Setting the Drag

[S Hook]

What’s your method of setting your drag?  
 

 

Edited June 3 by S Hook

[S Hook]

...

Edited June 3 by S Hook

[bennie]

Depending on what you're fishing for and where you're at,,,,,, you can look up how much drag for the fish,,,,take a scale and match it,,,,,, but most people don't know how much drag there using lbs

[Bushleague]

I just set it to where I think there is not much chance of ripping out the hook. Pretty much regardless of how strong my tackle is, I lose more fish to pulling out the hook than I do to broken line.

[FallenKell]

Depends on how you are fishing. If using bait (and depending on your reel), I will first do a tug test on land before I star fighing and tighten it down to something like ~20-30lbs (when using 40-50lbs braid+leader).

 

I will then make 2 full turns of loosing the drag after I cast and put the rod in a rod holder while waiting on a bite (on my reels this loosens them enough that most fish can turn and run letting the circle hooks I use gently set in their lip) and my rod tip is sensitive enough that I can see it bend, and hear the drag clicks on the first movement of the fish after a bite. While I pickup the rod I am twisting the drag back those same 2 full turns and I know I am at a setting good to fight the fish.

 

 

On lighter tackle like 10-20lb line you might only need 1 full turn of the drag knob (and possibly only 1/2 depending on gear) before you risk removing the drag knob and the spool can come free.

 

For lures, I will set it just like I initially do for bait, but only go down 1 full turn because even if I forget to turn it back, it still has enough drag to set the hook. Once set, I leave it that way and only turn it up when there is a monster fish that I can drag in.

[MEF]

on an open beach, tight enough so that it starts to cut into my hand when i try to pull line out

 

if im fishing a bridge drag is almost locked 

 

[R.R. Bridge Fisher]

14 hours ago, S Hook said:

What’s your method of setting your drag?  
 

 

 Braid or mono?

[40shades-of-blue]

For throwing plugs I just set it by hand.  Tighten it to the point where I can just barely pull the line. 

Edited June 3 by 40shades-of-blue

[LockedDrag]

38 mins ago, 40shades-of-blue said:

For throwing plugs I just set it by hand.  Tighten it to the point where I can just barely pull the line. 

This. If it takes a run, it’s a slot for sure or bigger

[EBHarvey]

6 hours ago, FallenKell said:

Depends on how you are fishing. If using bait (and depending on your reel), I will first do a tug test on land before I star fighing and tighten it down to something like ~20-30lbs (when using 40-50lbs braid+leader).

 

 

You might want to take out a scale and actually measure that.  I would be absolutely shocked if you're really fishing anywhere near 20-30lbs of drag - that would be on the high end of what's used for large tuna, sharks, etc., and that's harnessed-in.  Heck, 25lbs will pull almost anyone right off their feet.

[hunt4perch]

Pull on the line til it feels right

[LI_Angler]

16 hours ago, S Hook said:

What’s your method of setting your drag?  
 

 

Initially, early in the season, I start by using a digital scale  and set at about 1/4 of line rating.  I use lighter braid (max. 30 lb. and usually 15 or 20) so as an absolute, my drag settings are not too heavy, but hopefully appropriate. 

Inevitably, by my second or third time out, I end up readjusting by feel to a tension, probably snugger, that will allow for a solid hook set without causing hooks to tear out.  I never went back to check how my 'setting by feel' compares to my digital setting but I am more confident in my intuitive snugger setting, even if the prescribed drag is somehow more scientifically determined.

[S Hook]

2 hours ago, R.R. Bridge Fisher said:

 Braid or mono?

Either or both.

[hobobob]

1 hour ago, EBHarvey said:

 

 

You might want to take out a scale and actually measure that.  I would be absolutely shocked if you're really fishing anywhere near 20-30lbs of drag - that would be on the high end of what's used for large tuna, sharks, etc., and that's harnessed-in.  Heck, 25lbs will pull almost anyone right off their feet.

Your reels are not fancy enough. 

[S Hook]

I just checked my reel, with a little experiment. I had it set so I could barely pull off line without cutting my hand on the 50 pound braid. Using a scale it was just under 5 pounds coming off the reel.  At this setting, it puts quite a bend, almost max,  I would say in my 11 foot heavy. 2-6 oz rod.

 

Then I bumped the drag up to 7 pounds and that’s really putting a heck of a lot of strain on my rod pulling in the upright position, more than I want, getting to the point where you think you’re rod might snap. I’d say 5 pounds is about right.  
My Penn Slammer is rated for a 40 pounds of drag? What the heck kind of rod would you have to have to even use half of that?  At least something equivalent to a pool cue. Lol.
 

 

 

Edited June 3 by S Hook