# Setting drag



## ducman491 (Oct 31, 2011)

What methods do you use to set drag? I'm still learning to fight a fish properly and I never really thought about the right way to set drag.


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## backlashed (Mar 19, 2011)

ducman491 said:


> What methods do you use to set drag? I'm still learning to fight a fish properly and I never really thought about the right way to set drag.


Consider your line first and set it thinking about big fish. I just give mine a tug, I expect to feel resistance but should be able to pull line off without breaking my line.


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## stak45dx1 (Jun 21, 2011)

You can use a scale, tie the end if your line to the hook of it and set the drag to pull out at a little less than what pound test you line is.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

You need to set it less than the line test. Far less actually, for a variety of reasons. I have no idea what I set mine at, I just go by feel. It&#8217;s better to start off a too loose, you can tighten if needed. If you start out too tight, you may find out by having a fish break off.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

One important thing to keep in mind when setting your drag is to not base you setting on the tension when tugging line directly from the reel but rather when it is completely through the rod. I don't have a good system to how I do mine either. It is really just a feel that you get over time. If you hook your line to a stationary object to simulate a fish or even a snag you can then try flexing the rod to see where the drag activates. Once you get the drag set to what seems appropriate then you can check to see how much tension it is when pull on the line at the reel. Over time that feel will become second nature. You are better off to have it set too light and increase it than the other way around.


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## ducman491 (Oct 31, 2011)

I'm not too worried about breaking off with the bait caster because I have 50lb braid on them but the spinning gear has 10lb flouroclear. The reason I was asking is I think it was too loose and I lost a pike because my hook set didn't really take. Thanks for the input guys


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## FISHIN 2 (Jun 22, 2005)

Set your grag to put enough tension on the hookset without slipping, then if the fish warrants, tighten your drag a touch. Alot of nice fish are lost when a heavy drag rips the hook out of their mouth, besides, nothing like catching a 10 lb sheepie and getting a 5 minute fight !!! Mike


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## leeabu (Apr 10, 2004)

I pull my drag from the spool untill I get a good solid resistance but not quite locked down. My goal is to get a good hookset at the end of a long cast. I use florocarbon usually which I know has less give than mono but more than braid. I normally use a 7'2" medium heavy fast action rod that has a good backbone but good flex in the tip section. Once I believe I have a good hookset and if it is a big fish, I will back off the drag. If the fish runs under the boat, I don't want a tight drag. But this is casting for Bass. If I am trolling, I will set the drag a bit looser initially. In this case if a big fish or snag I don't want the boat motion being the prime factor on how much pressure I am putting on the fish. So it all depends on the type and size of fish you are targeting, the method you are using to present the bait, the line you are using mono vs floro or braid, and the length and action of your rod. Another factor to consider is the hook you are using. Worm fish with a single hook I want enough drag to drive the hook. Treble hooks are smaller and do not need as much pressure. Easy isn't it?


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Spool diameter has a big effect on drag tension. As spool diameter decreases, drag tension increases. A drag setting at or close to the rated breaking strength of your line with your spool full of line will exceed the breaking strength of the line as the spools diameter decreases. The saving factor is line stretch and rod flex.


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## Tokugawa (Apr 29, 2008)

Bassbme said:


> Spool diameter has a big effect on drag tension. As spool diameter decreases, drag tension increases. A drag setting at or close to the rated breaking strength of your line with your spool full of line will exceed the breaking strength of the line as the spools diameter decreases. The saving factor is line stretch and rod flex.


Well...the tension is the same, but the moment arm applying rotational force to the spool is shorter. 

In addition, you have to take into account knot strength. For nylon and 
braid, you can safely assume 90%. For FC, you need to use 70%.

So, for #15 FC, the knot strength puts you at 10.5lbs. Then you need to add safety factor (what if you have a nick in the line?) and you need to take into account the spool emptying. I use 30%. So, that puts you right at 6lbs for #15 test. If you can't get a single hook through the lip with a 6 lb hookset, you need sharper hooks. 

Do the math for #6 or #7 FC...and it gets interesting.

Kind of silly to have #20 drags for bass...huh?


