front or rear? what a drag

[liamfish]

morning all

I have used and loved my abu cardinal rear drag reel for yonks..... until now where the drag jerks and slips (fair enough with 6 years of fresh and salt abuse). Now browsing the old www I came across the following that look pretty bomb proof

http://shop.vendio.com/harleerod/item/796933917/index.html

and

http://shop.vendio.com/harleerod/item/870836834/index.html

The question is would i get to grips with they front drag having always used rear?

Can anyone offer any advice on this point?

Ta

Liam

 

(ps Im a pain I always want one product to do a multitude of jobs, from free line to spinning)

[corydoras]

I'm a bit of a sucker for a nice rear myself.

[Tim Kelly]

Front drags almost always have larger drag discs, so are likely to be smoother and have a wider range of drag settings. Those Okuma V system reels look like Okuma coming of age to me with a really good high end product.

[corydoras]

I just don't like fiddling round the front if I'm onto a lunker.

[peter mccue]

Must agree with Tim, front drags have generally been more responsive & smooth whenever I've used them compared to rear drags, & his reasoning seems sound to me.

 

But just to put a spanner in the works have you tried backwinding rather than rely on the clutch? IMO there's much more feel & control during the fight & you can respond far quicker to varying pressures than your clutch can.

[corydoras]

have you tried backwinding rather than rely on the clutch? IMO there's much more feel & control during the fight & you can respond far quicker to varying pressures than your clutch can.

This is what I do when fishing for mullet. A mullet can go from a standing start to 25 knots in a second or so, backwinding is almost mandatory under these kind of conditions.

 

Still like my drag behind though, even on the side, multiplier style would be better, but thats just my opinion, me speaking for me.

[Guest tigger]

Front drags almost always have larger drag discs, so are likely to be smoother and have a wider range of drag settings. Those Okuma V system reels look like Okuma coming of age to me with a really good high end product.

 

 

I have a Okuma VS 30 myself and I've just got my mate 2 as he liked them so much. The front drag is great and I have found it better than a rear drag system.

I have to say thougt I still prefer my old Abu 501 and let it backwind useing my thumb to control the pressure!

[Tim Kelly]

I can't imagine why anyone would want to backwind these days as drags are so much better than in the days of mitchel 300s they easily protect all but the very lightest lines.

I've also noticed that people who do backwind tend to give line much sooner than a well set drag would give it, so they end up playing the fish far longer. Give'em the butt and only line when it's strictly nessecary and you will get more in than by allowing them to swim round for ages until the hook drops out!

[Peter Waller]

Just to be contrary I rather favour my centre drag! Just so easy, and logical.

[dogstick]

http://www.wmac.co.uk/acatalog/megadeal.html

 

Some unbelievable deals on reels,don`t know if there what your looking for but 50 quid off some of them.

DS