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Posts: 1185
Location: Wishin I Was Fishin' | I just bought one and it is great. Awesome handle, extra smooth, casts great and fits my hand just right.
I do have one issue though...the drag is grabby.
Does anyone know if any Shimano frictions fit? I feel Shimano has the best drag and if I could get the Diawa to work like that it would be perfect.
If not Shimano, does Super Smoothie make some?
PS I heard the St Criox Avid is the same reel just a different color from a very reliable source. |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | I have 3 Luna's that I have replace the drags with CARBONTEX drag wahers and polished stainless washers from: smoothdrag.com and apply a lite coat of CAL'S drag grease and will have a very SMOOTH DRAG. The CARBONTEX DRAG is the best drag upgrade you can put in a reel !!!!!!!! |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | I have never replaced a drag washer in my life...why do those of you that do replace them, do so?
I crank my drag down 100% as tight as I can get it for hooksets, then once the fish is on and if it needs line, free spool and thumb them out. Alot smoother than any drag would be and you control how much pressure they get.
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| are you serious? |
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Posts: 1462
Location: Davenport, IA | I also never use a the drag on a muskie reel. That being said, I have heard good things about carbontex. http://www.smoothdrag.com/ |
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Posts: 2024
| ron f - 10/1/2007 6:55 PM
are you serious?
It's way more common than you think...
What has two thumbs and doesn't use a drag? This guy... lol |
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| so the drag have been created for guys without thumbs? |
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| Yep |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | yes ron I am in free spool if a fish wants to make a run. If it is a smaller fish that I don't care about losing, under 45, then I'll just crank them straigt in, but if it is a decent fish, then I'll thumb them out.
You can't rely on your equipment for everything....or one day you'll be disappointed! |
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Posts: 32945
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I also thumb the spool, but do not crank the drag totally tight because I tear the hooks loose on the hookset if I do. |
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| mike do you have a bad story behind this? |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | No bad story, but thumbing the fish is alot smoother than any drag, with big fish. |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | For you guys that hit freespool on big fish...how do you go about doing it when you have a 25 pounder giving it all its got? I had my drag stick (it was grimy and sticky at the time), and I tried freespooling a 36 incher boatside when it gave a good run. The thing pulled the hooks out because I couldn't get the reel into freespool, and that wasn't a very big fish. Seems like it would be impossible to get that button pushed when a big fish was making a hard run.
Or...I have another question. I lost that 36 inch fish along with one other fish this year. The other fish was nice, around 48 inches and pretty thick. It hit a bucktail with maybe 8 feet of line out. Sat there shaking it's head, and I couldn't gain any line, even though I was trying to muscle it pretty good. Just couldn't move it for the first few seconds. Then, it turned quick, and about the time it turned away the hooks came out. I don't think they tore out, I think it just wasn't hooked very well, and changing the angle on the hooks just popped them out.
But for you freespoolers, a fish that size can turn and put a lot of pressure on things in a hurry. Can you hit freespool fast enough, and under all that pressure to not tear hooks out? I guess I like to freespool when I get a fish near the boat if I can, but I still keep my drag backed off enough that the drag slips a little if it has to.
I have 18 fish this year (I know, not a lot compared to a lot of you guys), and have only lost the two I talked about. Granted, the biggest two in the boat this year have been 44.5 and 46, so not a lot for big fish, but I usually land a fish if it gets hooked using my method and drag settings.
curleytail
Edited by curleytail 10/2/2007 11:13 PM
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| hey guys you still using rods? |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | I guess I don't get it ??? WHY you would put your drag lock down tight ??? with the Carbonex drags they are SO SO SMOOTH. If I need more drag I will thumb the spool while fighting a big fish on the reels drag. If a 30lb Muskie takes your bait on a figure 8 and you have your drag lock down something is going to break, your rod ,line or the hooks. The reason I fish is the fight the fish gives me, I love when a fish takes drag, what fun-sport is it when you just Crank them in ???? In 2007 so far I have 25 muskies 10 over 40" and 1 over 50" all caught on light tackle and on the reels drag. The fish that I had the most fun with was a 44" fish that hit by the boat and took me around the boat pulling drag all the way. It's not always how many fish you just crank in but the fun-sport of fighting the fish for me !!!!!!!
Edited by PIKEMASTER 10/3/2007 8:01 AM
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | While figure 8'ing I hit free spool.
While fighting a big fish, I hit free spool and thumb them out. How do I go about doing it???? I hit the button with my thumb.
I don't lose very many fish....and when you boat hundreds of fish a year, I think you can get dialed into what works the best.
I want it tight for the hookset, then like I said if it is a big fish, I will let her do what she wants to do, with a little horsing as well. |
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Posts: 32945
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I'm not just cranking them in, I'm controlling the line to the fish with my thumb. It works for me, and I think I am EASIER on the fish fighting them this way. Very little pressure ever, and in the come. |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | I should have been more clear. When I asked how you go about freespooling on a big fish, I meant can you still push the thumb bar in to freespool when a fish has a lot of pressure on the line? Seems like you dont have to pull very hard on the line to make it hard to push the button far enough to disengage the spool. I don't doubt this is working for you. Lots of guys use a tight drag and freespool.
I was wondering more if you hit the button at the start of the fishes run, or tried to antipate when it might run and hit the button just before that. I just don't know if I'm coordinated for all of that, lol. It seems like a lot of times I'm cranking like mad to keep pressure on a fish at first, but then it can change in a hurry to wanting to let some line out. Seems like it would be awkward and cumbersome to keep trying to alternate hitting the button and reeling when the fish makes short runs. Then again, most of the fish I catch are between 30 and 40 inches, so I'm not catching numerous upper 40 and 50 inch fish, so my experiences may differ.
Probably just a different strokes for different folks situation.
curleytail |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | yes, I hit free spool as soon as I feel her wanting to turn or head the other way. |
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Posts: 2024
| Keep it in free spool as much as possible throughout the battle. Re-engage the spool when you want to pick up line, otherwise leave it open to allow the fish to run if she wants to... which only the fish can dictate.
You either have been taught from the get-go to go free spool or rely on drags. This is like debating which brand of reel to buy, what boat to buy, or what truck. It's simply personal preference. I soon found out it had become second nature to pop it in and out. I don't want to have to worry about adjusting a knob/star drag to achieve the "perfect" amount of pressure, therefore I use my thumb to create the pressure.
This isn't rocket science. BOTTOM LINE: it's personal preference and comfort. I simply feel like my thumb is the best drag system out there (might I add that I prefer backreeling a spinning reel than relying on drag). Others may like to rely on new innovative technology. I say, "To each their own!" |
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Posts: 1185
Location: Wishin I Was Fishin' | I keep my drag tight but loose enough that it won't brake anything in the process. I use 80 stealth line. It takes a lot to break that. I perfer a very tight drag that doesn't slip on a good hook set. I will admite it, I horse fish, and don't wast any time getting them in the net. I probably should lighten my drag and enjoy the fight more. I do feel I can control a fish at the boat better and loose less with a high quality tight drag.
This is why I am so critical of the drag quality. Over the last 6 years of Shimano Calcuta usage, I have really been impressed with the drag characteristics. I guess I am spoilled and I would like to improve on the Luna drag. I will try the recommendations. |
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Posts: 2112
Location: The Sportsman, home, or out on the water | I only thumb a fish when my netman has not yet got his "poop" together. |
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Diawa Luna drag?