SAKURA JAPAN BOUZ DRAG CHECKER

[Keta]

It is a known baseline.
In my opinion it is foolish to go after fish like these with a unknown drag selling.  Streight pull when setting a drag.

[Bill B]

With so many variables in the equation, I keep it simple.  I put the smart person on the end with a drag scale and myself on the reel end then pull until the drag slips.  Whether the rod is bent or parallel to the deck doesn't bother me.  Knowing my drag is 1/3 the breaking strength of the weakest line in the system is good enough for me.  Whether its a $20 scale or $1000 scale, I don't care, as long as it is accurate.   Don't over think the issue and just get out and fish.  Bill

[jurelometer]

It is a known baseline.
In my opinion it is foolish to go after fish like these with a unknown drag selling.  Streight pull when setting a drag.

Agree.  Baseline is the key word.  Whatever the drag is set at is is going to be the minimum effective load on the fish before it takes line.  Without adjusting the drag, it can easily go past double that amount during a run  with something like  one of them big tuna in Lee's photos.

With this much variability, if your drag is initially set at 19 or 21 lbs instead of 20, it ain't gonna matter too much.  You just don't want to start at 12 while thinking that you have it set at 20, which is easy to do if you never use a scale.

Any halfway decent scale is plenty good enough for setting the drag.

-J

[Keta]

Yup.