Drag setting by species

Started by AlasKen, March 23, 2021, 06:46:40 PM

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AlasKen

I just noticed this excellent write up on balancing you fishing rig that made a lot of sense to me.  https://alantani.com/index.php?topic=733.0
Starting premise is determining how hard you want the fish to pull and base everything off of that.  As an example he said he uses 5lbs for salmon.  This seems reasonable to me.  This article is worth the time to read.

I am curious if others here have similar Rules of Thumb for other AK species.  I am thinking 5 lbs drag for salmon and rockfish, 10 lbs lingcod, and 15 lbs halibut.  One other consideration is the strength of the angler.

I am interested in what others set there drag at.  I want to preset my drag based on reel and anticipated usage and adjust over time.  I plan an trying to keep records and refer back and tweak over time.  Anyone want to share there drag sets?

Cor

I have no idea at what lb of pull I set my drag at.   I have no set "rules" that I adjust it to and I only use star drag reels and set it by feel.
Some consideration I would use to set and adjust my drag:-
1)   Line and rod strength
2)   Rod action and length  ( a very strong fast action rod) will become a back breaker with a strong fish.
3)   Type of fish I am targeting or that I know is on te end of my line (some fish have very soft mouths and require gentle treatment)
4)   I use lighter drag settings when fishing from a boat
5)   The amount of structure in the water
6)   The  danger element, if I should loose my footing (e.g. fishing from narrow high ledges)
Cornelis

boon

#2
I used to scale all my drags. Then I did some more thinking about it and realised that in the same day of fishing I might be fishing in 40ft, then 150ft, then 250ft. So the "starting drag" at the point I get a bite will be some level higher than whatever I scaled my drag to, let alone if the fish then takes line off the reel. I can't do the maths fast enough to go "well, I scaled this reel at 10lb, and it has 1000ft of line on it, and 250ft was out when I hooked up, but this reel has a very narrow spool so even though I have 250ft of line out I am less than 1/4 of a decrease in the total diameter of the line stacked on the arbor, so I should reduce the drag by 14.2% to compensate for the increased drag".

The closest you could get is maybe doing all the maths beforehand and then using Alan's coloured segments method to know with reasonable accuracy where you are in the spool, and then have markings on a lever drag reel to appropriately adjust the drag.

Nowadays? I do it by feel. Most of my reels are spinners these days anyway. If I'm worried about how much line I'm losing, more drag. If things feel excessively loaded (usually judged by how bent the rod is getting), less drag. I've never been in a situation where I've gone "wow I wish I had applied 3.62lb more drag".

Donnyboat

Yes bear in mind, if your using overhead reels, the more line your loosing from the spool, then you drag is increasing as the fish runs, generally know reason to start screwing the drag down more, most fish will eventually stop running, then you can retreave line, maybe some of the members that have caught very large tuna, could add to this, cheers Don.
Don, or donnyboat

Cor

#4
I forgot to mention "the amount of line on my reel"

Sometimes easing off on drag will stop fish, and tuna hooked from shore seem to stop more readily.
On a boat you follow them with the boat, boat acts as additional drag, depending if fish remains on the surface....... ;D ;D

Tuna hooked on bait seems to head for the bottom, but on surface lure seem to stay near surface

Is all very unpredictable
Cornelis