How to Choose a Star Drag vs Lever Drag Reel

If you are new to fishing or have never fished a conventional reel, the question will come up about what is better, a star drag or a lever drag on a traditional reel.

Let’s look at the two styles of conventional reels to learn the difference between the two types of drag systems and when one might be preferred over the other.

In the photo below, you can see a Penn Squall Star Drag on the left and a Daiwa Black and Gold Star Drag.  Notice the star-shaped wheel that sits just inside the handle?  The star drag tightens the drag progressively; some will have a ratchet system, and some will not. They will pull the drag quietly.

One thing to remember with a star drag is that you are guessing how much drag you have applied at any time to the spool; there is no way to look at the reel and visually see how much drag you have applied.

To the right of these two reels is an image of the Penn Squall Lever Drag reel.  You can see a lever that can be moved back and forth to tighten the drag to the desired setting.

I like that I can visually see how much drag is on the reel; this is particularly useful if I am fishing with less experienced anglers.

Drag Adjustment

Most lever drag systems will also have what is called a strike setting.  The striking setting is where you want to adjust your drag so that you have enough drag to set the hook properly but give the fish enough drag to not break the line or leader.

Again, the advantage of the lever drag is that you can quickly set the reel to the proper strike setting with the simple movement of the lever drag to the strike position.  When you are going after larger species like billfish, the lever drag is the way to go, as you can set the strike setting drag and the max drag easily, and you can then be confident that you will not break the line.

With the star drag, it is too easy to over-tighten it and set yourself up for disappointment when the line breaks.

As you can see in the photo above, the star drag wheel is located between the spool and the handle.  In most cases, it is pretty easy to use your thumb to add a little bit more to the drag when you are fishing.

When you do get a fish on the line, this all changes. Suppose you are cranking the handle with one hand and holding the rod tightly with the other. It can be challenging to get your fingers between the spool and the handle to adjust.

Fish Size Matters

A star drag is acceptable for smaller-sized fish, and I mean by smaller-sized is anything under 40-50 lbs.  So, if you are fishing off the coast for smaller tuna, barracuda, cobia, etc., you can use open conventional reels like the Penn Squall Star Drag and Okuma Cortez Star Drag.

You will find that the low-profile reels such as the Daiwa Lexa 300 and Lexa 400, Shimano Tranx 500, or even the Shimano Tranx 300 and 400 have a star drag adjustment, which is acceptable for your smaller species.

When targeting fish above 40–50 lbs, you will typically have a fish that takes a lot of lines off the spool or, in the case of bottom fishing, an anchor that you are trying to reel to the surface.

In either of these cases, you want to lean towards the lever drag for the reasons above and probably look at a 2-speed reel like the Penn Squall 2-speed Lever Drag or the Okuma Makaira SE Lever Drag.

With the 2-speed option, you can push a button typically located in the handle and switch between a high gearing for fast retrieval of the line and a low gearing for hauling in those heavy fish.

Castability

Most anglers will tell you that a star drag reel will give you better castability as the spool tends to spin more freely. Certain reels, such as the Penn Fathom, have what they call a live spindle design.

What this means is that when you throw the clutch lever into accessible spool mode, the spool completely disengages from the spindle, the pinion gear, and everything else that could potentially cause friction.  At this point, the spool is entirely free to spin as it is simply riding on the ball bearings, which means that you are going to get a very long cast.

If you are a West Coast fisherman and are throwing iron, or if you are an East Coast fisherman and are live baiting, then having the ability to cast long distances with the free spool will be vital to you.

I think this still holds today; however, with the newer technologies that have come to market in the last few years, such as magnetic cast control, the lever drag reels are getting closer to the star drag reels regarding castability.

One thing that you need to remember with a free spool is that a feature like a centrifugal brake will come in very handy for someone with a less educated thumb to prevent back spooling.

With some of the newer technologies and multiple sealed ball bearings coming on the market, the lever drag reels are getting close to the star drags regarding castability.

These additional features that allow for better castability in the lever drag are going to cost you a few extra dollars and are typically only found in the higher-end lever drag reels.

In Conclusion

At the end of the day, you will have some people swear by a star drag and others swear by a lever drag.  From our point of view, here are our preferences:

If you can try several star drag reels and several lever drag reels before you purchase your own, I think that is the way to go.

If that is not an option and you are fishing for smaller fish under 30 lbs, get a good star drag reel and practice casting with it.

Remember, you mustn’t be on the water to practice casting.  You can attach a weight, go to your local sporting field, and practice to educate your thumb.

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David Edwards

David is a freelance writer. He enjoys fishing as much as you do. He understands the challenge to pick the best fishing rod or learning the lifestyle. He provides a detailed review of the available products in the market. He wants to ensure you make the right decision for your next shopping day.

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