Drag Settings 2024

Todd2 reply :

I'm a lover of mono, but 5 million people can't be wrong so I'm gonna try braid again on my spinning reels. How do set your drag? If I'm using 15lb braid/6lb mono eq.? How many lbs is necessary to penetrate that roof of the mouth. I don't want to rip mouths which is one reason I switch back to mono every time I try braid. Thanks.

Scott F reply :

If you don’t want to “rip mouths”, ease up up on the hook sets.

J Francho reply :

What is the rod's stated max line rating? Set your drag to 1/3 of that.

BrackishBassin reply :

I’ve traditionally set my drag to 1/3 the breaking strength of the line (using a pull scale) that I’m using. But it ends up all over the place by the end of the day.

When I’m actually fishing and not planning on pulling out a scale and looking like I have OCD, I’ll adjust the drag so that it takes a sharp tug to pull line free. That gets me pretty close to where I want to be and then fine tuning can be done as I fish.

Just be aware that you don’t need to snap a hookset with braid. Just reel down and ‘lean’ on the fish.

Catt reply :

I let my rod do the fighting, it does a better job than my drag!

I set my drag at 6 lbs; max for my Calcutta is 9.5 lbs.

If a fish surges I'll give it a little rod then lean back on it, this allows my rod to fight the fish.

Todd2 reply :

One of my problems is I just need to go all in on braid. Having mono on some and braid on others messes me up with different hook sets...especially when they hit on the fall after a long cast.

With mono, I just adjust the drag by feel..but I usually set it fairly tight and leave it. Braid being less forgiving, seems harder to get right. I'd like to set it and leave it, but we're supposed to back off the drag washer while not fishing I've read.

I'm gonna switch them all to braid, set them to 1/3 and try to get used to how that feels so I can set it on the fly, and back off on the swing...lol

WRB reply :

10 lb with 6 lb leader use between 2 lb drag, 3 lbs max.

Tom

J Francho reply :

I guess I don't understand why you'd change your hookset for braid? Set the drag the same as you usually do, and use the same hooksets. The only variable you're changing is line material.

Todd2 reply :

On 12/6/2017 at 11:36 PM, J Francho said:

I guess I don't understand why you'd change your hookset for braid? Set the drag the same as you usually do, and use the same hooksets. The only variable you're changing is line material.

I think I follow you..so two options..ease up on the hook set or as you suggest set the drag to 1/3 and keep the same hook set. No need to do both? So how often does your drag slip on the hook set with braid?

Catt reply :

Let's see if I understand this ????

If I set my drag at 1/3 of my lines breaking point & I'm using 65# braided line my drag should be set at 21.67 lbs?

My max drag on my Calcutta is 9.5 lbs so I guess I can only use 28.5 lb braid!

portiabrat reply :

On 12/6/2017 at 11:18 PM, Todd2 said:

With mono, I just adjust the drag by feel..but I usually set it fairly tight and leave it. Braid being less forgiving, seems harder to get right. I'd like to set it and leave it, but we're supposed to back off the drag washer while not fishing I've read.

People loosen the drag after fishing in order to avoid compressing their drag washers. It doesn't matter what type of line is on the reel.

BassWhole! reply :

Bass guys discussing drag settings is as silly as,...well, bass guys discussing drag settings...

J Francho reply :

On 12/6/2017 at 11:57 PM, Catt said:

If I set my drag at 1/3 of my lines breaking point & I'm using 65# braided line my drag should be set at 21.67 lbs?

1/3 of the weakest link (besides the knot) in the system. With braid, that'll be the rod, or sometimes the hook, if you're using light wire. With mono, it'll be the line. So, if you're using 15# mono, you'll be fine with 5-6# resistance. If you have 50# braid, and the rod rated to 17# line, then that same 5-6# should be fine as well.

But I think you knew that anyway.

*******************************

The part I don't get is the change in hookset. Why? If I'm using a MH or H rated rod with a jig, I'm swinging the same way, irrespective of line. If I swing too hard, the drag will slip. Very, very few bass have ever pulled out line when the drag is over 5#. I can think of two, and they were both over 7 lbs.

@Todd2 You say you want to try braid, then why do you have to go all in? That makes no sense. Try it on rod you use where you think the zero stretch will help give you an advantage. See if you like it. I use mono, fluoro, braid, and a coated fused microfiber line. Each has it's own advantage for what I'm using it for. Even @Catt is looking for an advantage using braid. I know he probably only has one rig with it, and the rest have Big Game.

Last thing, I rarely if ever loosen my drags. Usually only when I disassemble the reel for winter cleaning. If the drag washers are losing their strength, it's a sub par reel. I've never seen squashed drag washers in the hundreds of reels I've serviced. I've seen plenty of issues from drags being set too tight - stripped pinions/main gears, ruptured AR bearings, even a broken reel foot, on an OG Zillion of all things.

SO, try some braid, leave it the way you usually set it up. Set the hook the way you know works with that bait. If it's a drop shot, flick set. Jig or T-rig in cover, smack them a walloping lift and separate set. Crankbait, then just sort of lean into the fish and reel. It's that simple.

Catt reply :

@J Francho

I set my drag at 6 lbs; max for my Calcutta is 9.5 lbs.

1/3 of 15# Big Game is 5# ????

The Bassman reply :

I set my drag strictly by feel, not specific lb. If I had to guess I'm probably in that lower range that @WRBrecommends. I fish mainly braid and the lighter setting reduces hook tear out. Also, I don't fish heavy cover and in those cases I can see the need for more pressure.

BrackishBassin reply :

On 12/6/2017 at 11:57 PM, Catt said:

Let's see if I understand this ????

If I set my drag at 1/3 of my lines breaking point & I'm using 65# braided line my drag should be set at 21.67 lbs?

My max drag on my Calcutta is 9.5 lbs so I guess I can only use 28.5 lb braid!

It’s a guideline. Meant more to avoid snapping your line on a hookset. You crazy bass fisherman insist on bringing a nuke to a knife fight (65lb braid for bass).

On 12/7/2017 at 12:29 AM, portiabrat said:

People loosen the drag after fishing in order to avoid compressing their drag washers. It doesn't matter what type of line is on the reel.

That’s why he was saying he’d like to set it and forget it, but can’t. To save his drag washers. Wasn’t because he was switching lines.

MickD reply :

I adjust it by feel with different settings for different techniques. This is not rocket science.

How do you know you are ripping mouths?

WRB reply :

On 12/7/2017 at 5:56 AM, The Bassman said:

I set my drag strictly by feel, not specific lb. If I had to guess I'm probably in that lower range that @WRBrecommends. I fish mainly braid and the lighter setting reduces hook tear out. Also, I don't fish heavy cover and in those cases I can see the need for more pressure.

You will not tear a hook out a bass hook using 2 lbs of drag using a spinning outfit with 6 lb test line, you may not get a good hook set depending on your technique.

Tom

Todd2 reply :

I did some testing in the shop. I set the drag at 3lbs on a few reels and then went back and pulled straight off the spool just to get a feel and was really surprised how little effort it took to pull drag. I bet I've been fishing at least double or more than that with mono...going by just the "feel" test.

Good stuff here, thanks...

WRB reply :

The way to do this is run the line through all the rod guides and pull the line with a scale. Have someone look at the scale as you load the rod at a 90 degree angle, no higher. This way you will know how the rod loads under a specific load. 2-3 lbs may seem light until you load up a medium or medium light rod with that load. 4-6 lbs drag on a medium heavy and heavy standard rod is a lot of force. It's good to know how your rods handle loads. You can always add force with your index finger on a spinning reel spool or your thumb on a bait casting spool. Adjusting drag under fighting conditions nearly always ends up badly.

It baffles me when bass anglers invest their money in reels with state of the art drags and don't use them.

Tom

CroakHunter reply :

I set my drag by rod/presentation. None of them are locked all the way down. Even in my flipping stick with 65lb braid, I can still pull line of with a sharp tug. But my medium power senko rod with 30lb braid can be pulled out with a steady pull and not too much force. Maybe around 4lbs. Crankbait and jerkbait rods are even less resistance due to the small thin wire trebles. My only spinning outfit is set light enough where almost any fish over 2lbs pulls drag at some point. My ultralite Panfish setup cant lift a 1lb red ear out of the water without pulling drag. Set your drag by your rod and presetation not by your line choice is my recommendation

WRB reply :

When you fish for fish that are twice your weight and twice as fast as bass you learn to set drags and trust them. Bass are not big fast hard fighting fish compared to the tackle we use to catch them. What bass can do is turn around on a dime and run into cover and all we need to do is control the fight. If you don't learn how to use your tackle, including setting your drags, the fish of a lifetime will break your heart by seeing the boat and turning to make a hard sort run breaking your line, it happens way too often.

I catch bass that exceed most states records using 10 lb to12 lb line because I know my tackle limits, my drag settings and fully trust it to perform.

Try landing 200lb+ tuna or 700lb Marlin on 30 to 50 lb tackle, it better perform. Same with 15lb+ LMB, on 10lb line, learn your tackle limits and set drags.

Tom

Catt reply :

On 12/7/2017 at 6:47 AM, BrackishBassin said:

You crazy bass fisherman insist on bringing a nuke to a knife fight (65lb braid for bass).

What would you recommend for pulling bass over 8 lbs out of buck brush?

Aint talking about fishing the edges but flipping-n-pitching back in it!

Todd2 reply :

On 12/7/2017 at 12:01 PM, WRB said:

If you don't learn how to use your tackle, including setting your drags, the fish of a lifetime will break your heart by seeing the boat and turning to make a hard sort run breaking your line, it happens way too often.

Very true, I've only had one drag related break off that I can remember.....and yes it still hurts. I was fairly new to Bass fishing and had my drag locked down fishing a jig close to a dam. Fought it to the boat after what seemed like 2 mins, probably much less, but it made a run and that was it. I can still hear that snap..lol. I never saw the fish. Since that day, I've always remember to loosen it up some and adjust it by feel and I've been ok since. Years later I was fishing with my girlfriends dad, he took me to the same spot and said it was a good spot for big walleye, so looking back on it that's probably what it was.

Steveo-1969 reply :

On 12/7/2017 at 7:15 PM, Todd2 said:

Very true, I've only had one drag related break off that I can remember.....and yes it still hurts. I was fairly new to Bass fishing and had my drag locked down fishing a jig close to a dam. Fought it to the boat after what seemed like 2 mins, probably much less, but it made a run and that was it. I can still hear that snap..lol. I never saw the fish. Since that day, I've always remember to loosen it up some and adjust it by feel and I've been ok since. Years later I was fishing with my girlfriends dad, he took me to the same spot and said it was a good spot for big walleye, so looking back on it that's probably what it was.

Whenever I lose a big fish that I didn't see, I always tell myself it was a catfish.......

Andy007 reply :

I'm guessing I started using braid about 15 years ago and my primary bass fishing was T-rigs. And since I went from heavy stiff rods and 14 to 20 pound mono and have settled on 10# braid with 6-10 or 6-12 pound rated rods. Where I differ from most is that my drags are set to 7.5 to 8 pounds. Maybe I'm pushing the limits but with fresh knots the line and rods haven't failed me.

BassWhole! reply :

And by silly I meant entertaining....Carry on.

Todd2 reply :

On 12/8/2017 at 4:26 AM, reason said:

And by silly I meant entertaining....Carry on.

Hey the bite is slow for some of us, we've got to do something. Wait for my mid January post...."What Do Bass Think About?"....

BrackishBassin reply :

On 12/7/2017 at 12:49 PM, Catt said:

What would you recommend for pulling bass over 8 lbs out of buck brush?

Aint talking about fishing the edges but flipping-n-pitching back in it!

Just yanking you freshwater guys' collective chain. It's been hard for me to adjust to the bass fishing frame of mind having spent 99% of my time fishing saltwater. Just this past summer I landed a ray that had a 4ft 'wingspan' on 30lb braid with a 25lb mono leader. Fought him through, around, and under dock pilings and then across an oyster bar. So, being told that I should be using 65lb braid to catch fish that weigh in the neighborhood of 3-5lbs (Not holding my breath to see something like an 8lb bass locally.) just blows my mind.

Catt reply :

@BrackishBassin I knew that ????

I grew up on the Texas/Louisiana Gulf coast & worked on Charter Fishing boats in the Gulf as a teenager.

Saltwater fish fight harder than any bass but ya aint gotta deal with heavy cover!

HookRz reply :

For bass isn't my spinning reel drags at "disaster" setting. Just enough to make sure I don't break a rod. Flip the anti-reverse and back reel. Bass aren't fast. Stay in control. Do not try this with Steelhead or Stripers though. The will eat you up.

BrackishBassin reply :

On 12/8/2017 at 9:22 AM, Catt said:

@BrackishBassin I knew that ????

I grew up on the Texas/Louisiana Gulf coast & worked on Charter Fishing boats in the Gulf as a teenager.

Saltwater fish fight harder than any bass but ya aint gotta deal with heavy cover!

True enough! Although, I’ve lost my fair share of fish to dock pilings covered in barnacles.

WRB reply :

Off topic;Kelp forest grows to over 90' deep where white sea bass, Cal Yellowtail (Jack family), calico bass, and giant Black Sea live, live qualifies as heavy cover. oil platforms and piers also create havoc with fishing line.

On topic; Catt's 15# mono is about as heavy as you need for the majority of bass fishing, heavy cover requires heavier line and heavy lures over 3 oz requires heavier tackle and line to be able to retreive lures and cast lures, the bass aren't going to break you off, you are going to break the bass off by putting too much pressure.

Tom

BrackishBassin reply :

On 12/9/2017 at 5:48 AM, WRB said:

Off topic;Kelp forest grows to over 90' deep where white sea bass, Cal Yellowtail (Jack family), calico bass, and giant Black Sea live, live qualifies as heavy cover. oil platforms and piers also create havoc with fishing line.

On topic; Catt's 15# mono is about as heavy as you need for the majority of bass fishing, heavy cover requires heavier line and heavy lures over 3 oz requires heavier tackle and line to be able to retreive lures and cast lures, the bass aren't going to break you off, you are going to break the bass off by putting too much pressure.

Tom

True enough. Rule thumb for saltwater is 10lbs per ounce of lead/bait. Fishing the surf, I’ve always got a shock leader tied on that’s significantly stronger than the main line.

soflabasser reply :

1/3rd of the line's breaking strength is usually the most I will tighten my drag any many times I use less drag than that. Seems to work out just fine, both in freshwater and saltwater.

3590

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