Can I put 17 pound braid on a reel that has 22 pounds of drag?

[Greyson]

I want to know if I can spool a concept z which has 22 pounds of drag with 17 pound line. 

[jbsoonerfan]

Sure

[Greyson]

Thank you

[bulldog1935]

Mega drag numbers look impressive on paper - what you can count on is they should have a reliable fade-proof drag in real world drag numbers, and spinning reels with big drag numbers are hopefully designed with adequate spindle stiffness and gear strength to resist brinnelling.  

My offshore lever drag is set at 8 lbs (for 45-lb braid).  If you've ever set a drag by spring balance to 8 pounds, it's honking.  

 

As long as you work your drag around your weakest link (line, leader, or rod max line rating), you can line your reel with whatever fits.  

[WRB]

Drags are adjustable. There isn’t a bass rod made that withstand 22 lbs of force.

Tom

 

[newapti5]

Whatever poundage we put on the drag, it's the same amount on the main gear/pinion gear while dragging a fish to the boat, even more on the hookset considering the shock force. So to me, I wouldn't lock down the drag totally just because it says 24lb maximum drag on the box. I want to keep the smooth gearing in my reels for as long as I can. If I need extra drag for the hookset, I'd just press down the spool with my thumb during. I think a lot of pros do that as well. 

[TnRiver46]

[roadwarrior]

2 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

You can make things as complicated as you like or keep it simple.

[APK62]

15 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Isn't that the truth with this sport!!! LOL 

[bulldog1935]

One way to look at it is complication.  The other way is seeing the forest without just seeing the trees, climbing the trees and falling out of the trees.  

[Choporoz]

  Was there anyone there to hear you fall out of the tree? 

[.ghoti.]

A simple test to prove you do not need 20 pounds of drag.

spool up your reel with line rated over 20lb test

mount reel on rod

string line through all rod guides

instead of a lure, tie on a 20lb dumbbell

hold the rod like you are fighting a fish: one hand on rod and other hand on reel crank

pick up the dumbbell with the rod

 

hint: do this outside so you dont poke a hole in your ceiling when the rod shatters.

 

[MN Fisher]

Even the rig that I run 50# braid on - if I'm not using a leader...drag is set to maybe 6# max...usually around 5#. If I'm running a leader - 4#

[MickD]

As the post above says, you will not likely ever use the max drag on a reel.   And you can put any line on any reel regardless of its max drag spec.

 

One thing to consider in addition to others that have been mentioned is that when you apply too much force to the fish, even if the rod and line can take it, you likely will pull the hook out of the fish's lips.  Some fish, like crappie, have pretty fragile lips.  

 

I use only a fraction of the drag capacity even though on most of my reels it's only about 12 pounds max.  Like MN Fisher above.

[Greyson]

Ok. I know about the drag. All I wanted to know was if I could spool the reel up with 17 pound line. 

[MN Fisher]

3 minutes ago, Greyson said:

Ok. I know about the drag. All I wanted to know was if I could spool the reel up with 17 pound line. 

You could put 10# on that without a problem - just make sure you set the drag properly.

 

FWIW: I'm putting 15# line on a reel rated to 20# drag (Pflueger Patriarch)

[WRB]

4 minutes ago, Greyson said:

Ok. I know about the drag. All I wanted to know was if I could spool the reel up with 17 pound line. 

You can spoolit up with 60 lb line if you want.

Tom

[Greyson]

Don't need that much but thanks for answering my question.

[jimmyjoe]

   Hmmmmmm ....... I could have sworn that the OP was asking about 17 lb. LINE, not 17 lb. BRAID as it now says. Am I wrong?    ?    jj

[MN Fisher]

19 minutes ago, jimmyjoe said:

   Hmmmmmm ....... I could have sworn that the OP was asking about 17 lb. LINE, not 17 lb. BRAID as it now says. Am I wrong?    ?    jj

You're not wrong, JJ - originally it did say line.

 

Re-looking it over - if it's a baitcaster, I would NOT put 17# on that...30# minimum - though some will say 20#

If it's a spinning reel - then by all means, go for it.

[jbsoonerfan]

36 minutes ago, jimmyjoe said:

   Hmmmmmm ....... I could have sworn that the OP was asking about 17 lb. LINE, not 17 lb. BRAID as it now says. Am I wrong?    ?    jj

I thought so as well......I didn't even know they made 17lb braid. LOL

[Greyson]

I am sorry I screwed that up. I put braid in the title but line in the description. I canceled my 17 lb braid and have 30 lb arriving soon. Either way, it was a great 14th birthday present. 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

On 1/12/2021 at 1:32 PM, newapti5 said:

Whatever poundage we put on the drag, it's the same amount on the main gear/pinion gear while dragging a fish to the boat, even more on the hookset considering the shock force. So to me, I wouldn't lock down the drag totally just because it says 24lb maximum drag on the box. I want to keep the smooth gearing in my reels for as long as I can. If I need extra drag for the hookset, I'd just press down the spool with my thumb during. I think a lot of pros do that as well. 

You’re right for not locking down a drag, but the AR takes the brunt of the force not the gears. Winching fish in instead of using the rod to fight the fish stresses gears unnecessarily. 

[NOC 1]

On 1/12/2021 at 2:41 PM, MickD said:

As the post above says, you will not likely ever use the max drag on a reel.   And you can put any line on any reel regardless of its max drag spec.

 

One thing to consider in addition to others that have been mentioned is that when you apply too much force to the fish, even if the rod and line can take it, you likely will pull the hook out of the fish's lips.  Some fish, like crappie, have pretty fragile lips.  

 

I use only a fraction of the drag capacity even though on most of my reels it's only about 12 pounds max.  Like MN Fisher above.

Most of my reels max out at about 9 lbs of drag and can't recall ever having them locked down, even when hauling in 10 and 15 lb stripers/hybrids (and the occasional accidental 30lb Flathead cat)

 

24 lb of drag is just marketing hype, you'd trash your rod if you ever actually pulled 24 lbs on it.

[MickD]

I agree with all exc that you can in fact pull 24 pounds of drag on any rod without damaging it if you point that rod at the source of the pull.  There is a lot in how one fights the fish, how he orients the rod to the fish.  I am not saying that there are many or any times when 24 pounds of force is necessary, only that it doesn't matter how high the force is if the rod is pointed at the source of the force.  The line will break with no damage to the rod.