Drag settings?

[Fshklr]

after using the search feature I have read enough to thoroughly confuse myself

reels I will be using are 20 and 30 daiwa 6:1's each rated at 15.4 max drag.

so..the 20 will hold strickly 20lb mono all the way, and the 30 is spooled with 80 braid w/either 40 - 30 mono 100' windon leaders.

what would be the approp drag setting with these materials for each reel?

5? - 7? - 12? ......

[Rooster1264]

3 wraps around the hand, when the drag pulls hard enough to hurt your hand....your done. Just my

[StickFish]

I use 30% of the lightest line on the reel

[DogZilla15]

I don't have any specific settings as every type of fishing requires different settings. For sturgeon, I want the drag to hold and not slip at all when setting the hook on the sinker. For silvers I want the drag just tight enough that when trolling it will hold against the diver/sinker and lures and not much more. Chinook fishing with spinners needs more drag to quickly sink in the trebel hook. When a fish gets close to the boat I always take a little off the drag.

[Fshklr]

Originally Posted by DogZilla15

I don't have any specific settings as every type of fishing requires different settings. For sturgeon, I want the drag to hold and not slip at all when setting the hook on the sinker. For silvers I want the drag just tight enough that when trolling it will hold against the diver/sinker and lures and not much more. Chinook fishing with spinners needs more drag to quickly sink in the trebel hook. When a fish gets close to the boat I always take a little off the drag.

Got those covered DZ....these are Tuna live/swimbait and Iron set-ups...the troll show is a no brainer.

[Tinman]

I set drag by feel, and change it sometimes during the fight.

[Elkiller]

With lever drags, it is recommended by most to set the drag at strike to 1/3 the rated line test. I find that I rarely use the setting, an instead use the feel method for actual drag setting on the water, but it is nice to know what the setting is if you dial it up to the strike position. It also keeps people who are unfamiliar with your gear from tightening the drag down too far.

[Fshklr]

Originally Posted by Elkiller

With lever drags, it is recommended by most to set the drag at strike to 1/3 the rated line test. I find that I rarely use the setting, an instead use the feel method for actual drag setting on the water, but it is nice to know what the setting is if you dial it up to the strike position. It also keeps people who are unfamiliar with your gear from tightening the drag down too far.

Thanks Elk,
Really this answer would best apply for my set ups, as I am using star drags with these set ups...makes alot of sense....I'll worry about preset drags once I get the TLD levers

[Fish-a-Holic]

Dan,

The correct setting if you want it by the book is 1/3. It's 1/3 set with a scale. You hold the rod at a 45 degree angle with the line running through the guides. Tie the line to the scale (I use a swivel attached to the ring of the scale) and pull until the line slips on the reel. Check the amount of weight you pulled on the scale. Increase or decrease the setting until your at 1/3.

With star drags people have a tendency to monkey with them so it's hard to keep them on the correct setting. It's also always at the hardest setting which is to much sometimes. Especially on a hot extended 1st run. On lever drags it works great. I troll with lever with 50# top shots. This gives me a correct drag setting of roughly 17#'s. I set my drags at strike for 17 with a scale. I troll with the drags at about the 1/2 setting. Then when a fish is on I can adjust what I need always knowing I won't cross the threshhold of 17# at strike unless I push the lever past strike to sunset.

Hope this helps.
John