Max drag capacity has little to do with choice of line. The drag may only be 17.5 pounds, but the stretch of the line, the leverage that the rod adds to the line, and the jerking of the fish will all increas the amount pof pull the fish can put on the line. Matching drag to line is going to result in a lot of broken line.

if all you ever did was keep constant pressure on the fish you would be fine matching them, but most any fish will turn and run which could easly increase the tention on th eline well past the 17.5 pounds of drag.

With only 17.5 of stopping power U hook something big and U will burn U thumb off trying to help that little drag. or U will experience the 22 long rifle sound when it reaches the knot....

Better wear a golf glove that's what us fly roders do or surgical tubing over your fingers. I thought a rod was suppose to take pressure off the line? That's why the eyes have to be placed in a certain points a long the rod. I also heard you Don't want to use more than half of the drag pressure of your line i.e if you have 10 pd line use 5 pds of drag pressure.?

wasnt the topic here bull red leaders and bait?

What's your definition of "something big???" I'm really curious to hear this. I've caught bull reds up to 45 inches and jack crevalle caught using less than half of that 17.5 pounds of "stopping power." 80 plus pound blue catfish and large stripers have been boated by myself and friends using much less than the 17.5 pounds of "stopping power." This forum is about bull reds, and that 17.5 pounds will be more than sufficient for a skilled fisherman.

Are you being serious here??? And just what would you suggest LOL for bull reds??? a 4/0 or 5/0 reel . I fish for big fish. If I get spooled which I have before. But not by no bull red. Then I get spooled. Take in mind I am inshore fishing not offshore fishing. My setups are more then capable of handling bull reds and do more then you know LOL And I catch them around structure major structure with no problems LOL! Including the Port A jetties.

Are you serious? I fish with a fly rod almost exclusively and fish same spots you fish with a 8 wt that holds 350 yds of 20 pd backing... What I was saying for your Curado 300 why put 65 pd braid when you can put 20 or 30 pd braid and get twice as much line on and never break off.Of course you wouldn't of got that maybe I found a kind way of saying your line was overkill.

Reading the post, maybe my stuff is too big also. I use a 7' Tom Mann addition AllStar rod with a 6500 Ambassador spooled with 65 pd Power Pro. I fish for reds and blacks in the ship channel in Cameron, La. There is lots of rocks and oryster reefs in it thus the braid. It is still a hecka of a fight on this tackle. Most are black drum caught on half a blue crab on a 5/o circle sea by eagle claw. I tie the weight (3oz) about 24" above the hook put the crab on and toss it as far into the channel as I can. Most of the drum are big blacks in the 35 to 50 pound class.

sounds like your doin alright if your goin for bigger game. i wouldnt use 14 lb test like alot of these guys to catch a 35 lb fish boss

i think you should fish whatever you can afford.

ok so lets talk leaders.

in the surf... targeting reds.

i use premade leaders from walmart/academy. usually the ones that split off into 2, with one side being longer than the other, attack the weight to the longer end, and the hook to the other.

what do you use?

Wow!!!!I'm thoroughly confused. You guys must be Experts!!!!!See my logo...