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Old 07-21-07, 03:37 PM   #1
zooker
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Default the drag issue

ok the question of just how tight the drag should be. was a debateable subject for sure and to be honest i could not give a decent answer..this got me to thinking today..which can be dangerus enough..but i was also asked the same question by another-unknown- to this board.. with said "unknown's" help. i used a new 15 pound digital scale pulling straight from the top eye anchored to what ever bait was rigged up.till the drag slipped.
here was my results..
mono
topwater rod 1.9 pounds-pflugher trion reel
c-rig rod 2.6 pounds-quatum mag gear reel
deep crank rod .8 pounds-shimano corsair reel
shallow crank rod .6 pounds-quantum mag gear reel
medium crank rod .7 pounds-ambassador torno reel
spinnerbait rod 4.3 pounds-quantum tour burner reel
spare casting rod 3.1 pounds-pinnacle 100 reel
shakey head spinning rod-1.3 pounds quantum pti spinning reel
braid
t-rig rod 6.1 pounds -daiwa advantage reel
frog rod 9.1 pounds-bps extreme reel
pnj rod 11.3-pflugher trion reel

i was kind of suprised that i had the c-rig set so lightly.i figured i had most of the drags set up pefectly to my own taste..

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Old 07-21-07, 07:42 PM   #2
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I keep my drag to where I can just barely pull it out with my hand. Then while fighting the fish, after a solid hookset, i'll adjust to my preference. Whether I need it tight to horse a fish outta cover, or if its a small fish and I want to play around with it. If its a big fish i wont mess with drag, for fear of any slack in the line during the time i'm fooling with the drag and possibly losing the fish. But ofcourse I just use braid so on hooksets i dont need to worry about stretch or it breaking.
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Old 07-21-07, 09:37 PM   #3
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Someone recommended 1/3 of the line strength...so for ten pound test, approximately 3.3 pounds to work the drag. I can't remember who wrote the article.
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Old 07-22-07, 12:32 AM   #4
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Drag is a subject which arouses at least some concern in virtually any angler who "cares" (See: Worry, Obession, Nail-Biting.)
The advent of graphite rods, post the dark ages, brought about a wave of complaints of rods breaking on hookset, when trying to yank a lure loose from a snag, and a few other instances where the old glassies would survive all but the most inept handling.
The relatively few who used the old pre-"super" braids, such as the quite fine Cortland Micron, AKA "Poor Man's Graphite", experienced an even higher rod breakage rate...I did. This, of course, was directly attributable to the ALMOST stretch-free quality of Micron and similar braids. Again, these were not the "super"-braids we know today, but were made of synthetic fibers such as Dacron.
"Poor man's graphite"? (I hear you ask.) Yep, 'cause if you stripped that thick old #20 Stren off your red Ambassadeur, perhaps mounted on a Fenwick GLASS rod or a Lew's Speed Stick glassie, and spooled on the Micron, not only did you notice how much thinner and mannerly the braided stuff was but when you made that first cast with a Colorado-bladed spinnerbait you actually FELT the vibration as you retrieved. Your rate of strike detection with soft plastics increased too. WOW! This was all fine and good but when the guys who literally used pliers to tighten their drags and felt that a hookset oughta instantly lengthen the bass by at least two inches began to break rods, sometimes several in one day, folks began to approach drag-setting and hooksetting in a bit more contemplative manner...I know I did.
While the durability of the better graphite rods has improved the advent of the super-braids makes it imperative that we take a bit more scientific, or at least more cautious, approach to drag (and hook-) setting. When you factor in that many of us carry some rods spooled with braid and some spooled with mono or fluoro, the dealio gets more complicated.
I doubt I've ever created the perfect solution to ANY problem but I've at least tried to deal with these issues. Here're my conclusions:
First, with braid, especially on a 'phite or Boron rod, drag should be less firm, at least for the hookset, than with a glass/braid or 'phite/mono(fluoro) combo. The reason should be obvious. Further, one might be advised to drop down one "power" in rod selection...say from Heavy to Med/Heavy in a given technique or application, or perhaps switch to a rod with a faster tip action.
OK, so that means you can still have a tighter drag setting with the other two rod/line combos...no mystery there. BUT...you have to somehow make the mental adjustment when you put down the 'phite/braid combo and take up on of the others and again when you switch back.
My personal prescription? Well, on my 'phite/braid combos, I set my drags so as to be able to pull line off the reel with relative ease (and without the threat of braid cutting into ME!) With the other lines, I set 'em somewhat tighter. Note that I'm NOT giving you scientific measurements here. I'm discussing DIFFERENCES.
"So, wot 'bout hooksets, Uncle Fly"...Well, chilluns, for me it's a short, sorta "snap 'o the wrist" OR a long SMOOTH sweep, each combined with rapid reeling when using 'phite and braid. For the other combos it's pretty much as in the days of yore (yore what? None of yore bidness!); meaning a longer sweep, delivered with more speed, and thus force...Try to cross his eyes!
For those who have embraced my almost evangelistic fervor re braid with flouro leader for softies and jigs, the old violent style of hooksetting, especially when combined with a "welded" drag, will often part that J-Knot you cursed and sweated mightily to create. No matter HOW good any knot may be, it will always be the weakest link.
Well, back to enjoying insomnia...I have an 0500 launch time with Guttboy, y'see.
Will report.