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## lordofthepunks (Feb 24, 2009)

Tokugawa said:


> Well...the tension is the same, but the moment arm applying rotational force to the spool is shorter.
> 
> In addition, you have to take into account knot strength. For nylon and
> braid, you can safely assume 90%. For FC, you need to use 70%.
> ...


this is the best advice on this thread. me personally, i use 50% for floro and mono but 30% is far adequate. i dont think people realize how hard it is to apply 6lbs of pressure with a rod tip.

there is some terrible advice on this thread,if you use tokugawas advice, you wont be wrong.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Tokugawa said:


> Well...the tension is the same, but the moment arm applying rotational force to the spool is shorter.



Well done.........and you're absolutely right. I guess I should have added "figuratively speaking" LOL


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## ducman491 (Oct 31, 2011)

Tokugawa said:


> Well...the tension is the same, but the moment arm applying rotational force to the spool is shorter.
> 
> In addition, you have to take into account knot strength. For nylon and
> braid, you can safely assume 90%. For FC, you need to use 70%.
> ...


This makes the most sense to me. I figure I can hook my fish scale and set my drag to about 4lbs on the mono and probably 8lbs or so on the braid since I throw it into the weeds a lot. Thanks for all the advice.


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## backlashed (Mar 19, 2011)

Sweet Jesus, this is fishin', we're not trying to determine the diameter of wire rope to use on a drag line. 

Leave the physics at home and give someone some advice they can use in the field without a scale. 


_OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors._


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## ducman491 (Oct 31, 2011)

backlashed said:


> Sweet Jesus, this is fishin', we're not trying to determine the diameter of wire rope to use on a drag line.
> 
> Leave the physics at home and give someone some advice they can use in the field without a scale.
> 
> ...


I figure if I set it with the scale at home and learn what it feels like by hand so I can just estimate it on the water.


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## backlashed (Mar 19, 2011)

There are too many variables going in here to make this worthwhile. Don't turn this into a physics experiment, learn something simple that works and just have fun fishing. 




_OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors._


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## RushCreekAngler (Jan 19, 2011)

I'll throw a little gas on the fire with a totally different approach. My drag has one setting - as tight as I can get it. I don't want any fish stripping off line, I want to control the fight. If I need to give the fish line, I'll let it out under tension by reeling backwards, and make him fight for each inch. This also gives me the ability to try to turn the fish if it heads for something that might tangle the line. I do this regardless of the line weight (I use 4,6, or 20lb line depending on the rod). Some of you older members out here might remember this from the old Fishing Facts magazine or Lunkers love nightcrawlers.


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## Burks (Jun 22, 2011)

I have mine pretty darn tight, probably tighter than most would ever use. I've never lost a fish to a hook set or due to my line breaking (that wasn't my fault). From 48" muskie to stupid bullheads.

That's not to say I haven't lightened up on the drag though once the hook was set.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

RushCreekAngler said:


> I'll throw a little gas on the fire with a totally different approach. My drag has one setting - as tight as I can get it. I don't want any fish stripping off line, I want to control the fight. If I need to give the fish line, I'll let it out under tension by reeling backwards, and make him fight for each inch. This also gives me the ability to try to turn the fish if it heads for something that might tangle the line. I do this regardless of the line weight (I use 4,6, or 20lb line depending on the rod). Some of you older members out here might remember this from the old Fishing Facts magazine or Lunkers love nightcrawlers.


I am not sure if you were stating this as your actual practice or if this was tongue in cheek. If you do actually fish that way then for your sake I hope you are using the 20 lb line. I think most folks have encountered fish that will win the tug of war on 6# line at one point or another. Learning to use your drag is critical to handling bigger fish unless you are fortunate enough to hook them solidly with high strength braid. Even then without a drag working those large fish can tear loose because they get too much resistance.



backlashed said:


> There are too many variables going in here to make this worthwhile. Don't turn this into a physics experiment, learn something simple that works and just have fun fishing.


