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• A guide on how to fine tune the drag on your reel 🎣

• Surf fisherman are paying big $$$ to catch big fish with innovative technology 🧑‍🔬

• Whole Foods is coming through clutch with a seafood promotion every Friday 🐟

• Scroll To The Bottom - we have an unreal referral program and offer rewards for ONLY 1 referral 💸

🎣 Don’t Crank and Pray

If you’ve ever lost a fish to a snapped line or watched one swim off like it didn’t even notice your hookset, your drag might be to blame. Mastering drag is one of the most overlooked parts of fishing—and one of the easiest ways to land more fish.

What Is Drag?

Drag is the tension system in your reel that controls how much resistance a fish feels when it pulls on the line. If your drag is too tight, the line might snap under pressure. If it's too loose, you may struggle to set the hook or keep tension on the fish.

How to Set Drag Properly

A good rule of thumb is to set your drag to 25–30% of your line’s breaking strength. For example, if you’re using 20-pound test line, your drag should be set to release at about 5–6 pounds of pressure. If you have a scale, great—use it to pull the line until it slips and fine-tune from there.

If you don’t have a scale, there are still reliable methods. One is the arm pull test: pull the line straight off the reel with your hand, not using the rod. It should come off with firm resistance—not jerking, but not freely spinning either. Another method is to tie the line to a stationary object like a fence post, walk back slowly, and adjust the drag until it slips steadily before the line stretches too much.

Before You Cast

Always test your drag by pulling the line about a foot above your reel. It should come off smoothly with steady resistance. If it jerks or feels too tight, back it off. If it slips too easily, tighten it a bit.

During the Fight

Let the drag work for you. When a fish runs, resist the urge to crank against it. Keep steady pressure and let the reel give line when needed. Fighting a fish is all about balance and timing.

Pro Tips

• On spinning reels, adjust the front drag knob.

• On baitcasters, use the star-shaped dial near the handle.

• Avoid adjusting drag during a fight unless absolutely necessary.

• Loosen your drag after fishing to prevent long-term wear on drag washers.

• For extra control, you can palm the spool on a spinning reel during the fight to apply gentle pressure.

Set it smart, fish it well, and you’ll turn more bites into hookups.

🎣 IN THE FIELD

• West Virginia angler Jerry Porter reeled in a new state record black crappie at East Lynn Lake—a 3.6-pound slab caught on a minnow-tipped jig with just 6-pound test.

• John Shytle from Myrtle Beach is taking surf fishing to new heights—literally—by using drones to drop bait hundreds of feet offshore, where the big fish bite. Tourists love it because they get the thrill of the catch, but most are not choosing to keep or cook their fish.

• This might be the slickest aluminum fishing boat we’ve ever seen:

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💋 CHEF’S KISS - RECIPE OF THE WEEK

If you’re near a Whole Foods, you have to take advantage of $1 Oyster Fridays: