kayaks and lever drags?? - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

taggermike · 01-13-2013, 02:20 PM

I've only ever used star drag reels for kayak fishing but am thinking of putting a lever drag in the arsenal. How many of you are using LDs, what are you using them for, and what reels are you using?

I'm thinking of using an LD mostly for slow trolling live baits and maybe for heavy bottom fishing.

Thanks, Mike

01-13-2013, 02:28 PM

I have a lever drag for my surface iron stick and for my squid jig. I like them because they're easy, less maintenance and you always know whee your drag pressure is. But I like the star drags because you can really crank down on them.

bus kid · 01-13-2013, 04:55 PM

I have a Daiwa salitsit ld30 2 speed On a Calstar grafighter 700m Used for YT, WSB, and a ray. Great reel
Lever drags are very consistence on the drag pressure and having the 2 speed is 1 less reel I carry. That being said a star drag does cast better though.

Dannowar · 01-13-2013, 04:59 PM

Avet Mxj for trolling live bait and an avet 2 speed hex on my jig stick. The two speed is awesome if you're gonna be cranking all day. I really don't like using stellar drags that much besides penn international for chasing butts.

Dannowar · 01-13-2013, 05:00 PM

Jx I meant

Whiting17 · 01-13-2013, 05:09 PM

Yep, JX and MXJ great all purpose IMO

Jimmyz123 · 01-14-2013, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taggermike

I've only ever used star drag reels for kayak fishing but am thinking of putting a lever drag in the arsenal. How many of you are using LDs, what are you using them for, and what reels are you using?

I'm thinking of using an LD mostly for slow trolling live baits and maybe for heavy bottom fishing.

Thanks, Mike

I like both, I've used Star drag reels more but I think it's more what you are comfortable with. I think the lever drags are easier to adjust while in action, but again I think that's more of what each person is comfortable with.

grey zone · 01-14-2013, 03:42 PM

The lever drag reels are great for slow trolling mackeral. The clickers on most reels are not strong enough to hold a strong mackeral. With a lever drag you can troll with a light drag setting that is enough to keep the bait from taking line from the reel.

For bottom fishing both lever and star drags work fine. I have two Avet JXs and one is a two speed. I do not use the low gear very much but the 6:1 gear ratio on both is great in terms of alot less cranking of the handle to get gear back to the surface. My Avets have been very durable reels and have the best free spool I have ever seen. Bottom fishing with heavy sinkers took a toll on my Toriums antireverse bearing so I would recommend using a star drag reel that has a dog gear.

I do not like lever drag reels for jig casting but thats just me.

TJones · 01-14-2013, 04:11 PM

I was surprised it so long for someone to mention.

dmrides · 01-14-2013, 05:15 PM

I used a TLD 15 for a long time for trolling macs. The drag is buttery smooth, and it was easy to set the drag just enough that the Mac didn't pull out line while paddling, but light enough not to hinder a fast strike.
Once I got my hobie, I found I prefer to hold the rod while trolling most of the time, so I sold it to try to limit my growing rod and reel collection. In hindsight I probably should have kept it. It was a great reel.

Fiskadoro · 01-15-2013, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taggermike

I've only ever used star drag reels for kayak fishing but am thinking of putting a lever drag in the arsenal. How many of you are using LDs, what are you using them for, and what reels are you using?

I'm thinking of using an LD mostly for slow trolling live baits and maybe for heavy bottom fishing.

I use them for dropper loop, halibut fishing and flyline. The advantage is that you can set up the reel so with the clicker on and a just a touch of drag the line holds on the drift but just a little more pressure like the slightest bite causes line to pull off, but at the same time at strike you have the exact drag setting you want for setting the hook.

A typical scenario. I'm drifting fishing Iron with one rod and dropper loop fishing a squid or mack with eight ounces on the other. The dropper loop rod is bouncing along the bottom with a light drag occasionally clicking a few inches off the reel as it bounces. Suddenly I get a little zip on that rod.
I throw that rod in freespool stick my Iron rod in my other holder, pick up the dropper rod, push the drag to strike reel down to the fish set the hook and I'm on.

You can do the same thing with a star drag but in order to get the right setting for the drift you have to turn the drag down light. That means in the same scenario when you tighten the drag up to set the hook you have to guess where your strike setting is. I've probably caught more fish using star drags but I have also lost fish where coming out of freespool I'd either turned the drag too high, or it was still too loose to set the hook.

Lever drags take all the guess work out. I like to preset my drag settings with lever drags using the rod and freeweights before I ever go out the door. That way I know exactly what the drag will be at strike, and how much the gear can take if push past strike to put more pressure on the fish after I've hooked them.

taggermike · 01-15-2013, 06:50 PM

Thanks for the responses. Grey zone hit on one of the things I was looking for; fishing big macks and having to listen to the clickers buzzing and chirping is annoying. Avets a re good reals but I have heard mixed reviews of them for kayak fishing. I was leaning toward the TLD 15, one of the new Penn squall LDs, or an okuma solterra. Mike

grey zone · 01-16-2013, 01:40 PM

I can understand the mixed reviews about Avets for kayak fishing which is very hard on equipment. My Avets are about 4yrs old and get used almost every week but I use them on my boat. I just sent them in for there 1st service about 2 months ago. That amount of time without service and still working well was impressive.