FR
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Old 07-22-07, 04:41 AM   #5
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Flyrod will have to demonstrate this for me as I have never fished braid before. He has graciously rigged up some tackle for me (with rod's from Rebbasser) and I am going to sponge up the first-hand info this AM.

Nice writeup FR!
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Old 07-22-07, 11:35 AM   #6
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YAWN...ok so he is right -ya got to read thru all the bull-what he is basicly stating is drag setting are a personal prefurance thing.

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Old 07-22-07, 08:18 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zooker View Post
YAWN...ok so he is right -ya got to read thru all the bull-what he is basicly stating is drag setting are a personal prefurance thing.

zooker
Yep, along with what line you use. I like them very, very tight, and anything with trebbles baits are fairly loose. WOW that's sounded kinda kinky rotflmao.

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Old 07-22-07, 09:34 PM   #8
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lmao yep it did...

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Old 07-23-07, 12:21 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zooker View Post
YAWN...(OK,) so he is right(.) (You have) to read thr(ough) all the bull(.) (W)hat he is basic(AL)ly stating is (that) drag setting(s) are (Or: drag setting is) a (matter of) personal pref(e)r(e)nce.

zooker
Then you have to read through all the...(Well, you know.)

Zooklekins,

I apologize for employing words containing more than two syllables; It was thoughtless of me. I shouldn't have so taxed your resources.
Have another drink and throw another opossum on the grill.

Your friend, be it sunshine or shadow,

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Old 07-23-07, 12:59 PM   #10
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I'm surprised nobody has brought up the obligatory "wearing a dress" jokes in this thread yet...
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Old 07-23-07, 01:32 PM   #11
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I would have expected Flyboy to address said 'drag' jokes.
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Old 07-23-07, 05:19 PM   #12
zooker
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FlyRod View Post

ZOOKER

Have another drink and throw another opossum on the grill.
now pimpdaddy i can read thru your long winded overly accessive useage of the english terminolgy.. but dam get to the point allready!!!!

by the way pimpy daddy-o possum is just to dam greasy-i aint putting them nasty beast on my grill- i prefur steak or pork shoulder chased down with some decent adult refreshment -i prefure crown- now go back to your coors light and brisket sir...

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Old 07-23-07, 05:34 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bassfisher02 View Post
I would have expected Flyboy to address said 'drag' jokes.
Hmmmmm. Come to think of it, girls wearing men's dress shirts as
"casual wear" or our sweats tops as jammies ARE kinda special.
I always liked it when my late love wanted me to get up first on a frosty morn, put on my robe to warm it up, then put it on her when she hopped outta the sack.
To her, "drag" meant dragging me to malls, boutiques, high-end toy shops, nice eateries, chocolatiers, pastry shops, and chick flicks. My wallet and credit cards were always cordially invited to tag along. In fact, until I finally just gave her cards on my accounts, attendance was mandatory.
At least I bought some fishing time!

FR
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Old 07-25-07, 01:37 AM   #14
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My rule of thumb for drag is put your thumb on your reel spool and turn the reel habdle. If you cant turn the reel handle, loosen the drag a little bit until you can move the reel handle a little bit. For treble hooks, I like it fairly light, but normally my drags are pretty tight, then after th hookset, I loosen them up. Remeber to loosen the drag all the way after you are done fishing.
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