DRAG KING

[WAHOONBOX]

DRAG . def....1. THE ART OF LOSING TROPHY CLASS FISH WHEN NOT ENOUGH IS APPLIED . 2. THE FIRST THING THAT SHOULD APPLIED BEFORE A CHAOTIC LOOSE CANNON ANGLER REMOVES A ROD FROM THE ROD HOLDER RESEMBLING A BUCKING HORSE IN A PETTING ZOO
DO YOU USE DRAG PROPERLY?

DO YOU USE DRAG WISELY?

DO YOU USE ENOUGH DRAG?

I SEE MANY MANY LOOSE CANNONS....I MEAN NOVICE ANGLERS....GO FLYING HELTER SKELTER TO A ZINGING-SCREAMING REEL.....AND THE FIRST THING THEY DO IS GRAB THE ROD UP LIKE A FUMBLING IMBOCILE WITH NO CO-ORDNATION WHATSOEVER AND HOLD THE ROD HIGH FORCING THE ROD TIP TO BEND EVEN MORE...........ALL THE WHILE , THE MONO IS LEAVING TOWN!! 50 YDS ...75...90...110.....GEEZUS H.........PUT A LITTLE MORE HEAT ON HIM WILL YA!!!! THE OBJECT IS TO STOP HIM....NOT LET HIM RUN!!!

BEFORE YOU TAKE THE ROD OUT OF THE HOLDER ....PLEASE PUSH THE DRAG A BIT HIGHER....AND BURY THAT MUSTAD DEEP INTO FISH MARROW OKAY??!! HURT HIM!! LET HIM KNOW WHO'S BOSS FROM THE GITGO.
IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE HERE GANG.....I WOULD MUCH RATHER LOSE HIM NOW THAN 10-20 MINUTES LATER.....

SHARP ASS BLOOD LETTING HOOKS AND ENOUGH HEAT(DRAG) WILL IMPROVE YOUR NUMBERS....TRUST ME PLUS SMOOTH STEADY ACTION OF THE ROD TIP WHILE CRANKING....AND MINIMAL PUMPING UP AND DOWN!!!! I DON'T UNDERSTAND ALL THE PUMPING ACTION THAT IS SO APPLAUDED ON ESPN AND OTHER HOTSHOT SOSIN TYPE SHOWS.....I SEE IT YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT....

GO AHEAD AND START PUMPING EARLY IN THE FIGHT AND YOU SHOULD PULL THE HOOK WITH REGULARITY

[Bite Me]

How much drag is enough? What do you "normally" need to at least slow down these freight trains? 40, 50, 80? Going to equipment here... 50 lbs on 80TWS enough to get the job done or will it become an exercise in how fast my boat goes in reverse?

[WAHOONBOX]

How much drag is enough? What do you "normally" need to at least slow down these freight trains? 40, 50, 80? Going to equipment here... 50 lbs on 80TWS enough to get the job done or will it become an exercise in how fast my boat goes in reverse?

HELLO BITE'...............

BY YOU STATING AN 80TWS HERE ....I SUSPECT YOU ARE A "SMALLER" BOAT HERE ...AND NO DISRESPECT FROM THIS

TWO RODS ....THATS RIGHT...TWO RODS MAX SHOULD BE YOUR ARSENAL....ONE DOWN DEEP...ONE UP TOP...

IF YOU ARE RIGHT SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF A HOT BITE.....AND TWO MAN CREW....I WOULD POSSIBLY CONSIDER BRINGING IN YOUR TOP BAIT....OH YES....SHOW THE CONFIDENCE WHEN YOU CAN SMELL THE BITE COMING...YOU ARE NOW PULLING ONLY ONE ROD, THE DEEP ROD...

DRAG: MINIMUM 38 AT THE STRIKE WHILE TROLLING

HAVE A CREWMAN ON THE HANDLE ...READY TO ENGAGE ANTICIPATING THE BITE........DUDE, IT'S 4TH QTR...YOUR DOWN BY 6......20 SECONDS LEFT ON THE CLOCK......NO TIME OUTS...............EVERY SECOND IS SO IMPORTANT.....JUST LIKE A NASCAR PIT-STOP .........SECONDS COUNT AND SCORES AS MEATNBOX......ONE SECOND OF WASTE CAN PULL A HOOK AT CRUNCH TIME....TIC TOC TIC TOC


ON THE STRIKE .....(WITHIN 4 SECONDS).....I WOULD BE AT 40-45 LBS TIL I COULD GET THE UNHIT BAIT RETRIEVED........THEN BEGIN A QUARTERING SIDETO BOAT MANUEVER......ALL THE WHILE YOU ARE RETRIEVING AS MUCH LINE AS YOU CAN KEEP TAUGHT AS THE WAR PROGRESSES....AND THE LINE IS ALWAYS EVER SO TIGHT....WE INCH THE DRAG HIGHER ....45 THEN-46--48 ....UNTIL I AM VICTORIOUS OVER THE TOP OF THE BLACKBACK....52 MAYBE........YES 52....BUT I'M NOT STUPID HERE.....IF THE TOAD IS TRYING TO BE A BAD ASS...I MAY GO BACK TO 42 ---OR EVEN 40......AND HE SHOULD SLOW DOWN A SECONDARY RUN....THEN I GO BACK TO THE PUNISHING 50 PLUS

ONCE YOU ARE ON TOP OF HIS ASS......PATIENCE PREVAILS.....SMOOTH...COOL CALM COLLECTIVE MOTIONS....NO JERKING THE ROD TIP AS YOU TRY TO POWER CRANK....ALWAYS THINKING AHEAD : WHAT IF...WHAT IS MY MOVE IF HE DOES............

