I wanted to hear about how you guys have your reels set up when you fishing down lines. I have some cheap reels, so that might be my first problem. I like to keep the break loose enough so I can drop my bait without needing to pull line from the reel with my hand. I then engage the reel, put the clicker on and loosen the drag until the line will pull out easily. When I get a hit, I’ll thumb the spool and tighten the drag to fight the fish. I do this same thing on some other reels I have that don’t have clickers on them. Does anyone else do this, or do you keep your reels in free spool held by the break and clicker until a hit, then put in gear?
I’m pretty sure I’m doing this bass ackwards, but I don’t want to have too little pressure on the fish when they hit, then too much pressure with the drag already set to pull the hook on the fish.
When I’m fishing down rods i have my breaks loose. But about the drag set it where it’s tight enough to get the fish in but loose enough where the fish can run and not break the line. You shouldn’t have to thumb the spool that’s just gonna break the line or pull the hook out … Or. Tighten the drag have it already set
Have it tight enough where you an set the hook and reel the fish in.
I think it depends on the hooks your using as well. When i used J hooks on DRs i kept it in freespool w/clicker on, but already had drag set. That way i could set the hook myself. Now i use circles and keep the reel engaged with clicker on with just a slightly lighter drag than normal fight strengh. Fish will set the hook themselves and if i need a tad more drag i can adjust accordingly. Biggest thing about drag adjustment during a fight is a LITTLE goes a LONG way…the washers are already heated up.
I have seen people adjust a drag a 1/4 turn or more and know they are gonna lose a fish during a fight. Know your reels and how they operate and what are their limitations…
I set the brake just loose enough to let the bait drop down on it’s own and if I’m counting off line I use my thumb on the spool while I am pulling off line.
I do like Weston t and keep my drags set where I want them and only adjust on the fly when absoutely necessary. I pull off line at the end of the rod and make sure I can still pull off line with the rod bent like it would be with the tip down into the water. The guides add a lot of drag, so just pulling straight off the reel doesn’t mean much. There are sometimes you may have to adjust the drag while cranking in a fish, but I defiantely wouldn’t want to be adjusting the drag on the fly every time you hook a fish.
I also never like to fish downlines with nothing but the clicker on, but I know some people do.
I think this year I may take all the guesswork out of it and try setting my drags with a scale. Does anyone ever do that? …wondering what percentage of line strength I would want to set it at.
Thanks for the response, I might try it more at fighting strength next time out. In 2 years I’ve lost one fish to a line break. Maybe Tom wouldn’t call shorts Steverinos had I got that one up.
Another thing about freespooling with a clicker. Many moons ago i lost a really nice fish beacuse of using this method. The brake was set light enough so I could drop a bait fast but I was only using the clicker to hold it. Big aggressive fish slammed it and backlashed the reel. Had no drag cause of the backlash. Fought it for a couple min before breaking the line…but you learn as you go…
Tim I have always heard drags should be set at 20-25% of line strenght…ask 4 people and get 6 answers. I still prefer the pulling on it myself. .lol. but tend to back it off just a little more than i should. Lighter is always forgiving versus heavier drag.
I set the brake just loose enough to let the bait drop down on it’s own and if I’m counting off line I use my thumb on the spool while I am pulling off line.
I do like Weston t and keep my drags set where I want them and only adjust on the fly when absoutely necessary. I pull off line at the end of the rod and make sure I can still pull off line with the rod bent like it would be with the tip down into the water. The guides add a lot of drag, so just pulling straight off the reel doesn’t mean much. There are sometimes you may have to adjust the drag while cranking in a fish, but I defiantely wouldn’t want to be adjusting the drag on the fly every time you hook a fish.
I also never like to fish downlines with nothing but the clicker on, but I know some people do.
I think this year I may take all the guesswork out of it and try setting my drags with a scale. Does anyone ever do that? …wondering what percentage of line strength I would want to set it at.
$.02
'07 198 DLX Carolina Skiff
FS90 Suzuki
I think the “presetting” with scales works better with a lever drag. You can preset the strike drag with a scale so it doesn’t exceed 1/4 the breaking strength of the line and then work the lever back off without changing the previous drag setting. On a star drag, the scales method will be off after the first few fish you fight.
I bet using the hand pull method like you do, you are not setting the “strike” drag any higher than 4 pounds. 4 pounds is a lot of drag, and people have a hard time grasping just how much drag pressure is on the line as it relates to a number. 10 pounds of drag would probably break the tip of most of our rods eventually.
Geronimo is dead on with his reply. The scale method is for lever drag reels. since star drag reels dont have a strike setting, its just all one setting haha it’s not a big enough deal to worry about the scale. Also our stripers aren’t hitting as hard as fish are hitting when a lever drag reel is necessary. A neat test to see would be set your drag like you would fishing. For me, I would get the line out and grab the line and pull away from the reel and “feel” it. and then put a scale on it and pull. It might be lighter than you thought, it might be heavier than you thought. But it will be interesting either way! haha. I want to do this when i get back in town from working. I love experiments
Wellcraft V20, 175 Yamaha
Formula 25 SC Express, Mercruiser 260
I never set my reels in the holder in freespool except when letting out boards. Downrodding, freelining, or cutbaiting, the reels are engaged with drag set to where I can pull line off with very little effort. You don’t want to have the fish feel the sinker before you engage and spit the hook. With cut at double anchor, I leave 5 to 10 feet of slack. When the rod bends and the fish runs, the hook is practically set deep.
I will loosen the drag when a good fish gets near the boat. That’s where most big ones are lost.
And Fog knows that I leave the clickers on during the fight. I like to know if I am gaining or losing on the fish, without looking at the reel.
To each his own!
Rick
Something new I have learned as too why baitcasters work better than spinners. You can reel against the drag unlike on spinners which damages the line if you continue to crank while the fish is pulling line.
I used to do a lot of steelhead fishing using 4# line to catch 10# trout on spinning reels. So when I moved here I just beefed up my gear/line. I feel I can fight a fish much better on a spinning reel. I landed a 44" striper on the bank of the Saluda on 8# trilene on a Shimano Sedona 2500. That was my first striper and started my addiction. Switched to Sedona 4000 and ugly sticks.
I fish for big Stripers. Be carful with that bait clicker! I love to hear it go off with cut bait but not while fishing down rods with live bait. I lock it down! I set my drag before I hook that fish. Once they pass that 20lb mark it’s a whole new ball game! A lot of line a smooth drag and a 7’ to 8’ rod with plenty back bone! I have to remember I always get what I pay for:roll_eyes:
