I hope this question is not too basic, but is there a right and a wrong way of using a spring scale to set the drags on a lever drag reel? I figure that the drags should be set at 25-30% of the breaking strength of the top shot, but should the rod be "loaded" or are you pulling straight on the line.

The rod should be loaded up just like you are fighting a fish, at an approximate 45 degree angle.

I've found that spring scales are far from accurate and calibrate mine using weights at the high school weight room.

set it at 24 lb and get back to us.

I am lazy and set it by straight pull from teh reel. That suffices for most uses. However, loading it up normally takes two people--the angler nad the scale checker/resetter. But it gives a more accurate reading. Once you get above 50# class, I prefer that method.

If you really want to be anal about it, use a digital scale and make a few pulls first to heat up/warm up the drags before loading up the scale.

Has anyone compared the two procedures--straight from the reel versus from a flexed rod? What is the nature of the difference, and what is the magnitude of the effect?

Trying to imagine what the difference might be. Perhaps the flexed tip of the rod serves as a pulley?

If I hadn't mailed my reels to the boat already, then I could have investigated this issue myself. Rats!

Everything needs to be sano as you go for capital grade fish with appropriate class line.

That being said the idea of the spring scale is to closely duplicate a steady pull by a hefty fish vs your line class. That being said IMO...

1.a flex rod at 45 degrees offer a similar bend to a fish on situation.

2, the steady pull is how a fish should act once they are finished with the intial run.

3, I go by the 25% rule for setting my drags. 20# line class + 5# of drag setting. Verified by a spring scale

4. Confidence in your gear gives you confidence against all biters.

5. I am a believer and you will be also once you get used to setting your drags by a spring scale.

He is what I do and why I do it.

Take a spring scale with a "Tattle Tail' Marker and tie the handle end to some solid stationery object, I use the water faucet out side my house, and tie the spring end to your line which goes through the rod guides to the reel. Then holding the rod at about a 45 deg. angle walk backwards briskly until the drag slips. Check the Tattle Tail on the scale and you have your drag setting.

I use a spring scale with the "Tattle Tail" because it is the only way you can accurately measure the force it takes to break the drag loose from its fixed position. When the spool starts to spin the initial force required to start the drag slipping is greater then the force required to keep the drag slipping. In other words, it may take 8 pounds of force to start the drag slipping but only take 7 pounds of force to keep the drag slipping. The better the quality of the drag in a reel the less this difference but all reels have a higher start up torque hump to get over.

Running the line through the guides to the reel and not just pulling on the reel is important. The extra friction of the line on the guides can add as much as 3 pounds to the total pull on the line before the drag slips. That’s the case with mono through standard ring type guides, roller guides or spectra is most likely less but I have not yet tested either to measure the difference.

Others haver different methods such as weights which work fine. But the important thing is that you are confident of apromimately where your drags are set. The standard rule of setting your drags at 25 -30 % of line rating is as valid as ever. But the main reason for setting drags at these levels is not to stop line breakage but to reduce hook pull. There is so much head room with todays monofiliments that setting you drag at 50 % of the PUBLISHED line rating is not detramental. But increasing drag settings to that level will definetely result in more hooks being dislodged from your trophys mouth.

After you do this a bunch of times you will get a feel for your drag settings just by pulling on the line with your hand at the reel. While this is not super accurate it will be close enough in the heat of battle to prevent you from applying too much drag.

An important concept to remember is that as line is pulled off your reel and the spool diameter decreases your reel drag increases in direct inverse proportion to the reduction in spool diameter. If you start out with a full 2 in. spool diameter with an 8 lb drag setting, when your spool diameter decreases to 1 inch your drag will now increase to 16 lbs.

There are multiple methods of settin your drags, they all have value, the critical issue is that you make an effort to do so.

Walt

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Walt,

Yo guys!

Thanks for the info!

I do use a spring scale to calibrate my drags, but I did it incorrectly--doh!! First, I bought a scale without a tattle tail marker: none of the stores I called in this area had a spring scale with a marker, and I didn't want to mail-order one because of the cost. Second, because (unbelievably, I know, but trust me) there is nobody around who would help me by reading the scale while I engaged the reel, I haplessly pulled line directly from the reel without loading up the rod, so I could see the scale. I set the preset drag at strike position to 25% of the rated line strength. Given that the line going through the guides adds drag (using Walt's estimate of 3#), my actual setting will lie between 40% (for 20# line) to 28% (100# line). Clearly the smaller reels and lighter lines must have the drags recalibrated aboard the boat.

Thanks, Walt, you saved me suffering yet a giant red-faced session of frustration attributable to my own ignorance! :-)

Something else to consider when setting a drag is if you are going to use a harness or not . I had set some of my reels around 20 lbs and the fish almost killed me without a harness. I backed off to 17 lbs and was fine . I have started railing fish more often and cranking up the drag after the fish stalls and goes in circles. I have never used a harness since I've been out here and rarly use a gimble . Maybe this season that will all change .

great stuff Walt!!!!

We have the best here at Charkbait. Thanks to everyone for making it work for us all.

just need to get it close.

straight off the reel = 25% max.
with the guides and rod at 45 deg. 30% of rated line test.
Lets tie a good knot cinch it wet and slow please, Cinch it snugly not trying to break it, fish will pull on it but the water resistance from the line being pulled and moved through the water will cause the drag to have alot of force at the fish end not at the reel end. The more line out, the more likely the line to break at the knot. let the drag slip and don't put your thumb on the line until you know that the fish is getting close to color !!!

quote:

But the main reason for setting drags at these levels is not to stop line breakage but to reduce hook pull. There is so much head room with todays monofiliments that setting you drag at 50 % of the PUBLISHED line rating is not detramental. But increasing drag settings to that level will definetely result in more hooks being dislodged from your trophys mouth.

Great info, and answers some questions I have thinking bout Thanks

PS. Louie if you see this pm or call me @ 714-321-9070 Wanna split a 2 fer 1 $499 Feb 15 trip to Colnett on the BG90 ?

read it load a clear.lol

is it a 2 dayer .