I was wondering what is your easiest way to set the drag, without someone else and on the water?

I’m a little confused here. You shouldn’t need anybody with you to set your drag , and you certainly don’t have to be on the water to do it. It depends on many factors . What pound text line, mono, braided ? On really large fish I may adjust the drag several times during the fight . There are just so many variables that go into play. It’s more by “feel” which is learned through trial and error.

Just remember to back off on your drag at the end of a fishing trip if you’re not going to be fishing again for a few days or longer. Prevents the drag from becoming ‘set’.

I always use a lighter leader than my main line. Base line normally 10-12 lb, my leader varies between 4-6 lb, if you do this make sure you set your drag to the leader weight and not your main line or you will have problems.

Before I start fishing I grab the line in front of the reel and pull it. I can normally tell when it is set too soft or hard and adjust accordingly. I want it to be more hard than soft for the hook set. Once I realize the size of the fish on line I will adjust the drag lighter during the confrontation if need be.

I’ve never set my drag with anyone, no idea how this would work. Just set the drag by hand for the fishing conditions and the estimated fish size. Always set it lite and then when fighting the fish readjust the drag according to the fight of the fish. If you set it too tight you will not have many fish in the boat.

walllee: "I’m a little confused here. You shouldn’t need anybody with you to set your drag , and you certainly don’t have to be on the water to do it. It depends on many factors . What pound text line, mono, braided ? On really large fish I may adjust the drag several times during the fight . There are just so many variables that go into play. It’s more by “feel” which is learned through trial and error."

Sorry for the confusion. Growing up fishing with my folks, one of us would hold the end of the line, the other on the reel side would pull and adjust the drag to the size fish we were fishing. Often now I’m by myself and that method doesn’t work that well, due to the sharper angle of the line to the pole when one person is hold the rod and pulling the line. (Hope that makes sense) yes, you don’t need to be on the water, I was meaning out fishing and need to re-set the drag.

I use 6 or 8lbs trilene xl mono line. I like to fish for smallies, walleye, and try for Lakers (no luck yet??). However, love catching pike too. Just feel tho I should have another set up for them.

old_salt: "Just remember to back off on your drag at the end of a fishing trip if you’re not going to be fishing again for a few days or longer. Prevents the drag from becoming ‘set’."

I have had reel do this to me once, now I know why. Thanks for the tip.

CanoeViking: "

walllee: "I’m a little confused here. You shouldn’t need anybody with you to set your drag , and you certainly don’t have to be on the water to do it. It depends on many factors . What pound text line, mono, braided ? On really large fish I may adjust the drag several times during the fight . There are just so many variables that go into play. It’s more by “feel” which is learned through trial and error."

Sorry for the confusion. Growing up fishing with my folks, one of us would hold the end of the line, the other on the reel side would pull and adjust the drag to the size fish we were fishing. Often now I’m by myself and that method doesn’t work that well, due to the sharper angle of the line to the pole when one person is hold the rod and pulling the line. (Hope that makes sense) yes, you don’t need to be on the water, I was meaning out fishing and need to re-set the drag.


I use 6 or 8lbs trilene xl mono line. I like to fish for smallies, walleye, and try for Lakers (no luck yet??). However, love catching pike too. Just feel tho I should have another set up for them.


"

Hold the rod in one hand and pull line out from right above the reel with the other hand. You'll be able see how easily line will strip off the reel. Then adjust the drag as needed to roughly match the fish you are targeting. Error on the side of too light and tighten while fighting the fish if needed.

old_salt: "Just remember to back off on your drag at the end of a fishing trip if you’re not going to be fishing again for a few days or longer. Prevents the drag from becoming ‘set’."

never thought of this before. makes sense. thanks OS

Yup wether it's spinning or conventional you always need to back your drags off when done or you end up permanently compressing a spot on the drag washer. The result is a "sticky" drag.

Big difference between mono and braid when setting a drag. On a long cast mono will have signicant stretch and a loose drag ends up "slipping" on the hook set with the likely result of no-fish. Braid which is set excessively tight ends up with the potential for pulled hooks (hooks literally pulling out of the fishes mouth).