Folks are trying to make this in to a physics class. They are just trying to put it in to terms that make sense. Some guys use the heavy braids and feel that drag is unnecessary and if that is the case for you then fine but many fishing applications do not condone using those heavy braids and playing a fish properly is necessary.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

RushCreekAngler said:


> I'll throw a little gas on the fire with a totally different approach. My drag has one setting - as tight as I can get it. I don't want any fish stripping off line, I want to control the fight. If I need to give the fish line, I'll let it out under tension by reeling backwards, and make him fight for each inch. This also gives me the ability to try to turn the fish if it heads for something that might tangle the line. I do this regardless of the line weight (I use 4,6, or 20lb line depending on the rod). Some of you older members out here might remember this from the old Fishing Facts magazine or Lunkers love nightcrawlers.


That works fine for small fish, but it can very likely lead to a broken line or pulled hook when you start stepping up to larger fish. Its also not something that should be suggested to a beginner.


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## RushCreekAngler (Jan 19, 2011)

M.Magis said:


> That works fine for small fish, but it can very likely lead to a broken line or pulled hook when you start stepping up to larger fish. It&#8217;s also not something that should be suggested to a beginner.


I will agree that you have to know your tackle, what it can take, and at what point you need to let the fish take line. you also have to have your line and rod's matched. If you are using 6lb line with a Heavy rod, you will be in trouble. The rod should be doing almost all of the work. You also have to make sure your line is in good condition - cut back if you have any nicks, abrasion or kinks, and retie your knots frequently. All of the breakoff's I have ever had have been from getting lazy and not keeping a close eye on my line or not retying knots.


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## RushCreekAngler (Jan 19, 2011)

bkr43050 said:


> I am not sure if you were stating this as your actual practice or if this was tongue in cheek. If you do actually fish that way then for your sake I hope you are using the 20 lb line. I think most folks have encountered fish that will win the tug of war on 6# line at one point or another. Learning to use your drag is critical to handling bigger fish unless you are fortunate enough to hook them solidly with high strength braid. Even then without a drag working those large fish can tear loose because they get too much resistance.
> .


this is my actual practice. I don't think you will get many fish that can actually pull 6lb - they may weigh over 6 on dry land, but they can only put as much pressure on the line as they can pull by swimming. In my opinion, breakoffs in many cases are due to bad/worn knots, or line that has been damaged and weaked so that it's far below it's breaking strength. you can also have problems with mismatched tackle - 6lb line on a stiff rod will cause problems, as all of the stress is on the line and not on the rod.


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## Tokugawa (Apr 29, 2008)

backlashed said:


> There are too many variables going in here to make this worthwhile. Don't turn this into a physics experiment, learn something simple that works and just have fun fishing.


I'm sorry you can't follow. We'll try to dumb it down in the future and present unsubstantiated and wholly inaccurate opinions as opposed to facts. The OP seemed to like the answer tho.

Rushcreekangler - do you backreel with a baitcaster...or only spinning gear? For a baitcaster, you'd have to remove the anti-reverse pawl or the ARB...and people are already griping about complexity when someone posts simple arithmetic. I can't imagine what would happen if you told them to mod their gear just to NOT set the drag.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

RushCreekAngler said:


> this is my actual practice. I don't think you will get many fish that can actually pull 6lb - they may weigh over 6 on dry land, but they can only put as much pressure on the line as they can pull by swimming. In my opinion, breakoffs in many cases are due to bad/worn knots, or line that has been damaged and weaked so that it's far below it's breaking strength. you can also have problems with mismatched tackle - 6lb line on a stiff rod will cause problems, as all of the stress is on the line and not on the rod.


If you are confident that no fish can pull more than 6# then I trust that you have not caught many sizable fish. As dead weight coming through the water you can handle a fish larger than 6# with 6# line but a larger fish will far exceed that. When I am panfishing I typically only use 2-6# test which will will handle the panfish rather well although the larger oens may be to the point where I appreciate having the drag. It is the occasional bass, catfish carp, etc. that end up on the line that will never make it to the boat on 6# test line without a drag.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

RushCreekAngler said:


> this is my actual practice. I don't think you will get many fish that can actually pull 6lb - they may weigh over 6 on dry land, but they can only put as much pressure on the line as they can pull by swimming. In my opinion, breakoffs in many cases are due to bad/worn knots, or line that has been damaged and weaked so that it's far below it's breaking strength. you can also have problems with mismatched tackle - 6lb line on a stiff rod will cause problems, as all of the stress is on the line and not on the rod.


