Testing The Drag Settings

[PPSGT]

Hi Raiders,

Late last night I decided to test the drag on the scales for my two favourite reels.

My charter special pulled a nice smooth 8kg on a straight pull at strike while maintaining freespool

My Saragossa 18000 pulled 16kg's extremely smoothly on a straight line pull -thats with the drag knob as tight as i could do it by hand, and pulling 8 metres (the length of the apartment) off as fast as iIcould

My wife wasn’t happy as I had braid from one balcony in the apartment to the other, with me playing a tug of war with the scales walking across the room while she read out the scale reading.

I have the charter special on a Wilson 15kg Live Fibre, when I loaded it up it could pull 10kg on the scales

I have the Saragossa on a Pioneer 50lb jig rod, and it wasn’t really safe to load it up in the apartment, but I am sure with the extra leverage of the rod I'd get close to 18kg out of it. I have nearly been pulled out the boat on that hard a setting, with reel screaming but going super smooth like it was in free spool.

After all these effort I thought why not hit the harbour to test out the Charter Special this morning before work.

I left everything else at home except my handline and my charter special - had my tank full of yakkas within 10 mins and headed towards the first marker. First pass with the downrigger with a 100lb leader and the drag at max (only a short time on the water so I was only after trophy fish) the rod buckles over within a minute of being in the water. Although the drag didn’t budge, the fish was bloody hard to pull in as I had to skull drag the rather angry and green fish to the boat - a very fat little 68cm king. The sounder was full of kings, but with no ice and needing be at work by 9am for a meeting

I did a couple more passes, lost a couple of yakkas then headed off and was back home upstairs by 8am, with the boat washed and away, the fish cleaned. Ironed a shirt, put my suit on and headed off to work for a 9am meeting. Didn’t even wake the baby or the wife. The perfect crime! ( I am not even sure she knew i went out)

No trophy fish, but it was beautiful out there. I got the first fish when the tide was still running in. It was a huge tide, with lots of rubbish in the water and I would have loved to fish the runout, as soon as the tide stopped the fish switched off, although they were still there. If i'd taken some squid i reckon i could have tempted them and got a fish every pass - oh well there's always Saturday.....

Got some nice fillets for dinner tonight

Cant wait to get something that can pull my newly set drag.

(i am suppose to be writing a report... well I am sort of, a fishraider report!)

Jason

[quangvo1989]

What a great read Jason

I love testing my gear too, luckily we have got some space in the backyard, it is always a good idea to have someone read the scale for you

Before I never thought the saragosa can dish out such heavy drag with its tiny drag washers but now noticed its listed max drag is 44lb. Did you use stock drag or carbontex washers?

From what I have been hearing it may not be long before you get to test your max drag this season.

Cheers,

Ryan

Edited November 3, 2010 by QVCiticaDSV

[Spanker]

haha great work Jason, I love the sneaky footy match on TV at 2.00am or early morning fish.

Spanker

[wannabefisho]

G/W Jason, love spontanaeity... nice result and pleasant morning I was up @ sparrows with both my kids, lol

Tight lines

Anthony

[fryboy]

What a great read. thanks!

I'm busy writing a report too.....

[woodch0p]

Charter specials are definitely a great bang for you buck reel. I recently upgraded a mates charter to a carbonex drag aswell as full cleanout and service, and put it on the scales and got it to 12kg with freespool, which is massive for the reel. Carbonex drag for a charter is approx $20 which I think is well worth the investment.

[spaners]

haha great work Jason, I love the sneaky footy match on TV at 2.00am or early morning fish.

Spanker.

Sorry to hi-jack this thread,but you two crack me up every time I see your avitar,its so freaky what you are doing to the cat.Regards Stu.

[jim77]

Nice work mate. Your strike rate has gone up about 1000% in the last 2 trips!!

Now you gotta find one to give your drag a work out... Maybe Saturday

[barreduo]

Hi mate

When downrigging How do you hook up the yakka?

Do you hook through rhe nose or bridle it up?

Thanks

[Spanker]

Hi mate

When downrigging How do you hook up the yakka?

Do you hook through rhe nose or bridle it up?

Thanks

Hi Barredup,

hehe, I can hand on heart swear that that is not me and the missus in the photo, just some random pictue I got from I can't even remember where. What cracks me up is everyone ASSUMES IT IS ME!!!! Like I would get naked with animals and take photos and put them on the internet!!! Like MY WIFE would not cut my goonies off if I even thought about it hehe.

Beside I look much better naked.........

Spanker