Shimanos Tiagra series of reels have rewritten the rules of big game fishing. As we all know, the overriding factor of big game angling is that the fish are capable of fighting for hours, repeatedly making long runs that can heat a drag. This heat causes the drag setting to change, reducing the chances of landing a fish. The Hydrothermal Drag System automatically compensates for the heat to keep the original drag setting intact. Whats more, the Tiagras pre-lubricated graphite drag washer operation is impervious to saltwater and always operates smoothly. Another major rule of big game fishing is that between, say, a 400lb marlin pulling on one end, and the leverage created by an angler in a fighting chair on the other, a lot of pressure is placed on the tackle. That is why Tiagras one piece frame is machine cut out of an aluminium tube to a thickness of 7mm (try to find one thats thicker). Its also why Tiagra has A-RB bearings, heavy duty stainless steel gears, and a two speed shifting mechanism where the pinion and drive gears are continuously engaged. The Tiagra also features a Calibrated Drag Pre Set Knob. The unique preset knob has detents with approximately 1/2 pound increments for easy adjustment. This knob, however, was created only as a reference to aid the user in setting the drag. It is not a substitute for a scale. To properly set the drag, place the reel on a rod, run the line through the rods guides, attach a scale to the end of the line, and pull against the line with the rod loaded. The large handle knob is counterweighted so that it always rests in an easy to grab vertical position. At 89 decibels the super loud clicker is the loudest found on any production reel. In short, there is simply no better big game reel than a Shimano Tiagra.
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