Probably if you're catching "little fish" 15# and under but where I mostly fish you have to adjust the drag. I can just as easily catch a 2# blue runner or 60# tarpon, you just never know and it does happen more than you may think. With tarpon or a large snook they will snap your line in an eye blink so you have to back the drag down, then you run the risk have being spooled. Live bait fisherman may use a heavier line like 30# but most casters are using 10-15 or 20 braid. I'm constantly adjusting, do I lose any, you bet I do that's part of the game, but I'm releasing them anyway so makes no difference.

It seems to me that there is no one perfect drag setting because of so many variables involved. Drag setting is not solely dependant on line test, but also size of fish, species of fish, distance from boat, cover, and other variables.

Bingo.  If you are only catching 5 lb bass in open water, great, never touch the drag.  Hook up with a 7 lber near a blowdown and see how that drag does.  The fish, and its surroundings are the variable.  There is not one, perfect setting.  There's only a setting you haven't experience all the variable on.  

I'm not talking about cranking the drag down.  I'm talking another 1/2 lb - which may be the difference between the drag (set for a 5 lb fish in open water) keeping that "fish of a lifetime" out of the blowdown, or letting it make it to that blowdown.

IMO, there is no perfect setting that covers all scenerios.  

With all this"dont touch the drag ever again" talk I'd like to remind everyone that when you put your high dollar reels up for extended storage you need to back the drag off completely so as not to create a memory or a permant set or crush to your drag. Just ask any reel rebuilder and they should agree.

When I am bass fishing I keep the drag set the same at all times.  When I am saltwater fishing I adjust the drag quite frequently.  The fish in my avatar took all my line two or three times and I had to put the screws to her when I was almost out of line each time.

The only downside with adjusting your drag during the fight is that the time it takes to do it can give the fish some slack line or enough time to let him bury himself in cover. But when you hook a good fish (for me that means a 4 + pounder) you do need to back off the drag so the fish can run. That reduces line breaks AND hook spits. When I'm fishing heavy cover and I need to horse a bass though, I don't back off my drag at all.

I have a video of a Bass Classic champion adjusting his Drag after a hook up.Ya he was using 6# test but he recommends to adjust after you have the fish free and in open water with 6# or less.He is also known as one of the best plastics fisherman...I guess it to each their own.

Thanks everyone for taking the pole.Do I need to post the results or can everyone see them(not sure how this works)?

To the person that didn't understand Drag On-Drag Off,sorry my fault,first time doing this and didn't think the whole question would fit into the little boxes provided.

J Flecho,I'll try to explain...I catch a fish in open water,fish b-lines it into some weeds,almost a standstill,when I do get to land fish there is a huge wad or ball of weeds wrapped around line/fish has to weight close to 3 maybe 5 pounds.I like to refer to these situations as "weed comets"can barely see the fish in there.This is where I'll back off the drag and what I meant by "saved my butt".

Think this was a good pole for me,never had anyone actually teach me how to fish or use tackle properly,trying to show nephews good basics and techniques.

You guys makes this board where I can actually use it,appreciate this big time.Thanks again

For those that were following topic,the results were;

Yes-20(58.8)

No-14(41.2)

Total votes-34

Thanks Again