PATIENCE AND A CONTINUED PRESSURE.........NOW BREATHE......AHHHHH....BREATHE DEEP .....THE GRIM REAPER IS NOW PRESENT.....

[O-SEA-D]

Excellent post Marty.

I stand up fish in my boat and have for 3 years now.

My strike drag is about 15 lbs. My full drag is at 45 lbs. I am usually at full drag sometimes before I even take the rod out of the gunnel. It just depends on what the fish is doing.

Should I be higher on my strike drag?

I am using 50 and 70 2 speed internationals. My rods are no where near as stiff as you guys who are using 80 and 130 class boat rods.

Saturday I fought my fish for 1 hour and pulled the hook at the side of the boat with the leader in hand. Could I have done something to avoid that?

I did change my swivel and now I can crank the fish right up to the boat without having to touch the leader. Is that better you think?

Any info would be appreciated.

[JD5652]

Bite-

Speaking from my single GBFT expereince that was on the Run Off with Marty and Brian....that is EXACTLY how it was done...... and oh ....do expect that one last trick she may have up her sleeve....like a power run up the side of the boat when you least expect it........

[Bite Me]

The more I think I have a handle on what's goin on out there, the more you guys show me that I'm a rookie. I guess that's what this site is all about.

The breathing part I think I have a handle on but that panick, that heart pounding few seconds when you first hook up, I hope I never get past that.

[sashamy]

My drags are done by hand, if I am chumming they set just where I can pull it out with a little effort, probably around 40 pounds, most of the time when we are chumming we see the floater go and start reeling or sometimes the rod just takes off! When I am trolling, usually sqidbars I crank it up even higher because the gear is heavier. STOP EM' or POP EM' is our motto, like Marty said I would rather lose him quick and hook another one than lose him afetr twenty minutes or an hour....as far as tightening the drag and then pulling it back, once you push it up leave it up, but when you move a rod to fight the fish you should loosen the drag a little so he doesn't yank the rod out of your hands...then push it up and get him...to be honest we never touch the drag during the fight and we don't maneuver unless we have too. Let the fish fight the rod and the boat, especially when you have a good angle on him. He'll tire out faster towing the boat around than he will driving forward the whole time and trying to plane him up...but to each his own....don't get me wrong we back down initially until we get him settld down, and the we just keep the over the top pressure to the max....

[Carson Mac]

Great thread. I always think about this and never feel I am doing it right. I lose 50% of my biggest fish and have always felt it was a drag issue, leading to too much line out. Case in point, last year I had an estimated 400-500lb Blue marlin on a shimano tld 50. I don't ever think the fish knew he was hooked because we had about 15lbs of drag on him. I was too nervous to put more heat on him and lose my first big BM, so I fought him for 2 hours only to have him beat the 100lb floro to nothing 50 yards behind the boat . We elected, (rather then using drag,) to fight him with the boat, continuisly backing down. Did I make the right call or could have I done it better.

Cmac

[WAHOONBOX]

O-SEA-D.......

QUOTE YA:Should I be higher on my strike drag?

I am using 50 and 70 2 speed internationals. My rods are no where near as stiff as you guys who are using 80 and 130 class boat rods.

PERSOANLLY ...I'D LEAVE THE FIFTY AT HOME FOR WHATIT IS DESIGNED FOR: I DIFFERENT BREED OF FISH.....I WILL FORGIVE YOU ON THE 70'S WHILE AT THE SAME TIME,....AN 80 , IN MY OPINION ,....ON A COMMERCIAL LEVEL ,....SHOULD BE OUTLAWED BY NMFS

YOU WANT MY THOUGHTS....THE TRUTH? IF YOU HAD BEEN USING A 130 , SWIVEL ROD HOLDER....YOU WOULD BE $PENDING THE YEN TODAY REMEMBER MY WORDS.....SECONDS COUNT....

