# Trolling drag settings??



## ltsheets

Well after getting your guys' advice on line size, I think I'm gonna go straight mono (30 on the 30, 50 on the 50) in case I'm able to use them in the Pcola Billfish tournament I'm hoping to fish in so I can get the line size bonus. *After that, I'm going to probably go with hollow braid backing and 50/80 mono topshots for the 30/50w respectively. *With this in mind...what poundage should I set my strike drag at for both of these applications?? *Thanks again guys.


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## MSViking

30% of rated breaking strength of each line is standard.


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## Ocean Master

I use 12 lbs on most all of my trolling reels.


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## Realtor

I just pull on my line and set the drag so the lure does not pull line out while at trolling speed. I have no idea how many pounds are there, I will say I have only missed a handfull of knock down in years of fishing this way.


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## MathGeek

I agree with Realtor. Set the drag just tight enough that the lure doesn't pull out drag. This makes things pretty loose when a fish hits, and then gradually tighten the drag when a fish hits.


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## Kim

The lighter drag settings work fine and may even be beneficial on soft mouthed fish. Billfish are a different matter, they have a hard mouth and most thrown hooks happen right after strike with the first jumps and head shakes. I set my drags and test them to make sure they are where I want them. Wahoo and Dolphin rigs will have enough drag so as not to pull line. Billfish rigs will have a minimum of 15 lbs drag more on the big honker rigs used as teasers on the short corners.


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## MathGeek

Kim said:


> The lighter drag settings work fine and may even be beneficial on soft mouthed fish. Billfish are a different matter, they have a hard mouth and most thrown hooks happen right after strike with the first jumps and head shakes. I set my drags and test them to make sure they are where I want them. Wahoo and Dolphin rigs will have enough drag so as not to pull line. Billfish rigs will have a minimum of 15 lbs drag more on the big honker rigs used as teasers on the short corners.


Can you recommend a simple method for testing the drags? Is there a simple spring-type scale, or maybe even a digital fish weighing scale? Does something like this work?


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## Paolo

Thanks for putting up this thread, learned yet another thing. I only trolled once, and lost a really noce hit, and i'm pretty sure it was due to the drag being too tight. I had it so that i could pull out line by hand, but not easily. Next time i will surely set it as realtor said. Sounds good.
Thanks once again PPF


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## Instant Karma

We use an old fashioned spring scale with a stop which indicates the lbs. Put rod in rod holder attach the scale and pull hard enough to initiate the drag. Read the scale.


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## Downtime2

We use 1/3 line break. 8-10# on 30's, 15-17# on 50's, 25-27# on 80's. We 'pre warm" our drags. Set the drag light and let someone rip off 20 feet or so a few times or hold the line and reel. No fluxuations that way. Also, we use colored tape and a sharpie on the reel body itself to mark strike and full pound settings. Good set of spring scales and the rod holder in the gunnel for us.


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## Downtime2

Kim said:


> The lighter drag settings work fine and may even be beneficial on soft mouthed fish. Billfish are a different matter, they have a hard mouth and most thrown hooks happen right after strike with the first jumps and head shakes.


Good advice there. We also drop down the bait sizes and smaller hooks on the 30's. Get em' on and run em' down.


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## marmidor

Downtime2 said:


> We use 1/3 line break. 8-10# on 30's, 15-17# on 50's, 25-27# on 80's. We 'pre warm" our drags. Set the drag light and let someone rip off 20 feet or so a few times or hold the line and reel. No fluxuations that way. Also, we use colored tape and a sharpie on the reel body itself to mark strike and full pound settings. Good set of spring scales and the rod holder in the gunnel for us.


Great advice! You really should warm up the drag before checking it.


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## gator7_5

Downtime2 said:


> We use 1/3 line break. 8-10# on 30's, 15-17# on 50's, 25-27# on 80's. We 'pre warm" our drags. Set the drag light and let someone rip off 20 feet or so a few times or hold the line and reel. No fluxuations that way. Also, we use colored tape and a sharpie on the reel body itself to mark strike and full pound settings. Good set of spring scales and the rod holder in the gunnel for us.


This. I use 8 for 30 and 15 for 50. I never pull 80's or higher.


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## Diesel

Chartered for years...ran straight 80lb mono on all the 50W's with 26 lbs at the strike drag setting. 1/3 is a good rule. Remember as a fish takes line you have to back the drag off, as the effective drag increases, and can be increased as you recover, this is judged with experience.


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## Gamefish27

50lb test 17lb strike 24lb full drag.... right out the book... I let off of strike a few notches when trolling... adjust drag accordingly to what you are fishing.. So my tip is - If it is pulling a lot of drag use the boat (stand next to the center console with the reel as it makes it easer for the driver to keep the fish to one side of the boat) to corner off the fish and do not stop reeling.. Remember to not let any slack in the line.. never use full drag as you can always run the fish down with the boat.. Just my 2 cents...


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## eddy2419

ltsheets said:


> Well after getting your guys' advice on line size, I think I'm gonna go straight mono (30 on the 30, 50 on the 50) in case I'm able to use them in the Pcola Billfish tournament I'm hoping to fish in so I can get the line size bonus.


Be sure to use tournament/IGFA grade line. Most mono breaks well above its listed #"s.


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