How About that Drag

Started by Bud Kennedy, October 17, 2017, 10:40:20 AM

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Bud Kennedy

I have found that I often don't consider drag settings until it is too late.  Depending upon the conditions you are fishing and the lures you are using and the line you have spooled these settings can be very important to keep that fish hooked up.  I would like to hear from some folks about their thoughts about proper drag settings and conditions.

Lee Smith

Fish 50# braid and up, use a very good set of pliers to set the drag  ~roflmao  ~roflmao
Builder of Custom Personal Bassin' Rods

LgMouthGambler

Just remember to set the drag before you make the first cast.  lo
My wife says she is gonna leave me if I go fishing one more time........lord how I will miss that woman.

SFL BassHunter

Quote from: LgMouthGambler on October 17, 2017, 11:20:03 AM
Just remember to set the drag before you make the first cast.  lo

This one always gets me now that I loosen my drag after I finish fishing.


Quote from: Lee Smith on October 17, 2017, 10:52:13 AM
Fish 50# braid and up, use a very good set of pliers to set the drag  ~roflmao  ~roflmao
Basically this ^^^, with a few exceptions.
PB: 6lbs 5oz / 24.25 inches.
Rods/Reels Dobyns, 13 Fishing, Cabelas Arachnid, Daiwa Tatula CT, Tatula SVTW, Tatula Tactical, Tatula Type R
Florida Bass Fishing

Capt. BassinLou

Drag for me is technique specific, and situational. Power techniques like punching and frogging, 0 drag. It's straight up battling to get the fish up and out of cover quick. Every other technique besides the 2 I just mentioned I set drag accordingly and/or on the fly when I'm fighting the fish.

SteveTX

I now set my drag when I pull my rod out and take the cover off it and the reel. I know what I plan to do with it and set it accordingly. I started this process because I too was catching that first fish (or usually missing it) because the was no drag set. ~rant You ever try and set the hooks on a frog with no drag. It can make a mess that can take a while to clean up.  ~xyz

I'm almost 100% braid and other than a couple cranking reels, my drag is... well I use the pliers. lo

But most of my fishing I am in cover and have 50lb on a few but 65lb on the rest. I usually don't have a rod under a 4 power out and mostly use 5 and 6 power rods. Again I'm in lily pads, cat tails, or vegetation of some kind almost constantly though.

Pferox

Saltwater, pier fishing is a little different, you keep the drags light so the fish can run with the bait and not pull your rod over the rail.  When I pick up the rod I tighten the drag down, it is a feel thing, but I try to set the drag then to about 1/3rd the line strength.
"If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito" - African Proverb.  Jim

zippyduck

Crank it down and adjust while fighting the fish. I use a lot of 10-15 lb. Co-Polymers and have had no issues with working the drag as I am fighting the fish.
3rd place 2017 UB IBASS 377.75"
AOY 2018 IBASS Cool Casters  369.00"
AOY 2019 IBASS Cool Casters  362.50"

Canny

I use a lot of fluorocarbon and set my drag by feel. Heavier line I set it tighter, but never too tight. A lesson I learned along time ago by my grandpa, you can catch big fish on light line as long as your drag is set right. Now braid, I cinch it down. However I only use braid on a couple setups.


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FloridaFishinFool

#9
I set up the drag washers in my reels differently for different applications. For heavy cover I will often use only dry carbon fiber washer stacks along with a Shimano Dartanium II washer under the main drive gear. Staying dry gives me a more responsive stronger drag ability.

And if I really need some drag stopping power I may choose to set up the drag washers with just Dartanium II washers only. Some of Shimano high end reels are sold new set up this way. Dartanium II is self lubricating and a patented material designed by shimano for their reels. Using drag grease on them really destroys what they are capable of but we see a lot of people who do just that without knowing because sometimes fishermen do not back the drag off after use and it can cause the Dartanium II washers to stick to the metal parts and can cause some of the Dartanium material to stick to the metal parts causing the drag to become "jerky" as Shimano puts it in their quick fix brochure. So for this Shimano recommends a light coat of grease but also warns about using too much grease on the Dartanium washers. I prefer them dry. If I were to have need to grease them I would switch to a different washer material but that is just my preference.

