[QUOTE=thortum;578605] Why would anyone use very heavy line [cuts down on casting distance] if you weren't going to put more pressure on the fish? QUOTE]


You are ingnoring the fact that heavier line has better abbrasion resistance.

Pretty much same as everybody else, by feel, may lighten drag up a click @ end of a fight...

but of course
 

Remember that the more line out the more the drag will increase. On tuna gear 22 lbs after a vicous run is more like 30-32 will all the line out there. Personally I do the hand pull to check the drag. I can tell you that 8 pounds is more than sufficient to stop most bass after the first run.

Usually ~5#, I'll go 8 to 10 for the canal, to be honest, I don't think I could stay perched on the rip rap with much more drag, especially on a slow night when you're off in la la land and you get whacked.

SAME, same as all have said. i go by feel, and it feels like it's between 4#-6#. 4lbs to let her take the eeeeeel, and 6-10lbs to land our prey depending on the size and the fight. while chunking, my drag is tighter than with eeeeeeels and sluggos. and for pluggin' my drag is inbetween where i set it for chunking and eeeels.

Eeeels/Sluggos.........4 to 4.5
Plugs........................4.5 to 5.5
Chunks/Jigs..............5.5 to 6.5+

just rough guesstimates, and i don't think it varies much with line weight. for me, it's more about the place and the method. kinda hard to feel the ghost bumps, if yer drag is set to bring down a tuna. the best part is that you can always adjust the drag during the fight. while that may be considered taboo by many, it has yet to be a problem for me.

Great question, TO, and even better responses ~gents!!