Do any of you use or know about this item?
SAKURA JAPAN BOUZ DRAG CHECKER
World's firts revolutionary High-precision Drag Checker
How to Use Drag Checker
What is drag checker?
This product is a dedicated precision instrument for measuring the line tension and drag brake force of the fishing reel. The drag checker makes the drag and knot tying setup easy and quick.
Until now, there had been only two ways to manage the drag setting.Use anglers senses according to experience and intuition or measure using a spring balance.By the former setting, the value changes each time because it is not the numeric information. Though the measurement is numeric, using spring balance is very inconvenient because it takes more than two people and a wide space.Being different from above cases, Drag Checker enables us to measure as precise number at any point of line by oneself. Because it has "a recording system" to show the measured value, the drag force can be checked even while fishing by a single person easily.Since the drag checker can be used even after throwing a rig in, it became possible to set drag depending on the change of the line amount left on a reel.The ideal drag setting depends on a tackle balance or individual fishing style.Drag Checker is the world-first tool to express drag function in numerical form and to maximize the performance of angler.
This is the must for serious anglers. About 30% of line strength is said to be appropriate drag force. All measurement is by metric KG.
DC-2001 up to 1kg
DC-2003 up to 3kg
DC-2005 up to 5kg
DC-2015 up to 15kg
DRAG MEASUREMENT
As you know drag prevents the fish from breaking the line. The drag checker makes the drag setup easy and quick.
I have never used one or even seen one before. I did see another post about it the other day and looked it up.
It looks interesting but not interesting enough to get me to spend the $$ on it.
If I understand it, a spring scale with the little slide thing that records the maximum pull will do the same thing.
Allegedly more convenient. But I am not so sure. The only advantage is that the dial is closer to the reel. I would still rather use a €5 digital luggage scale, which is also useful for weighing my luggage if I am traveling.
But if I needed to make my wallet €75 lighter, and my gear bag half a kilo heavier, this could be just the ticket.
-J
It seems quite quick, I'd be curious to do some tests using this tool and the same way the classic scale... I would like to evaluate everything with a 45 degree inclination
Given the pocket size and the ability to use it right as you get ready to wet a line, I like the thought of using it. Being hard on my equipment and fishing saltwater, I always think about calibration with such instruments. As in; how to?
Yeah, with the 45 degree inclination. Also, There's some extra friction from the guides; maybe 5-10%?
Quote from: Gfish on November 07, 2025, 03:40:36 PMGiven the pocket size and the ability to use it right as you get ready to wet a line, I like the thought of using it. Being hard on my equipment and fishing saltwater, I always think about calibration with such instruments. As in; how to?
Yeah, with the 45 degree inclination. Also, There's some extra friction from the guides; maybe 5-10%?
It is easy enough to test. Without changing the drag, measure with a straight pull and then with the rod at an angle, then back to straight pull.
You should not see any difference. This is why:
If you were adding 5-10% load from friction, you would be rapidly damaging your line. You have other more important problems to solve - like needing to replace your guides.
Similarly, the angle of the pull does not matter if the guides are not trashed.
Try this: tie a pulley to a rafter, and pass a rope through. Tie one end to a heavy object, and the other to a scale. Try lifting the weight at various angles- the scale reading will not change. This shows that angle alone does not noticeably affect leverage when friction is minimal.
Testing at rod angle just makes it a bit more clumsy to take drag reading, especially when static (start-up) vs. kinetic (ongoing) drag is not the same, since the rod is acting like a spring, and will unload when then static breaks free. Plus, you need to hold the rod steady to take a reading, which is more easily accomplished if the rod is not bent.
IMHO, it is more important is to see what the difference is between static and kinetic. If you set the drag for static, it could be lower than you want when the fish makes a run. If the difference is large, you have another problem to fix: a "sticky" drag. It is not a bad idea to occasionally check both.
-J
I think there's some minor confusion re: the angle and how it affects measured forces. If you were sliding a weight up a ramp, the angle of that ramp would matter, because of gravity. If you're using a pulley (or a rafter) and lifting the weight straight up and down the angle you're pulling at won't matter.
The "tolerance" for drag setting is +- a few pounds and in my opinion is a waste of $ to spend a lot on a drag scale. Save your $ for takle and gear.
Quote from: JasonGotaProblem on November 07, 2025, 05:48:58 PMI think there's some minor confusion re: the angle and how it affects measured forces. If you were sliding a weight up a ramp, the angle of that ramp would matter, because of gravity. If you're using a pulley (or a rafter) and lifting the weight straight up and down the angle you're pulling at won't matter.
Not sure if you are agreeing or disagreeing with me, but that is roughly the point that I am making. In this case, angle (in the form of leverage) does not come into play.
Another example: If we hung a pulley on a boom over the side of the boat to lift a crab pot, the angle of the boom will not change the effort it takes to lift the pot.
It is my opinion that this whole "test the drag with the rod bent" is yet another fishing practice that is based on hearing the same weak anecdote-based advice from so many different sources that we take it seriously.
But I would be happy to be proven wrong. I like getting smarter.
-J
Generally agreeing about the concept, and attempting to help people understand why the oft-repeated advice about pull angles has a logical sounding basis but misses the point.
Any scale you can weigh a fish with can test drag.
Alright, alright. All the points made are probably right based on you's guy's knowledge and experience compared to mine. The 5-10percent thing I mentioned was what I remember from Allen in thread about setting up your rig for fishing. You guy's need to be all-knowing and right can be tiring at times. Though I do appreciate backing-up what some of you say with facts.
Checking the drag right at the reel is less important than check the drag when the rod is bend because that is the real pressure the line take . To use this tool to check drag when rod bent is nothing more easier than a scale
I used to care about this stuff a lot, then I realised that at a given point in any given battle with a fish I have no idea how much line I have in the water, therefore I have no idea how much drag I'm actually using, and now I just do it on feel. Scaling drags is more useful for sitting on dry land and working out what, say, 20lb of drag feels like through the rod. The only time I pay attention to it now is for line class fishing.
Quote from: boon on November 09, 2025, 11:11:18 AMI used to care about this stuff a lot, then I realised that at a given point in any given battle with a fish I have no idea how much line I have in the water, therefore I have no idea how much drag I'm actually using, and now I just do it on feel. Scaling drags is more useful for sitting on dry land and working out what, say, 20lb of drag feels like through the rod. The only time I pay attention to it now is for line class fishing.
100% agree.
The combination of change in spool diameter with friction on the line in the water means that there is a huge variation in effective drag during the fight except when you have only a short amount of line out. Understanding this is more important that getting fussy about measuring your drag setting.
-J
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.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/39/1583-121024042704.jpeg)
(https://alantani.com/gallery/39/1583-280924005628.jpeg)
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
Quote from: Keta on November 09, 2025, 11:49:32 PMIt 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
Yup.