You've never had a fish pull your boat?


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## ducman491 (Oct 31, 2011)

My main concern with the braid was that I was missing fishing because I set the hook too hard and was yanking it through their lip. With the mono I was worried that with the stretch I wasn't setting it hard enough. Tok's method gave me a quantifiable number and a way to measure it. I fish 50lb and 10lb line so I'm not worried about breaking a fish off. Only applying the appropriate amount of force to set the hook. Now I have a baseline to work from. At 4lb of drag I would think I should get a little zing of drag when I set the hook on a decent fish. If he's big enough to take line I can adjust on the fly. At this point I don't think I have enough experience to go by feel alone.


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## RushCreekAngler (Jan 19, 2011)

Bassbme said:


> You've never had a fish pull your boat?


yes, even with light line. When snagged, I've pulled my boat with 4lb line over to the snag.


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## RushCreekAngler (Jan 19, 2011)

Tokugawa said:


> I'm sorry you can't follow. We'll try to dumb it down in the future and present unsubstantiated and wholly inaccurate opinions as opposed to facts. The OP seemed to like the answer tho.
> 
> Rushcreekangler - do you backreel with a baitcaster...or only spinning gear? For a baitcaster, you'd have to remove the anti-reverse pawl or the ARB...and people are already griping about complexity when someone posts simple arithmetic. I can't imagine what would happen if you told them to mod their gear just to NOT set the drag.


on my baitcaster, I use heavy line, so it's usually not a problem, but with the star drag, I can back it off quickly if I need to (but most of the time I do use spinning equipment). However, I have removed the anti-reverse on reels I want to use for trolling - I want the handles engaged all the time and I use my thumb on the spool to keep the line from spooling out.


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## RushCreekAngler (Jan 19, 2011)

Just to get an idea on what weight feels like on your equipment, here a test (From Lunkers love Nightcrawlers) - get a 1 lb weight (like a box of something from the kitchen) - tie it on your line and try to lift it with your rod - then try to reel it in. I think you will be surprised at how much stress just 1 lb puts on your rod and reel - and think about how many fish you have caught that have put that amount of stress on your equipment.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

RushCreekAngler said:


> yes, even with light line. When snagged, I've pulled my boat with 4lb line over to the snag.


If a fish has pulled your boat, it's pulling a lot more than 6 lbs. Now on to the topic of drag settings.

Since we're evidently not allowed to bring physics into the discussion for fear of upsetting certain members, I'll just say what I do. I normally use a pretty heavy drag setting unless I'm fishing with light line and using near verticle presentations like drop shotting. When fishing verticle, rod flex and rod angle increase the amount of energy it takes to cause the drag to slip, so you don't need as much drag tension as you would if you were fishing further from the boat. Anyhow....... I don't like any slippage when I set the hook so that's why I keep my drags pretty tight. If I need to give a fish line I'll point my rod directly at the fish if at all possible. I want a straight line between the fish and the spool with the least amount of added resistance.


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## RushCreekAngler (Jan 19, 2011)

Bassbme said:


> If a fish has pulled your boat, it's pulling a lot more than 6 lbs. Now on to the topic of drag settings.


I would disagree with that - I've pulled my boat at the dock many times to get it over to the trailer, and it takes very little effort to move it - quite a bit less that 6lb of pull. ( my boat is a 12ft aluminum boat, 7.7hp merc motor, so it's not as heavy as a bass boat)


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Reel manufacturers put drags on reels for a good reason but whether people choose to use them is obviously up to the individual. But i do know that anyone who has fished for very long and in particular using something like 4-6# test line without having their drag set properly will certainly regret it at one point. That line will pull dead weight at a slow pace through the water but when you need to turn a fish that has other plans that line will not do it. Without the drag you will be singing the blues. It seems that some people feel intimidated by the concept of using the drag but it is really not that complicated. You are basically setting the resistance at a tension safely below the breaking point of the line you are using so that it will slip when that tension is exceeded.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

RushCreekAngler said:


> I would disagree with that - I've pulled my boat at the dock many times to get it over to the trailer, and it takes very little effort to move it - quite a bit less that 6lb of pull. ( my boat is a 12ft aluminum boat, 7.7hp merc motor, so it's not as heavy as a bass boat)


