass fishing. 

X2

[frantzracing0]

I keep mine set at about 6lbs for most of my reels and run either 12lb mono or 50lb braid depending on the rig. I use 6lbs for both lines and have never had an issue