500/501 Drag Washers HT100 vs Smoothdrag Carbontex vs Bryan Young Stack

[Tyee II]

I am about to go thru my fleet of Jigmasters and am trying to determine what I want to use for drag washers. I would like opinions regarding the HT 100s vs Smoothdrag and the Bryan Young stack. Looking for the best option in terms of reliability and strength of drag. I would like to maximize drag using stock reel parts. I would prefer not to have drags installed that are capable of shredding gears. Maybe I will need to set up reels with different options to determine which is best suited for my use. Look forward to your opinions. Most fishing is for ling cod in the 10 to 25 lb range and the ocassional halibut is hooked in this fishery.

[Gfish]

My personal opinion is that the B.Y. Drag system functions the best outta the 3 things you mentioned, BUT... Yer gonna need an after market gear sleeve if it's Bryans drag washers( both metal & brake material)---the 5+1 set. Don't recall how he packages stuff. Then there's other systems such as the Pro Challenger HX gear set with alla goodies(double-dog bridge, ss gear sleeve and form fitted drag washers).

[foakes]

On JM's — we can invest between $25 to $400 in upgrades which might include spools, cranks, drags, sleeves, gears, dogs, frames, and sideplates.

For upgrading Jigmasters, I have always stayed with function over bling.  They will get boat rash over time anyway — if you are on the fish regularly.

For me, it is any of the drags you mentioned — they are all good if coupled with Cal's drag grease.  The differences are slight on any given day.

For a capable reel, without breaking the bank —

Tib frame
SS sleeve
SS dog
Power handle
Greased CF drags with SS discs
Aluminum spool

Most JM's already have some of these components — so the cost is not too high in the end.

No use upgrading the drag stack if you are going to round off the top of the brass sleeve with higher drag numbers.

So bare minimum for me would be upgraded greased drags, SS sleeve, SS dog, power crank, and an aluminum spool.

IMO...

Best,

Fred

[mo65]

   Bryan's kit will definitely out perform the others...his is a 5-stack and the others are 3-stacks. But, like G said, the extra muscle can make the reel's weak points rise up. The usual parts to compliment Bryan's drags would be a steel gear sleeve and a steel AR dog. My recommendation for a first Jiggy build would be Bryan's drag kit and a Pro Challenger double dog bridge and steel gear sleeve. You mentioned wanting to upgrade a fleet of Jigmasters...in that case I'd just put HT-100s greased with Cal's drag grease in them. Going the full monty on a whole fleet will break the bank.

[Ron Jones]

It really depends on what you want to do with the reel.
If 25 pound ling cod can be fished easy with 30-40 pound line. There is no need for the extra drag of Bryan's kit if you are fishing 40# test line as you can do that with a stock 3 disk system just fine.
You will not notice any difference between Smooth Drag and HT-100, except that the smooth drag takes up less space on the sleeve.
I really like the SS gear sleeves, and have a hard time not recommending them, but you don't want to tear up gears so I'm guessing you don't want to tear up sleeves either. Alan says don't spend your money on a SS sleeve unless you need to.

I'd run HT-100 disks on brass sleeves. Look long and hard at each sleeve to make sure there isn't any rounding on the top. If there is, I'd replace that sleeve with SS but that is ONLY because I like them so much. If you buy a SS sleeve, buy a SS dog.

I would NOT fish for ling cod with a Jigmaster that didn't have at least a Penn power handle and preferably an aftermarket one. My favorite is Alan's 3/0 and if you put one of those on a counterweighted 49 arm it is a really comfortable rig.

If you have chrome or SS spools you will be fine for dropping to the bottom but the aluminum spool is very nice.

Basically, only spend the money you need to for the application. Getting the reel put back together smooth is so much more important, my new favorite trick is teflon dots in the bushings, makes all the difference in the world.

Just my $0.02.
Ron

[Bryan Young]

Let me start by saying that my drag kit use Smoothdrag's Carbontex carbon fiber drag washers.  This is what I have noticed between the 3 different drag systems.

HT-100 3-Stack - Works really well at lower drag numbers because the HT-100 washers are a little bit spongy than the following two drag kits; and therefore, ramping up on the drag is much slower. Good at lower drag settings of 1# and up to 12-15# of drag.

Carbontext 3-Stack - Very good alternative to HT-100s.  Since the drag washers are more rigid and less spongy, they tend to ramp up faster than the HT-100s. Good at lower drag settings above 3# on up.  Limited to 12-15# of drag.

