Drag for frogging

[Conclusion]

I've watched YouTube videos and read on here that I should be setting my drag all the way tight when frogging. I'm going out this coming week for the first time in a lake that also has muskie. I'll be using a tatula 150 on a heavy rod with 50#pp line. If I happen to get a muskie bite am I basically screwed and need to loosen the drag immediately so he can run a bit or how should I handle this?

[Tizi]

I crank it down, but dot have muskie around here to worry about much.

[Hammer 4]

No toothy critters here. I have my drag tight, but not locked down.  

[Shimano_1]

I lock mine basically down when frogging.  If a muskie took it just use ur thumb button if needed or loosen the drag a little.  

[Teal]

For me it's not a "frogging" thing... it's a cover thing.   You gotta make you mind up at certain impossible heavy cover that you are just gonna tighten it down and drag their butts out.  I do the same the thing punching and when I skip deep under huge community or commercial docks.   I set the hook and reel like hell

 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I recommend never locking down the drag. Hitting the thumb bar under load can do damage itself. Tighter than usual, sure but never locked down. 

[jimmyjoe]

   You've got 50 lb. braid, a 150-size Daiwa reel, and a heavy power rod. What do you mean, you're basically screwed? It's the other way around; it's the musky that's screwed! Why loosen the drag? Hopefully, the drag (with a lot of help from your thumb) will hold him. Either that little duplex hook on the frog is going to hold, too, in which case you have a nice musky, or it's not, in which case you got rid of a bothersome pest.

If you give him leeway, there's a good chance he'll wrap you around something .... like his sharp gill covers. Don't let him do that. Take charge of the fish and turn him immediately. Once you've got him turned, you can sit down, drink some coffee, eat a doughnut and worry about the weeds.  ? 

   So basically ..... don't give him an inch. Oh, and buy a new frog.   ?     jj

 

   p.s. - I just saw what DVT wrote. True.

[the reel ess]

Cinch it down. They'll still take drag if they're big enough. I do this with my jig combo as well as my frog combo and have for several years. They won't break 50-65 lb braid unless it's already weakened or they cut it, in which case they were going to cut it anyway. You might want to carry a spare frog or two just in case.

[Catt]

5 minutes ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

I recommend never locking down the drag. Hitting the thumb bar under load can do damage itself. Tighter than usual, sure but never locked down. 

 

I never lock mine down even when punching, if she takes drag its only a spool revolution or two. 

[OnthePotomac]

I frog on a robust KVD 7'MH rod with 50lb 832 and never do a drag lock down....tight, but not locked down.

[MN Fisher]

18 hours ago, Catt said:

 

I never lock mine down even when punching, if she takes drag its only a spool revolution or two. 

 

42 minutes ago, OnthePotomac said:

I frog on a robust KVD 7'MH rod with 50lb 832 and never do a drag lock down....tight, but not locked down.

I'm frogging/pitching on a Heavy rod with 50# Power Pro - drag is tight, but not cinched all the way down...a good size fish will pull line, but as @Cattsays, it's only a few turns of the spool at max.

[FishTank]

I use a St. Croix 844C IMX with a Shimano Chronarch and 50lb braid.  I never tighten the drag all the way down.  I want the fish to take a little line. 

[Conclusion]

22 hours ago, jimmyjoe said:

   You've got 50 lb. braid, a 150-size Daiwa reel, and a heavy power rod. What do you mean, you're basically screwed? It's the other way around; it's the musky that's screwed! Why loosen the drag? Hopefully, the drag (with a lot of help from your thumb) will hold him. Either that little duplex hook on the frog is going to hold, too, in which case you have a nice musky, or it's not, in which case you got rid of a bothersome pest.

If you give him leeway, there's a good chance he'll wrap you around something .... like his sharp gill covers. Don't let him do that. Take charge of the fish and turn him immediately. Once you've got him turned, you can sit down, drink some coffee, eat a doughnut and worry about the weeds.  ? 

   So basically ..... don't give him an inch. Oh, and buy a new frog.   ?     jj

 

   p.s. - I just saw what DVT wrote. True.

Lol this made me laugh, thanks.

 

Thanks everyone for the replies, I'll make sure drag is tight but not fully cinched. 

[Bluebasser86]

Mine slips just a touch on a the hookset with a frog. It's cranked down pretty tight, but not locked down with channel locks or anything.

 

I wouldn't be worried about a muskie eating your frog. If one does, you'll probably never get to test the drag anyways.

[Conclusion]

8 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Mine slips just a touch on a the hookset with a frog. It's cranked down pretty tight, but not locked down with channel locks or anything.

 

I wouldn't be worried about a muskie eating your frog. If one does, you'll probably never get to test the drag anyways.

You saying he'll cut the line? Thats my other concern lol. Not sure how but last year I landed a 42" on 15# fluorocarbon with a spinner using a cabelas whooping stick! I'll get flack for this but was using a steel leader so thats probably what saved me. 

[Bluebasser86]

1 hour ago, Conclusion said:

You saying he'll cut the line? Thats my other concern lol. Not sure how but last year I landed a 42" on 15# fluorocarbon with a spinner using a cabelas whooping stick! I'll get flack for this but was using a steel leader so thats probably what saved me. 

Exactly, muskie teeth cut braid like butter.