How to use a star drag

Started by Rweakley, April 05, 2016, 03:39:20 PM

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Rweakley

Hello guys, please forgive my ignorance.  I have always been a spinning reel guy and even have a low profile baitcaster, but I am just getting into conventionals (star drags) and want to know how to use it before I take it out.  I am still building the rods.  I am mainly concerned with live bait rods I can leave while fishing lures.

My first question is using the clicker for a live bait scenario.  Lets say I cast out a ways and want to let my bait swim freely.  Can I leave it in free spool until a fish grabs it or would that cause a backlash on a run?  Or should I engage the clicker to prevent that?  It seems like the clicker will prevent the bait fish from being able to take line like it can on my baitrunner spinning reel.

More importantly, if a fish is running in free spool (with or without the clicker on), will throwing it into gear with the lever damage the gears?  Do I need to slow the spool down with my thumb prior to engaging, or are they designed to be used this way?  I did this once while testing out the free spool by hand spinning the reel before putting on line.  I had a good spin going and without thinking, flipped the lever.  It got me thinking and wondering if that would cause damage.

I wish I had the funds for a lever drag, as it seems like that would alleviate any issues.  But alas I don't and purchased a crappy used Jigmaster that I fixed up.  Works smooth as butter now thanks to the tutorial on here!  I also have a used 112h that was fixed up by the previous owner that's in very good condition.

Thanks for the help!

tholmes

It's pretty easy, even I can do it   ;D

Start with your spool filled with line to approximately 1/8" from the edge. Back the drag off until you can easily pull line from the spool. Gradually tighten the drag until the force needed to start it moving is around 1/3 to 1/2 of the rated test or your line. 12 lb. line = 4 -6 lbs. of pull to start the drag. you can measure the pull with a scale, but you'll soon develop a "feel" for how tight to set it. For some situations (ex., flipping into heavy cover for largemouth) you will want to tighten your drag a bit to ensure solid hooksets and to turn the fish quickly, but I wouldn't go too much more than 1/2 the breaking strength of your line.

I would also caution against tightening the drag "on the fly". That's a great method to break off a big fish.

Hope this helps!

Tom

SoCalAngler

#2
Can you leave the clicker on while in freespool to prevent backlashes when fishing bait? Yes, I do this all the time when fishing from private boats. I will dead stick, (not holding the rod) a live bait setup when the bait reaches the depth or zone where the fish are and fish plastics or lures with another rod. If you do cast out and leave the reel in freespool without the clicker on yes you will soon have a nasty over run on your reel.

Do you need to slow down the spool with your thumb when a fish is taking line before engaging the reels lever? No, the anti reverse of the reel should be able handle this fine, that is of course that your not over fishing the reel (fishing more drag than the reel was designed for).

oc1

I was taught to never set the rod down when it's in free spool or with the drag tight enough to pull it overboard...... with or without the clicker.  Clickers are for noise and may not prevent a backlash with a screaming run.  Put it in gear, back off on the star drag so that it cannot backlash and cannot be pulled overboard, then put on the clicker, then set the rod down.
-steve

sdlehr

Quote from: tholmes on April 05, 2016, 04:37:34 PM
but I wouldn't go too much more than 1/2 the breaking strength of your line.
I wouldn't go more than 1/3 the breaking strength of the line. I think that's the accepted standard. Make sure your drags are lubed with Cal's drag grease and operate smoothly during testing.

Sid
Sid Lehr
Veterinarian, fishing enthusiast, custom rod builder, reel collector

foakes

Quote from: oc1 on April 05, 2016, 06:48:20 PM
I was taught to never set the rod down when it's in free spool or with the drag tight enough to pull it overboard...... with or without the clicker.  Clickers are for noise and may not prevent a backlash with a screaming run.  Put it in gear, back off on the star drag so that it cannot backlash and cannot be pulled overboard, then put on the clicker, then set the rod down.
-steve

All true...

Plus, when fishing waters that can potentially have large fish (ocean as opposed to fresh water, generally) -- i use a ring clamp with a leash attached from my reel clamp to a rail.  

If I am leaving the setup unattended.

The clicker is a good alarm -- providing the drag is set at loose to eliminate backlash.

If you are monitoring or holding your rod constantly -- you can proceed as you wish -- just be careful of the free spool issue.  A large fish, or aggressive strike and run -- can cause a giant birdsnest, then a breakoff, and or damage to your reels drive train when dropping it back into gear.

Just the way I do it, IMO.

Best,

Fred
The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

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SoCalAngler

Here on the west coast many times you want a fish to run with the live bait before setting the hook. Leaving the clicker on with the reel in freespool there is not enough pressure on the line to have a rod pulled overboard when the fish is pulling line/

Leaving a reel or two in freespool with the clicker on is pretty much common pratrice when say you have two guys fishing four rods on a private boat. It is done all the time and I have not heard or seen any issues with it yet.

Rweakley

Thanks guys.  I will be fishing the two reels referenced.  I don't have the stainless sleeves yet, so I will be keeping it to 8 pounds of drag or so for now.  I wasnt really concerned with the dogs getting damaged, but more so the pinion or main gear bending or breaking a tooth with a sudden engagement.  As long as that's not an issue, I think I'll be good.  And I'll leave the clicker on to prevent overrun.

sdlehr

#8
Rweakly, the beauty of the Penn Conventional design is that the gears are always in mesh (this was Otto Henze's first patent), even when in free spool. The place I've seen the most wear is on the pinion where it engages the spool. When a fish is running with line and you go out of free spool, with the gears constantly in mesh the place that will be absorbing the most load is the pinion, but not the gear part, the part that engages and locks into the spool. I have a 115 where the only place I find internal wear is this location on the pinion. Penn solved this problem with some of their smaller reels by placing a metal ring around the pinion on the side facing the spool that prevented the pinion from spreading after constant stress from sudden, jarring contact from a moving spool. Some Penn pinions are harder stainless steel to prevent deformation of the slot end of the pinion where it engages the spool.

Sid
Sid Lehr
Veterinarian, fishing enthusiast, custom rod builder, reel collector