setting drag question - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Rusty · 03-14-2008, 10:55 AM

CityBoy - If you want to get more drag out of your reel you can take it to SquidCo and have them install CarbonTex Drags and or keep your present drag and just put spacers in the reel. I don't have a clue how to do it yourself, but it's only 30 bucks for parts and labor there (usually takes less than a week).

I had them do this to a Newell I burned out last summer and the drag is not only smoother, but it now has significantly more strength. 12#s drag isn't bad for 40# line anyway, but if you ever want to use 60# on that reel, which I think it's rated to (for long range trip etc), 12#s might be a little light.

Iceman · 03-14-2008, 11:33 AM

When fishing 40# I still set about 8# of drag, you are pulling pretty hard at that setting and making that YT earn it.This is the drag at the rod tip, it is more on the other end of the line 100+ feet out, not to mention the secondary drag of the yak being towed. If I thought it was a WSB on the line I'd back down to about 5#

DIVERGARY · 07-31-2008, 12:47 PM

My Shimano TLD manual says to measure the drag when the spool is almost empty. As more line is on the reel there is more mechanical advantage from the larger diameter so the drag will be less, but as a fish runs the line out the drag progressively increase due to the smaller diameter. I have been using this method for the past 10 years and never had a line break, solved my breakoffs when i had long runs.

03-14-2008, 11:33 AM	#2
Iceman Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: 1-2 miles off the point Posts: 6,948	When fishing 40# I still set about 8# of drag, you are pulling pretty hard at that setting and making that YT earn it.This is the drag at the rod tip, it is more on the other end of the line 100+ feet out, not to mention the secondary drag of the yak being towed. If I thought it was a WSB on the line I'd back down to about 5# __________________

03-14-2008, 10:55 AM	#1
Rusty Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: LJ Posts: 201	CityBoy - If you want to get more drag out of your reel you can take it to SquidCo and have them install CarbonTex Drags and or keep your present drag and just put spacers in the reel. I don't have a clue how to do it yourself, but it's only 30 bucks for parts and labor there (usually takes less than a week). I had them do this to a Newell I burned out last summer and the drag is not only smoother, but it now has significantly more strength. 12#s drag isn't bad for 40# line anyway, but if you ever want to use 60# on that reel, which I think it's rated to (for long range trip etc), 12#s might be a little light.

07-31-2008, 12:47 PM	#3
DIVERGARY Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Houston Texas Posts: 1	My Shimano TLD manual says to measure the drag when the spool is almost empty. As more line is on the reel there is more mechanical advantage from the larger diameter so the drag will be less, but as a fish runs the line out the drag progressively increase due to the smaller diameter. I have been using this method for the past 10 years and never had a line break, solved my breakoffs when i had long runs.