Your boat weighs more than 6 lbs. so if a fish has pulled your boat it is in fact pulling more than 6 lbs. Without going into the surface tension of water, and weight distribution over area.......The reason you can pull your boat so easily is because the boat is offering little opposing resistance. It's also because you are pulling your boat at or near a horizontal plane. Increase the angle above or below that horizontal plane, and resistance increases as the angle increases. Add an opposing force factor to the equation (a wind blowing your boat away from you, or a fish pulling away from you) and the force needed to counteract the opposing force is increased. (There's that whole physics and laws of motion thing rearing its ugly head again.) A half ounce lure can pop 20 lb test line in mid cast if it's intertia is suddenly stopped as the result of a back lash or reel malfunction. Yet if you look at both in a static state, 20 lbs is 640 times heavier than a half ounce. 

BTW..... my physics jabs nor the following statement are not directed at you..... For some..... as much as they may want to discount it..... physics is the why things do the things that they do. One of the greatest misnomers you will ever hear, or read is the statement, "a longer rod gives you more leverage on a fish" When in fact a longer rod gives the fish more leverage based on the increase in distance to the fulcrum. It's physics. Do we need to know physics to go fishing? Certainly not. But if you want to know the reason why, instead of just having someone tell you what to do....... you need to take into account the way things work.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Good physics lesson Bassbme except I don't quite agree with the boat pulling explanation. My boat weighs well over 1,000# but if it is sitting on calm water I can pull it toward me with relative ease. I am not sure what the physics answer would be to how much force it would take. I am sure there are many variables involved. But the point is that a 12 foot boat with a small motor could get tugged around relatively easily if done gradually. Done quickly by a large fish will still cause line breakage...which is why most still choose to use a drag.


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## 1mecheng (Jul 28, 2009)

Physics!!! It's not just a good idea ... it's the law!
(Sorry for the bad joke.)

If we treat moving the boat as a true physics problem, we have to resolve the forces and motions in the vertical and horizontal directions. 

First, the vertical direction, which is easiest. The weight of the boat is met by an equal and opposite force - bouyancy. (If it wasn't, the boat would sink. LOL!) Since we have equilibrium here, we can now move on to the horizontal direction. (No pun intended)

The horizontal direction is a little more challenging. Think about a wagon or wheelbarrow. We haul loads we can't lift because we use mechanical advantage. In the case of a wheelbarrow, we reduce let the wagon hold the weight, and we only need to overcome inertia and friction. The friction of the wagon is in the tires, and the air resistance (if we go fast enough to make it substantial). The boat example is no different.

In theory, a near infinite mass can be moved by an infinitessimally small force without any friction. It may not accelerate very fast, but it can be done. Remember the most basic physics equation: Force = Mass x Acceleration. As acceleration gets very small, the mass can get huge for the same amount of force. 

Here's the cool part. Water, at slow speeds, is like a set of very thin tires on concrete. There's not much resistance. So, the theory and the equation above applies. Here's the tricky part - because water is pretty dense, as you increase in speed, the drag and skin friction resistive forces become dominant. This is generally why a 300 hp motor will only get a boat to 70 mph, but can take a car to over 150 mph.

But, as you can see, at slow speeds, you can use small forces to move heavy objects.

How does this relate to the original post? It is possible to "reel" the boat to a snag, even using only 4 or 6 pound line, if the acceleration is slow enough.

As for setting the drag ... I choose to eschew the physics and go by "feel". It's quicker, and gets me to a close approximation of the optimal value. As always, if the line breaks, loosen the drag for next time. 

Hope I haven't confused anyone too much. If you can't tell, I like being an engineer. :Banane09:


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Bassbme said:


> Without going into the surface tension of water, and weight distribution over area.......The reason you can pull your boat so easily is because the boat is offering little opposing resistance.


