Drag on wire reels

[No Limit]

First year fishing wire and all that I have read about wire out fishing everything else held true this year. Almost 4:1, getting fish on and landing fish were two different stories.

My first set up was my drag was set about the same as my downrigger rods, fish hit, fish gone. I was told with no give in the wire that I was ripping the lure out of its mouth. Then I went to a drag that was just enough to hold the dipsey in the water. When I did that I wasn't getting very good hook sets. Half the fish we put in the boat the lure was out of its mount when we got it in the boat. When can/do I tighten down my drag (if at all) and why am I not getting good hook sets?

I've never had this problem with braid divers and seem to have it with wire divers. Any suggestions?

[ChampionShip]

What kind of leader do you run from the diver to the lure? What kind and length/action rod are you using?

[ericjeeper]

Are you running any sort of snubber?

[hornets nest]

I had similar issues with wire when I was using the okuma blue diamond medium action rods and mag size divers. When using the next size smaller it wasn't an issue. But the blue diamond rods did not have enough backbone. Basically the rod was already bent to the max. Switched back to my 10'6" braid divers and problem went away. Lost some tackle and a lot of fish before I figured it out. Diver rods need a good backbone if your going to run mag size divers whether braid or wire.

[PofC]

Not an expert by any means,I just switched this season to wire and have had some of the same issues.What I was told and have learned is to use a snubber after your dipsey,This will help to give a shock relief upon fish hit.Also the drag set as mentioned above is good just set so your dipsey is held in place it might click out every once and a while is good(don't tighten down like a rigger).Now think about this,When you have a fish on, the wire has no give at all,now the give is coming from the snubber,rod and drag.When the fish runs or pulls hard that will max out your snubber and possibly your poll leaving just the drag to stop from pulling his lips off.It is very hard not to tighten drag on wire because you get such a great feel and fish seem four times bigger when fighting than what they are.I have found it best to leave the drag alone of even loosen it when pulling it out of the holder.This has helped me ,I sometimes forget I fish because I love the fight not how fast i can drag them in. GOOD LUCK!

[Yankee Troller]

We set our drags fairly tight. Especially in the late Summer/early Fall when the gums get hard. We are also right there to back the drag off after the initial few throbs on the rod, which I think is setting that hook home. Getting the rod out of the holder smooth and fighting it smoothly will also help increase your landing percentage. Sometimes, no matter what you do, there will be a day where the landing percentage on the wires just sucks. However, those days it seems the wires are just hot and everything else is much slower. So take it in and be happy your presenting your bait how the fish want it. Currents, aggressiveness of the fish, and lure action can all play a roll in how they are hooking up.

Just my $.02

[Dagwood]

I am going to be buying a wire combo for next season but what makes the wire so much better than braid?

[Pioneer]

Don't know for sure but wire rocks! When at all possible keep the drag just so it tick every once and a while and when a fish hits just back off on the drag while still in the holder. It will help you alittle.

[mattmishler]

I love my wires, great to see rods, not the best ones for customers first time fighting a feesh!!!! We run 47s on okuma blue diamond wire combos. The old 47s that a made to last not the new ones