How do you guys typically set your drag? Do you just do the pull and feel test or maybe you pull the scale out and set the drag at 20% of your max test line? Do you do something different? I’ve always struggled with this a bit so any advice would be appropriate!

I keep mine tight enough so that my rod loads up enough to set the hook itself but light enough to strip a little drag on a fish over 25-30 lbs. i fish with several guys that use a light drag with the bait clicker on and the reel engaged and then adjust the drag once the fish is on. This might work for some but if the drag is too light I miss a ton more fish.

Thanks El Gato!!!

Most reels have a max drag of less than 20#, and I never use line less than 20# so I crank my drag down on most reels.

I was taught that you want your drag to be set at around 30-35% of your line weight. I run 30 lb mono so mine are close to 10 lbs of drag. Not sure if this is the right way but its the way I was taught and has worked good for me on big fish. I wouldn’t want my drag tightened all the way down with a pissed off 50 lbr under the boat. That’s a recipe for heart break!

We run ours just tight enough to set the hook...but definitely loose enough that if we get a really poor hookup, the fish doesn’t have a good chance of pulling the hook.

I have run it both ways, cranking the drag down and lightning up the drag and the lighter drag works better for us.

Obviously if you are anchored up in timber, you are gonna have to set your drags pretty tight. Tomorrow I’m gonna set my scale on my drag and see how many lbs we run.

Thanks!

You can always tighten the drag up, but after the line snaps it most likely was to tight. Just retie and loosen the drag.

I checked my drag this morning with my scale ...my planer rods were at 11 lbs and everything else is at 9 lbs.

We usually use a clicker with the drag set loose and spool freewheeling. Works good after you get used to it.

Wayne

I was fishing for small catfish in brush with an Ambassador 6500 C3 reel with 20# mono and had the drag cranked down as usual ... it has a 15# drag.
Anyway, a 6' 125# Alligator gar hit and when he got close and saw the boat, he peeled 30' - 40' of drag in about 1/2 a second .... If you have a good knot and in timber crank it down .... in wide open, you can loosen it.
WORD OF CAUTION .... if you catch a big fish and he pulls drag, it kinda burns the drag discs and THEY WILL STICK .... be sure before the next fish that you loosen the drag and pull it to free the discs or you will lose a fish next time.

Thanks ACAMS

This is good info.. I just started drifting and lost some big ones on a heavy load up and my drag is tight. I will adjust now.

I fish timber so I set mine very tight. I also use braid or at least 30 lb mono. Now I still have fish wrap in timber but I break much less line. I do break and bend lots of hooks. Catfish will always find a stump to wrap around and often when that happens you can give them slack and they unwrap themselves. Yes I lose fish sometimes but my tight drag allows me to winch up the fish a good bit when I first get the bite. I rather play with the fish in the boat instead of around a tree.
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