Most of the reels we sell are to well seasoned highly experienced fishermen, for those that have limited experience, One of the most common questions we get asked is about drag pressures, and what the ratings mean.
Keep in mind most people can hold onto 20kg for a few minutes, at 25kg you would almost be getting pulled overboard.
For example a reel rated at 30kg will safely work up to pulling 30kg before line starts feeding off the reel. So at 20kg the reel is working to 2/3rds of it’s safe limit, so not stressing the reel.
The brawn reels are capable of holding nearly 50kg or 110lb, but that is almost at failure point. So at 26 30 or 38kg, the reels are still in a safe working level, and providing performance below it’s limit making it reliable.
To protect a reel from damage, you should not exceed the line breaking strain of the reel.
26kg = 26 kg (50lb line) .
30kg = 30kg (70lb line) .
38kg = 38kg (80lb line) .
Say for example you get stuck on the bottom, with 130lb braid. To break free you need to put 60kg or 130lb of pressure on the reel to break free. Which is way above the reels safe capacity of 26, 30 or 38kg.
Another miss conception is 30kg of drag, means it will winch 30kg of weight. To winch 30kg of drag you would need to put 150kg of pressure on the handle, which is 5 times what the 30kg drag reel is capable of.
So what drag is, is resistance of pressure against the fish you are fighting. The more drag, the quicker the fish will tire out and the quicker it gets landed.
For example a 20kg fish might be able to resist 10kg of drag pressure, running your drag at 20kg with say 50lb line will tire the fish very quickly, and allow you to start retrieving the fish once it’s too tired to keep swimming away from you. .
A 50kg fish will take longer to tire, so holding on at 20kg of drag pressure, may take longer to tire the fish, and therefore you need more line available before the fish gives up and turns towards you, then allowing you to start to take back line. As you retrieve the fish might get back it’s energy and make a run for it, giving a sudden burst back into fight mode, this is when a superior and very smooth drag is most important, as the drag goes from low pressure to high pressure in a split second. A badly designed drag will shudder and jump around, causing the line to break, or give the fish the chance to shake the hook. So anything above 20kg is more than you need, what is most important is how smooth it is, and no static, or shuddering issues when it gets hot, or has a sudden demand.
We spent about 12 months developing the Brawn drag, and it is without doubt perfect in every way possible.
The biggest mistake we see is inexperienced anglers trying to winch against drag with a spinning reel, large overhead reels like 50W and 80W reels are basically winches, and can handle this type of use. A spinning reel is far more delicate, and requires a finer technique of using the drag and rod to keep pressure on the fish, rather than just winching.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
The brawn reels have a modular body / stem arrangement. It is vital that the 2 bolts that hold it together are not in anyway altered
There is no reason a customer should ever attempt to adjust these bolts.
The shear breaking strain of these bolts combined is 174kg, and they are pre-set at specific tension with a special permanent loctite
Removal of these bolts requires heating to 250 deg C, and new bolts, must be used if removed, and surfaces must be prepaired by professional methods
to retain galvanic protection and structural integrity.
This can only be done by the TuffTackle factory, or by a trained authorised service agent.
Brawn reels are designed and built for serious fishermen, very tight tolerances and very low maintenance.
All screws are stainless steel, they are insulated from electrolysis (corossion of the surounding alloys), by the anodised surface
If the screws are removed, you must re insulate the heads of the screws with a suitable insulator
The reels are a proven bullet proof gearbox design, they will not need opening for service for around 3000 hours of use.
Taking good care of Tuff Tackle reels is easy, and necessary to
maintain your warranty.
1. Wash the reel after each use (trip) under a garden tap or hose
"thoroughly"
You can submerge BRAWN reels in a bucket of fresh water if prefered, and give it a quick spin under water.
2. Spray "generously" with a suitable lubricant.
That's it.
What this does:
- Removes salt from any gaps in the reel. Salt is a crystal and will keep
growing if left alone, it can and will blow apart metal joints,
and quickly destroy a reel if left un checked. The second and most important part spraying with lube. This puts a coating over all surfaces protecting it from oxidising as well as keeping everything running freely.
Recommended spray
lubricants:
- INOX (won't damage fishing line)
- WD40 (remove spool, so not to effect fishing
line)
If using a petroleum based lube, remove spool and
wash spool thoroughly with fresh water (tap or hose)
Salt after it crystallises (takes about 24 hours to
start forming) is like broken glass, it will quickly damage a reel if left to
grow in cavities.
NEVER NEVER put a wet reel inside a neoprene or plastic bag. This will basicly write off your reel
Do Not dismantle a reel if you do not have
experience, we sometimes receive reels that have been put back together
incorrectly and this can damage a reel beyond reasonable cost to
repair.
