Drag settings.
 

Anyone ever actually measure what they use for stripers? After always just doing the pull until it felt right method, I was curious what my drag really was set for. So I tied up to a scale to get an accurate reading. Was kind of suprised to see I only fish with 4.5-5lbs of drag. So, how much is everyone else using? Even with that light drag, I've only had 3 bass take a very substantial run, 2 in heavy current.

I honestly have no idea what my drag is set to.... I just do the same "pull until it feels just about right" method and it has not failed me. I readjust so many times, I just dont have time to properly "reset" using a method of accurate reading. If it works, I'll just keep on doing it ;)

I set mine the same way TO! Never had an issue....I am sure mine is set too tight though......gonna try and ease up a bit this season! Great question though!

Yp--that's why I always roll my eyes and bite my tongue when I read posts on other sites about guys fishing 20+ pounds of drag. :rollem:

20lbs will land a school tuna !
Most guys set their tuna reels (50s) around 26-28lbs

I always wondered how/why people set or measured their drag for striped bass...since you usually change it during outings to adjust for different size fish...and how would you know what your gonna get ??
Im still confused on this...

I'm always light on my drag. Never measured I use the same method you guys do though. Isn't there an equation to set your drag to 20% of the line strength? Thought I read that somewhere.

Same here. The drag numbers make me laugh.

Even mid teens will promptly land school tuna between 50 and 100 pounds on spin gear.

When some spin reel companies start talking about 40 pounds it starts getting really ridiculous.

I always advise people put their reel on a rod, make a loop in your line, and then have someone hold the scale and then pull HARD and find out when their drag starts slipping. It's almost always educational.

lets say that you have your drag set at 5 pds at the reel.

Now, how many pounds will it take (more or less) if the measurement was taken with with the rod flexing at about 4 ft from the rod given the same criteria above, that is 5 pds at the reel ?

Never measured.

Even less I'd imagine. Unless the drag numbers at the reel assumed some flex from the rod.

-spence

I say more because there will be a Force vectors (Fx and Fy) at each guide which absorb the high loads.

If you had a pool cue rod with only one guide then the measurement would be the same that is 5 pds.
Now with multiple guides, flexing rod then the weight will be absorbed on the guides.

I think the question here is about the net force on the drag. Certainly the flex on the rod will absorb force, but are the drag settings from the manufacturer assuming fishing conditions or just a raw measurement?

-spence

I don't know Spence but I'd assume raw measurement because every rod is different slow, fast etc.

Friend was holding scale 6-8ft below where I was standing, so rod had full bend. Tried a 7lb drag too, your just asking for pulled hooked hooks and equipment failure there imo. But to each their own I guess.

Tony the 7 pd taken at the reel ? If yes then what is the measurement if you tied a loop in the line at the 6-8 ft distance and recorded the pounds of force when the line moves.
If the 7 pds. is to much weight for the equipment then what is it at 5 pds ?

I'm thinking that 7 pds. at the reel can be 12 pds I guess at the loop.

I remember doing that 5 yrs ago with Slip..We set our drags to the scale.
Maybe 8-10 lbs for the canal..With jigs I might use a tighter drag..
Evrything else..I fish a light drag...

I use the same "pull test" that most of you are using, BUT: nobody has said what pound test line your using! Since the drag is used to protect your line first, and your rod second, I don't know how the question can be answered with anything other than "IT VARIES!!"
You wouldn't put as much tension on 20lb. test line as you would on 40lb test. Why would anyone use very heavy line [cuts down on casting distance] if you weren't going to put more pressure on the fish? Also, if you use a 60lb test braid on a rod that's rated for up to 30lbs test line, and you tighten down on the drag, there's a danger of snapping your rod. My 2 cents.

Sorry double post.

4-5 lbs. taken at the reel for 20 lb mono. I do it every time before I go out - it's turned into a superstitious thing now. At a 4-5 lb setting, it takes like 10lbs+ on a VS250 to get the spool moving before it settles in if I remember correctly.

Taken from the fighting position (pain in the ass), a setting at the reel turns into a higher reading end of the line. I have measured 30 to 40% of the line rating. The type of rod and how you're holding it comes into play though. I find it's tough to get a consistent "running drag" reading this way. It's a two person job. Haven't done this in a long time.

I measure mine. The change I made last year was to use way less drag on my spinners with braid, and I think I landed a lot more fish. I went from 8 to 5 when I fish plugs. So far so good.
Last year's other numbers: Mono spinners and eels = 8. Inlet convench = 10, sometimes 12 depending.

I only measure mine for tuna fishing, 12-15 lbs spinning, 20 lb conventional

i just set it by feel. i'd say about 5 lbs sounds right. I fish mostly 30-50 lb braid on a VS, and find that if I try to set my drag much tighter than that, the braid tends to dig in on larger fish and cause issues - especially when fishing eels.

TO...
funny you mention that..
I checked my drag last fall while waiting for my partner in crime to arrive and found my 'tight' drag on my jig rod was ~9lbs, with 65lb braid and a 1089 .. and 6lb for my mono surf sticks (20lb with a 1201M), although I bet you can get away with more using mono before pulling hooks... certainly surprised me; I figured it would have been higher than that...

I 'maxed' my CABO 60 2 weeks ago while fighting a shark off a dock down south... 50lb cortland and still couldn't pop the 40lb top shot.... had to cup the spool before he cut me off... There is a charter out of newport that uses spin gear for sharks, and likes to brag how much drag his reels can do; most people (myself included) couldnt keep 40lb of drag pressure on a fish using stand-up spinning gear...

1/4 the breaking strength of the line( or leader/weakest link)...measured with a scale.

Yep, once we set it with the rod bent with a scale, I then could tell from a pull that I was within a pound or so of 10 lbs.
10 lbs. is what I like jigging the canal with 65 lb whiplash and 50 lb leader, I want to be able to stop a cow on the bottom fairly quickly so they don't wrap me up or get behind a rock and sulk. At that setting it takes atleast a 20-25 pounder to get even a foot of line. I don't want them to get their head and go with the current which is usually going pretty good. For plugging in the canal I use about 5 pounds.

On the beach I use less and adjust as needed.

Seal fishing requires more drag and stiffer rod:splat:

I have no idea what I set mine at in terms of #'s. I just know whatever it is it's too tight. For some reason I just find myself always setting it that way. I need to get out of that habit this season. I also usually set my drag a little loser when using plugs w/ trebles. I've lost alot of fish too braid and a drag that's too tight.

Everything was taken on loop of line with fully bent rod, no test straight off the reel. I use the same drag with my 30# braid, and 65# braid, 50# leaders, everywhere(even the canal)

Copycat :fishin: