My method of drag setting is simple; I tie my line to a low, stationary object, then put the maximum bend I'm willing to allow for my ROD! At that point I adjust my drag to just begin slipping. Done deal
Thanks for the info! I've been fishing for about 50 years and I didn't know. Most of the 470+ members of our club fish open marsh. As such, my advice has always been... "It's a lot easier to tighten the drag while you're fighting a fish than it is to re-tie the line after it breaks!" Tight lines!
Thank you very much for your time and this vid. I just retired and am leaning (finally) how to fish. I just bought a Mr. Meter weight scale and as soon as I have a friend here in Oregon where I moved too, I'm going to test my reels. ;) Thank you again.
I always thought it best to consider the drag of the line going through the guides rather than a straight pull. I'd be more comfortable with the method suggested by James J. because I think it is closer to real world when fighting a fish.
I teach Fishing merit badge to the Scouts... Yours is one of the TH-cam videos that I recommend they watch to learn about how to set the drag. Great video, keep up the good work... Aloha.
The idea behind the spool tension is twofold, you loosen the drag to feed line through the guides when setting up your rod, this helps to avoid tangles. Secondly, having some give in the drag might prevent your line from breaking when a hard fighting fish lunges. As to the correct tension, it depends on the line and how good your reel is.
Hiya , it took me a while , But thank God i found you , Massive Thanks , I have not been luring long and could not work out how to set it up , i fish on my own so no-one to ask , And it worked a treat . And also i have them exact same scales so Happy days all round , Thanks again , Baz , UK
big trout fisher, and prefer lighter than normal drag. I catch and release most often, so the less damage I do the better. (heavier drag can do a number on a trout's mouth).
For certain techniques, I like more tension than usual. This is especially true when I Got-cha plug for Spanish. Having the drag set with more tension helps to set the hook, the Spanish will flash on the bait and any give in the drag can lead to a weak hook set and you won't catch as many. If it's tight, and I use braid to a fluorocarbon leader so there is no stretch either, the speed of the fish and no give in the line will set the hook deep for you. That way you don't have to set it like a Bass Pro, You'll hook up on way more Spanish and lose way less fish.
I've heard you should loosen your drag when the fish gets closer to the boat/shore. This is because you know have less line out which automatically creates more tension.
Some fish will spook and run again with a huge last resort survival blast when they see the boat or pier pilings too. I've had a bunch snap on that second run, great advice, if only I didn't get so excited and could remember to do that.
loosen b/c fish may do a fst explosive run when sees boat, but it is opposite in terms of tension. when there is less line the drag increases (smaller diameter to turn less leverage so more effort) so when fish is far from boat , lots line out, you should reduce drag slightly
when you get down to half a spool your drag can double or triple due to less diameter of the spool, so when fighting a good fish and it takes half the spool dont lock up more drag, rather back it off a little
I have always set my drag based on the breaking strain of the line, light enough to allow line to be taken by a big fish but not so light that a small fish could take line. And always light enough to prevent the line from snapping. The one thing I don’t understand is why drag is now measured in pounds, when any drag is capable of being locked solid.
Because it gives a general consensus on how much a line can take. Always set lower than the pound test. But really it’s as simple as feeling the line. Good drag setting will make or break a catch. To loose and it will go under rocks. To tight and you can snap off or rip a hole so big in the fishes lip that it gets off anyway. Know your fishing area and local bodies of water so you know what size fish to expect.
I keep my drag a little lighter when fishing for trout so i don't pull the hook through their lips and a little tighter with redfish so that I get a solid hook set through their tougher mouths. Do you adjust drag based on target species?
I adjust my drag only when fishing around heavy cover... slightly increase the tension so that I can turn a fish before they get into the structure. And when fishing open water, I'll lighten up on the drag since the threat of break offs is lower.
Great video! Question, if using a leader would you set the 20-30% to whichever is the weaker...say you’re using a 30lb braid and a 15lb mono just as an example
does the drag differ from a baitcaster going straight off the real to the guides to a spinner that has to do a 90° angle before going in the guides and does it differ with a loaded rod vs pulling the line through a straight rod
As long as the measurement is done above the bail of the spinning reel, the measurement is the same compared to a bait caster. The difference between a loaded rod and when the rod is straight is minimal... it turned my 2.3 lb setting to 2.5 lbs.
Why just 20-30% of the line’s breaking strain? Is this to compensate for aggressive hits and surges? Do you tighten the drag once you have a fish on and they’ve made their initial run?
Good question. I am not an expert but I fish the ocean surf and pier 30-45 times a year here in North Carolina. I have lost so many fish because my drag wasn't set properly. I often keep it light, and slowly tighten it down during the fight. Especially if the fish is just screaming line off. However, it is a fine line between increasing the drag to best fight the fish and snap, that too much too soon. If the fish is spooling you off, tighten until it just slows down a little bit. This will make the fish get tired faster. Pull with the rod, reel down. You will be able to tell when the fish starts to wear down. Then just small adjustments. The worst is when you think you have the fish spent, tighten down too much, then the fish gets a second wind, screams off again and snaps the line. King mackerel, red fish, and wahoo are notorious for this. I love using light tackle but it takes, what I like to think anyways, a little skill to know your equipment that well and the only way to gain this skill is to get hooked up, right?
Hey man thanks for the tip of how to set your drag where do you find that kind of scale or can it be any kind of scale to see what your Jack said is set on
Good info, what pound test should you use for fishing for reds? Should you follow the recommended guides on the rod /8-17, 10-20? Will you be able to land a 28 inch redfish using 10-15 pound test line?
I've seen guys land huge reds on 6 lb test and light tackle because they use the drag correctly. The better you are at understanding the drag, the lighter equipment you can use. I believe with all my heart, the lighter the line, the more bites you'll get. It just puts better action on artificial bait, and is harder to see in the wayer if you bait and wait. I believe it makes a huge difference.
would another way to calibrate be by taking your line coming off the tip of the rod and attaching it to a weight on the floor that is equivalent to whatever the 25% comes to then raise the tip of the rod lightly as if you are pulling the weight up but just enough to remove the slack on the line and put a bit of tension and keep adjusting the drag till the line starts getting pulled by the weight right?and once the drag is set right the weight should be able to pull the line when you try to lift it correct?
Hi, so I'm new to fishing myself, having problem on how to buy a spinning reel with a drag like, what should I look at to know that this reel have a drag because there is a reel that don't have a drag system. Is there a number or something on the box that show you that this reel have a drag?
Great question! Make sure to ask this over on the actual blog or in the Community (www.saltstrong.com/) where the coaches spend their time. The blog can be found here: www.saltstrong.com/articles/fishing-heavy-structure-tips/
Hello I just subscribed to your channel and I would like to ask a question if i may. I have noticed when I catch carp the more I feel in it just seems lime its taking line out how can I set my reel to be better at reeling in big fish like carp because the smaller fish I have no problem its just with carp
Great question! Make sure to ask this over on the actual blog or in the Community (www.saltstrong.com/) where the coaches spend their time. The blog can be found here: www.saltstrong.com/articles/fishing-heavy-structure-tips/
Hi Luke...If I have 30lb braid in the reel and use either lighter or heavier leader line, which line should I base the 20-30% drag setting to? Great video!
Luke, I recently moved to Naples, Fl and I'm looking to do some inshore fishing from beaches/pier this spring/summer. I was wondering what a good set up (rod, reel, bait, tackle) would be to get things started for snook, reds, trout, etc. Any insight and advice would be awesome!
I like 7'6" Medium to Medium Heavy rods with a 2500 to 3000 size spinning reel. To get the entire list of items you need along with how to use it all for consistently catching inshore slams (snook, reds, & trout), I highly recommend trying out our Inshore Slammer course because it covers everything you need to know and has a 100% money back guarantee if you somehow don't feel it more than paid for itself. Here's a link to learn more: www.saltstrong.com/courses/ Tight Lines!
This should all depend on how tight the reel's drag is relative to the lines breaking point... if someone is tightening down the drag on a reel that has 20 lb drag system when using 10 lb line, that will cause a much higher risk of a big fish getting away than the structure because it's first headshake when on a run will likely break the line. In that case, it would be better to use this method of pulling a fish out of structure: www.saltstrong.com/articles/fishing-heavy-structure-tips/
You could probably weigh out something on a kitchen scale to be 20-30% of the rated line test and then hook it up to the line and adjust the drag by trying to lift it?
The difference between the rod being bent or straight is minimal because the only friction is just at the points where the line slides over the rod's guides. I actually tested it out to be curious... my 2.3 lb tension from the straight pull went up to ~2.5 when the rod bent.
pulling line straight with unloaded rod is almost the same of direct pull from the reel. Friction sliding off point may be higher of your thinking with heavy load rod
The general rule is to go by the weakest line strength for determining the drag tension. In this case, the two lines are rated the same so use the 30# for the calculation.
see i always made it that i have a 10kg rod put 11kg line on and set my drag at 9.5 so i can straight pull a fish unless it was to strong ( Australian tropical saltwater fisherman mainly king/spanish makeral and tuna)
If you are idling along in your boat... and you let 100 yards of 2# test line trail out behind your boat (no hook or anything, just the line). Just the friction of the water on the line is enough pressure to break your line.
The recommended ~25% of line strength drag tension is based on the tension of the line at the reel (not at the tip of the rod), so flexing the rod is not necessary. Also, a rod loading test like this could put a rod in a bad position if the drag is too tight and the rod is over-flexed.
So is their a certain drag u need to set for certain fish? Or the bigger the fish,the tougher the drag? Im a noob fisher and today my line snapped on my first catch. It was a bass well over 10 pounds. The guy sold me the wrong line i think because he sold me 6 pound test. Do u think it was because the drag? Or the shitty line?
The point of setting drag is to avoid your line snapping. With your drag set to 1.5lbs with your 6 pound line you will tire it out until you can get it in. You won't be able to just crank it in like a crane unless you are using heavier more visible line... Not very skillfull and that's not all that effective at getting bites
I bought a 13 fishing spinning rod at walmart, and i put 15 pound braid on it, i went fishing yesterday evening and i dont know why my drag system doesnt lockup to tighten it. When i set the drag tight and pull on the line, the drag doesnt tighten the line. It just spinds freely as you pull. Need help!? Is it the reel or am i using heavy line!??
Braid does not have enough friction to hold onto the arbor of the spool (unless it's a spool with a rubber section to hold onto the braid), so you need to start out with mono as shown in this video: th-cam.com/video/yxHAX0-GUkc/w-d-xo.html Note: You can also put electician's tape on the arbor of the reel too, but the mono is what I always use in order to save some money on braid since it fills up base of the spool for less $.
Good video Luke. Like the your FG knot video, very informative. It's funny to me that some comments here turn this exercise into a scientific debate regarding loaded or unloaded rods. Go fish. Have fun. Get off digital media.
I have shimano speedmaster 11' Power pro:40 - 65lbs Power: medium heavy Action: moderate fast And a daiwa bg 5000 with 65lbs braid How much lbs do i set the drag?????? Pls help thanks
10lb line = 2-3lbs drag, 15lb line = 3-4.5lbs drag, 20lb line 4-6lbs drag, 30lb line = 6-9lbs, 40lb line = 8-12lbs drag, 50lb line = 10-15lbs drag (I can't imagine you'll need more for in-shore fishing and if you're doing deep sea you likely either know or are on a charter with a guy who's already prepared).
As long as the braid gets applied onto the spool under tension (very important), the base will be tight enough to not allow for the line to dig into itself.
The rod has an effect on the drag as well. Just wondering why you don't pull line like a fish would which bends the rod? You never catch a fish the way you pulled it.
The 20 to 30 % rating is measured from the reel... the friction of the line going through the guides and from the line going through the water is why the drag is set so much lower than the line's breaking strength. Note: I did this same test with the rod bent, and the tension was the same as it was with the straight rod using this scale, so the friction of the line going across the 8 to 10 guides was surprisingly not much of a factor.
Say your drag is set for 2 ½ pounds for your 10 # test line... when you first pull on the line (like when a fish strikes) you may put up to 5 # pounds of pressure on the line and then when it starts to peal line off the reel it will go back down to 2 ½ pounds of drag. This is with the line running straight through the guides and no bend in the rod... OK, the fish is on and you have the rod at a 45 degree angle and the fish is taking out drag... Check your scale, it may be showing 5 or 6 pounds of drag as the line is pulled through the bent rod. Now you have 50 to 100 yards of line out (common when fishing saltwater) so you have added the friction of the line going through the water to the line going through the rod held at a 45 degree angle... your scale might no be showing 7 or 8 pounds of drag. That is why you set the drag at 25% of the breaking strength of the line you are using. Set the drain and DO NOT Touch it while fighting the fish. The drag is to keep the fish from breaking the line... the drag is NOT a break to stop the fish from running... So before you go adjusting the drag while fighting a fish, "Pump the breaks there Bub", leave it alone.
So if I had a reel with max drag at 40 lbs, if I wanted to be able to use the full 40 lbs drag I’d need to have a 200 lb line?😂 not sure if that’s how it works
Thanks for your question! Make sure to ask this over on the actual blog or in the Community where the coaches spend their time. The blog can be found here: www.saltstrong.com/articles/fishing-heavy-structure-tips/
Take a gallon milk jug. Fill with tap water. Should weigh 8.345 lbs. Connect the jug to your fish scale. Should read 8.345 lbs. If not your fish scales is not calibrated proper. Connect REEL ONLY to fish scale. Set drag at 1/3 of line strength.
@@murphroberts4891 I have fought fish bigger than my line weight. I normally use 20lb braid and have caught 32 lb Chinook and when I set at 70%, the fish has to contend with the drag immediately so it tires out the fish quicker. If I had 20% drag, then the fish would have strip out all my line.
You failed to show which way to turn the dial on the real to obtain the drag you want How about the spinning reels with the drag at the rear of the reel. I picked up a pair of reels that have not been used for several years and there is no line coming off either reel. If there is no line when pulling almost to the point of breaking what the hell do I do to set the drag?
Great question! Make sure to ask this over on the actual blog or in the Community (www.saltstrong.com/) where the coaches spend their time. The blog can be found here: www.saltstrong.com/articles/fishing-heavy-structure-tips/
Wouldn’t it be a good tip to take a toothpick and place a small mark with 💦 waterproof paint 2 places for a quick reference..keeping in mind the revolutions
Yes you can catch fish that are heavier than what the drag is set to as well as what your lines breaking strength is, that’s what the drag is for. It lets out line when something is pulling hard enough that it might have broken the line.
Yes, if you are in open water where the fish can't wrap you up. Also, don't expect to "hoss" the fish in- It takes some finesse and you will probably lose some fish. Learn to backwind your reel.
Setting the drag in a reel is needed so that your line does not break when you hook into a big fish... when the drag is set properly, the reel will let line out when the fish is pulling hard so that the tension does not get higher than what the line can handle.
Another way is to use a weight of some sort and have your drag loose all most all the way then reel in and adjust as soon as the drag start to click your set You don`t fish straight out from you since the fish are at an angel , Iv`e never caught a fish straight level with me so why set your drag that way as you state
Using a weight vertically will certainly work too. As for the horizontal position of the line, I can't think of an issue with the tension setting as long as a scale is being used that is not impacted by it's positioning... the scale used in this video is solely dependent on how much pressure is on it's hook, so it can be in any position and will still show the same reading.
why don't you just attach the line to your scale at the reel an pull it yourself instead of having it go through the loops then? this makes no sense lol....
I disagree. Drag should be set by your estimate, as felt when pulled suddenly. You know the line's capability, your rod and reel, along with conditions. Set your drag to a comfortable level and tighten when you feel confident AND need to. Just my opinion...
a lot of the guys i meet when i go fishing have the drag tight all the way people hardly uses it good info my men i learn something new today
Glad to see that you enjoyed this drag setting video. Tight Lines!
My method of drag setting is simple; I tie my line to a low, stationary object, then put the maximum bend I'm willing to allow for my ROD! At that point I adjust my drag to just begin slipping. Done deal
Thanks for making time to leave the comment. Tight Lines!
This sounds like a very good answer
I do the same😅
Lol, Im gonna try that
3 years later im probably going to try this lol
Thanks for the info! I've been fishing for about 50 years and I didn't know.
Most of the 470+ members of our club fish open marsh. As such, my advice has always been... "It's a lot easier to tighten the drag while you're fighting a fish than it is to re-tie the line after it breaks!"
Tight lines!
Haha... yes, that is very true advice. Tight Lines!
Thank you very much for your time and this vid. I just retired and am leaning (finally) how to fish. I just bought a Mr. Meter weight scale and as soon as I have a friend here in Oregon where I moved too, I'm going to test my reels. ;) Thank you again.
I always thought it best to consider the drag of the line going through the guides rather than a straight pull. I'd be more comfortable with the method suggested by James J. because I think it is closer to real world when fighting a fish.
I teach Fishing merit badge to the Scouts... Yours is one of the TH-cam videos that I recommend they watch to learn about how to set the drag. Great video, keep up the good work... Aloha.
Thanks for the support!
The idea behind the spool tension is twofold, you loosen the drag to feed line through the guides when setting up your rod, this helps to avoid tangles. Secondly, having some give in the drag might prevent your line from breaking when a hard fighting fish lunges. As to the correct tension, it depends on the line and how good your reel is.
didnt know there was a proper way to set drag.
Hiya , it took me a while , But thank God i found you , Massive Thanks , I have not been luring long and could not work out how to set it up , i fish on my own so no-one to ask , And it worked a treat . And also i have them exact same scales so Happy days all round , Thanks again , Baz , UK
Thanks. I know the video is old but I still learned something today.😀
big trout fisher, and prefer lighter than normal drag. I catch and release most often, so the less damage I do the better. (heavier drag can do a number on a trout's mouth).
For certain techniques, I like more tension than usual. This is especially true when I Got-cha plug for Spanish. Having the drag set with more tension helps to set the hook, the Spanish will flash on the bait and any give in the drag can lead to a weak hook set and you won't catch as many. If it's tight, and I use braid to a fluorocarbon leader so there is no stretch either, the speed of the fish and no give in the line will set the hook deep for you. That way you don't have to set it like a Bass Pro, You'll hook up on way more Spanish and lose way less fish.
Percentage wise, where would you have your tension at ?
If ya need more drag grab the spool
good info, f-150 looks good in background also
Thanks for making time to leave the nice comment. Tight Lines!
Thanks for the clear explanation, nuch appreciated
Great video, I learned something! I I was thinking and you could probably just tie the line to 2 lb of weight if you have a water bottle or something
Makes sense to me, and very handy if you don't have a scale. Pint's a pound so if you want two pound, go two pints.
Is there a different reading when pulling line straight out and when you bend the rod as if there was a fish on? Thanks
yes
I've heard you should loosen your drag when the fish gets closer to the boat/shore. This is because you know have less line out which automatically creates more tension.
could also back reel.
Some fish will spook and run again with a huge last resort survival blast when they see the boat or pier pilings too. I've had a bunch snap on that second run, great advice, if only I didn't get so excited and could remember to do that.
loosen b/c fish may do a fst explosive run when sees boat, but it is opposite in terms of tension. when there is less line the drag increases (smaller diameter to turn less leverage so more effort) so when fish is far from boat , lots line out, you should reduce drag slightly
when you get down to half a spool your drag can double or triple due to less diameter of the spool, so when fighting a good fish and it takes half the spool dont lock up more drag, rather back it off a little
Great tip! Thanks for sharing.
I have always set my drag based on the breaking strain of the line, light enough to allow line to be taken by a big fish but not so light that a small fish could take line. And always light enough to prevent the line from snapping. The one thing I don’t understand is why drag is now measured in pounds, when any drag is capable of being locked solid.
Because it gives a general consensus on how much a line can take. Always set lower than the pound test. But really it’s as simple as feeling the line. Good drag setting will make or break a catch. To loose and it will go under rocks. To tight and you can snap off or rip a hole so big in the fishes lip that it gets off anyway. Know your fishing area and local bodies of water so you know what size fish to expect.
I keep my drag a little lighter when fishing for trout so i don't pull the hook through their lips and a little tighter with redfish so that I get a solid hook set through their tougher mouths. Do you adjust drag based on target species?
I adjust my drag only when fishing around heavy cover... slightly increase the tension so that I can turn a fish before they get into the structure. And when fishing open water, I'll lighten up on the drag since the threat of break offs is lower.
Great video!!!!
So if you have 8lbs line its the same 20%?? or less. thanks.
Yes, the 20% to 30% range seems to be the recommendation for all line sizes.
Thanks again great videos very helpful keep going the good work!!
I am about to get a Daiwa Laguna Spinning Reel and using 8lb line so I got no idea who to set my drag right any tips
Cheers
Have fun!
@@Saltstrong sure thing
What happens on the hook set? Does it strip easy with digging the hook in the fish?
Good info, thanks for posting
Great video! Question, if using a leader would you set the 20-30% to whichever is the weaker...say you’re using a 30lb braid and a 15lb mono just as an example
The drag tension should be set based on the weakest line in the assembly, so the example would base the tension calc from the 15lb line.
I was losing lots of fish on my frog lure, i had no idea drag was a thing untill recently thatnks for the video
Glad we could help!
does the drag differ from a baitcaster going straight off the real to the guides to a spinner that has to do a 90° angle before going in the guides and does it differ with a loaded rod vs pulling the line through a straight rod
As long as the measurement is done above the bail of the spinning reel, the measurement is the same compared to a bait caster.
The difference between a loaded rod and when the rod is straight is minimal... it turned my 2.3 lb setting to 2.5 lbs.
Great beginner info. for beginners! one more use for the backpacking scale!
Why just 20-30% of the line’s breaking strain? Is this to compensate for aggressive hits and surges? Do you tighten the drag once you have a fish on and they’ve made their initial run?
Good question. I am not an expert but I fish the ocean surf and pier 30-45 times a year here in North Carolina. I have lost so many fish because my drag wasn't set properly. I often keep it light, and slowly tighten it down during the fight. Especially if the fish is just screaming line off. However, it is a fine line between increasing the drag to best fight the fish and snap, that too much too soon. If the fish is spooling you off, tighten until it just slows down a little bit. This will make the fish get tired faster. Pull with the rod, reel down. You will be able to tell when the fish starts to wear down. Then just small adjustments. The worst is when you think you have the fish spent, tighten down too much, then the fish gets a second wind, screams off again and snaps the line. King mackerel, red fish, and wahoo are notorious for this. I love using light tackle but it takes, what I like to think anyways, a little skill to know your equipment that well and the only way to gain this skill is to get hooked up, right?
Hey man thanks for the tip of how to set your drag where do you find that kind of scale or can it be any kind of scale to see what your Jack said is set on
Great question! Make sure to ask this over in the Community (www.saltstrong.com/) where the coaches spend their time.
Also you need a super smooth drag. even a slightly sticky drag will push those numbers way up on strike.
Good info, what pound test should you use for fishing for reds? Should you follow the recommended guides on the rod /8-17, 10-20? Will you be able to land a 28 inch redfish using 10-15 pound test line?
I've seen guys land huge reds on 6 lb test and light tackle because they use the drag correctly. The better you are at understanding the drag, the lighter equipment you can use. I believe with all my heart, the lighter the line, the more bites you'll get. It just puts better action on artificial bait, and is harder to see in the wayer if you bait and wait. I believe it makes a huge difference.
would another way to calibrate be by taking your line coming off the tip of the rod and attaching it to a weight on the floor that is equivalent to whatever the 25% comes to then raise the tip of the rod lightly as if you are pulling the weight up but just enough to remove the slack on the line and put a bit of tension and keep adjusting the drag till the line starts getting pulled by the weight right?and once the drag is set right the weight should be able to pull the line when you try to lift it correct?
i guess these guys become too big to have time to reply and answer ppl
Okay so i know what to set it too. But like how do i set barely got my rod and reel today im also new. How would i twist the little thing on the reel.
Hi, so I'm new to fishing myself, having problem on how to buy a spinning reel with a drag like, what should I look at to know that this reel have a drag because there is a reel that don't have a drag system. Is there a number or something on the box that show you that this reel have a drag?
Great question! Make sure to ask this over on the actual blog or in the Community (www.saltstrong.com/) where the coaches spend their time. The blog can be found here:
www.saltstrong.com/articles/fishing-heavy-structure-tips/
Hello I just subscribed to your channel and I would like to ask a question if i may. I have noticed when I catch carp the more I feel in it just seems lime its taking line out how can I set my reel to be better at reeling in big fish like carp because the smaller fish I have no problem its just with carp
Size your equipment appropriately and earn how to use it.
You say, "It just seems it's taking line out". Why don't you know?
I'm trying to tension a penn warfare 20n. Got a floor model on a dumpster dive. Got the parts for the tension knob and can't get tension.
Great question! Make sure to ask this over on the actual blog or in the Community (www.saltstrong.com/) where the coaches spend their time. The blog can be found here:
www.saltstrong.com/articles/fishing-heavy-structure-tips/
Did you try braid with mono/fluoro leader?
Hi Luke...If I have 30lb braid in the reel and use either lighter or heavier leader line, which line should I base the 20-30% drag setting to? Great video!
Always use the lightest line for the drag setting calculation.
When measuring the weight on the drag, did you test just the reel, or was the rod bending into it?
Thanks so much!!! This helped me a lot!
Glad to see that you enjoyed this video about setting a reel's drag. Fish On!
Luke,
I recently moved to Naples, Fl and I'm looking to do some inshore fishing from beaches/pier this spring/summer. I was wondering what a good set up (rod, reel, bait, tackle) would be to get things started for snook, reds, trout, etc. Any insight and advice would be awesome!
I like 7'6" Medium to Medium Heavy rods with a 2500 to 3000 size spinning reel. To get the entire list of items you need along with how to use it all for consistently catching inshore slams (snook, reds, & trout), I highly recommend trying out our Inshore Slammer course because it covers everything you need to know and has a 100% money back guarantee if you somehow don't feel it more than paid for itself.
Here's a link to learn more: www.saltstrong.com/courses/
Tight Lines!
I think there are plenty of times that a completely locked-down drag has its place, like pulling big snook out of a deep snaggy dock.
This should all depend on how tight the reel's drag is relative to the lines breaking point... if someone is tightening down the drag on a reel that has 20 lb drag system when using 10 lb line, that will cause a much higher risk of a big fish getting away than the structure because it's first headshake when on a run will likely break the line. In that case, it would be better to use this method of pulling a fish out of structure: www.saltstrong.com/articles/fishing-heavy-structure-tips/
Good tips...👍👍
And what is the fishing song name..
Wow this was extremely helpful
You could probably weigh out something on a kitchen scale to be 20-30% of the rated line test and then hook it up to the line and adjust the drag by trying to lift it?
I think that you're supposed to use the rod loaded with this equation, not pulling straight through the guides. I could be wrong though.
The difference between the rod being bent or straight is minimal because the only friction is just at the points where the line slides over the rod's guides. I actually tested it out to be curious... my 2.3 lb tension from the straight pull went up to ~2.5 when the rod bent.
pulling line straight with unloaded rod is almost the same of direct pull from the reel.
Friction sliding off point may be higher of your thinking with heavy load rod
hi if i wana set a drag fr a 7kg barramundi how many punds should i keep the drag for
Thanks for the info !!
What do you go by if you are using a leader I use 30# braid to a leader either fluorocarbon or mono do I set it to the leader or the 30# braid
The general rule is to go by the weakest line strength for determining the drag tension. In this case, the two lines are rated the same so use the 30# for the calculation.
see i always made it that i have a 10kg rod put 11kg line on and set my drag at 9.5 so i can straight pull a fish unless it was to strong ( Australian tropical saltwater fisherman mainly king/spanish makeral and tuna)
What scale is that?
Great content. Very helpful
Thank for the tips from Raden Rothman Singapore
Glad it was helpful!
If you have a 30lb main line with a 15lb leader, should you set it based off the main line or leader line?
Great question! Make sure to ask this over in the Community (www.saltstrong.com/) where the coaches spend their time.
If you are idling along in your boat... and you let 100 yards of 2# test line trail out behind your boat (no hook or anything, just the line). Just the friction of the water on the line is enough pressure to break your line.
Thanks for the feedback!
rather than pulling straight back you should hold your rod at a 45 degree angle, and you should pull the scale down.
The recommended ~25% of line strength drag tension is based on the tension of the line at the reel (not at the tip of the rod), so flexing the rod is not necessary.
Also, a rod loading test like this could put a rod in a bad position if the drag is too tight and the rod is over-flexed.
Salt Strong Okay. Thank you for the info, and taking time out to respond.
Our pleasure! We're here to help. Fish On!
So is their a certain drag u need to set for certain fish? Or the bigger the fish,the tougher the drag? Im a noob fisher and today my line snapped on my first catch. It was a bass well over 10 pounds. The guy sold me the wrong line i think because he sold me 6 pound test. Do u think it was because the drag? Or the shitty line?
Eternal Prestige definitely the drag. If set properly, you’ve got a chance of catching a 10lb fish on ultralight gear with 2-4lb line.
The point of setting drag is to avoid your line snapping. With your drag set to 1.5lbs with your 6 pound line you will tire it out until you can get it in. You won't be able to just crank it in like a crane unless you are using heavier more visible line... Not very skillfull and that's not all that effective at getting bites
I bought a 13 fishing spinning rod at walmart, and i put 15 pound braid on it, i went fishing yesterday evening and i dont know why my drag system doesnt lockup to tighten it. When i set the drag tight and pull on the line, the drag doesnt tighten the line. It just spinds freely as you pull. Need help!?
Is it the reel or am i using heavy line!??
Braid does not have enough friction to hold onto the arbor of the spool (unless it's a spool with a rubber section to hold onto the braid), so you need to start out with mono as shown in this video: th-cam.com/video/yxHAX0-GUkc/w-d-xo.html
Note: You can also put electician's tape on the arbor of the reel too, but the mono is what I always use in order to save some money on braid since it fills up base of the spool for less $.
make sure your anti-reverse switch at the bottom of the reel is set to off
Good video Luke. Like the your FG knot video, very informative. It's funny to me that some comments here turn this exercise into a scientific debate regarding loaded or unloaded rods. Go fish. Have fun. Get off digital media.
I just try to find something that’s about two to three pounds tie the line around and pull the pole above it and adjust as needed
great info, thanks for sharing... subbed
I have shimano speedmaster 11'
Power pro:40 - 65lbs
Power: medium heavy
Action: moderate fast
And a daiwa bg 5000 with 65lbs braid
How much lbs do i set the drag?????? Pls help thanks
Figure it out. What's 20 % and 30%? Does someone have to do your thinking for you?
Nice video and information. Seems I'm in agreement with most on here. :)
I'm in agreement as well (with the content provider & your reply). Giving you a thumbs up for the subtle correction!
10lb line = 2-3lbs drag, 15lb line = 3-4.5lbs drag, 20lb line 4-6lbs drag, 30lb line = 6-9lbs, 40lb line = 8-12lbs drag, 50lb line = 10-15lbs drag (I can't imagine you'll need more for in-shore fishing and if you're doing deep sea you likely either know or are on a charter with a guy who's already prepared).
Awesome. Thanks!
What can you do if you don't have a scale at the moment
Great question! Make sure to ask this over in the Community (www.saltstrong.com/) where the coaches spend their time.
Awesome video. That’s a luggage scale btw.
But would braided line dig into itself under normal drag tension
As long as the braid gets applied onto the spool under tension (very important), the base will be tight enough to not allow for the line to dig into itself.
The rod has an effect on the drag as well. Just wondering why you don't pull line like a fish would which bends the rod? You never catch a fish the way you pulled it.
The 20 to 30 % rating is measured from the reel... the friction of the line going through the guides and from the line going through the water is why the drag is set so much lower than the line's breaking strength. Note: I did this same test with the rod bent, and the tension was the same as it was with the straight rod using this scale, so the friction of the line going across the 8 to 10 guides was surprisingly not much of a factor.
Say your drag is set for 2 ½ pounds for your 10 # test line... when you first pull on the line (like when a fish strikes) you may put up to 5 # pounds of pressure on the line and then when it starts to peal line off the reel it will go back down to 2 ½ pounds of drag. This is with the line running straight through the guides and no bend in the rod... OK, the fish is on and you have the rod at a 45 degree angle and the fish is taking out drag... Check your scale, it may be showing 5 or 6 pounds of drag as the line is pulled through the bent rod. Now you have 50 to 100 yards of line out (common when fishing saltwater) so you have added the friction of the line going through the water to the line going through the rod held at a 45 degree angle... your scale might no be showing 7 or 8 pounds of drag. That is why you set the drag at 25% of the breaking strength of the line you are using. Set the drain and DO NOT Touch it while fighting the fish. The drag is to keep the fish from breaking the line... the drag is NOT a break to stop the fish from running... So before you go adjusting the drag while fighting a fish, "Pump the breaks there Bub", leave it alone.
Thanks for the info Stan!
hmm idk wont 1,1.5 or 2 lbs be too little to set the hook? it might be depending on what your hooking
So if I had a reel with max drag at 40 lbs, if I wanted to be able to use the full 40 lbs drag I’d need to have a 200 lb line?😂 not sure if that’s how it works
Thanks for your question! Make sure to ask this over on the actual blog or in the Community
where the coaches spend their time. The blog can be found here: www.saltstrong.com/articles/fishing-heavy-structure-tips/
@@Saltstrong thank you!
thankx
What if you're using A leader?
I constantly adjust my drag while fighting big carp so this would be pointless for me.
link to scale?
Find it yourself. Search fish(ing) scale. Get off your butt and do something for yourself.
Take a gallon milk jug. Fill with tap water. Should weigh 8.345 lbs. Connect the jug to your fish scale. Should read 8.345 lbs. If not your fish scales is not calibrated proper. Connect REEL ONLY to fish scale. Set drag at 1/3 of line strength.
Thanks for the tip!
What is wrong with having a drag at 70% of the line weight? I been using that forever now. Never seem to have a problem.
It'll continue to work until you run into a fish near or above your line strength.
@@murphroberts4891 I have fought fish bigger than my line weight. I normally use 20lb braid and have caught 32 lb Chinook and when I set at 70%, the fish has to contend with the drag immediately so it tires out the fish quicker. If I had 20% drag, then the fish would have strip out all my line.
Legend thanks
I believe I can use 50% of my knot strength at least and my knot strength is strong enough to keep my "10" lb line breaking above 10 lb.
RIIIiiiiiiiiiiight.
Good luck with that... LOL.
You failed to show which way to turn the dial on the real to obtain the drag you want How about the spinning reels with the drag at the rear of the reel. I picked up a pair of reels that have not been used for several years and there is no line coming off either reel. If there is no line when pulling almost to the point of breaking what the hell do I do to set the drag?
Great question! Make sure to ask this over on the actual blog or in the Community (www.saltstrong.com/) where the coaches spend their time. The blog can be found here:
www.saltstrong.com/articles/fishing-heavy-structure-tips/
Wouldn’t it be a good tip to take a toothpick and place a small mark with 💦 waterproof paint 2 places for a quick reference..keeping in mind the revolutions
I am fishing for pike and I set my drag to 5lb,I am using 25lb braided line. Is this ok?
Could i catch a 40 pound fish with 20 lb drag
Yes you can catch fish that are heavier than what the drag is set to as well as what your lines breaking strength is, that’s what the drag is for. It lets out line when something is pulling hard enough that it might have broken the line.
Yes, if you are in open water where the fish can't wrap you up. Also, don't expect to "hoss" the fish in- It takes some finesse and you will probably lose some fish.
Learn to backwind your reel.
I have 50 pound test braided so I have no clue
50x.20=10 or 50x.30=15lbs so I guess anywhere between 10-15lbs. Seems small to me but 🤷♂️
Why do I need to set the drag?
Setting the drag in a reel is needed so that your line does not break when you hook into a big fish... when the drag is set properly, the reel will let line out when the fish is pulling hard so that the tension does not get higher than what the line can handle.
.020x15= 3
Great, no powerful info! Your always thought to keep your lines tight, but I've lost beautiful fish do to a tight drag
Keeping line tight is different with keeping drag tight. That's why you lost the fish bro
Another way is to use a weight of some sort and have your drag loose all most all the way then reel in and adjust as soon as the drag start to click your set You don`t fish straight out from you since the fish are at an angel , Iv`e never caught a fish straight level with me so why set your drag that way as you state
Using a weight vertically will certainly work too. As for the horizontal position of the line, I can't think of an issue with the tension setting as long as a scale is being used that is not impacted by it's positioning... the scale used in this video is solely dependent on how much pressure is on it's hook, so it can be in any position and will still show the same reading.
3 pounds on 15 pound 6 pounds on 30
You don't even need a scale to do that. 16 oz bottle of water is 1 lb.
Good tip!
Jesus loves u
why don't you just attach the line to your scale at the reel an pull it yourself instead of having it go through the loops then? this makes no sense lol....
Chwenty
I disagree. Drag should be set by your estimate, as felt when pulled suddenly. You know the line's capability, your rod and reel, along with conditions. Set your drag to a comfortable level and tighten when you feel confident AND need to. Just my opinion...