Also bear in mind that when the rod is loaded (bent) that each eyelet add a pressure point which further restricts the line from going out. Pointing the rod directly at the fish allows the drag to be employed without restrictions or added unwanted pressure. That can be very helpful when you have a big fish at boat side and it decides to make one last big run. Forcing the rod into an arc at this point only adds unwanted pressure on your line. Pointing your rod at a hard charging fish that is maxing out your line is your best option. Typically this "giving in" to a fish will help cause its panic to cease and the run will be short lived.

But, if you truly want to be a light line, big fish fighting expert on spinning gear the very best option is to tighten your drag completely and learn to back reel. No more drag slipping on the hook set, no more having to loosen the drag when the fish gets close. The control that an accomplished back reel devotee has over the drag users is so distinct as to make the comparison not especially close. There is a reason that pro fishermen use the method and In Fishermen authors advocate for it. It's just better, much better. And not so hard to learn, I had it down within a few trips. Once in a great while you will get a very big fish which will test your ability to back reel fast enough. Merely let go of the handle and let it spin freely, no harm done. The fish will stop very soon and you are back on them with max pressure.

I have previously advocated this and was mocked and derided by those with limited experience. After providing links showing pro fishermen use the same exact method I had hoped for some humility and an apology but none was forthcoming.

In any event back reeling will serve you well, particularly with big fish and light line. Try it, master it and then decide what method you prefer (drag vs. backreel).

mastertangler: "But, if you truly want to be a light line, big fish fighting expert on spinning gear the very best option is to tighten your drag completely and learn to back reel. No more drag slipping on the hook set, no more having to loosen the drag when the fish gets close. The control that an accomplished back reel devotee has over the drag users is so distinct as to make the comparison not especially close. There is a reason that pro fishermen use the method and In Fishermen authors advocate for it. It's just better, much better. And not so hard to learn, I had it down within a few trips. Once in a great while you will get a very big fish which will test your ability to back reel fast enough. Merely let go of the handle and let it spin freely, no harm done. The fish will stop very soon and you are back on them with max pressure.

I have previously advocated this and was mocked and derided by those with limited experience. After providing links showing pro fishermen use the same exact method I had hoped for some humility and an apology but none was forthcoming.

In any event back reeling will serve you well, particularly with big fish and light line. Try it, master it and then decide what method you prefer (drag vs. backreel).
"

First - Nice to see you around again MT! Missed your posts.

Second - HUGE +1 on this. Back reeling is an incredible way to fight fish and it makes it a bit more exciting too. Amazing how much control you can get when fighting a fish after you learn the technique a bit.

It takes a fairly decent learning curve, but once you have it down there is not much going back. I still use drag occasionally, but as I have grown more comfortable with this I have used it way more.

nofish: "

CanoeViking: "

walllee: "I’m a little confused here. You shouldn’t need anybody with you to set your drag , and you certainly don’t have to be on the water to do it. It depends on many factors . What pound text line, mono, braided ? On really large fish I may adjust the drag several times during the fight . There are just so many variables that go into play. It’s more by “feel” which is learned through trial and error."

Sorry for the confusion. Growing up fishing with my folks, one of us would hold the end of the line, the other on the reel side would pull and adjust the drag to the size fish we were fishing. Often now I’m by myself and that method doesn’t work that well, due to the sharper angle of the line to the pole when one person is hold the rod and pulling the line. (Hope that makes sense) yes, you don’t need to be on the water, I was meaning out fishing and need to re-set the drag.



I use 6 or 8lbs trilene xl mono line. I like to fish for smallies, walleye, and try for Lakers (no luck yet??). However, love catching pike too. Just feel tho I should have another set up for them.



"

Hold the rod in one hand and pull line out from right above the reel with the other hand. You'll be able see how easily line will strip off the reel. Then adjust the drag as needed to roughly match the fish you are targeting. Error on the side of too light and tighten while fighting the fish if needed. "

I do just the opposite with setting it more on the tight side for the hook set and then lighten while fighting the fish if needed. That is just my preference. Different strokes for different folks ( or different drag sets ).

RuPaul is the world's leading drag expert.

I am totally with QM on this. If your going to use a drag it needs be tight for the hook set.......loosen as needed. Although I advocate for back reeling I do use a drag about 1/2 the time and often flip the anti reverse off when fish get close for maximum control. Far easier to flip the anti reverse and back reel than make the right adjustment in the heat of battle.

