A Question of Drag Setting

Hi All,

I've been fishing for a number of years in sal****er and have never have any
problems landing big fish (60 - 120 lbs.) on lever reels. However, I
recently purchased a Penn 114L and an Electra-Mate 940 XP electric motor for
the Penn. A few days ago I ran into something big. The fish was probably
either a large Warsaw or Golith Grouper. The fish was definately in the
neighborhood of 200 - 300 lbs. I had the star drag set as tight as it would
go and the damn fish kept taking line like ther was know tomorrow. I may be
mistaken but can't Star Drags be completly locked down like Lever systems.
The problem came when I tried to reel the fish up. The motor kept spinning
and the line kept going out. Could someone explain this?

Thanks

A reel's drag is rated for a certain amount of pounds pull and than it lets
line out. Doesn't make any diference if it's a lever or not, that's just a
different mechanical means to do the same job. If the drag didn't work and
you were in a harness the rod would break, the line break, the reel would
break or you'd have a first person knowledge of the things fish relate to,
at least for a short time before you were crab bait. Sounds like you were
outgunned there.
You just have to hold on till the fish quits pulling than you can work them
up by pumping the rod and taking up line on the downstroke. Reels are drag
governed line holders not winches. Fish size makes little difference as they
weigh nothing in the water, they're suspending or floating down there right?
Not laying like a rock on the bottom. The fish was pulling against the
resistance he felt that was attached to him, when they quit pulling or start
swimming on circles then you can get them. Until then you just hold on or
get the boat back on top of them if you have to.
"Mark Rosenbaum" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

I've been fishing for a number of years in sal****er and have never have
any problems landing big fish (60 - 120 lbs.) on lever reels. However, I
recently purchased a Penn 114L and an Electra-Mate 940 XP electric motor
for the Penn. A few days ago I ran into something big. The fish was
probably either a large Warsaw or Golith Grouper. The fish was definately
in the neighborhood of 200 - 300 lbs. I had the star drag set as tight as
it would go and the damn fish kept taking line like ther was know
tomorrow. I may be mistaken but can't Star Drags be completly locked down
like Lever systems. The problem came when I tried to reel the fish up.
The motor kept spinning and the line kept going out. Could someone
explain this?

Thanks