And you're right Bkr........There are a lot of variables that go in to calculating force. Bascially it's a mass times acceleration thing. Suffice it to say...... if your boat was trying to get away from you versus sitting still in calm water, it would take more force to keep it from getting away from you. Yet the boats weight never changes. Just its' energy changes. Also, I really don't know how to relate just how slick the surface of water is without getting completely boring. lol I suppose you could compare pulling a 500 lb flat bottom boat across the surface of water to dragging the same boat across the ground. Water is pretty "slick"


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## backlashed (Mar 19, 2011)

Tokugawa said:


> I'm sorry you can't follow. We'll try to dumb it down in the future and present unsubstantiated and wholly inaccurate opinions as opposed to facts. The OP seemed to like the answer tho.


I'm laughing so hard here it hurts. I currently teach pre-engineering, spent 23 years of my life working in private industry and finished that career working in manufacturing. 

Again I'll say you are taking something very simple and trying to turn it into a half baked physics experiment. Your experiments don't hold up out in the field, there are simply too many variables involved to make tugging on the line with a scale in your garage equate to good data to use in the field.

The first issue is your knot, which is the weak link. We all know that the knot you choose and your ability to tie it well can compromise the best line.

The next issue is the true parting strength of the line. According to an article in Marlin Magazine, a manufacturers 4 pound label.....

_"means that the line is guaranteed to test over 4 pounds with a hook tied on with a palomar knot. That same line on the spool might break anywhere from 11 to 16 pounds! Which is incredible line, but very confusing for the angler who wants to know exactly where his line should break."_

With all this testing you advocate, you're going to have anglers worried about a breaking point that is nowhere near the true strength of their line.

Quite making this so hard boys, it's just fishin'.  Go out and enjoy yourself and learn a simple field test that works.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Backlashed is right guys. I like math and physics probably more than most, but I think this is far beyond what the orginal question was referring to. Let's not take the fun out of it for those that don't enjoy the math part.


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## Tokugawa (Apr 29, 2008)

backlashed said:


> I'm laughing so hard here it hurts. I currently teach pre-engineering, spent 23 years of my life working in private industry and finished that career working in manufacturing.
> 
> Again I'll say you are taking something very simple and trying to turn it into a half baked physics experiment. Your experiments don't hold up out in the field, there are simply too many variables involved to make tugging on the line with a scale in your garage equate to good data to use in the field.
> 
> ...


Great! I taught engineering at the college level and have worked in aerospace for 20+ years developing systems and parts that work at mach 0.80 and 40,000ft. So we are both nerds...

Suggest you read the following. FWIW, I use "class rated lines"...so they break very close to the line rating without a knot. 

http://www.tackletour.com/reviewfluorocarbontest.html

http://www.tackletour.com/reviewfluorocarbon2.html

What one person calls "hard", another calls "detail". Attention to detail makes an angler better, not worse. Attention to detail doesn't matter much until the fish on the line is a personal best or a tourney winning fish - then it means everything. People fish for different reasons and have different styles. Do it willy nilly if you wish, but don't tell others that is the right way to do it.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

M.Magis said:


> Backlashed is right guys. I like math and physics probably more than most, but I think this is far beyond what the orginal question was referring to. Let's not take the fun out of it for those that don't enjoy the math part.


You're right about the discussion getting off track. My apologies. The original question was asking how to properly set a drag. The proper and most accurate way to set a drag is the way Tokugawa explained it in his original response to the question. His response used actual numbers that are repeatable as a baseline , versus Backlashed' response of going by feel, which is highly variable. A person needs to have a baseline, or needs to know what it's supposed to "feel" like, before you can begin to judge if it "feels right" Feel is developed through time and experience. An experienced angler telling a novice, or someone less experienced to simply go by feel, isn't really doing the person requesting the information any good because of the difference in experience between the two. Of course that's just my opinion.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

So the next time I have youngsters on the boat fishing and they ask me how to set the drag do I have to recall this entire thread for reference?


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I think the main thing to remember with drags is what the purpose is and then keep in mind that your goal is to allow the drag to work well before the breaking point of the line. Whatever method one chooses to arrive at that setting is totally up to him/her.


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## bsmith (Mar 26, 2010)

There has been a lot of back and forth here and I've actually learned a few things from both sides of the debate. I actually appreciate seeing both the details that help us understand the principles in play, as well as the subjective side that allow us to apply this in the field.

