Drag Setting

[miller2213]

How do you set your drag on your walleye jigging rods? I am using fireline, and have set my drags fairly loose as to not pull out the hooks during the fight. However, the drag slips quite a bit on the hook set and I feel like I am not getting a lot of power on the hookset. On a few occasions I have set the hook, had the drag slip, and no fish. Just wondering how some of you guys have your drag set and what method you use to set them.

[Esox_Magnum]

Same as you, you'll lose a few regardless. I would rather have the drag set light and lose one that way vers ripping his lips off.

[BobT]

I too prefer to use a light drag. If you can weigh it I usually set mine to about 30% of test weight measuring over a bent rod not a straight pull. So my reals with 6# fireline will let drag with only 2#-3# force against my rod with it bent. The actual amount of force is higher due to friction through the guides so although it sounds really light it isn't.

One important note. To do this you MUST use sharp hooks.

Bob

[Shack]

Bob,

Some very good advice.

After some experience of losing fish, one tends to know how to set his or hers drag. You never want a complete solid drag, you always want to start out with a light pull and work from their. If you are using smaller presentation’s, the fish are biting light and you have lost a one or two bringing them up the column, lighten the drag some. After awhile you will figure it out.

[hanson]

When I set the hook, I usually like my drag to slip just a bit on the tail end of the hookset.

My reasoning for a fairly light drag is those first few seconds when you might hook a fish larger than you were intending to catch. With a big pike, walleye, or bass... those first few seconds are critical to whether you land him or not. With a cinched down drag, there is usually not enough time to loosen it before a big fish will snap you off. Guess I'd rather have a smaller fish have the ability to play me than risk losing a larger fish right off the bat.

[tisosy11]

I like hearing that drag getting pulled! Very light drag!

[delmuts]

i have mine set the same as hansons'! i had to play with the setting at first. a tight drag i would straighten out the hook,or tear it out. now the drag gives a little on the hook set, and allows a bigger fish to run when needed. you will still loose some fish for what ever reason. del

[slipperybob]

We can get all complicated with individual drag preferences, but one thing about drag setting is that there's an inititial drag resistance that holds it in place until that threshold is broken. After it get's moving, less force is needed to keep it moving. The ability to calibrate your drag setting depends on your equipment.

To err on the side of losing a few fish due to loose of a drag setting is better than having too tight of one resulting in line breakage.

[PerchJerker]

I do NOT fish with a loose drag if I am going after "big" fish with hard mouths. You need to have enough power and pull to drive the hooks home for a good hookset or you'll end up missing fish.

It depends on how strong or light of line you're using, but I don't feel you should be snapping lines OR pulling drag on hooksets. If your drag slips at the end of your hookset that's okay, but imo you don't want it any looser than that.

I never have the drag set so tight that it won't slip before the line breaks or the knots pop, but I usually don't want it slipping on my hooksets. If I'm using a tight drag for good hooksets, I'll loosen the drag or switch off the anti-reverse so I can backreel as soon as I drive the hooks home. If a fish is really pulling hard as soon as I set the hook, I point the rod tip at the hole to take tension off the line and make it easier for the drag to slip until I get the drag loosened or start backreeling.

As mentioned, sharp hooks are important. The size of the hook matters too. Thin, needle-sharp hooks on tiny ice jigs don't need as much force to go in as thicker hooks on trebles on larger jigging spoons. It also depends on the target species --- for example, crappies have soft mouths and you don't need a hard hookset on them. If I don't need as much "power" for good hooksets, I'll go with a looser drag.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I fish with a fairly tight drag on most of my ice fishing rods. I tend to fish outside more than inside, and dont trust a drag that is that cold.. If I hook a big fish, I can usually tell on the hook set, I will then turn off my anti reverse and back reel when needed. I only broke off once this winter that I can think of, which includes catching about a 12 lb pike on 3 lb florocarbon.

[BobT]

You bring up a good point with regard to the initial release of the drag. I have noticed that between outings when the reel isn't being used, the drag tends to get "set" into place and for this reason I have developed a habit of intentionally pulling on the line until the drag slips a little. Once that initial tension is released it seems to be more consistant for the rest of the day. I have concluded that it probably is a combination of a small amount of corrosion along with drying that causes this.

I have noticed the same problem regardless of reel quality from my cheapies to my Pfluegers, they all do it.

