How much drag?

Makes total sense..  I almost put a rigger on the yak for ocean salmon this year but since we are restricted to coho (hang out shallow compared to nooks) it didn't seem necessary.  Excited to try some new coho yak ideas this year

Drag and braking weights are two different functions. In freespool there is no drag.

You'll only need real heavy drag from the bank while fishing in fast-moving water. On a light boat, you won't need much. When trolling, mine is never heavier than I can pull out easily using my thumb and pointerfinger. I'll tighten it for the first few runs of the Chinook, but that's about it.

Let the rod load up to set the hook and the drag just tight enough to keepp consistent pressure on the hook.

ok,
here's that link i mentioned: http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/community/showthread.php?t=72127

it started out whith a guy complaining about not being able to get the hang of usign his bait caster..as the thread progressed, breaking, casting and drag setting tips came out from 2 of the older members who happen to be factory pro staffers for some company or other [ being vague for a reason]

(hoping i didnt violate a TOS agreement by cross posting, but oh well)

A post in the "other" thread led to a Squidoo article on setting up your new baitcasting reel.  What is the functional difference between the clutch and the brake?  They appear to serve the same function, adding a sort of drag to free-spooling.  It seems one can simply disengage all the brakes and compensate with the clutch.

Another post in the "other" thread mentioned casting with your left hand to avoid having to switch hands.  This confused me.  I am right handed, I cast with my right hand and crank with my left hand, and do not switch hands.  Am I missing something?

That's because you have a reel with a crank on the left. Righties usually complain about having reels with cranks on the right because they have to "switch hands" to reel in.

Being a lefty in a right-handed world, it's sour grapes to me...

right hand dominant. like you, left side handle preferred. refuse to buy a reel with a handle on the right. why mfr's dont' figure this out by now is beyond me. if you notice, most conventional/bait casters are made with a right handed crank. totally missing the point they are says the Yoda in me. or a segment of the market. maybe it's their way of helping the left handed world get back at the right hand.. just dont know.

adapt methods and equipment to your hand preference.

lefties have had to do this for centuries. i never gave it much thot til recently, but i can now sympathize.

yeh the clutch/brake control thing still gets me twisted up. i think someone is just trying to tech out a simple winch , but hey, i'm not the design engineer trying to make a living.

Most baitcasting reels have a right-handed retrieve. Since most people are right-handed, they would cast with their right arm and then switch the rod to their left hand to begin retrieving. This never made any sense to me. But then again, I'm new to all this and there are more and more reels every year being built with a left-handed retrieve.

Following tradition "just because that's how it's always been done" seems stupid to me.  

Most baitcasting reels have a right-handed retrieve. Since most people are right-handed, they would cast with their right arm and then switch the rod to their left hand to begin retrieving. This never made any sense to me. But then again, I'm new to all this and there are more and more reels every year being built with a left-handed retrieve.

Following tradition "just because that's how it's always been done" seems stupid to me. 

I have to rely on my right hand to cast and retrieve, as my left hand is stupid, and all it can do is help me clap.   

I have to rely on my right hand to cast and retrieve, as my left hand is stupid, and all it can do is help me clap.   

Yep, I can see that...