This might have been covered and the thread is buried. Is there an ‘ideal’ drag setting for spinning reels when surf fishing? I generally set mine so that I can tug the line with little force to spin it, but is this to loose? Should I be setting it tighter? Im not fishing for shark so I dont expect long or heavy runs but I dont want to be missing the bite feel if its to loose and miss any hits.
Generally about 25% of your line strength. I do mine by feel mostly. I cast out and loosen the drag and tighten until it doesn’t click when only bait and weight on. After I catch a fish or 2, I sometimes adjust as needed.
Jack Taylor
I don’t know about the percentage but I agree with Mr. Taylor. I think it also depends on what you are using as bait, hook size and targeted species. I don’t have a lot of experience but reds in the surf usually hit and run. I leave my drag loose, they hit it and it spools out for a second or two with the rod tip going crazy. I personally don’t want it tight enough to give them a reason to spit it out. For the smaller ones I usually set the hook when they hit it…don’t know if that’s right but it works.
That seems on par with what Im doing. Wasn’t sure if Im setting it to loose to feel the bite or not. I usually target Drum and Whiting in the surf. I do remember one day I was at IOP, checking my bait and I reel one in that seemed to have drifted down the surf line. I get it close enough to see and a black drum was on the line. I had no idea it was on because it didnt hit hard nor did it put up a fight when I reeled it in. It was a weird pleasant surprise but i wasn’t sure if the drag had anything to do with me not noticing the hit.
I have had that happen twice with sting rays, they grab it then swim toward shore and you never even know it until you decide to check your bait…then its a rush to tighten down your drag and reel in. All my reels are Penn’s, 3- 8000’s (Persuit II, Battle, and Conflict)and one 7000 (Fierce)and they all click when the drag is loosened and you pull it out, so I would think it shouldn’t matter on the tightness as long as you haven’t unscrewed the spool completely, which would be really bad lol.
Nice gear! Ive got a Penn Pursuit II with the 7000 series reel and two Fierce with 6000 reels. I can see it now, having the drag unscrewed unwittingly and that bad boy come apart on a big hit. That would be devastating to say the least haha.
I like a fairly loose drag also, but not to loose. When I put my rod in a holder I set it" just" loose enough so it pulls out. If it doesn’t pull out bad things can happen. You just cant know what’s going to hit it and some things are powerful enough to quickly pop the line, snap a rod or carry it off to sea. After a few seconds when I think a fish is on, pick up rod, tighten up the drag a little and let the fish hook itself on the circle hook. I don’t rear back and set a circle hook. From that point whether the fish is easily peeling off line dictates how much drag I adjust to. To each his own some folks like a tighter drag, just not for me.
Thats my thoughts exactly. I dont want it to be set TO tight to be snapped, but I also dont want to miss a bite because its to loose. Im transitioning from bait holders to circle hooks so its hard for me to get out of setting the hook. I’ve lost a couple of what felt like good ones doing this.
I have lost many fish I probably could have caught by leaving my drag tight. I always err on the side of leaving it a bit loose, to where I can just pull it out by hand. From there it’s easy to tighten it a bit if necessary.
A bad day of fishing beats a good day of work anytime.
lately with the currents and wicked waves I have hard to tighten the drag as after setting it clicks out with them…so basically just enough so the current doesn’t take out the line. then if a fish does hit one thing you can do is just turn the crank…last year after the first bull red caught I had another spool my reel…grabbed the rod and gave a turn or so on the drag and began to reel in. he was fighting really good, as they do, and this went for about 5 min…until… I gave another pull back and the line went limp. the hook never set because I was using a 5/0 circle that the point didn’t clear the head of the finger mullet.
On another occasion I brought in a 38 inch red and once I had him on shore, I went to take the hook out( all of mine have the barbs snapped off) I noticed that only the POINT of the hook was in the bottom of the mouth or tongue(?), so that was the only thing holding the fish on. win some loose some I suppose.
quote:
Originally posted by thekingpinNice gear! Ive got a Penn Pursuit II with the 7000 series reel and two Fierce with 6000 reels. I can see it now, having the drag unscrewed unwittingly and that bad boy come apart on a big hit. That would be devastating to say the least haha.
I love the Pursuit II, totally under rated I think. I bought the combo and at $80 for an 8000 reel and 10’ graphite rod you really cant beat that. and I really beat the heck out of my gear but the rod hasn’t given me a problem at all, but I have broken the Daiwa Emcast twice(probably my fault 
).
I still pull on the spools out of habit to make sure they don’t come off, HA! What do you do then? put some gloves on and hand line it in? lol
I have always set my drag at slightly under what I will fight the fish on. Using circle hooks, most good fish (drum, reds, and trout) set the hook when they hit it. Lets them run a little until I can get to the rod. But you do need a good spike if you use a tighter drag. I keep an eye on the rod and line. If the line ever begins to go slack, get it quick. The fish is running towards you and may end up gut hooked if he has much time to swallow the bait.
Olde Man Charters
286 Seafox/Twin 300’s
I keep my drags looser than normal in the surf as well. I found that too tight typically produces fewer fish and more bites with misses. I suppose the theory is that when I surf fish, i have a few rods spaced out and I can’t always grab it and keep tension on the fish right away. Tension is what keeps the fish on the hook, however too much tension at strike will prevent him from taking the bait.
If the drag is loose, the fish is more likely to continue swimming with the bait/hook and will take line. When he slows down or stops, the bent rod is there to continue to keep tension on it for at least a little while until I grab the reel and start to bring him in.
When the drag is too tight, you are more than likely going to yank the bait out of his mouth before he swallows the hook. Or you are going to stop the fish in his tracks causing slack in the line once the rod quickly straightens. The fish will often get off if the line slacks.
As for your concern, you will not miss hits even with a very loose drag. It would have to be absurdly loose, like your spool is barely screwed on to miss a hit.
Loosey Goosey is my go to drag setting. Loose enough to pull line out by hand. My reasoning for a loose drag is even when you might be fishing for whiting you just might hook into a massive ray, shark, or bull red. If the drag is tight your line might break or you might never see your pole ever again. Any day I’ve ever lost or broke a pole has been a very sad day.