Optimum drag maintenance on musky/pike reels

[Killerbug]

I posted this today at http://forum.esoxhunt.dk , and it might be interesting for HW freshwater guys.


For many years the classic Ambassaduer was my premium reel of choice. Later when ABU introduces the Carbon Matrix drags, I was even more convinced about the Abus, now this drag delivered the drag performance I have always missed. 

Fitted with standard drags washers any baitcaster can't really deliver the optimum performance needed for HW pike/musky fishing. 

Why, simply because HW pike and Musky anglers need a lot of drag to be able to set the hooks, using thick lines and heavy hooks, not talking about musky baits the size of a french baguette.  The bigger the bait, the more drag pressure is needed for hook sets.  Some Musky/Pike guys I have spooken to, clamp the drag down the drag to blockage(with danger of damaging the tread on the star), but even through this gives you the optimum hookset, it also leaves a risk of snapping the line, or the leader(especially by a bottom snag).

IMO the optimum drag setting for hw pike and musky is if the drag releases a few inches of line on hookset, and hereby acts as the buffer it is intended to be.  Later when battling the fish you can choose to release the spool, and use the thumb as a drag, or release the star drag half a turn to allow the musky/pike to make it's short but powerfull runs.

To ensure maximum drag on hooksets and still a fully functioning drag, some modifications is often needed. We can to obtain this by varies means on different baitcasters.  The ABU solves this using dry Carbon Matrix washers in the newer ABU reels, but other brands are not that lucky out of the box. Shimano baitcasters for example is delivered with stocked drag washers only able to perform max drag performance on a few trips, but fitted with Greased carbon washers from smoothdrag, they deliver excellent performance. 

While the Abus seems to function well using dry washers, the Shimano Calcuttas will fail if the dry washers gets wet.  To prevent this, I have discovered(what saltwater guys probably already knew) that greased carbon fiber is the optimum drag washer, also for HW freshwater reels. This include reels for catfish and other large freshwater fish. 

PS. As you can never be sure, how a customer threat his gear, I now grease the ABU stock Carbon Matrix washers as well, and I have not had any complaints so far!.

Tight lines

Morten.

[alantani]

found it here.  http://forum.esoxhunt.dk/viewtopic.php?f=71&t=159  looks like you guys are just getting started.  good luck with your new board!

[Killerbug]

Thanks,  massage boards provide a strong knowledge base in today's world of fishing, and all that is free for the users!. Long live the internet