Drag Setting

[giantfan]

When setting your drags on your offshore gear, do you guys heat up your drags before setting with a scale?

I tie my line off to a cleat on the boat and tighten the drag a bit and pull about 15-20 lifts of the rod to "heat up the drag" I don't remember who told me to do this years ago, but it stuck.

Is this necessary? Is this enough friction against the washers to really heat them up?

What's your take on this?

[gottaflylee]

Here is a questoin to ask your self... when a fish hits your line, are the drag washers heated up before the strike....

[GALAZIO]

ahhhh.. O wise master Lee... so, is it the sound of the wings of a grasshopper through the wind, or that of the wind off the wings when one hears the cherp?

I would say that under certain test profiles, it might make a difference, but in real world applications, it is not a necessary factor to consider. What is necessary is to utilize spring-scales to set drags properly, have new (er) line, check your knots... and pull the right bait in the right area at the right speed on the right day.