line rating on rod?

[trigunner54]

Just wondering how important the line rating on your rod is and can you get heavier line rating. Or is mostly to do with reel size?

For example, line rating of 3-5kg on rod with a size 4000 reel. Can you get 10kg line? and if so any side effects. thankyou

[stevefish]

You can put 50 pound on if you want, but the rod won't be able to make use of it. Usually the (edit, lower) number is about right.

Generally, you run the drag at 1/3 (mono) or up to about 1/2 (most braids). So 3keg try and pick up a 1litre bottle through the rod. Or put on your 10 kilo and pick up 3-5 kilos through the rod and report back.

There's a bit of error in that a stagnant weight vs a moving weight is a bit different but blah blah

Edited October 5, 2016 by stevefish

[Guest Guest123456789]

If your mainline is heavier than the breaking strain of your rod you get two main issues:

1. Risk of snapping the rod is higher. If the rod will snap when 7 kgs of pressure is applied, and your line will snap when 9kg of pressure is applied, guess what happens when 8kg of pressure is applied?

2. You might not be able to run an FG knot through the guides. Heavier rated rods have larger guides. If the braid and fluro diameter is too large, when you cast it will eventually get caught and both damage your guides and tangle your line.

Personally I like to keep the main line 80% to 90% of the max rod weight rating. For example, a rod rated 8 to 10kg I would use braid not more than 9kg breaking strain. The leader can and often is heavier than the breaking strain of the rod and that's ok so long as the mainline is weaker than the rod.

[savit]

If your mainline is heavier than the breaking strain of your rod you get two main issues:

1. Risk of snapping the rod is higher. If the rod will snap when 7 kgs of pressure is applied, and your line will snap when 9kg of pressure is applied, guess what happens when 8kg of pressure is applied?

Flatheadluke, you dont take into consideration reel drag here. If rod rating - up to 7kg, line rating 9 kg and reel drag set at e.g. 2-3kg - I do not see snapping problem here.

I usually use mainline rating above rod rating if :

- I fish with expensive lures with light rod in areas with snags. there are more more chances to get them back by pulling the line with hand.

- I fish near/at rocks (particularly at night) where the line can be easily damaged. So more chances to land the fish.

- where dead lift is required and light rod is used. I lost a number of fish in the past using light line- by the time I lift them by 2 1/2 meters they break the line. The fish will not stay still while you are lifting them.

[Mike89]

I tend to get pretty anal about these recommendations but have read several times that they are just that: recommendations. From what I gather (and I may be wrong) the line class recommendation is usually a conservative suggestion and not the actual breaking strain of the rod. That said, I wouldn't try lifting 10kgs on a rod rated 2-4kg. The casting weight can also be a more important factor, as overloading the casting weight can cause damage to the rod.

When I was starting out last year I put some 25lb line on a 3000 reel with a 2-5kg rod. The bloke at the store was trying to explain just how much overkill that was and talk me out of it. This bloke also mentioned what Luke has explained: if your line class is significantly heavier than what your rod is designed to take, you run the risk of snapping the rod before you snap the line.

I told him this was definitely what I wanted and to that the guy shrugged his shoulders, saying there is no tackle police and that I can do whatever makes fishing enjoyable for me. Now I run 8lb on the same setup.

I tend to keep to the line class recommendations these days (for rod and reel) but give myself a bit of leeway if I wanted to go heavier or lighter. For instance, I run 30lb braid on an 8-12kg rod for live baits (hoping for kings and jews but usually just salmon and rays!).

Edited October 5, 2016 by Mike89

[stevefish]

A 3-5 kilo rod is for 3-5 kilo line. So 1-2 kilo drag. But the only thing that can snap it is the angler.

[trigunner54]

Thanks for the replies guys, i think I'll just stick with the line rating.

[JohnDory]

A 3-5 kilo rod is for 3-5 kilo line. So 1-2 kilo drag. But the only thing that can snap it is the angler.

What SF said !!

JD

[Guest Guest123456789]

Flatheadluke, you dont take into consideration reel drag here. If rod rating - up to 7kg, line rating 9 kg and reel drag set at e.g. 2-3kg - I do not see snapping problem here.

I usually use mainline rating above rod rating if :

- I fish with expensive lures with light rod in areas with snags. there are more more chances to get them back by pulling the line with hand.

- I fish near/at rocks (particularly at night) where the line can be easily damaged. So more chances to land the fish.

- where dead lift is required and light rod is used. I lost a number of fish in the past using light line- by the time I lift them by 2 1/2 meters they break the line. The fish will not stay still while you are lifting them.

I take everything (including drag) into consideration, how did you arrive at the conclusion I do not?

My 3000 reel (penn spinfisher ssv 3500) has 10kgs of max drag. It's on a rod rated to 6kgs. Most of my set ups the max drag of the reel is higher than the breaking strain of the rod.

Keeping the line class breaking strain below my rod class breaking strain is a level of protection against snapping my rod, meaning I can tighten the drag up as much as I like without having to calculate how many kgs of drag I have just applied (which is not easy for me). The rule has worked so far - I've never snapped a rod (which means maybe i need to target bigger fish!!!).

