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Setting drag trolling mojos

6K views 20 replies 13 participants last post by  Big Jay 
#1 ·
This has been my first year trolling mojos and my success rate has been fantastic. My landing percentage has to be over 85% with most drops coming when the rod is passed off to someone else. I set my drag just enough so that no line comes out (obviously) but the lightest hit or pull will let line go and make the clicker scream. Pick up the rod, set to strike and set the hook. Like ive said, this works great. (most of the time) But my guys setting my spread always question why i want the drag so low. Id hate to fix something that isnt broken, but Im just curious about how everyone else sets their drag, maybe im just getting lucky. Mojos are trolled on lever drags and my wire line bunker spoons are on star drag. Thanks
 
#2 ·
We're doing almost the exact opposite. Drag is set at strike and when a fish hits, it hooks itself hard, the rod bends almost in half, and then the drag starts to sing. I don't know that I can say they stay on 100% of the time, but I can't really recall any instances of them coming off.

The spoons on the other hand, they spit out quite often.
 
#4 ·
Same here. My drags are set at 15# at strike. Makes those 12/0 mojo hooks sink right into the striper's jaw. When I hear the clicker scream, I know it's a big fish on the line.
 
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#3 ·
We leave the drag set at strike just like every other trolled bait inshore or off. What is the idea of leaving it loose? I want the hook to be set on the bite. I use transom release clips as well to hold them down. We fish them on 40# braid with either spinning rods or Penn 975s
 
#6 ·
we set the drag pretty tight, never actually measured it for stripers
but its not loose, they have to be hooked and bending the rod some, to pull drag..

we usually don't use "light" rods for this Mojo trolling, so if they grab it, rods bend and they are usually hooked...
 
#13 ·
I'm still not following.....penn says the reels are rated for 10 pounds of drag. That is what I set them to on a scale. I am not bragging but I have literallly caught 1000 fish on them in the past few years.....each.... the drags are still original. They are as smooth as the day I bought them. Bass and blues don't pull drag and heat things up like tuna and Pelagics. I use Tekotas on my wire rods and 16VSXs off shore. The 975s have handled everything I have asked them too up to bass in the mid 40s, cow nose rays well over 50 pounds and countless blues up to 20 pounds. Of all,my tackle they get used the most. We use them for fluke, sea bass, chum and chunk blues, live line bass, trolling for Bonita, trolling mojos, plugs. They are my SUV of reels.

When end one fails I will be sure to post my experience. I'm not shy about that.
 
#15 ·
I guess you had alot better luck with them than I did and maybe our fishing style is different. 10 lbs of drag to me is no way near enough to handle a pair of 30 or 40 lb bass on a big tandem mojo. I used to fish the heck out of them, bass on bait in the spring,fluke etc and my experience tells me that they would not hold up to that kind of workout on a steady basis, but hey if they work for you rock on brother
 
#14 ·
You have to be careful with the Avets if your drag is set too high you'll crush the drag when you go to full. I had a problem with one and I read that on here and believe that's what I did. I have one Avet and 1 Atlas and have been using them on my Mojos w/o difficulty. I set up a pair of TLD 25s for umbrellas but have not had a fish on them yet other than something I dragged off the bottom.
 
#16 ·
Do what works for you. I set my drags depending on a lot. what size mojo. What kind of line I have (braid, mono, wire) and also how fast I'm trolling. sometimes I get the bass to bite at 2 kts some times at 4-5. Lower the speed more drag to set the hook on the bite. more speed less drag you need for the hook up. Fishing is all about whats comfortable and what works for you. only advice I can give for you with the dropped fish coming when the rod is handed off is keep the boat in gear, don't slow down and who ever is up to fight the fish is who picks the rod up. mojos are heavy and when consistent pressure is not applied the weight drops down to the bottom of the fish's mouth and will pull out occasionally.
 
#17 ·
hours of constant pressure is different than drag. I fish 30 trinidads with a beefy rod. if you service those penns every year they should hang. ive seen to many 900 series reels have problems since they came out. MY OPINION is the cant handle the work load of my hrs .
 
#18 ·
Thanks for the input guys, ya the light to medium drag works but I think Ill try to go a little heavier next time. Its funny because ive fished with other guys who troll light too. I guess the hook set at strike makes up for the light drag. But might as well leave it at strike and that is one less step that someone can mess up on. Btw I'm trolling with an Avet SX and Penn Fathom 25 2 speed. Levers, Clickers and drags have all worked flawlessly. Penn 4/0 on the wire set up, now thats a brute to reel in a whole spool of wire with a 40# haha
 
#21 ·
15 lbs on spoon rods and maybe 18 lbs on mojo rods. My mojo rods are tilefish combos with 60 lb solid core braid. The old 20% rule is kind of bunk. That would put it at 12 lbs which is nothing. Most solid braids test over 60 lbs breaking. 18 lbs is nothing in reality. My spoon rods are 40 lb monel backed with 60 braid and 80 lb fluoro wind ons (thank you Lucky John, they worked like a charm). Those I run a little less drag at 15 lbs since those rods only are capable of single fish.
 
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