One of the first clues of a novice fisherman is the drag slipping loudly on the hook set caused by a drag which is set to loosely.

Conversely a really tight drag and a fish which hits close to the boat can certainly set the stage for a popped line, especially on the hook set. Flick the wrists when close and do not put a serious arc in the rod. The bigger the arc the more resistance the eyelets cause on the line.

When fishing offshore and trying to turn big snapper or grouper I might put max pressure on the fish but when they get their head pointed toward the bottom and get that tail in gear it's time to straighten the rod, following them down, and relieving any pressure points that the eyelets might cause. Many has been the time I would end up with the rod pointed directly at the fish and allowing the drag to do its thing. The bigger the rod arc, the more pressure that is put on the line.

Who is RuPaul? If he advocates a loose drag to start and tighten as you go he is probably a "Progressive Fisherman". They always have everything bass ackwards.

mastertangler: "...Who is RuPaul?... "

You probably don't really want to know. ;)

There are a lot of good you-tube videos showing how to set your drag. I stumbled onto some others related to line twist and learned a few pointers.

MT: you should put one out on letting go of the handle as I didn't see that one...

I would kind of be scared of letting go of the handle when the anti-reverse was open and freely spinning. I just have this picture in my head of a bird nest for some reason. I have never done it before and do not have much experience with back reeling, so maybe it is just fine to do this, but it sounds scary :)

bobbernumber3: "There are a lot of good you-tube videos showing how to set your drag. I stumbled onto some others related to line twist and learned a few pointers.


MT: you should put one out on letting go of the handle as I didn't see that one..."

All it takes is a little digging on the net. None other than Guido Hibdon casually mentions it and I have read it on several walleye forums. I posted the links after I was derided and insulted in no uncertain terms (i.e. My advice was the stupidest post on the fishing forum........ever).

I challenge anyone to just TRY IT. Get a hard charging fish and let go of the handle. You will NOT get a birds nest. Near the end of the run I might flick my forefinger out to feather the spool as it slows down. One thing which seems to have always happened is the run almost always stops very quickly once the serious pressure is off. The fish is no longer in panic mode and usually coasts to a stop within 5 ft.

I should also mention that this is a very serious last case resort. I may have resorted to this tack maybe 4 or 5 times. Picture a 40" pike slamming your rapala at boat side with 4lb green trilene XT. You snap your wrists, nothing happens for a split second and ZIP.....(that fish took over 1/2 hour to land)....Until you actually try it everything is just speculation and conjecture. I might go several years without having to let go of a handle as I can usually keep up with all but the largest and fastest freshwater fish (you CANNOT use this method on salt water fish > they are to fast and way to strong).

I do not advocate back reeling with tiny spinning reels unless you are fishing for small trout or panfish.

All good stuff, thanks. I'm now a user of a hybrid technique. Drag set pretty tight, but I generally back reel. (I might mention I am also generally using pretty small reels, so that's a factor)

The two things that trip me up I think are germane to the discussion. One is the difference between braid and mono. I used to be strictly back-reel, but when I started using Fireline, periodically tore my line (at the knot), with my characteristic vicious, 'all-in' hooksets. I hypothesize this didn't happen so much with mono, having been cushioned by its built in stretch. I modified my hook set technique and also introduced a moderately tight drag into the equation as a kind of safety measure.

Second related thing that trips me up is not retying my knot periodically. I think this is far oftener a cause of torn lines than we realize.

One technique thing that works for me....when I hook into a real lunker, especially as it nears the boat toward the end, I loosen my drag somewhat more for safety, but keep my finger on the spool of my spinning reel. That way I can lift up/reel down to take up slack, and in the event of a sudden rush can both back reel and have the drag factor as well. Maybe overkill? This sounds a little incoherent as a I read it, but by now it is second nature for me and has worked well.

One final thought...I would guess the species in question comes into play. Mastertangler alluded to this with reference to salt-water being 'too fast'. Smallmouth and pike are IMHO more of a challenge to backreeling with their sudden bursts, than are walleye.

Good problem to have, huh? Fish large enough to possibly break the line!

mastertangler: "

bobbernumber3: "There are a lot of good you-tube videos showing how to set your drag. I stumbled onto some others related to line twist and learned a few pointers.



