Anybody test their drags?

[Bob9863]

Does anyone else here actually test the drag on their reels against the factory specifications? 

I've noticed a bit of discrepancy between listed factory specifications and real reel performance. 

I've had some reels, especially the cheaper ones claim to have say an 11kg drag, but when tested they only had a real world 8kg.

Then others like both my Diawa Royga and Steez claim to have a 5kg drag, yet when tested they actually had 6kg each. 

I think it's worth while to find out exactly how much drag you really have, for instance the steez is on a 6kg rod and I figured when I bought it that it would never over load the rod. 

But after testing I know know I should be careful not to lock the drag up completely so as not to risk the rod. 

[Drop Bear]

I wish I was that organised... I just do it by feel. I know its not the best way. 

[Junky]

Never tested it as I've found the writing on the sides of the box to generally just be jargon.

Seems I may be correct. 

I only ever lock drags when jack fishing or extremely shallow reef fishing anyway. 

 

Are your scales medical grade accurate? 

Are theirs? 

I don't think the companies have the reel mounted to a rod as such so don't run the line through the runners when testing.

Will mono give better results than braid due to stretch? 

You'd have to be there beside the tester at the time and poke him in the ribs if he's fibbing. 

Perhaps it's like fishing stories. 

The fish is always 15% bigger in the story. 

 

 

 

[Bob9863]

I don't use a medical grade scale, just an engineering one but I think that's pretty damn accurate. 

You can use fish scales if you want, it might not give you an exact measurement but it's only going to be off by a few percent. 

Mono will increase the reading due to the stretch adding to the force, but I only use braid these days.

I do like to set my drag on my rods, a set of kitchen scales and some empty milk containers works well. Just fill the containers to the desired drag weight, lock the drag, then lift and hold, adjust the drag until it starts to move and your set. 

[Junky]

9 hours ago, Bob9863 said:

I don't use a medical grade scale, just an engineering one but I think that's pretty damn accurate. 

You can use fish scales if you want, it might not give you an exact measurement but it's only going to be off by a few percent. 

Mono will increase the reading due to the stretch adding to the force, but I only use braid these days.

I do like to set my drag on my rods, a set of kitchen scales and some empty milk containers works well. Just fill the containers to the desired drag weight, lock the drag, then lift and hold, adjust the drag until it starts to move and your set. 

I take it you are only using lever drag reels. 

I have gone away from overheads and now use spin. I'm constantly messing with my spin reels so there would be no point. 

[ellicat]

I used to set overheads with fish scales, but don't anymore as, like Juky, I mainly use spin and adjust on the go. Mind you, I don't fish for anything near as big and heavy as you do.

 

[Bob9863]

I do the same for my light spin gear for Redfin. 

It's important when finesse fishing soft plastics to have enough drag to set the hook, so on my 2kg set up I fill a milk jug with 1750ml of water and use that to set the drag. That avoids it damaging the rod but leaves plenty of drag to set the hook on the Redfin or fight a big Yellow belly if you happen to luck into one. 

I'm actually a fan of bait runner style reels for bait fishing, especially with circle hooks, although currently the only ones I have are a 5600 Abu Garcia Ambassadeur and the Shimano Tekota 300 and they are overheads. 

I used to only buy bait runners or rear drag spinning reels, I've only recently switched to front drag stuff. 

[Junky]

Not small spinners.

I swapped out tyrnos and TLD O/H for saltiga and certate 14000 spin.

Would never go back. 

 

[Ed.]

I usually set my drags using a fully loaded spool reel only and a bucket of water containing various amounts of water (ie: 1kg per litre plus weight of plastic bucket). Using a rod adds some extra drag depending on guide types and rod angle so I just don't use one in setting the drag, I figure that once the drag lever is set to the strike position, then I will have at least that amount as a minimum.

All my lines are stronger than the max listed reel drag so only a mild concern should I have to push the lever up to sunset or if a large amount of line is off the reel. Realistically I am not too fussed about it, so long as the strike drag is set roughly in the ball park, then I can live with it.

[Bob9863]

All my lines are heavier then the drag or the rod, what I don't like is, having more drag then the rod can handle. 

I've actually got 60lb braid on my Ryoga that's got the 6kg drag, although the line is thinner then the 30lb braid on the Steez. 

My only worry is the Vanford 5000, it's, got 9kg of drag on an 8kg rod and 165m of 50lb braid. 

I find drag settings important when you get imbalance like that. 

At least with less drag on an overhead you can apply a little thumb pressure if you have to, and low stick the rod. 

[Ed.]

Generally all my rods can handle the line weight, but if it gets too close for comfort then I just point the rod tip towards the fish so then the reel is taking most of the strain, haven't broken any rods doing that yet! If the fish is straight under then I back the drag off a bit. It really depends on what type of fishing you like doing and what gear you use.

If you are using spinning reels then you can't set your drags, so it only becomes an issue in that you don't know reliably how much drag you have on when fighting a fish and it becomes a guessing situation. Lever drags on the other hand get preset so when you hit the lever into the strike setting then you should pretty much get the drag that you set it at, and the drag only varies if the fish suddenly does a 90 degree change of direction at speed in the water or you have heaps of line out, ect., so you have to compensate by backing off the drag a bit.

[Bob9863]

That's why I like presetting my drags, I just set the VANFORD 5000 to 7.5kg, that won't Max the rod and it should pull up any big fish. 

I'm really looking forward to testing this outfit out soft plastic fishing for arapima. That's, what I bought this rig for. 

Interesting point, while setting the drag I broke 50lb line with only 9kg of drag, I found that strange. 

That wasn't break at the knot either that was break at the bail arm. 

[Ed.]

Hey Bob9863, isn't the Vanford 5000 a spinning reel, if it is, how do you preset the drag or am I missing something? As for the line breaking way before the rated line capacity, I have found quite a few lines that really have a strength way less than what is listed on the spool, the other thing to consider is if the line was nicked or had been put into a pinch point such when you cast and then the line gets tangled mid air and comes to a sudden stop.

I would be inclined to think that the line is probably a bit dodgy. The worst line I have ever come across for breaking way under line spec., was the WTF Gliss lines, the ones I had were a shocker for breaking, I ended up thowing them in the bin, even new spools and all the lines on the reels were replaced.

[Bob9863]

 I believe the line broke as I was putting a lot of force on new line and some of the residue built up on the bail arm. That might have cooked it or just developed a sharp bur. 

I don't pre-set like you do a lever drag, I just adjust the drag to a pre determined weight and leave it there. 

That way when fishing big fish you don't accidentally over tension the drag in the heat of the moment. 

I only do that with reels that hold stronger line then the weight the rod is built for, 7kg for an 8kg rod, 8kg for a 10kg rod ect. 

I don't do it so much with the finesse gear as I'm fishing lighter line then the rod. 

I started doing that after seeing a bloke using the fishing Park gear break a rod by over tightening the drag, 8kg rod, 65lb line and about 10kg of drag. That's not something I want to do and loose the fish of a lifetime by making my gear fail.