Ultimate Upgrade 5-Stack - Good at lower drag settings above 5# of drag.  Ramps up the quickest, and therefore, 505/506 gear sleeve works best with this drag kit due to the finer drag adjustment threading.  Drags are good up to 20-25#.

with regards to the gear sleeve, they gear sleeves tend to round out if you are the type of fisherman that will grind versus pump and wind.  I personally have not had any issues with my stock gear sleeves because I'm the type to pump and wind when fishing with jigmasters.  If you want to grind, it's likely better to get a 259 or 111 as they both have slower gears.

Regarding tearing up the gears...if you stay below 12#, you should be fine.  If your jigmasters have steel gears, they are good for 18-20# of drag.

I've tested my kits out on jigmasters with brass gears and pulling 25# of drag and the gears are still good.  Note that this is just pulling drags. Not cranking under pressure.

Hope this helps out.  I think you will be good with any of the options presented, but if you are looking to stop a fish from running away, the 5-stack is the best, but I'm a bit bias.   

[Gfish]

Hmmm, soa ss gear sleeve should have a ss dog? Isat cause of excessive wear issues thata ss gear sleeve would put on a brass dog? If that's the case, I godda go back and check alla Jigys I have with ss gear sleeves, even the 259, 'cept those that have the PC double dog bridges...

[mo65]

   Very good run down of the three set ups Bryan. Carbon fiber greased with Cal's continues to give the best drag performance. Good smooth metal washers are a must too...I love the metals in your kits.

   I'd say your reels with stock dogs are alright G, the stainless steel dog is better, but those ol' bronze dogs wear pretty slow.

[Ron Jones]

Wer is really the only concern. SS will wear out a bronze dog faster than a brass sleeve will. How much faster is debatable, especially since there is very little empirical evidence for ANY of this. I wouldn't go tearing into a real to add a SS dog, but I would use an SS dog when installing a SS gear sleeve if I could.
Ron

[Tyee II]

First of all, I would like to Thank all of you for your input , advice and help. I have communicated with Alan some time ago and got his advice as well. In my communication with him I was not specific regarding drag questions. I have several of the 500s reels that have what appear to have some steel components (maybe main gears ?).  I will likely try the 5 stack in a couple of these. I will likely try both of the other drag washer setups in a some of the standard reels. A new out of the box jigmaster is very adequate for my fishing and I agree that the pump and reel down technique is certainly much easier on the reel than the locked under the elbow grind that some of my crew seem to prefer. I realize that one can invest a bunch of money in a jigmaster, that is not my intention. I do only use aluminum spools and I spool with 65# braid. I have never had any issues with this combination. My first saltwater reel was a jigmaster and I still have this reel 40 plus years later. We have avets, penn fathoms and calcuttas in the fleet and my preference is the jigmaster. If I have ever had a complete failure with a jigmaster while fishing I do not remember it. The others not so much. The days are getting shorter and the rain has begun, time to go thru the gear for the next season.Thanks Again.

[swill88]

Let me start by saying that my drag kit use Smoothdrag's Carbontex carbon fiber drag washers.  This is what I have noticed between the 3 different drag systems.

HT-100 3-Stack - Works really well at lower drag numbers because the HT-100 washers are a little bit spongy than the following two drag kits; and therefore, ramping up on the drag is much slower. Good at lower drag settings of 1# and up to 12-15# of drag.

Carbontext 3-Stack - Very good alternative to HT-100s.  Since the drag washers are more rigid and less spongy, they tend to ramp up faster than the HT-100s. Good at lower drag settings above 3# on up.  Limited to 12-15# of drag.

Ultimate Upgrade 5-Stack - Good at lower drag settings above 5# of drag.  Ramps up the quickest, and therefore, 505/506 gear sleeve works best with this drag kit due to the finer drag adjustment threading.  Drags are good up to 20-25#.

with regards to the gear sleeve, they gear sleeves tend to round out if you are the type of fisherman that will grind versus pump and wind.  I personally have not had any issues with my stock gear sleeves because I'm the type to pump and wind when fishing with jigmasters.  If you want to grind, it's likely better to get a 259 or 111 as they both have slower gears.

Regarding tearing up the gears...if you stay below 12#, you should be fine.  If your jigmasters have steel gears, they are good for 18-20# of drag.

I've tested my kits out on jigmasters with brass gears and pulling 25# of drag and the gears are still good.  Note that this is just pulling drags. Not cranking under pressure.

Hope this helps out.  I think you will be good with any of the options presented, but if you are looking to stop a fish from running away, the 5-stack is the best, but I'm a bit bias.   

That is some great information Bryan.  Thank you.
Steve