08-02-2003, 03:53 PM
[cool]Two potential problems with the drag. #1, poor quality. Quantum and some of the other lower price reels do not have good drag systems. The composition of the drag washers is "low end" and the adjustablity of the tension spring is not precision. The result is a "stuttering" or sticking drag. You cannot afford those things when fighting large fish on light line. A lot of big fish are lost because of failing drags. That's one of the reasons I am moving toward using mostly baitcast...even for light stuff.
The other potential is plain old wear. If your reel has had some hard use, and the drag has been worked a bit, you may need to replace the drag washer assembly. Do not lubricate the drag washers. That defeats the purpose and some petroleum compounds break down some washers.
Another thing you can do to help prolong the life of your drag system, and to minimize choppy drag performance is to totally release the settings on your drags after each trip. If you have a rear drag system on your reels, this is simple. Just twist it a turn or so to take the pressure off the drag washers. Front drag reels take a bit more effort, but the smoother performance on your drag, on the next big fish, will be worth it.
AVOIDING LINE TWIST. Putting line on a spinning reel is different than spooling up a bait caster. With the latter, you want the line spool to feed line off directly as it rotates. When you put line on a spinning reel, lay the line spool on one side and reel the line off so that it comes off in loops, around the edges. Reel a few turns of line on your reel and then check the line. If it is getting kinky, flip the line spool over and reel the line on from the other side. It has to come off just the opposite of the way it goes on your reel.
Most of the fishing pros...the ones on the tournament...have little rituals they go through whenever they respool or "top shot" fill their reels. After winding the line on PROPERLY, they either go out in their boat and let out a hundred yards or so...without any lure on the end. They drag the line behind the boat as they rewind the line back on the spool. Some of them tie a swivel on the end of the line, and then hook the swivel to something and back off a distance longer than their longest cast. When they rewind the line back on the reel, under tension, the swivel helps take the twists out.
One of the biggest mistakes made by anglers who favor spinning gear is to keep turning the reel handle when a fish is either running line out, or sulking and cannot be moved by reeling. Every time you turn the bail, with no line coming in, you put another twist in the line. When you finally get the fish in, you spend the nect ten minutes trying to work out all the twists and kinks in the line.
One of the other things you can do to reduce "boil off" problems after respooling a spinning reel is to avoid over filling the spool. You do not have to have the line right out to the edge of the spool. Leave a bit of spool edge visible. You will cast just as well, but will have fewer battles with those frustrating loops of line.
On a cost-per-trip basis, quality fishing line is a small investment in your overall enjoyment. Buying cheap line, and not taking care of it...or leaving it on the reel for too long, without replacing it, will result in stiff springy line that is a challenge to fish with, and can cost a lot of breakoffs on fish that were not too big for the line.
That's my nickle's worth (2 cents, with inflation)
[signature]
The other potential is plain old wear. If your reel has had some hard use, and the drag has been worked a bit, you may need to replace the drag washer assembly. Do not lubricate the drag washers. That defeats the purpose and some petroleum compounds break down some washers.
Another thing you can do to help prolong the life of your drag system, and to minimize choppy drag performance is to totally release the settings on your drags after each trip. If you have a rear drag system on your reels, this is simple. Just twist it a turn or so to take the pressure off the drag washers. Front drag reels take a bit more effort, but the smoother performance on your drag, on the next big fish, will be worth it.
AVOIDING LINE TWIST. Putting line on a spinning reel is different than spooling up a bait caster. With the latter, you want the line spool to feed line off directly as it rotates. When you put line on a spinning reel, lay the line spool on one side and reel the line off so that it comes off in loops, around the edges. Reel a few turns of line on your reel and then check the line. If it is getting kinky, flip the line spool over and reel the line on from the other side. It has to come off just the opposite of the way it goes on your reel.
Most of the fishing pros...the ones on the tournament...have little rituals they go through whenever they respool or "top shot" fill their reels. After winding the line on PROPERLY, they either go out in their boat and let out a hundred yards or so...without any lure on the end. They drag the line behind the boat as they rewind the line back on the spool. Some of them tie a swivel on the end of the line, and then hook the swivel to something and back off a distance longer than their longest cast. When they rewind the line back on the reel, under tension, the swivel helps take the twists out.
One of the biggest mistakes made by anglers who favor spinning gear is to keep turning the reel handle when a fish is either running line out, or sulking and cannot be moved by reeling. Every time you turn the bail, with no line coming in, you put another twist in the line. When you finally get the fish in, you spend the nect ten minutes trying to work out all the twists and kinks in the line.
One of the other things you can do to reduce "boil off" problems after respooling a spinning reel is to avoid over filling the spool. You do not have to have the line right out to the edge of the spool. Leave a bit of spool edge visible. You will cast just as well, but will have fewer battles with those frustrating loops of line.
On a cost-per-trip basis, quality fishing line is a small investment in your overall enjoyment. Buying cheap line, and not taking care of it...or leaving it on the reel for too long, without replacing it, will result in stiff springy line that is a challenge to fish with, and can cost a lot of breakoffs on fish that were not too big for the line.
That's my nickle's worth (2 cents, with inflation)
[signature]