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OK so today i Decided to test my drag on a my tuna spinning Rod that i plan on using for Small bluefin tuna. . Let me know if i did this right.

Reel
Penn Sargus 8000 ( supposably 18lb drag ) 500yards 50lb power pro braid+ 60lb Mono leader (parlmore knot at ring-to-scale, Modified albright knot from braid to mono)

So i hooked up a 50lb scale to my parked truck and, began to walk backwards up the street slowly righting the drag as i go. With a friend at the scale watching the lbs. Tried this 5 times and all 5 times i could make it to 25-26 lbs, WAY past the 18lb mark Penn claims. This is Great and i am very happy with the Reel. BUT all 5 times the braid would break, NOT at the knots either. Is this normal? I would think the braid would be 50lbs of strength? No

Any input will help thanks.

Dunno, but that seems like a lot of drag on a spin.

If you were pulling straight on the reel (no bend in the rod) thats not the same. I've tried to lift a 15 lb weight off the floor with my heavy spin for BFT, and that was a killer.

Use the rod and test again. 25 pounds on the end of a 8 foot rod is 200 foot pounds of torque at the end of the rod. Maybe 150 where your grips are. Does this make sense?

Don't know why your line is breaking though. Is it breaking at the line guide on the reel?

I have always been told to set the ~ 25% of the breaking strength of the line you are using. Thus, you should be setting around 13 lbs. I'm sure some more knowledge voices will chime in here.

have your buddy hold the scale and the line you reel with the bent rod, your buddy pulls the scale with the line attached like a lawnmower string a few times to get the drag warm. he pulls out tight drag with the rod bent- you reel down like your on a fish and adjust the drag.