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I responded to a question about setting spinning reel drag the other day with some observations.
If I cast my Stella for the day and don't repack the line tightly, then try to set the drag the next time out, there can be an error of several pounds (measured 4-6 lbs.). The conditions for this to happen are: line run over the bail, through the guides, with the bail arm high relative to the spool, but with the line is coming off the lower part of the spool.
What happens is the line digs in just a little resulting in a reading when you measure the drag that is artificially high. This leads to a lower actual drag when a fish hits (effect of the line digging in is now gone). So you think you have set 18 lbs. but actually the drag during the fight is 13 lbs. This is peculiar to spinning reels I think.
Since I always have a loop in the end of my braid, I set my drag by pulling the line directly off the spool without going through the guides or around the bail arm. Holding all other things constant, I have measure the effect of bail and guide resistance with the rod bent 90 degrees. The effect is less than a pound. So if I set 18 lbs. directly at the spool, I measure 18-19 lbs. when I run the line through the guides and pull at an angle that bends the rod a full 90 degrees.
So the bottom line is that it is more important to set the drag with the line coming off the spool cleanly, without digging in or being pulled at an angle across the spool across loosely packed line, than it is to run it over the bail and out through the guides.
P.S. This lack of additional drag from pulling the rod to even a 90 degree bend makes a good case for pointing the rod more or less straight out when the fish is on the run, saving your energy for the end game.
If I cast my Stella for the day and don't repack the line tightly, then try to set the drag the next time out, there can be an error of several pounds (measured 4-6 lbs.). The conditions for this to happen are: line run over the bail, through the guides, with the bail arm high relative to the spool, but with the line is coming off the lower part of the spool.
What happens is the line digs in just a little resulting in a reading when you measure the drag that is artificially high. This leads to a lower actual drag when a fish hits (effect of the line digging in is now gone). So you think you have set 18 lbs. but actually the drag during the fight is 13 lbs. This is peculiar to spinning reels I think.
Since I always have a loop in the end of my braid, I set my drag by pulling the line directly off the spool without going through the guides or around the bail arm. Holding all other things constant, I have measure the effect of bail and guide resistance with the rod bent 90 degrees. The effect is less than a pound. So if I set 18 lbs. directly at the spool, I measure 18-19 lbs. when I run the line through the guides and pull at an angle that bends the rod a full 90 degrees.
So the bottom line is that it is more important to set the drag with the line coming off the spool cleanly, without digging in or being pulled at an angle across the spool across loosely packed line, than it is to run it over the bail and out through the guides.
P.S. This lack of additional drag from pulling the rod to even a 90 degree bend makes a good case for pointing the rod more or less straight out when the fish is on the run, saving your energy for the end game.
