What percent of line strength do you set your drag? For me it is about 25% or so.

  Ehhh...never payed attention to my drag...dont have a clue...but when im fishing 10lbs test and on a fiberglass rod...my Winch is set at 25% or 30% depends on the fish..and the lure, how far is the lure out...but mostly 20%-25%

General rule is around 25% but I'm always adjusting to conditions on the water.

Around a 1/3 of the weakest link in the system, rod, reel, or line.

Around a 1/3 of the weakest link in the system, rod, reel, or line.

 X2,,, I don't scale it and usually start a little lighter in open water, but can always increase if I need to. When I'm in and around heavy cover that's about where I start 1/3 of the weakest link!.

I set it by the feel of the pull on the edge the fine line between wether it gives or not, so when Moby bass makes a super violent strike she won't break my line. If she does the handshake move the drag will give. If I play the fish correctly I never hear the drag. I like it set like right on the edge so when I hear the drag I know she's a big heavy one. I don't wear out drags we don't need them set that light.

 

I/we shouldn't be wearing out the drag friction plates that fast or that easy unless we're fishing on the freeway for those fish on wheels. I haven't landed one of those yet. Just kidding but I see the replacement friction plates for the drags for sale so much maybe my drag is set wrong because I never wore out any plates yet.

I think a beginning angler should measure their drag, just to get an idea of just what 2 lbs. or 5 lbs. feels like.  So often, we caught up in reading stats that we don't really know that just because one reel has a stated max drag of 24 lbs, and another is 11 lbs., doesn't mean the reel with the higher max drag is a better reel.

I think a beginning angler should measure their drag, just to get an idea of just what 2 lbs. or 5 lbs. feels like.  So often, we caught up in reading stats that we don't really know that just because one reel has a stated max drag of 24 lbs, and another is 11 lbs., doesn't mean the reel with the higher max drag is a better reel.

 

This is fun, just give it a try and see what "3 lbs" really means:

 

If you have free weights, put 3 lbs in a plastic grocery bag, then

attach the bag to your line. GENTLY lift the bag and adjust your

drag until it just begins to give. I think you will see that 3 lbs is huge!

I think a beginning angler should measure their drag, just to get an idea of just what 2 lbs. or 5 lbs. feels like.  So often, we caught up in reading stats that we don't really know that just because one reel has a stated max drag of 24 lbs, and another is 11 lbs., doesn't mean the reel with the higher max drag is a better reel.

I agree, just pulling on the drag it's hard to equate what the poundage is unless one has an idea of say what 5# feels like.  True about max drag, seldom does it got locked down anyway.

 

As far as where I set it, that will vary depending on my target species, current of the water, heavier vegetation. type of lure and my gut feeling, and I usually will make a minor adjustment or palm my spool when I have a fish on. My heaviest line is 20 lb braid, that's fine for most inshore species using the proper drag.

I'm terrible for this. I'd say I'm set at 1/2 the line rating which is usually #12. I know that if it's a dink or bigger fish it doesn't ever pull any drag. I pretty much horse every fish out of the water. Never broke off though. Lucky I guess.

How do you determine what pound it is set at? I just pull by hand to get a feel for how tight it is.

If my line pulls out when I'm setting the hook while bottom dragging a bait, it's a little to loose for my taste, I seldom fish that way.  When using a moving bait the fish are more aggressive and they are coming to strike, my drag is probably on the lighter side then.  It doesn't take a lot of experience to hone it on where you want your drag to be.  I do know some that set by scale and it's crucial for their target species, tuna, marlin, large tarpon.  Whether I'm bass fishing or inshore fishing I don't have the need to scale my drag.

1/3 rd of the mono or FC line, not super braid strength. I use my digital scale to set the drag, a habit from off shore fishing.

Tom

This thread is funny.  Don't pretend like you know what percentage your drag is set at if you haven't actually measured it or if you don't even know what it means.    

 

I set mine by feel and adjust on the fly.  I rarely catch a fish large enough to put too much strain on 12-20 lb fluoro or copoly.

It depends on line and lure for me. I'm not going to lock down my drag on 8# test or when fishing treble hook jigs. I also don't want any give for things like pitching a jig on braid or bigger fluoro.

Whatever I think feels right, and then I forget about it. Of course when I talk to other guys I use fractions and percentages so that it seems like I know what I'm talking about. Seems like I'm not the only one.

Between inshore fishing and just getting serious for my yearly bass fishing now, I'm hauling in some nice fish, it's like the bass looked at the calender and said it's time.  After catching some mediocre canal bass I stop by one of my community ponds before calling it a day and hook the nicest bass I've caught so far.  I do the opposite of what I should have using my ml spinning outfit, decreased the pressure.  I loosen my drag to get all I could from this roughly 5 pounder, my goal is to have as much fun with them as I can.  Not  a doubt in my mind I'll be catching a larger one soon, so losing it would not have been a big deal.  I did have 4 snook earlier in the day.