After a day of fishing I always lightly rinse my reels to get the salt off but after they had dried for a week everything would be slightly sticky. At first this really bothered me but I noticed once they came in contact with moisture everything was fine. The post about submerging the reels in fresh water to dissolve salt sounds like a good idea and Im going to try that method. I had a feeling that salt crystals were causing the problem once they had dried.

I would not hesitate to use another reel brand by any of the well known makers like Shimano, Diawa or Okuma and if you see one you like Im sure someone on this board would give you a review.

01-13-2013, 02:20 PM	#1
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	kayaks and lever drags?? I've only ever used star drag reels for kayak fishing but am thinking of putting a lever drag in the arsenal. How many of you are using LDs, what are you using them for, and what reels are you using? I'm thinking of using an LD mostly for slow trolling live baits and maybe for heavy bottom fishing. Thanks, Mike

01-13-2013, 04:55 PM	#3
bus kid Team Keine Zugehörigkeit Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Way out there Posts: 2,854	I have a Daiwa salitsit ld30 2 speed On a Calstar grafighter 700m Used for YT, WSB, and a ray. Great reel Lever drags are very consistence on the drag pressure and having the 2 speed is 1 less reel I carry. That being said a star drag does cast better though. __________________ Não alimente os trolls------------Don't feed the trolls---------------インタネット荒らしを無視しろ

01-13-2013, 04:59 PM	#4
Dannowar Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 1,823	Avet Mxj for trolling live bait and an avet 2 speed hex on my jig stick. The two speed is awesome if you're gonna be cranking all day. I really don't like using stellar drags that much besides penn international for chasing butts. __________________ "Beware the lollipop of mediocrity; lick it once and you’ll suck forever." — Brian Wilson

01-13-2013, 05:00 PM	#5
Dannowar Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 1,823	Jx I meant __________________ "Beware the lollipop of mediocrity; lick it once and you’ll suck forever." — Brian Wilson

01-14-2013, 04:11 PM	#9
TJones Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,526	You nailed it I was surprised it so long for someone to mention.

01-13-2013, 02:28 PM	#2
Drake Guest Posts: n/a	I have a lever drag for my surface iron stick and for my squid jig. I like them because they're easy, less maintenance and you always know whee your drag pressure is. But I like the star drags because you can really crank down on them.

01-13-2013, 05:09 PM	#6
Whiting17 Junior Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 28	Yep, JX and MXJ great all purpose IMO

01-14-2013, 03:42 PM	#8
grey zone Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: san diego Posts: 158	The lever drag reels are great for slow trolling mackeral. The clickers on most reels are not strong enough to hold a strong mackeral. With a lever drag you can troll with a light drag setting that is enough to keep the bait from taking line from the reel. For bottom fishing both lever and star drags work fine. I have two Avet JXs and one is a two speed. I do not use the low gear very much but the 6:1 gear ratio on both is great in terms of alot less cranking of the handle to get gear back to the surface. My Avets have been very durable reels and have the best free spool I have ever seen. Bottom fishing with heavy sinkers took a toll on my Toriums antireverse bearing so I would recommend using a star drag reel that has a dog gear. I do not like lever drag reels for jig casting but thats just me.

01-14-2013, 05:15 PM	#10
dmrides Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Point Loma Posts: 584	I used a TLD 15 for a long time for trolling macs. The drag is buttery smooth, and it was easy to set the drag just enough that the Mac didn't pull out line while paddling, but light enough not to hinder a fast strike. Once I got my hobie, I found I prefer to hold the rod while trolling most of the time, so I sold it to try to limit my growing rod and reel collection. In hindsight I probably should have kept it. It was a great reel.

01-15-2013, 06:50 PM	#12
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	Thanks for the responses. Grey zone hit on one of the things I was looking for; fishing big macks and having to listen to the clickers buzzing and chirping is annoying. Avets a re good reals but I have heard mixed reviews of them for kayak fishing. I was leaning toward the TLD 15, one of the new Penn squall LDs, or an okuma solterra. Mike

01-16-2013, 01:40 PM	#13
grey zone Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: san diego Posts: 158	I can understand the mixed reviews about Avets for kayak fishing which is very hard on equipment. My Avets are about 4yrs old and get used almost every week but I use them on my boat. I just sent them in for there 1st service about 2 months ago. That amount of time without service and still working well was impressive. After a day of fishing I always lightly rinse my reels to get the salt off but after they had dried for a week everything would be slightly sticky. At first this really bothered me but I noticed once they came in contact with moisture everything was fine. The post about submerging the reels in fresh water to dissolve salt sounds like a good idea and Im going to try that method. I had a feeling that salt crystals were causing the problem once they had dried. I would not hesitate to use another reel brand by any of the well known makers like Shimano, Diawa or Okuma and if you see one you like Im sure someone on this board would give you a review.