What Shimano is saying without saying it in the quick fix brochure is that the jerkiness is actually caused from misuse and they offer a simple quick fix. But if you look inside new reels with Dartanium II washers they are usually shipped from the factory dry because that is how the patented design of the material was intended for it to be used to achieve greatest drag resistance.

http://fish.shimano.com/content/sac-fish/en/home/customer-service/reel-maintenance-instructions/_jcr_content/bodycontent/download_7/downloadFile/file.res/Quick Fix Tips - Low Profile Drag and Anti Reverse.pdf

On reels I use for open water applications like spinners and crank lures I will usually soften up the drag stack with shimano drag grease and forgo the dartanium II washer under the main drive gear and use carbon fiber instead also greased. Doing it this way is less damaging to the soft tissue in the bass mouth upon hook setting. Less tearing means the hook stays in better and longer.

On some spinning reels I use either all carbon fiber drag washers or sometimes do what Penn does on some of their spinning reels and use a combination of Carbon fiber washers along with white teflon drag washers, and on spinning reels I keep them dry same as Penn because due to smaller diameter size of the washers I want to increase drag ability as I can and not diminish it with drag grease.

I never crank the drag all the way down. I always back it all the way off when done fishing on all my reels. And when fishing I use only the amount of drag needed for any given situation and I have learned to use my thumb to assist the drag when needed. On spinning reels I will cup the spool or use a finger to add pressure to do the same thing to help control the drag at times.

Bottom line is drag washer mechanics is not the same for all reels and all applications. For those of us who work on our own reels tweaking it one way or another is a learned art same as fishing is.

I stockpile every kind of drag washer made and that I can find. I have experimented in the past and continue to experiment with different materials to achieve the drag that I prefer for any given reel and any given situation.

The only drag washer material I know people have used in the past that I have not experimented with is leather. For one, I know from what others tell me it does not hold up well and glazes over and it needs constant maintenance and care to keep it at an optimal level. So I never had any desire to try it, well OK maybe once, but I never tried it.

Here is an example of drag washer tinkering with a reel I was setting up for flipping and pitching into heavy cover. Laying on the workbench is the original plastic/cardboard type of drag washer I removed from this reel, and shown on the clutch ratchet/gear is a brand new shimano Dartanium II washer fitted as large as I could make it without the washer interfering with the ratchet opertation and going onto the reel dry with no grease. The more surface area of the washer there is the more drag capability it can deliver and in this case I was going for the maximum.

Also notice the brass gear laying on the workbench is made for a triple carbon fiber drag stack which for this reel was installed dry also to maximize drag capability.

Words are the exercise for the brain. Words are life expressed... without words we die a slow meaningless death. Silence to the grave is no way to go! So live! Use words! Power of the pen is sharper than any sword! Make it so! Mom said don't surround yourself with idiots! Fly higher than the Eagles... and don't run with the turkeys! Deus Vult!

j102

Quote from: Pferox on October 18, 2017, 07:18:21 AM
Saltwater, pier fishing is a little different, you keep the drags light so the fish can run with the bait and not pull your rod over the rail.  When I pick up the rod I tighten the drag down, it is a feel thing, but I try to set the drag then to about 1/3rd the line strength.

Exactly! Seeing your rod flight out would be scary.
I do the same thing. I start with a light drag and adjust as we go.



Sandman7925

Like an old pickup truck when differential was new I just weld It together and forget about it.

In my water I've found 20 pound braid can cover anything and I don't have digging issues and never had my line break including pulling fish out of heavy grass or cover. I keep the drag set tight and if I get hooked on a big fish that I need to let play I'll make an adjustment on the fly.


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68camaro

Just wow...... ~c~  I really don't think I know how to set drag properly so I really set pretty tight and adjust on fly but below really helps understand drag process/mechanics....

Quote from: FloridaFishinFool on October 18, 2017, 07:22:07 PM
I set up the drag washers in my reels differently for different applications. For heavy cover I will often use only dry carbon fiber washer stacks along with a Shimano Dartanium II washer under the main drive gear. Staying dry gives me a more responsive stronger drag ability.

