Float Tube Fishing Forum E-Zine Volume 7: Issue 3: | Page 10

What is the drag on for a fly reel, well it is just like any other drag on a reel.  The reels stopping power for that personal best fish you are about to land.  When you hook into something nice you need to apply the brakes to slow and tire the fish so you set the drag.  But the drag also prevents line backlash on a fly reel when pulling it out to cast.  So a good drag is important for these 2 reasons.  

There are 2 drag systems to discuss when it comes to fly reels; they

are disc drags and click-and-pawl drag systems.   Let's break both down to better understand them both.

Let's talk about the most popular drag system and newest drag system and some of the reasons it is the top choice for most fly fishermen.  This drag begins smoothly which helps to  protect light tippets on fish runs.  Next The fish-stopping power is superior to the alternative drag system.  Most of these disc drag systems are used in saltwater

and big game fishing situations for the

above reasons.  One last important

distinction in the disc drag is it affords

you the ability to make micro adjustments

when tightening the drag. You can set it

just enough so you can fight the fish

appropriately.

Understanding

Fly Reel Drags

Fly fishing is a different beast, if you are a true fisherman you have attempted fly fishing or want to try it sometime..  Or still maybe it is where you started fishing.   For those that have tried or are fly fishermen it's always good to know as much as you can.  Let's talk about fly reel drags.