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It wasn't to long ago that if you had a set of 30 or 50 international type reels you would set the drags in values of approx. 12- 20 lbs or slightly higher. Conversations I have had with mechanics from Penn Reels have stood by the design scheme that a 30=30 lb test, and a 50= 50 lb test, therefore, in their view, drag settings of 10-17 lb.s + or - were appropriate.
We all know how it went down, people started using 60, 80 lb test on, these reels, and in trying to 'squeeze blood out of a stone' overtaxed the drags to a point that if it were too much drag, no freespool, and it took a good repairman to modify the drags to allow both high drag and free spool.
Now, over the past few years the drag ability has evolved to a point that most offshore reels now have increased drag pressure, and many newer "small, torque style reels" easily produce well over 20 lbs of drag.
Here's a question. With a rod in a fighting belt, how long will the average angler last in a fight with say 20 lbs of drag, 25 lbs etc? At what point is there too much. Has enineering exceeded what we are unlikely to physically handle? How many photos/videos have we seen lately of the guy picking up barbells, buckets of water and other heavy weights, where clearly they are exerting as much strength as they have, and at what point will they tire? Does the arguement of "pace yourself" hold any water?
We all know how it went down, people started using 60, 80 lb test on, these reels, and in trying to 'squeeze blood out of a stone' overtaxed the drags to a point that if it were too much drag, no freespool, and it took a good repairman to modify the drags to allow both high drag and free spool.
Now, over the past few years the drag ability has evolved to a point that most offshore reels now have increased drag pressure, and many newer "small, torque style reels" easily produce well over 20 lbs of drag.
Here's a question. With a rod in a fighting belt, how long will the average angler last in a fight with say 20 lbs of drag, 25 lbs etc? At what point is there too much. Has enineering exceeded what we are unlikely to physically handle? How many photos/videos have we seen lately of the guy picking up barbells, buckets of water and other heavy weights, where clearly they are exerting as much strength as they have, and at what point will they tire? Does the arguement of "pace yourself" hold any water?