And if I really need some drag stopping power I may choose to set up the drag washers with just Dartanium II washers only. Some of Shimano high end reels are sold new set up this way. Dartanium II is self lubricating and a patented material designed by shimano for their reels. Using drag grease on them really destroys what they are capable of but we see a lot of people who do just that without knowing because sometimes fishermen do not back the drag off after use and it can cause the Dartanium II washers to stick to the metal parts and can cause some of the Dartanium material to stick to the metal parts causing the drag to become "jerky" as Shimano puts it in their quick fix brochure. So for this Shimano recommends a light coat of grease but also warns about using too much grease on the Dartanium washers. I prefer them dry. If I were to have need to grease them I would switch to a different washer material but that is just my preference.

What Shimano is saying without saying it in the quick fix brochure is that the jerkiness is actually caused from misuse and they offer a simple quick fix. But if you look inside new reels with Dartanium II washers they are usually shipped from the factory dry because that is how the patented design of the material was intended for it to be used to achieve greatest drag resistance.

http://fish.shimano.com/content/sac-fish/en/home/customer-service/reel-maintenance-instructions/_jcr_content/bodycontent/download_7/downloadFile/file.res/Quick Fix Tips - Low Profile Drag and Anti Reverse.pdf

On reels I use for open water applications like spinners and crank lures I will usually soften up the drag stack with shimano drag grease and forgo the dartanium II washer under the main drive gear and use carbon fiber instead also greased. Doing it this way is less damaging to the soft tissue in the bass mouth upon hook setting. Less tearing means the hook stays in better and longer.

On some spinning reels I use either all carbon fiber drag washers or sometimes do what Penn does on some of their spinning reels and use a combination of Carbon fiber washers along with white teflon drag washers, and on spinning reels I keep them dry same as Penn because due to smaller diameter size of the washers I want to increase drag ability as I can and not diminish it with drag grease.

I never crank the drag all the way down. I always back it all the way off when done fishing on all my reels. And when fishing I use only the amount of drag needed for any given situation and I have learned to use my thumb to assist the drag when needed. On spinning reels I will cup the spool or use a finger to add pressure to do the same thing to help control the drag at times.

Bottom line is drag washer mechanics is not the same for all reels and all applications. For those of us who work on our own reels tweaking it one way or another is a learned art same as fishing is.

I stockpile every kind of drag washer made and that I can find. I have experimented in the past and continue to experiment with different materials to achieve the drag that I prefer for any given reel and any given situation.

The only drag washer material I know people have used in the past that I have not experimented with is leather. For one, I know from what others tell me it does not hold up well and glazes over and it needs constant maintenance and care to keep it at an optimal level. So I never had any desire to try it, well OK maybe once, but I never tried it.

Here is an example of drag washer tinkering with a reel I was setting up for flipping and pitching into heavy cover. Laying on the workbench is the original plastic/cardboard type of drag washer I removed from this reel, and shown on the clutch ratchet/gear is a brand new shimano Dartanium II washer fitted as large as I could make it without the washer interfering with the ratchet opertation and going onto the reel dry with no grease. The more surface area of the washer there is the more drag capability it can deliver and in this case I was going for the maximum.

Also notice the brass gear laying on the workbench is made for a triple carbon fiber drag stack which for this reel was installed dry also to maximize drag capability.


Dobyns, LSCR, JB Custom, Megabass

LgMouthGambler

Just get a good set of carbontex drags from Smooth Drag and be done with it. That Dartanium stuff from Shimano I think is the worst thing they made. That stuff falls apart, makes a mess. My drags are smoother, and better controlling with all carbon.
My wife says she is gonna leave me if I go fishing one more time........lord how I will miss that woman.

Oldfart9999

Quote from: Lee Smith on October 17, 2017, 10:52:13 AM
Fish 50# braid and up, use a very good set of pliers to set the drag  ~roflmao  ~roflmao
Cheap pliers won't work? lo lo  I set the drag with braid tight but with flouro and mono and spinning I set looser so I don't break the line. 
Rodney
Old Fishermen never die, their rods just go limp.

FloridaFishinFool

#15
Quote from: LgMouthGambler on October 19, 2017, 06:55:48 AM
Just get a good set of carbontex drags from Smooth Drag and be done with it. That Dartanium stuff from Shimano I think is the worst thing they made. That stuff falls apart, makes a mess. My drags are smoother, and better controlling with all carbon.

Hmmmm... falls apart and makes a mess? It only falls apart if mishandled. And it only makes a mess when someone puts a chemical on it that dissolves it.

But let's look at the reality of it...

-Shimano spent millions of dollars in research and development to create Dartanium I and Dartanium II.
-Shimano registered for patents on their Dartanium drag washer materials.
-Shimano uses this material in millions of mass produced reels that they make- most of which are some of their best selling reels of all time.

Here is a partial list of Shimano reels that are sold each and every day from the factory with Dartanium drag washers: Models: "Curado®, Citica®, Cruxis®, Chronarch®, Chronarch® Mg, and various Shimano® low profile baitcasting reels."

Many of these reels are still in use after many years of use. This alone proves the worth of the patented Dartanium drag washer material.

Do any of you think Shimano, one of the top reel manufacturers of all time would go through so much trouble, effort, and money, to produce something that was useless? Hardly.

If Dartanium is the worst thing Shimano ever made then why is it still in use and still sold in many of their reels to this day? Shimano uses it because it works. It can actually provide a higher drag resistance pressure than any cross weave carbon fiber drag washers for multiple reasons.

For those who know better, Dartanium is a very useful high quality carbon composite drag washer material that is exceptional to use- when used correctly. And this is why Shimano sells hundreds of thousands of reels- possibly millions of their most popular reels with the Dartanium drag washers.

I love the stuff because I have learned from Shimano how to use it and care for it and handle it for longevity. There are many in this world who have not and can mess up Dartanium by greasing it for one, and greasing it with a substance that will actually dissolve Dartanium making it gooie. So yes it can become a problem when the untrained and uneducated don't know how to care for it and handle it and use it correctly.

And for this reason, many hundreds of thousands of reels out there in the world today that have not been opened up by anyone are still working with the Dartanium drag washers.

I know today that cross weave carbon fiber drag washers are becoming very popular to the extent that even Shimano is now putting them in some of their reels right out of the factory, but that does not mean they are the best drag material out there.

If you look closely at cross weave carbon fiber drag washers they are a woven material of carbon fibers meaning there are ups and downs in the weave, so there are places on the surface of the washer that touches the metal reel parts and places where it does not touch any metal parts so there is no drag resistance at that spot it is not touching. Now add up all the holes not touching and it adds up to lost surface area resistance.

Next, cross weave carbon fiber drag washers are held together with little more than epoxy or plastic glue. And that is what the washer actually is- plastic glue with carbon fibers woven through it.

Anyone who has handled these washers knows bits and pieces of the black fibers break off and a person can not hardly handle them without seeing this happen. It continues inside the reel over time while operating. They fall apart. Here is what a failed carbontex drag washer from smooth drag looks like when it fails:





So part of the drag resistance of those cross weave carbon fiber drag washers is part carbon fiber weave that touches the metal parts and part plastic epoxy glue. It would be foolish to think you can make a cross weave carbon fiber drag washer without glue to hold it together and foolish to think that the only thing in use as a resistance material is only the carbon fibers and not the glue holding them together.

Don't get me wrong... I like the cross weave carbon fiber drag washers and I use them a lot, but they also have their issues. So what I do is use them in combination with Dartanium II. It takes the drag ability to another level.\

And with Dartanium II, all of the surface of the washer touches the metal so the entire surface area is resistance material and you can not say that about cross weave carbon fiber drag washers.

Dartanium II is a carbon composite material and is not held together with plastic epoxy.

So bottom line here, in my opinion, Shimano's patented Dartanium II drag washer is worthy and an exceptional drag resistance material when used correctly as instructed by Shimano. If it wasn't it would not be used in so many of their most popular reels and still working to this day.
Words are the exercise for the brain. Words are life expressed... without words we die a slow meaningless death. Silence to the grave is no way to go! So live! Use words! Power of the pen is sharper than any sword! Make it so! Mom said don't surround yourself with idiots! Fly higher than the Eagles... and don't run with the turkeys! Deus Vult!

LgMouthGambler

How did I know I was gonna get a lesson in how "great" that junk is.  lo There is a reason everyone, but you, changes to carbon drags. Its OK though.
My wife says she is gonna leave me if I go fishing one more time........lord how I will miss that woman.

FloridaFishinFool

#17
I clearly stated I use cross weave carbon fiber drag washers too, but not exclusively.

You said that Dartanium II is junk and is crap. Is this a professional opinion? Based on what credentials? Here is what Shimano engineers say:

http://www.google.com.pg/patents/US6641069

Shimano Dartanium II drag washer material patent US6641069

Abstract
A mixture comprising 40-80 mass % of expanded graphite, 5-25 mass % of heat-resistant reinforcing fiber and 10-40 mass % of heat-resistant binder is formed into a sheet form and then cured to form a sheet. The sheet is formed into a drag washer by punching, for application to a fishing reel's drag washer.


Description
TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a drag washer used for a drag mechanism of a fishing reel and to a fishing reel using the same.

BACKGROUND

In general, a drag mechanism of a fishing reel is given a setting of a braking force so that when a tensile force in excess of a predetermined value is exerted on a fishing line, the drag mechanism is made to slip to allow the fishing line to be reeled out in response to pull of hooked fish, so as to prevent the fishing line from being broken. The drag washers that are generally used as braking friction plates in the drag mechanism include, for example, asbestos-phenol-resin molded material, flammable woven fabric greased or impregnated with oil grease, and carbon-fiber woven fabric impregnated with resin and cured.

These drag washers have the problems, however, that the friction resistance is subject to change under environmental changes, such as change in friction resistance caused by entrained seawater, change in friction resistance caused by frictional heat, and change in friction resistance resulting from durability in thickness direction against tightening force.

To eliminate these drawbacks of the conventional drag washers, graphite drag washers have been developed recently. The graphite drag washers have the advantages of being hardly subject to change in friction resistance under environmental changes and providing the excellent drag force for an extended time period.

However, in the producing process of the graphite drag washers, it is required that the drag washers are cut out into any desired size from some degree of size of graphite block by machining.

This causes increased costs in manufacturing the fishing reel using the graphite drag washers, leading to the disadvantage that the use of the graphite drag washers are limited to some high-grade goods. In addition, when used for general fishing, the graphite drag washers can produce excellent drag force and provide comfortable operation for an extended time period.

However, when the graphite drag washers are used to a large-sized fishing reel for marlin and large-sized fish, whose drag mechanism is given a setting of braking force of a relatively large value, there is the possibility that when a large braking force is exerted on the drag washers, the graphite drag washers may be cracked due to its own fragility that is one of the disadvantages of the graphite material.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a drag washer for a fishing reel that can provide a drag force equal to or more than that of the graphite drag washer for an extended time period, can be produced at reduced costs and without difficulty and is applicable to a variety of fishing reels for a variety of fish ranging from small-sized fish to large-sized fish.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The inventors have focused attention on an expanded graphite sheet having an excellent sliding property equivalent to that of the graphite material and have pursued their studies thereon with their whole heart. The conventional expanded graphite sheet has an excellent sliding property, but on the other hand, it lacks some required properties for the drag washer of fishing reel, such as strength and hardness. Due to this, it was practically infeasible to use the expanded graphite sheet for the drag washer of fishing reel.

The inventors have found that enhanced hardness can be produced by adding heat-resistant reinforcing fiber, such as fiber pulp, used as reinforcing material to the expanded graphite and then binding them by use of a heat-resistant binder such as thermosetting resin. Further, they have found the proportion in which three components, namely, expanded graphite, heat-resistant reinforcing fiber and heat-resistant binder, are mixed to produce a sheet having the required strength and sliding properties for the drag washer of fishing reel, then bringing the invention to completion.

A fishing reel's drag washer of the present invention is formed from a sheet comprising a mixture of expanded graphite and heat-resistant reinforcing fiber as is solidified by a heat-resistant binder. It is preferable that the sheet has a thickness of 0.7-1.2 mm and a bulk density of 0.8-1.2 g/cm3. Also, the sheet is produced in such a process that 40-80 mass % of expanded graphite, 5-25 mass % of heat-resistant reinforcing fiber and 10-40 mass % of heat-resistant binder are mixed, followed by heat-treatment to cure the heat-resistant binder.

The expanded graphite used for the fishing reel's drag washer of the present invention is produced as follows. For example, flake graphite is subjected to acid treatment by using sulfuric acid and oxidizing agent to thereby produce acidized graphite, first, and then heated rapidly to approximately 1,000° C. so as to be expanded 100-300 times. Thereafter, the expanded graphite is ground in powdery form by using a granulator. Then, after the expanded graphite is formed into a felt form or a sheet form having a bulk density of 0.05-1.5 g/cm3, the expanded graphite of felt form or sheet form is further ground in powdery form by using any proper high-speed mill type of grinder. Preferably, the powders of either of the felt and sheet have a bulk density of 0.05-1.5 g/cm3 and a mean particle size of 150-250 μm. The expanded graphite ground into powdery form by the granulating method is easily delaminated, so that it is uniformly mixed with the heat-resistant reinforcing material and the heat-resistant binder with ease. The expanded graphite obtained when the felt of a bulk density of less than 0.05 g/cm3 is ground becomes so bulky that it is hard to deal with. On the other hand, the expanded graphite obtained when the sheet of a bulk density of more than 1.5 g/cm3 is ground is formed in the granular form, so that the characteristics of the expanded graphite itself are impaired.

Preferably, the heat-resistant reinforcing fiber is in a pulp form and have a large specific surface area, in terms of heat resistance as well as reinforcement of the expanded graphite powder. The fibers that may be used include inorganic fiber, organic fiber and metal fiber. Practically, the organic fiber that can take a relatively large specific surface area is preferably used. To be more specific, aramid fiber pulps of para-series or meta-series may be used. Also, infusible cellulose pulps may be used, though there is a limit to use.

The aramid fiber pulp of para-series used as the heat-resistant reinforcing fiber mentioned above is preferably 3.0 m2/g or more in specific surface area, or further preferably 5-20 m2/g. The fiber length of 0.9-2.0 mm affords good dispersibility and high filler retention of 50-70%. The specific surface area of less than 3.0 m2/g is not good enough to provide the reinforcing effect of the expanded graphite and as a result, the strength of the sheet obtained is reduced.

Thermosetting resins are preferably used as the heat-resistant binder for bonding the expanded graphite and the heat-resistant reinforcing fiber. Particularly preferable are phenol resin, polyester resin, and epoxy resin. Among others, fine-grained phenol resin having a mean molecular weight of not less than 5,000 and a mean particle size of not more than 20 μm which affords excellent sliding properties is of preferable. This thermosetting resin is easily soluble in solvent and is able to be uniformly dispersed in between the expanded graphite powders and the fiber pulps.

For the purpose of enhancing the sliding properties, 4-5 mass % of molybdenum disulfide powder may be added as sliding material, if required. This enables the control of the sliding properties of the drag washer.

(The rest of the patent's engineering data was left out due to word limits here on this forum but can be added if anyone cares to read it all about this "crappy junk" Shimano makes for millions of their reels worldwide)
Words are the exercise for the brain. Words are life expressed... without words we die a slow meaningless death. Silence to the grave is no way to go! So live! Use words! Power of the pen is sharper than any sword! Make it so! Mom said don't surround yourself with idiots! Fly higher than the Eagles... and don't run with the turkeys! Deus Vult!

LgMouthGambler

Yep. Professional opinion.  lo Crappy junk. First thing I do is switch them drags out for carbontex as soon as I break down a Shimano. Also, a flush of the bearings, and a "professional" lube job. Every Shimano that I have serviced with their "great" drags have been nothing but a melted mess. Now, there are different quality of carbon drag, and thats because you have the "imitations" out there that claim they are the real thing. Well, they are not. The only thing I use of Shimano is their Star Drag grease. That is some great stuff. A light coat of that on the carbon drag really helps to get the start up of the drag nice and smooth. For my reels with "lockdown" power, I run them dry. Shimano can keep their "engineers professional studies" because they are the same ones that think putting excessive amounts of plastic parts in reels to help to rip off the consumer even more is a good thing,.  lo Some might buy it, but I aint game. I even dare to say that Doyo is producing better stuff than them now. At least they are using more metal in the right places, and not charging stupid prices for their "workhorse" lineup.
My wife says she is gonna leave me if I go fishing one more time........lord how I will miss that woman.

D.W. Verts

I'm old-school, Harry & Charlie-style. I VERY CAREFULLY adjust my drags- with a pair of Channel Locks...
Old School Bass Fishin', My Hickbilly Life, and Hickbilly Outdoors with D.W. Verts on YOUTUBE!
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analfisherman

Well I'm hoping that I'm not hijacking but I have a few drag questions.

Is the quality of your drag washers more important in casting gear or spinning gear?
Or equally important?

On spinning we have always learned that reeling in while drag is going out is the very worst thing to do......easiest way to get line twist and a mistake many do.

But on casting gear....spools are set up totally opposite so in my illogical mind......I logically think the line twist wouldn't be a concern and hence.....reeling in while drag is going out shouldn't be a bad thing or cause line twist.....RIGHT? :-\

Bud, sorry if I'm hijacking! :(
"Fishing isn't life or death... it's more important than that."

Fun4me

I hate to say it, but I almost feel like i'm listening to a Shimano commercial in this thread. :P

I set my drag tight for most applications. For applications where I use drag, I tend to go with lighter drag, use my thumb on the spool (baitcasting) to add resistance when needed ( often on a hook set) YMMV.

coldfront

Quote from: Lee Smith on October 17, 2017, 10:52:13 AM
Fish 50# braid and up, use a very good set of pliers to set the drag  ~roflmao  ~roflmao

think once again I am on the complete opposite end of the spectrum of 'normal'  ;D

I set my drag just enough that there's a slight slip on a very serious, heavy hookset.
Then have my thumb on the spool during said hookset so the slip is not there.

this works for me as it keeps my drag functioning where/when needed and I overcome it when needed.

only 'bit' me once and that involved a striper (please note there is only ONE 'P' in striper)...that just about blistered my thumb.

SteelHorseCowboy

Way I set my drag isn't quite conventional.
I back it off for storage, even temporary storage. Then when I get ready to fish, unsuccessfully, I start pulling the line out slowly while tightening down the drag until the line starts digging in.
I'm not too concerned about a fish breaking my line. Wish I had a reason to be.
That provides plenty enough tension to set hooks on everything from blue gill to tree branches and logs.
And if by some miracle a fish ever gets on it that requires more drag, it's quick and easy to crank it down on the fly.
I don't need 60# line and maxed out drag to fight minnows out of grass. They don't stand a chance against 20# to 30# and enough drag to haul a ribbon tail worm.

Pferox

#24
Quote from: coldfront on October 30, 2017, 07:21:43 AM
think once again I am on the complete opposite end of the spectrum of 'normal'  ;D

I set my drag just enough that there's a slight slip on a very serious, heavy hookset.
Then have my thumb on the spool during said hookset so the slip is not there.

this works for me as it keeps my drag functioning where/when needed and I overcome it when needed.

only 'bit' me once and that involved a striper (please note there is only ONE 'P' in striper)...that just about blistered my thumb.

This is a good way to set your drag, it has less wear and tear on you, your equipment, and the fish.  With practice, you can get the feel for where you need to set the drag for each set up.

Another thing to remember is that when you set the drag on a full spool, it can be over double the resistance when line is cast out and the spool has less line on it.  Hope that makes sense.
"If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito" - African Proverb.  Jim