drag system vs using thumb

[LCG]

I have noticed that some pros will release the thumb bar and use their thumb as their drag system. 

 

Just wondering if using this method would potentially cause damage to either the clutch mechanism, pinion or gears? 

[newapti5]

Not likely, unless you're really pressing down hard on the spool, in which case you may deform some light spools, or damage some small size spool bearings.  But honestly, with how smooth today's reel drag is, I only press down on the spool during hookset to boost the drag a bit, but never totally press down the thumb bar. 

[JustJames]

Just like @newapti5mention I quite often automatically using thumb when set hook (depends on techniques). I use thumb as drag very often too when fish (often time catfish) pull harder than usual but just for a quick pressure. I rely most on smooth properly setup drag.

The only time I release drag and use thumb just to protect my whimpy rod where my line is exceed the rod limit.

My believe is most tournament anglers set their drag pretty high and using thumb instead of drag to give some room for bass to run. Damage the spool not in this case but if you thumb the spool hard to pull from snagged, that different story.

 

[bulldog1935]

A spool in freespool is not engaged to anything, because the pinion gear is disengaged from the spool by the clutch lifting the gear from the spool pins and locking - that's what makes it freespool. 

Turning the crank engages the spool to the drive by releasing the clutch, allowing springs to push the pinion gear back into the spool pins.  You can hurt the pinion gear if this doesn't re-engage fully, or if you try to engage it against a moving spool. 

[Hammer 4]

Yes, a Trained thumb can save you lots of headaches, and some $$ too.

[GRiver]

I usually keep my drag what others would call loose. I use my thumb to apply any more drag. 

[PressuredFishing]

I think it's fine, maybe spool shaft or spool can deform if you really put pressure on it, but at that point most people just crank the drag down

[Cbump]

I guess the bass I catch are weenies. They rarely pull drag. 
It’s pretty common here to use 20lb line or 65lb Braid, tighten the drag, and wrench them in. When they are close, if they surge, I’ll use the clutch and my thumb. 

[bulldog1935]

@Cbump that's how we used to kill A/R dogs on Lew's BB-1. 

I'll rather kill an A/R dog than a pinion gear. 

 

[GRiver]

I keep my drag a little tighter on a spinning reel that I do a baitcaster, because I can’t use my thumb on hook set.

Instead of trying to tighten down  the drag during a fish fight, I use the other hand to put a little pressure on the spool. The drag tension nut on a spinning rig isn’t the easiest thing to do while trying to bring in a fish too.

[Captain Phil]

When bass fishing, I have been hammering down my reel drags for years. I also fish bass with heavier tackle than most of today's anglers.  Bass are pretty predictable. Their runs are short and powerful.  With experience, you can anticipate what they are going to do and use your thumb to give line if you have to.  Fishing for hard running salt water fish is a lot different.  The first big bone fish I ever hooked backlashed an Ambassadour 5500C on the first run against the drag.  I've caught sailfish over 100 pounds on 8 pound mono.  This would have been impossible without a good drag system.   I believe most of today's anglers should use the drag.  Bass fishing is different today than it was when I first started.  Lines are lighter and finesse fishing is more popular.  

[T-Billy]

No need with modern drags IMO. Same goes for pulling out line on a spinning reel. Set it and forget it.

[Dwight Hottle]

Thumbing braid on strong fish mostly other than bass can leave you with a nasty thumb burn. I speak from experience.

[T-Billy]

50 minutes ago, Dwight Hottle said:

Thumbing braid on strong fish mostly other than bass can leave you with a nasty thumb burn. I speak from experience.

Yup. Happened to me last year while trying to pull a big flathead that ate my trig out of a pile of laydowns. I think the awful sounds coming out of my flippin stick were it begging for mercy. Flathead whipped us both in about five seconds flat.

[bulldog1935]

They knew that in the '30s, when the only drag was a leather thumb pad. 

(offshore squidding reel, squid is the bait)

The braided silk and linen lines then would also pick up sand and become a saw, which was why they used agate guides.

[WRB]

Why buy reels with state of the art drags and not use them?

It’s a lot easier to use your thumb to add drag force on the spool in lieu of free spooling and use your thumb that requires 2 hands.

You see anglers including pro’s pulling line off the reel to reduce drag force when landing bigger bass instead of setting the drag and trusting it, fearing the hook may pull out.

Tom

[Cbump]

I don’t have a scale to properly set drag. 

[bulldog1935]

if you don't mind doing the math conversion, this one is 11 lbs

https://www.amazon.com/Ajax-Scientific-ME505-5000-Plastic-Capacity/dp/B00EPQGXUQ/ref=sr_1_18?keywords=Ajax+Scientific&qid=1662513165&sr=8-18

If you search, the same vendor offers more accurate in the same size with 6.6 lbs. 

 

Here, the conversion, lbs to g

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=lbs+to+g

 

This old 8-lb Salton spring balance has me covered - never need more than 7 lbs

[WRB]

45 minutes ago, Cbump said:

I don’t have a scale to properly set drag. 

1 pint plastic drinking bottle of water weight 1 lb.

to set 4 lbs of drag put 4 pint bottles in a plastic grocery bag.

Hook the bag handles with your line and use the rod to lift the  4 bag of bottles weighing 4 lbs. Set the drag to start to slip...done. Be careful 4 lbs fully loads most MH/4 power bass rods. 4 lbs would be max for 12 lb mono/FC, Ie 33% of 12.

Tom

[Cbump]

What should I set It at for 15 and 20lb fc?

[bulldog1935]

almost never more than 5 lbs - offshore, I only need 7 lbs. 

If I push the black button, I can get a little more. 

The reel is capable to 35 lbs, but one-fourth of the 30-lb test line is 7 lbs. 

You should always set at one-fourth of your weakest link, line, leader, or rod max line rating. 

 

[WRB]

45 minutes ago, Cbump said:

What should I set It at for 15 and 20lb fc?

Depends on the rod power, 4 lbs fully loads a MH/F bass rod, 5 lbs a H/F bass. Exceptions are Flipping and Swimbait rods where power rating and lure weights are higher. 

I agree with Bulldog1935 that 5 lbs is max for fresh water bass. Flipping, not pitching, and XH swimbaits rods can handle 8 lbs of drag force. I never any bass over 5 lbs of drag.

Set my International 50W 6 lbs of drag at Strike position for Marlin to 700 lbs and Tuna to 200 lbs, fish that can run hundreds of yards to high speed. The reason the line cutting through water increases drag on the high speed fish.

Fresh water can’t fight longer then 2 minutes or run more the 100’ without conking out.

Tom

[Tatulatard]

I do this when a big fish dives under the boat and my rod loads.  I can't follow the fish so something has to give.  Sometimes its my drag but sometimes it doesn't budge so I hit the clutch and play out some line with thumb pressure and then turn the handle and pump the rod to get the fish back up.  I want some give in the system when my rod is loading and the fish is trying to run. 

[Deleted account]

On 9/6/2022 at 9:02 AM, bulldog1935 said:

They knew that in the '30s, when the only drag was a leather thumb pad. 

(offshore squidding reel, squid is the bait)

Actually squidding is a horizontal jigging technique.

 

 

[bulldog1935]

and they also had friction drags such as Williams and Pflueger Cub, but no anti-reverse, and you had to hold the handle still to use them. 

and imitating squid with a jig is still the bait