[savit]

I take everything (including drag) into consideration, how did you arrive at the conclusion I do not?

My 3000 reel (penn spinfisher ssv 3500) has 10kgs of max drag. It's on a rod rated to 6kgs. Most of my set ups the max drag of the reel is higher than the breaking strain of the rod.

Keeping the line class breaking strain below my rod class breaking strain is a level of protection against snapping my rod, meaning I can tighten the drag up as much as I like without having to calculate how many kgs of drag I have just applied (which is not easy for me). The rule has worked so far - I've never snapped a rod (which means maybe i need to target bigger fish!!!).

I think we just understand the purpose of the reel drag differently.

I usually set the reel drag at suggested 1/3 of breaking strain of the line, so I can still fight and exhaust the accidental larger fish which is above my rig rating.

I understand it may not be easy to get used to drag calculation, I usually fish with only 3 line ratings (for estuary, surf and rocks) , so I just developed a hand feeling when enough is enough for drag.

Calculation can be rather easy - just divide lb line rating by 6 to get suggested drag in kg - e.g 12lb line is for 2 kg drag. 2kg drag is a feeling of a bag with 2 liter milk bottle in your hand.

I used to fish with full/locked drag in the past in the beginning, however sometimes the fights lasted just a fraction of second due to some 'train' or 'torpedo' decided to try my small bait or lure.

[Ivo]

Just stick with the line rating and you'll be fine. You can change it around abit for certain applications as listed above, however for just a general setup keeping everything the same should be fine. If you tell us what you want to target I'm sure people on here will be able to advise as to the ratings you'll want. Until then, tight lines and happy fishing!

[Garrybeynon]

How do you know what your drag is set at? I just pull it and say yeah that will do or if it's coming off a bit easy I twist it till it's harder to pull off. Sounds like you blokes are making fishing confusing

[Guest Guest123456789]

How do you know what your drag is set at? I just pull it and say yeah that will do or if it's coming off a bit easy I twist it till it's harder to pull off. Sounds like you blokes are making fishing confusing

That's great you have a system you like. Doesn't mean it better than Savits, he has a system, likes it and shared how it works. There's no right or wrong way here.

[savit]

That's great you have a system you like. Doesn't mean it better than Savits, he has a system, likes it and shared how it works. There's no right or wrong way here.

I totally agree here.

Guys, use what works for you and enjoy it.

[andrew_evo]

How do you know what your drag is set at? I just pull it and say yeah that will do or if it's coming off a bit easy I twist it till it's harder to pull off. Sounds like you blokes are making fishing confusing

Totally agree with this. I recon as recreational fishos we should be more worried about being on the water and getting amongst it rather then super specific set ups and formulas for setting up a rod.

Tournament and pro guys and girls need to think about things like this but for me it takes away from the fun and relaxation of fishing!

If the guy at the tackle shop says it will be good, it probably will.

In saying that there is really no wrong way to go about it as long as you are having fun. Some guys love the nitty gritty others couldn't care!

Just make sure you are having fun!

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

Edited October 9, 2016 by andrew_evo

[stevefish]

How do you know what your drag is set at? I just pull it and say yeah that will do or if it's coming off a bit easy I twist it till it's harder to pull off. Sounds like you blokes are making fishing confusing

You test it and get a feel for how far you can push it. Then you tie good knots. Then present your bait or lure as best you can. None of this takes much time and no money.

If you're about not caring whether you win (catch) or lose (walk of shame) but having fun that's fine. I've done both and know which one I prefer

[HenryR]

How do you know what your drag is set at? I just pull it and say yeah that will do or if it's coming off a bit easy I twist it till it's harder to pull off. Sounds like you blokes are making fishing confusing

Garrybeynon, it's super easy. As already mentioned above: use water in plastic (or whatever) bottles. 1 litre of water weighs 1kg. To set your drag at 3kg or - I think more important - to get an sense of what your rod feels like loaded up with 3kg of pull, hang 3 litres of water from the end of your line and lift it with the rod. You can roughly set your drag when you do this.

I really don't think doing that is over complicating things. Nor is the 5 minutes that takes going to stop you having fun. Most likely, if you've never done it, you'll be totally amazed at just how much pull a few kilos actually is. And, if you do this a few times, you'll know a little bit more about what's going on when you next hook a decent size fish and, as a result, you'll probably have more fun.

There are all sorts of good reasons for using heavier or lighter line. But, one of the big things rods do is allow you to use and protect your line when you're hooked to a fish. All rods have a maximum of pull they can generate and an optimal range in which they cushion shock. That's what the line ratings are about. Unless you know otherwise, those ratings are a very good general guide to line weight.

[Naize]

I fish a 7''2 3-7kg rod w 4000 reel and 15kg braid 30kg leader for poppers stickbaits n plastic for kings.

Anything less and they just ping me.

If they get pulling way too hard i point the rod tip at them n let the line n reel do the work. Never snapped a rod!!!