MT: you should put one out on letting go of the handle as I didn't see that one..."

All it takes is a little digging on the net. None other than Guido Hibdon casually mentions it and I have read it on several walleye forums. I posted the links after I was derided and insulted in no uncertain terms (i.e. My advice was the stupidest post on the fishing forum........ever).


I challenge anyone to just TRY IT. Get a hard charging fish and let go of the handle. You will NOT get a birds nest. Near the end of the run I might flick my forefinger out to feather the spool as it slows down. One thing which seems to have always happened is the run almost always stops very quickly once the serious pressure is off. The fish is no longer in panic mode and usually coasts to a stop within 5 ft.


I should also mention that this is a very serious last case resort. I may have resorted to this tack maybe 4 or 5 times. Picture a 40" pike slamming your rapala at boat side with 4lb green trilene XT. You snap your wrists, nothing happens for a split second and ZIP.....(that fish took over 1/2 hour to land)....Until you actually try it everything is just speculation and conjecture. I might go several years without having to let go of a handle as I can usually keep up with all but the largest and fastest freshwater fish (you CANNOT use this method on salt water fish > they are to fast and way to strong).


I do not advocate back reeling with tiny spinning reels unless you are fishing for small trout or panfish. "

i don't disagree, and no disrespect .......but i'm not letting go of the handle !

zski: "i don't disagree, and no disrespect .......but i'm not letting go of the handle !"

Oh ye of little faith! Its really quite simple........I didn't learn this "letting go" by reading it or hearing it from anyone else. It was of necessity. I started back reeling due to the classic fishing book "Lunkers Love Nightcrawlers" where I fell in love with light line, long rods and back reeling. Everything was fine until I plowed onto Mr Big and in the process of trying to keep up I realized I was losing and was definitely going to break the fish off so I just let go of the handle. It was a revelation of sorts..........a fishing "epiphany" if you will. Hey wow, my spool didn't end up in a huge tangled ball, not even remotely close. The handle spun around 1/2 dozen times and the fish stopped. I found out later that letting go of the handle was commonly accepted practice amongst the back reeling crowd.

If I am to lazy to back reel (St Clair Smallmouths come to mind) I purposely let go of the handle and just feather the spool or hold the spool in place with my forefinger. The long rod is bent double and high in the air, always prying the fish off the bottom.

What is so great about back reeling is YOU get to decide just how much pressure to put on the fish and more importantly, WHEN. When a fish is headed for trouble (a tree or a snag for example) I don't want the drag slipping. Now is the time when back reeling struts its stuff.........I decide that its now or never. If he makes the tree its game over so I am applying the most pressure that I can. I may give a couple of revolutions to the fish when things are dicey but then like lightning I'm back with Max pressure. If the fish is in the open I can let them do what they want for a while with very little pressure by letting go of the handle and feathering the spool. My other hand may grab a paddle to reposition the canoe or a Cliff Bar if its going to be a long fight ;-)

Its really quite simple and far superior than using a drag for the most part, particularly with light line. If I am using heavier line where the margin for error is not so slim then I commonly employ a drag..........Or naturally if I am trolling I tend to use a drag. But even then I usually have the drag rather tight and quickly slip off the anti reverse after the hook up especially when the fish gets close.

The other variable that comes into play when using a drag is the diameter of the spool (the amount of line on the spool). Most anglers set their drags with the spool full of line. But are you aware that as the diameter of the spool gets smaller the force required to let the drag slip becomes greater? So depending on how much line you have out (hence the diameter of line on the spool is always changing) directly effects the amount of pressure required to engage the spool. I dislike this variation. Try it for yourself.........set the drag with a full spool and then make a long cast..........observe how much more force is required to engage the drag. As I have often stated, fishing is a game of physics.

1/2 a mustard seed worth but still not letting go!

actually probably will play around with it. interesting that a simple 'how do you set the drag' question ended up as a masters in physics thesis.

zski: "1/2 a mustard seed worth but still not letting go!

actually probably will play around with it. interesting that a simple 'how do you set the drag' question ended up as a masters in physics thesis."

I know! I thought most would find it too elementary to comment but that was not the case and I’ve learned a lot.

Thanks again everyone. Once again I have learned much!