YOUR LIMBER TIP RODS , (IN MY OPINION ), AND DRAG SET AT 15 LBS IS 100% CERTIFIABLE WRONG ....YOU ASKED ...I SAID IT ...NOW ASK YOURSELF: "WHEN THAT LOCOMOTIVE COMES PILING IN ON YOUR BALLY AT FIFTEEN POUNDS OF CANDY DRAG......DID YOU REALLY STING HIM? DID THE HOOK PENETRATE THAT BIG ASS THICK CONCRETE BLOCK WE CALL HIS HEAD..... www.wahoonbox.com/videos/hooktalk.wmv ......ME THINKS NOT. WE USE 16 PLUS ON TIAGRA 50'S FOR 30 POUND YFT...WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE ARE SO SUCCESSFUL ON THE YELLOWBELLIES.......HECK AT FIFTEEN POUNDS HE, (THE GIANT) IS PROBABLY RACING OFF AT 60 MPH IN PURSUIT OF THE BAIT BEHIND THE NEAREST "COMPETITORS" BOAT.....HECK,....WE THINK HE IS SCARED RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE WHEN ALL THE WHILE......HE IS ON A NORMAL SUNDAY AFTERNOON WALK IN DA PARK!! ....15 LBS AT STRIKE? DUUUUUDDDDE................HE IS STILL LAUGHING

SASHAMY..................
QUOTE: My drags are done by hand, if I am chumming they set just where I can pull it out with a little effort, probably around 40 pounds,

GUYS....DOUG LIVES IN NEW ENGLAND AND HAS SEEN HIS SHARE OF THE BLACKBACKS.....WE ALSO SET DRAGS BY HAND SO MUCH , THAT WE JUST KNOW WHEN IT'S RIGHT...WE ALSO PUT A PIECE OF BLACK TAPE WHERE WE WANT THE DRAG LEVER TO BE PLACED...THIS VARIES FROM REEL TO REEL

GREAT COMMENTARY DOUG.....NOT TO MENTION YOUR HALL OF FAME ORIGINAL LINGO: ..."POP 'EM or STOP 'EM" I LIKE IT....LOOKS LIKE MORE BOOK MATERIAL

AND "BITE ME".........WE ARE ALL ROOKIES EVERYDAY...FOR EVERYDAY WE LEARN MORE AND MORE ....wWE LEARN THAT WE DON't KNOW SQUAT

YOU THINK BFT FISHING IS EASY....? HERE IS OUR STATS FOR 05-06 SEASON THUS FAR

23 DAYS ...LONG DAYS FISHED WITH ONE OVERNIGHTER

ROUGH ASS SEAS ALMOST 90% OF DAYS

10 CERTIFIED GIANT BFT STRIKES

1 GIANT LOST 20 FT FROM GAFF...REASON...HOOK PULLED

6 FISH HAVE FLOWN TO THE AUCTION HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN

WE HAD TWO DAYS THAT WE CAUGHT DOUBLE HEADERS

THAT MAKES IT 17 DAYS OF HARD-CORE EFFORT AND NOT A KNOCKDOWN

BFT FISHING IS HORRIBLE RIGHT NOW...FACT....NOT FICTION

DEAR LORD....WE ASK THAT THE BFT THRIVE AND FLOURISH.....AND WE ALSO ASK THAT THE COMMERCIAL FLEET THRIVE AND FLOURISH WITH HIS FAIR SHARE OF SUCH A BOUNTIFUL HARVEST....

IN OTHER WORDS LORD.....WE NEED SOME MORE FISH TO ARRIVE ....AND SOON...

AMEN

[JB2C]

Marty has caught way enough that he knows the best way to get them if you're using 130's and fighting out of a chair or rod holder. No question about it. But I don't agree with the 'smaller boat" stuff. We run four rods on our boat, no problem. Two down and two basically up. The main difference in small vs larger boat is the beam, and so long as you get your spacing right, it's not an issue. We can make 90D turns if needed and everything is just hunky dory.

We fish stand up normally and run between 25 and 33 at strike, which has worked fine (John, I'd increase the strike drag, and put 80# washers in those 50's). And we don't increase the drag at all, unless we have to, until we are on top of the fish. And then only if he's big and we need to horse him. The pull angle is different at that point. Maybe back off the drag if we get a double hook up. I've always felt that the more you change, the more chance of something changing (as in hooked up fish vs. not hooked up fish). But you should work the drag in very small, incremental amounts if necc., so long as it's an experienced angler on the rod. Quarter the fish as Marty said. Or back down on him if safe to do so. Marty's also right about needing to be patient with the fish. Don't lose it and do something stupid at the end of the fight because you're ready for it to end and the fish isn't.

It's always more interesting when there's only two of you on the boat. And one has to run the boat a good part of the time. A whole different game than fishing with 4,5,6 guys on a larger boat. It's way more challenging than even fishing with 3 guys aboard. Sort of combines the 'sport' of it along with the 'meat in the box' part. I feel like I'm fishing in luxury when I have myself and two other guys on the boat! But how tough it is really depends on the fish. Some come up easy. And some are just downright mean.

Course, all this don't mean much if we can't find some fish to catch! Are they way out east of Ocean City, or just coming into Hatteras, or wherever the pogie boats are, or just plain disappeared?? Guess that's the million dollar question. Do you think the town of Morehead would subsidize some gas cost for us to go out and find them?? They're going to be losing money locally if all the NE fishermen leave town.

BTW, Marty, I recc. you to two diff. guys that I believe booked trips with you and Brian. You guys are easy to recommend.

JB