My basic strategy seems to be consistent with that of most of you. Set the drag to a few pounds, or just enough to get a good hook set. This way if you hook a small fish that can't pull hard enough to activate the drag mechanism, the rod will do the fighting for you and you can just reel it in. If you catch a bigger fish, the drag will prevent him from breaking your line. If he's pulling too much off the spool you can reach down and tighten it up real quick. I've found that rear drag knobs on spinning reels are much easier to use for this than the front drag knobs. The bait caster drag knobs are very easy to use in this manner also.

To bring it full circle, I was once fishing for bass in the LMR, throwing a small lipless crankbait on an ultralight action rod spooled with 4lb. test. A sizable flathead decided that he liked my lure and chomped on it. Managed to land the thing. The only reason: I was in a kayak and I had my drag set to just a couple pounds (by feel). When he would take big runs my drag coupled with the movement of my boat prevented him from breaking the line. It would pull me up and downstream for long periods of time. I just had to keep the boat's bow or stern pointed in the direction of his run so he wouldn't be able to get enough purchase to break the line. I had to exhaust the fish, pull it to shore, then my friend had to jump on it like Steve Irwin (I never would have landed this fish alone). After a couple of really bad cell phone pics it was revived and released safely all thanks to both things described in this thread: the drag and the fish's ability to pull the boat. I really think that if I was standing on the shore when I hooked him, he would have broken off in one of those big runs and I've have been left guessing what it was, how big it was, etc.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

bsmith said:


> There has been a lot of back and forth here and I've actually learned a few things from both sides of the debate. I actually appreciate seeing both the details that help us understand the principles in play, as well as the subjective side that allow us to apply this in the field.
> 
> My basic strategy seems to be consistent with that of most of you. Set the drag to a few pounds, or just enough to get a good hook set. This way if you hook a small fish that can't pull hard enough to activate the drag mechanism, the rod will do the fighting for you and you can just reel it in. If you catch a bigger fish, the drag will prevent him from breaking your line. If he's pulling too much off the spool you can reach down and tighten it up real quick. I've found that rear drag knobs on spinning reels are much easier to use for this than the front drag knobs. The bait caster drag knobs are very easy to use in this manner also.
> 
> To bring it full circle, I was once fishing for bass in the LMR, throwing a small lipless crankbait on an ultralight action rod spooled with 4lb. test. A sizable flathead decided that he liked my lure and chomped on it. Managed to land the thing. The only reason: I was in a kayak and I had my drag set to just a couple pounds (by feel). When he would take big runs my drag coupled with the movement of my boat prevented him from breaking the line. It would pull me up and downstream for long periods of time. I just had to keep the boat's bow or stern pointed in the direction of his run so he wouldn't be able to get enough purchase to break the line. I had to exhaust the fish, pull it to shore, then my friend had to jump on it like Steve Irwin (I never would have landed this fish alone). After a couple of really bad cell phone pics it was revived and released safely all thanks to both things described in this thread: the drag and the fish's ability to pull the boat. I really think that if I was standing on the shore when I hooked him, he would have broken off in one of those big runs and I've have been left guessing what it was, how big it was, etc.


Good post, and I bet that fight with that flathead was a blast. And I'm sure that you're right. Had you hooked that fish while shore fishing it probably would have been gone. You mentioned liking the rear drag knob on a spinning reel better because they are easier to adjust during a fight. And I totally agree. I have a couple of Shimano Symetre's that are rear drag with the fighting lever that like quite a bit. Just a word of advice in case you don't already do this........ you may want to pull some line off your spool so that you make the drag slip before you start fishing for the day. Rear drags have such small drag washers that they can stick if you don't loosen them up a little from time to time. Especially if you have them kind of tight so you get a good hook set. Which is something I found out the hard way. Recently I've went to spinning reels with front drags only because they have a smoother operating drag. But I still use and love my rear drag models. I just make sure I loosen them up before I start my fishing day.