Bob

[slipperybob]

One thing about storing reels away for extended periods, it helps to loosen up the drag or basically no drag. It depends on drag design. The expensive reels with calibrated settings may have counter springs. That's how they get so much more drag settings and can achieve smooth light drag with consistent basis. It's the same as you tighten the drag down and when drag is working, it's smooth and consistent.

Many drag discs are made of felt or wool with oil sandwich between other metal washers. When the felt or wool get's compressed for extended time, they begin to conform to that compressed shape and you lose your light drag smoothness. In the cheapest of drags, you might have just plastic washers/discs in there.

Even I should be following the practice of loosening the drag more often for storage, but I don't always think about it. Only time is when I'm cleaning and inspecting after season.

A buddy of mine didn't loosen the drag on his St. Croix Legend ice rod and the reel somehow kept turning while in the back of the truck on a trip and his tip broke under the load. That I mentioned to him about it before the trip and he said it was set already. I guess it wasn't.

[NCLaker]

Slipperybob, I try to practice loosening my drag when not in use for a period of time (did this after reading about comments similar to your on another post).

Only problem I have run into is when I forget to tighten it back up before using it. Have done that a few times - hard to set a hook when the drag is so lose that drag releases with the slightest amount of pull. Lost a few nice bites this way :-(

[slipperybob]

I agree that it happend to me as well...sometimes my forgetful mind even forgets to set the reel handle up after breakin it down for storage. I lost a few fish this way, went to reel it in and found handle was still in broken down position. That's the time I'll be wishing I have those screw in handles or the quick breakdown handles.

And I did get a nice screw in handle reel just for that...LOL's

[miller2213]

Bob,

Thanks for the reply, and if I understand your method correctly, you measure the pull of the line with a scale over a bent rod. However, if you set it at 2-3 lbs, I don't understand how it would actually be more. Isn't the added force due to friction already taken into account by measureing over a bent rod rather than a straight pull?

[BobT]

Yeah, I guess you're right. Well, now I've learned something else today. Thanks,

Bob

[blueroof]

 Originally Posted By: slipperybob

I lost a few fish this way, went to reel it in and found handle was still in broken down position.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one...

LB

[palisade1kid]

When setting the drag you should pull the line at the end of the rod so the rod loads up as it would in real life fishing.

Depending on the test you may want to go lighter than stronger.

Everyone has their own prefrences ,but keep in mind you only need the drag to be stiff enough to set the hook.

I do not know why cheaper reels even have drags.

They are either tight or so loose you could not reel up a fish.

This is where you as the buyer needs to think about your gear's ability.

Go to a mass seller and all of the 20$ combo's are just about sold out 2 weeks into the season.It's amazing thing to see.

People buy the price tag.

Moving on......

in reeling you should lift your rod and reel down the rod tip to the ice then lift again to reel down taking in the line.

I've seen too many fishermen just reel away.Reeling against a spinning drag will only add line twist and repetitive actions as this will cause spindernests and at the least it will cause your lure to spin.Not a good thing.

As mentioned already sharp hooks help in driving the hook into the bone,but what if that hook misses the bone.Say it turns sideways and all you get is skin.

Ergo having your drag set lighter then stiffer will better your odds of not tearing it loose.

I caught a 20 lb pike in URL on 4 test.

I landed it by hand 40 minutes later only to find my hook in the tip of it's lip.

1 light pull of the line and it popped loose.It was a back and forth battle in 14 fow that I'll never forget.He'd get close to the hole and shoot all of the way back to the bottom.If my reel's drag hung up once that fight would have been cut short.

I did get lucky where the hook landed,everything else went as planned.

Having a good drag to begin with is important.Without it it does not really matter where you set it.

You'll be loosing fish.

[eurolarva]

I fish with 20 dollar reels all the time and find that the drags work well however are harder to adjust. I fished LOTW in January and caught over 100 fish the biggest being a 25.5 inch real fat female on 4 lb test 32 ft down and it took about 10 minutes but I got it through the hole. If people can justify spending 200 dollars for a rod and reel combo I commend them. I enjoy fishing but try and keep costs down so I can use the money to go to places like Lake of the Woods. Times are tough so if you can find a cheaper way to do it go for it. Here is my walleye from lake of the woods. Key is like mentioned keep drag loose then tighten it to the correct setting while fighting the fish.