drag setting Million dollar question on setting the drag on baitcaster

[ATA]

Okay here I am with the question, Most of you know some angler like Glenn, Believe to set the drag to maximum then lower it if needed.

some others like randy believe to free spool and control the drag with thumb. We all know in some techniques like frog fishing you must set the drag to maximum and not to touch it. But what about Lures with Treble hooks like crank baits, jerk baits or any other Treble hooked Lures? What is you drag setting for them?

next question, what about single hooks like weighted Texas rig or 6/0 EWG swim baits. I think it is worth Ed for someone like Glenn to make a video in depth about setting drag in different applications.

[roadwarrior]

1 hour ago, ATA said:

We all know in some techniques like frog fishing you must set the drag to maximum and not to touch it.

 

Never.

I set my drag at about 2 lbs and never make any adjustments.

[bigbassin']

Punching/Frogging - Drag is locked down and doesn’t get touched.

 

T-Rigs/Jigs - In open water I’ll set the drag to about 3 pounds of pressure. If casting to a target such as brush that a fish could get tangled in, I’ll lock the drag down until the fish is out of cover and then adjust if needed. As long as you keep the fishing coming your way, you won’t need to adjust

 

Trebles/Chatterbaits/Spinnerbaits - 2 to 3 pounds of pressure

[MN Fisher]

I'm a little higher than RW - 3#-4# depending on the line I have on the reel. Turn it up as needed during a fight, but turn it back down again before the next cast.

[Fishes in trees]

I haven't measured my drag in pounds since I was in Cub Scouts.  My drag settings go from none to some to quite a bit to all the way.

[Team9nine]

More and more, my casting outfits are getting treated just like my spinning outfits - lock’em down and fish. If I have to give line, I just use the thumb bar. Would love to see an A-R switch on my baitcasters ?

[Dwight Hottle]

I find I need to set the drag differently based on the tackle I'm using. Treble hook baits with braid & fast action rods get looser drags because there is little give in the system. I adjust the drag tension to barely slip on a hard hook set. That's mostly for open water. If I'm using mono or moderate action rod I'll set the drag tighter so it slips on a hard pull off the spool with my hand. When fishing around cover I us a tighter drag. When fishing single hook baits I use a medium heavy to heavy drag based on the rod action & type of line. I just set the drag based on what I'm using & where I'm fishing. It becomes intuitive with practice/repetition. 

[Koz]

I use the pull test and back it down slightly, then adjust if needed when it's "Fish on!"

[TOXIC]

I keep my drag set fairly light because waaay to many think that because I have 12lb test, I can catch a 12lb fish.  No one that I know of has measured the “surge” pull poundage of a 4lb smallmouth as they turn away from the boat and put their shoulders into getting away.  

[roadwarrior]

Just now, TOXIC said:

I keep my drag set fairly light because waaay to many think that because I have 12lb test, I can catch a 12lb fish.  No one that I know of has measured the “surge” pull poundage of a 4lb smallmouth as they turn away from the boat and put their shoulders into getting away.  

And they get stronger with a bigger tail, especially smalljaws over 6 lbs.

[MN Fisher]

Just now, roadwarrior said:

And they get stronger with a bigger tail, especially smalljaws over 6 lbs.

Pretty much applies to any fish - they turn away, now you're getting 8-10# of pull from a 5-6# fish.

[TOXIC]

I guess a better answer would be that I set my drag according to the bait I am throwing based on what I need for a good hookset.  

[scaleface]

4 hours ago, ATA said:

some others like randy believe to free spool and control the drag with thumb.

Randy who ? 

 

[ATA]

3 hours ago, scaleface said:

Randy who ? 

 

Randy Blaukat

[GoneFishingLTN]

6 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

Never.

I set my drag at about 2 lbs and never make any adjustments.

How do you know what lb your setting it at?

[roadwarrior]

Just now, GoneFishingLTN said:

How do you know what lb your setting it at?

Measured with a spring scale or a free weight in a plastic grocery bag. 

It's fun, give it a try. This is simple:

Put a 2 lb dumb bell or something with a known weight in a plastic bag.

Tie the bag to line rigged on your rod.

GENTLY lift the bag with your rod and adjust the drag so that it barely slips.

Now, with the drag set a approximately 2 lbs, pull your line to "get the feel".

[the reel ess]

It's a feel thing. I set the drag for trebles pretty loose. It allows you to use a MH rod if you want. Lately I'm leaning toward all MH-Hvy rods and just use the drag and line to moderate the action. I set spinner/buzzbaits a tad higher. Maybe half of the breaking point of mono line. T rigs I set pretty tight if  I'm using a superline or flipping hook and stout rod. Set it medium for wire hooks. For jigs and frogs, I lock it down. That's heavy cover and guerilla warfare. FWIW I use braid on all these except for the spinner/buzzbait rod. I use 15# Big Game mono on that combo.

[Deephaven]

In general I lock mine down, but am ready the instant I set to loosen it.  Lock down being relative to the test on the rods.

[redmeansdistortion]

I fish with 2 to 4lb of drag depending on my line.  I dunno why some of y'all just don't give up the reel for a winch with a ratchet gear locking the drag down like that lol

[WRB]

I have always set my drags about 1/3rd the mono line strength. For braid it would be the braids listed equal to mono line. Finesse spinning about 2 lbs.

Bait casting, 3 to 4 lbs.

Swimbaits 6 lbs.

I set using a scale and after decades use me learned judgement.

I Need more drag force it’s applied by my thumb.

Tom

PS, it’s too late to adjust drags when a fish of your lifetime breaks you off.

 

[mcipinkie]

Drags ??

 

We don't need no stinking drags.  We're bass fishermen.

 

On bait casters, I screw 'em down.  Probably costs me a treble hook fish or two every year, but I make up for it on the one's I horse out of heavy cover.

 

Spinners, I just adjust them until it feels right.  Been fishing almost 70 years.  I know what feels right.  Still probably tighter than most people.

 

Surely don't need a scale to adjust reel drags. Got to agree with Fishes in Trees on this one.

 

[Michigander]

I set my spinning rods to 2.5 lbs because of the lighter line but I just pull by hand until it feels right on my bait casters. I use heavy enough leaders that it doesn't really matter on those.

[CrankFate]

I set my drag loose enough to not break my line, hook or rod but tight enough to no let the fish get slack.

[GTN-NY]

I have no idea where I learned to set a drag but what I do is grab rod with my right hand, line through the guides, have the line about 4’ out of tip, grab line with left hand and start pulling. Set drag so it just slips. 
Did that make sense how I wrote it

[Emiliano]

I follow the Randy Blaukat YouTube channel and recently he talked about how to fight the fish properly by relying on pushing the thumb bar and apply pressure on the spool by thumbing in order to react to fish runs, so he has the drag set to max I guess.

I know most anglers and Pro as well rely on that technique, but why?

By clicking the thumb bar the spool remains engaged/blocked for a fraction (a second or less for ex) and that can stop the fish surge unless you follow the fish movement and that can be a problem if you don't react instantly.

Reel drag exists for a reason and I rely on that plus the rod flex to fight the fish accordingly to line lbs test and type of hook I'm using. I prefer to set the drag a bit looser (let's say than normal) and than control de pressure of the spool by thumbing if needed, ...unless I'm flipping or punching obviously.

I always set the hook while I'm thumbing the spool and I never had any issues by doing that, but that is my style and I know everyone is different.

But I'm open minded and I would like to know what's the advantage by using the thumb bar and not the drag.