Drag settings

How many lbs does everyone set there lever drag reels at? I know they recommend 25-33% but that is for a solid platform. Do you set lighter fishing from the yak. Just got my first Avet.

I set my drag in accordance with the fish I'm playing.  Whether I'm playing a big fish or a small fish, I set the drag low enough so the fish can pull out line with some resistance when it takes a run, and just high enough so I can reel in line when the fish isn't taking a run.  The drag levels I use when kayaking are the same as the drag levels I use when fishing on shore or from a motorboat.

http://www.worldfishingnetwork.com/tips/post/setting-the-drag-correctly

How many lbs does everyone set there lever drag reels at? I know they recommend 25-33% but that is for a solid platform. Do you set lighter fishing from the yak. Just got my first Avet.

Good question.  This is how my lever drag is set.  I've not measured the strike setting and now I'm curious.

http://www.worldfishingnetwork.com/tips/post/setting-the-drag-correctly

Disagree with that article.  You set the drag with the rod and line straight, not bent.  When a rod bends into fighting position it can have the same effect as doubling or tripling the drag setting on the reel.  Just saying.

I guess I do it different than that even.   

I keep my drag light enough to pull line with just 2-3 fingers.  The lighter the line, the lighter I preset the drag.
As I get a fish on, I will adjust the drag to each fish on how it runs.  If I need to slow down a fish quickly, I can thumb the spool on a bait caster or, finger wrap and add drag to a spinning reel spool.

It would certainly be a different story if I was bank fishing (yuk) or on a bigger vessel, but with a Hobie I can chase a running fish with the Mirage drive to make up line until I find the happy spot for individual fish. 

This seems to have worked really well for me so far.

http://www.worldfishingnetwork.com/tips/post/setting-the-drag-correctly

Disagree with that article.  You set the drag with the rod and line straight, not bent.  When a rod bends into fighting position it can have the same effect as doubling or tripling the drag setting on the reel.  Just saying.

Not sure how your argument applies to the article. They also show the values for what the drag value should be for a straight rod. The values seem to be in line with your 2x-3x assertion. Setting the drag with the bent rod seems superior as guide configuration, taper and length of a given rod will change the load seen on the line away from the rod.

For tuna I set my Avets with a scale just like in the article.   But I don't set to 25%.   That would be around 8-10 pounds of my weakest link depending on the rod setup.   10 pounds is a massive amount of drag.   Live bait rods get set to 4-5 pounds, troll to around 6-7 depending on what I'm dragging.  The MX reels have max drag of 9 at strike and 14 on full.   That's more than enough drag for anything in our water.   I also use LX for trolling (and sturgeon/halibut), but they get set to about the same regardless of hardware/species.   I set my drags with the rod bent, but again I don't go to full 25%.   It is somewhat less on a straight line pull, but if I set it on a straight line I still have to check it with the rod bent to ensure I am not pulling higher drag than I want.  Every rod is different, so they get their drags set with the rod bent because that's how the fish will be pulling and it should be the maximum drag the rod should see.

Another reason for setting drag at less than the 25% is that once you've peeled half your line off your effective drag will be much higher.   The distance of the line coming off the spool is half as close to the spindle from when you started, so you need more force to get the spindle turning.   Give me a long enough lever and I'll move world kind of principle.   

How many lbs does everyone set there lever drag reels at? I know they recommend 25-33% but that is for a solid platform. Do you set lighter fishing from the yak. Just got my first Avet.

... The original question is how much MAX drag to set on lever drag reels.   Does anyone go below the 25% max 'cause they're on a kayak?

For tuna I set my Avets with a scale just like in the article.   But I don't set to 25%.   That would be around 8-10 pounds of my weakest link depending on the rod setup.   10 pounds is a massive amount of drag.   Live bait rods get set to 4-5 pounds, troll to around 6-7 depending on what I'm dragging.  The MX reels have max drag of 9 at strike and 14 on full.   That's more than enough drag for anything in our water.   I also use LX for trolling (and sturgeon/halibut), but they get set to about the same regardless of hardware/species.   I set my drags with the rod bent, but again I don't go to full 25%.   It is somewhat less on a straight line pull, but if I set it on a straight line I still have to check it with the rod bent to ensure I am not pulling higher drag than I want.  Every rod is different, so they get their drags set with the rod bent because that's how the fish will be pulling and it should be the maximum drag the rod should see.

Another reason for setting drag at less than the 25% is that once you've peeled half your line off your effective drag will be much higher.   The distance of the line coming off the spool is half as close to the spindle from when you started, so you need more force to get the spindle turning.   Give me a long enough lever and I'll move world kind of principle.

I posted at the same time as Tambs.   I have a Truth SG and have the same question as Fergy.

How many lbs does everyone set there lever drag reels at? I know they recommend 25-33% but that is for a solid platform. Do you set lighter fishing from the yak. Just got my first Avet.

... The original question is how much MAX drag to set on lever drag reels.   Does anyone go below the 25% max 'cause they're on a kayak?

Yeah, I caught that too.   Regrettably my experience fishing from a yak is minimal or I would have tossed in my opinion on that.  I'm not too bashful about sharing my opinion.     

The original question is how much MAX drag to set on lever drag reels.   Does anyone go below the 25% max 'cause they're on a kayak?

I don't understand why anyone would do that just "because they're on a kayak".  I use a light initial drag setting and adjust as needed, on a boat, in or on a kayak, and (gulp) on the bank.

I guess I do it different than that even.   

I keep my drag light enough to pull line with just 2-3 fingers.  The lighter the line, the lighter I preset the drag.
As I get a fish on, I will adjust the drag to each fish on how it runs.  If I need to slow down a fish quickly, I can thumb the spool on a bait caster or, finger wrap and add drag to a spinning reel spool.

This is how I do it, too.  I always have the drag set very light and adjust as needed.

Not sure how your argument applies to the article. They also show the values for what the drag value should be for a straight rod. The values seem to be in line with your 2x-3x assertion. Setting the drag with the bent rod seems superior as guide configuration, taper and length of a given rod will change the load seen on the line away from the rod.

Well, do it any way in which you have confidence.  Not everyone agrees on the best of everything, and being confident of your gear and in your setup is always best.   

I use super light drag even for big halibut.  Too many thing happen with bigger fish right beside the kayak with often only one hand on the rod.  It's also why I try and use lever drag reels so I can change it without the guess work involved in star vdrag reels. 

I set my SGs @ 8-12% regardless of platform and adjust as necessary from there. Caught lots of tuna and kings on them last year, and recently fought with a couple halibut. A nicety of being on a kayak is it also acts as a drag while being towed around. Meanwhile a nicety of a lever drag is quick on the fly adjustments according to your fish. I also thumb the spool for more pressure and/or press the line into my foregrip with my thumb while pumping the rod to gain line.


And that's 8-12% with the lever about 2/3 forward.

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A nicety of being on a kayak is it also acts as a drag while being towed around.

QFT