Just now, dodgeguy said:

I guess my scales wrong or my reels suck.

Most likely.

1 hour ago, GReb said:

These Doyo reels marketing 20 LBs of drag is silly and just what it is….marketing.

Ya - it's like my Mitchell Avocet spinners - who the heck is gonna lock down 18# of drag on a spinning reel that's loaded with 8# test line?

40 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Ya - it's like my Mitchell Avocet spinners - who the heck is gonna lock down 18# of drag on a spinning reel that's loaded with 8# test line?

Nobody. But the point everybody is missing is these carbon drags are usually much better performing over the entire range of drag. Often they can be set lower than other types..

Just now, dodgeguy said:

But the point everybody is missing is these carbon drags are usually much better performing over the entire range of drag. Often they can be set lower than other types..

That 18# was with oil-felt - I've replaced that with carbon-fiber, so the top end has probably gone up.

1 minute ago, dodgeguy said:

Nobody. But the point everybody is missing is these carbon drags are usually much better performing over the entire range of drag. Often they can be set lower than other types..

I think they all come with carbon drags now. I know all of my Shimano and Daiwas do.

11 hours ago, CrashVector said:

pulled drag trying to pull a huge mass of hydrilla in today with it

Better to move to the fish and untangle them from the veg then try to pull that mess to you let alone brutally winch it in with the reel.  

Also that reel has an aluminum main gear, magnesium body and carbon plastic side plate.  Not a machine to be locking down the drag and putting under high winding stress.  It's not going to hold up well to that kind of use. 

I usually set my drag at 2~3lbs, but besides all the measuring methods mentioned, I tend to let the fish tell me if my drag is set properly, because people catch different sizes of fish. Anglers of southern states may catch 5+lbs largemouth all the time, but I catch mostly 2~3lbs smallmouth, occasionally 4~5 lbs.

 

So after I set the drag, if I lose fish during the fight, the drag may be too loose; if I constantly tear a hole on their lips, or the drag doesn't move at all during the fight, the drag may be too tight. After a while, I could tell whether my drag is set properly just by pulling the line. 

 

And if I need extra drag force to set the hook, I just press down on the spool with the thumb a bit during hookset. That could provide the needed force to hookset, and avoid damaging the gears with high drag setting. After that, I just let the smooth drag do its work. In this way, I don't lose much fish, and I don't have to fumble with the drag star all the time. 

Since very few fresh water bass rods can lift 8 lbs without breaking 8+ lbs of drag should be considered max drag.

You have thumb... use it to add momentary higher forces.

I am in the 1/3rd mono line strength club.

Tom

7# of drag is sufficient for 20# mono or fluoro. More only increases chances of damage to rod and reel as well as failure of line and connections. 

The drags are a lot better today than a few years back.

I have mine set , I guess what everybody else would call kinda  loose, except my pitching rig. Still use my thumb on hook sets with it too. Been using my thumb for so long, it’s just become habit I guess.

If a fish wants to run I let him, unless he’s in the ruff, or heading for something he can wrap around. Out in the open let him go, use my thumb to apply pressure until I get him turned or tired. 

Now…. I am by no means a master of this method, still get broke off. Should probably start relying on the better drags. Some habits are hard to break.

3 Calcuttas, 2 Cardiffs max drag is 9.5 lbs. I have em set at 6 lbs.

 

6 Lew's reels, 3 the drag is 15 lbs, 3 the drag is 20 lbs. All are set at 6 lbs.

15 hours ago, GRiver said:

The drags are a lot better today than a few years back.

I have mine set , I guess what everybody else would call kinda  loose, except my pitching rig. Still use my thumb on hook sets with it too. Been using my thumb for so long, it’s just become habit I guess.

If a fish wants to run I let him, unless he’s in the ruff, or heading for something he can wrap around. Out in the open let him go, use my thumb to apply pressure until I get him turned or tired. 

Now…. I am by no means a master of this method, still get broke off. Should probably start relying on the better drags. Some habits are hard to break.

Ditto

 

 

 

 

Mike

 

 

In 50 years of fishing, I have never tested the drag poundage set on any reel.  I would have to look up the proper way to test if I ever chose to do so.  I set mine by hand/feel and am probably on the lighter side.  I may make a slight adjustment but it’s usually situation specific.  I stuck a big one last week and realized that I hadn’t re-tied in a while, so I backed off the drag a little.

It's fun and easy.

 

Place a known weight, a dumbbell  for example, in a plastic grocery bag. Attach the

bag to your line and GENTLY lift your rod. The drag will begin to release so you can 

tighten or loosen it as needed.

 

Once you have an exact measurement, then get a "feel" for where it is set. 

 

 

Susie landed this on XUL spinning tackle, with 1.5-lb drag set, and two 50-yd runs, first across the barge channel, and the second up the dock row.  That's a 25" male schoolie spec. 

Major Craft Crostage Rockfish, CR-732-ULS and Shimano Ultegra 1000, 6-lb 832. 

No fumbling, no guesswork - it came unhooked in the net. 

You could land Jaws with 15 pounds of drag.  8 pounds is more than enough for any bass, or bass fishing technique.