Setting Drag?

[Hoonin]

How do some of yaw set the drag on your reels? I used to set mine by the old pull and feel method. I was fishing last week and had a BIG fish brake off within 5 seconds of the hook set. I couldn't get him to turn he just wanted to swim to the right and then he went free. I researched today and went and set all my reels to 25% of the line wait. Is this what yaw do? Thanks fer any input.

[ejvesper]

I usually set the drag just as tight as it will go and use my thumb to give the fish more or less line till I get it close to the boat.....

[jooleyen]

I do the same thing as you. I just pull and feel. That whole 25% thing is too much for me. You get a feel for how tight it should be set.
Certain times I lock it down and other times I let it pretty loose. Depends on the line and rod.

[Fishnngolfn]

I use my fish weigh scale and set the drag to 75% of the leader line. I use a 15 lb fluoro leader so I set my drag at 12 lbs.

[Stinkies Daddy]

I dont know if it's differant on smaller reels but i run my drag so it will move quick but let the spool sing. and even then i have had the spool justa hummin and poof i was outta line

But i chase crappie like y'all chase bass

[MrPhotographer06]

haha do what?

i cheat sometimes and loosen the drag to get slack to tie on lures, so i just tighten it down, and if i get a fish thats singing the drag, then i tighten it..

i had to tighten the drag 3 times on my PB..

[Mac2]

I tighten the drag down tight...then backreel when necessary....have had a minimum of problems doing this...

[sharpe012010]

Originally Posted by Fishnngolfn

I use my fish weigh scale and set the drag to 75% of the leader line. I use a 15 lb fluoro leader so I set my drag at 12 lbs.

great idea, i have been messing with that method lately myself..

[islandbass]

75% of the line is pretty tight, but should work. The standard setting that many are taught is about 25-33% but I know from experience sometimes that setting isn't going to cut it with cover around. I do it by feel because I don't have a scale and usually will err on the looser side.

Hoonin,

is it possible your line you line might have broken for another reason? From what you describe, it seems a number of factors could have been responsible, like a weak spot in the line or the knot. The drag is also a possibility.

[MIbasser]

For me it depends on what I'm fishing. Jigs, frogs or beavers I don't want to set the hook and have drag come out. If I'm cranking, DS, or tubes I'll have a looser drag.

[carolina-rig-01]

i just tighten it down as tight as it will go. the only exception is crankbaits and the drag on my crankbait rods is very very loose.

[Love of the Sport]

Originally Posted by carolina-rig-01

i just tighten it down as tight as it will go. the only exception is crankbaits and the drag on my crankbait rods is very very loose.

Thats what I do also.

[cassidyta]

I usually use 15-17lbs test on my mono and fluoro. My make shift anchor for my boat is a 15lbs weight. I use it to make sure that I my drag is not stronger than my line. I have heavy braid on my flipping/pitching and frog rods and cinch the drag down all the way on them.

[Hoonin]

Thanks fer letting me know how all of yaw set your drag. My line could have broke due to other factors as stated above. I always tie a palemar knot. My line could have weakend when I sinched it down, might not have had enough spit on it to keep it from burning. Thanks again fer all the input.

[fishin spro]

Originally Posted by MrPhotographer06

haha do what?

i cheat sometimes and loosen the drag to get slack to tie on lures, so i just tighten it down, and if i get a fish thats singing the drag, then i tighten it..

i had to tighten the drag 3 times on my PB..

i wouldnt suggest doin that...if u ever have to turn a fish quick to keep him from goin under the boat, into a lot of brush, or near the motor or tm, u will REALLY wish u had it tight enough to do so, instead of watchin him dissapear.

anyways...i use the pull and feel method....if its really light line(spinning rod) i usally set it pretty light, if im fishin with braid in cypresses trees or other heavy cover i will set it pretty tight, so i can horse em if i gotta.

[MrPhotographer06]

i guess i'll learn when i actually get on a boat and fish

[BassinID]

I use a little trick that has worked great for mono and fluoro, but fails with braid.
You just wrap the line just out of the real face around your thumb once and pull, if it feels as if the line is cutting in, thats too tight, the larger diameter on larger lines will increase the tension needed to give you that cut in feeling.
For best results I try to do this before casting, I got cut pretty bad when I did it on the fly and my offering got bit deadsticking ten feet below the boat.

[BIGMO_13]

Originally Posted by MIbasser

For me it depends on what I'm fishing. Jigs, frogs or beavers I don't want to set the hook and have drag come out. If I'm cranking, DS, or tubes I'll have a looser drag.

Yep what he said.

[BassinID]

Of course if you are working a jig in heavy cover or flipping plastics into brush just crank it down man.

[CCbass]

I set my drag to the point that if my rod is pointed at the fish he will take drag with tension. If my rod is bowed no line will come of my reel, I do this to give a little cushion on the initial set to avoid breaking the line since I usually start a hook set with the rod pointed at the fish. If the fish runs I point the rod at him allowing him to take line.

[WTL]

I normally go by feel. First off, its a real rarity that I have fish break my line. I use PP in 30 or 8 pound test and the 8 pound test is on a rod with such a slow action its never broken. So when I set the drag, it is done so keeping more in mind wanting to have enough backbone to set the hook good, but wanting enough give not to pull a barely hooked fish free.

Always remember your parameters when you are trying to accomplish something.

[CCbass]

Good point WTL, I forgot to mention the setting for my rod (medium, light, heavy ect. ) That does in fact change your feel for the drag setting.

[basstech]

I take enough line out so i can step on my bait, I reel down so the tip of my rod is about two feet so when i drop the rod tip a little i have some slack and then slam the hookset home to rock the boat, for single hook baits I set it so just a little lines comes out maybe a foot or two. For treble hook baits I want about 4 feet of line to come out and still have a good bend in the rod when it stops. I don't slam home a hook set on treble hook baits, I use more of a sweep and reel fast to keep pressure on the fish.

[zooker]

Originally Posted by MIbasser

For me it depends on what I'm fishing. Jigs, frogs or beavers I don't want to set the hook and have drag come out. If I'm cranking, DS, or tubes I'll have a looser drag.

same with me only on my crankin reels the drag is sloppy loose..


zooker

[JB]

i had never even heard of anyone cranking their drag tight until i started reading it on the forum a year or two ago. I always had a tight drag and if I needed to add to the resistance I thumb the spool ....on most of my crankbait rods I would have some drag, but a few years ago learned that was a mistake, now i too leave it sloppy loose, I was taught that on a lake with big and powerfull bass that were breaking me off, I laughed at Ed when he was hooking 6+ lb bass but the drag was letting line out and to me seemed like he was getting no where...
He got them all in and after breaking off even more bass I loosened mine and keep them all that way today...that new Fritz crankin reel is set to loose drag but not sloppy loose, I'll probably loosen it more this week at the lake.