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## Stripers4Life (May 2, 2007)

I troll for muskies...and only muskies. My reels are lined with 80lb braid. My drag is set real tight. The baits I use, at the speed I troll, you must have heavy drag settings in order to get a good hook-set. Keep in mind when trolling like this the hook is already set by the heavy drag and boat speed upon the strike. When I get fish, the synchro drag system, which works like a salt water lever drag, is critical to boating larger fish. I want a good hookset upon strike, and then I want ultimate control of tension when fighting the fish. If she wants to run, you simply back off the handle and let her run, then when she starts to slow down, you can reel forward, which brings the reel to the pre-set drag, and just anchor that fish. It all depends on what type of fish you are targeting and what type of gear you are using. You guys we be surprised at the amount of drag I use. MY abu reals are capable of 24lbs of drag, I probably have them set at 12 - 15lbs most of the time. I used to use a lighter drag setting and was loosing fish left and right, since I started using heavy drag settings, I began putting alot more fish in the boat.


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## [email protected] (Dec 22, 2006)

Set it by tieing a weight 75% of the line test to the end of line. Start with the drag loose and attempt to lift the weight. Repeat tightening drag little at a time and lifting until either your able to pick up the weight or your afraid the rod is going to break or you simply cannot tighten the drag any tighter (many reels max at around 15lbs of drag). This is pretty good for medium size setups as it gives maximum hook setting and control potential, the ability to get the fish in quickly with a reasonable buffer should you hook a big one. If you have a cheapy reel, better to set the drag a little looser than 75% because they're not usually as smooth.

In the case of extra heavy set ups (say 60lb+ test on saltwater or catfish tackle), generally setting between 20 and 30 lbs is about all a person can handle pumping their arms for a length of time. This somewhat depends on an individuals strength and stamina and possible quarry. 15-20lbs is usually plenty to control fish we'd likely encounter in Ohio.

Also consider the fish, I often use 8lb test for crappie but keep my drag fairly light, maybe a pound or two, as I tend to set the hook pretty aggressively out of habit. This keeps from tearing the hook out of crappies mouths. I like the heavy line though as I can simply hold the spool to straighten out the hook in case of a snag.

When fishing with kids, I usually set it light enough that I'm pretty sure the rod won't get ripped out of their hands.


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## RiparianRanger (Nov 18, 2015)

Enjoyed reading the thread. I subscribe to the 25-30% method whereby the drag on 10 lb. test would be set at 2.5 lbs. to 3 lbs. The question I have is how best to measure that 25-30% range. 

I have read elsewhere that laying the rod and reel flat at the 9 o'clock position is best so that the line runs straight through the guides unimpeded is best (you'll need an assistant for this, or a way of securing the rod if solo). Then hook the end of the line to an electronic hand scale such as boga grips and pull until the scale reads somewhere between 2.5 and 3 lbs. and set the drag that way. It's the method I currently use. Haven't found anything better. This is likely a conservative drag setting since in the field the rod will take some force off the line thereby limiting how close the line comes to its true "test" rating. 

Anyone else use a different method?


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## ducman491 (Oct 31, 2011)

To update this thread from 5 years ago, my fishing technique has improved as well as my gear choices and variety. I've gone from 2 rods to 6 that I take with me depending on the presentations for the day. 
7' St Croix Mojo spinning with 10lb mono - trick worm/senko
Drag at about 5lbs to allow for stretch on hook sets 
7' St. Croix Triumph spinning with 10lb Power Pro braid, drop shot, drag at maybe 2lbs for hook set and then tighten if needed to play the fish. 
7' St. Croix Triumph casting crank wits Seguar Red label Fluorocarbon 12lbs. Drag set at about 4lbs 
6'6" St. Croix Mojo casting 20lb Power Pro braid swim bait, chatter bait spinner bait, soft plastic toads, swim jigs drag at 8lbs. 
7'3" Abu Garcia Veritas casting 50lb Power Pro braid drag locked flipping, pitching, punching heavy cover with big jigs or creature baits 
7' Abu Garcia Veritas casting 50lb Power Pro braid frogs only drag locked

I set all of them with my scale when I begin each season then adjust as needed on the day. About 2 or 3 times a season I'll get the scale out and reset everything. To set I'll tie directly to my scale and one of my kids hold it and pull to whatever weight we've decided then I back off the drag until it gently slips. May or may not be terribly accurate but I don't typically lose fish after the hook set.


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## r1verr4t (Apr 25, 2015)

How did I get by with an old zebco 303 when I was a child. Haha!


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