PENN FATHOM STAR DRAG REELS - The Fisherman

PENN FATHOM STAR DRAG REELS

The first thing you will notice about Penn’s new Fathom star drag reels is their striking black and gold coloration and strong, sturdy feel, which are compliments of the beefy anodized aluminum frame and side plates. The model I field-tested, the FTH25N, was the “middle” child of a family of five, which also includes the smaller FTH12 and FTH15 reels, as well as the larger FTH30 and FTH40.

What attracted me instantly to the FTH25N was the “narrow spool” layout of this “N” model, which is equipped with the same larger side plates and drag disks as her two bigger sisters (the FTH30 and FTH40), but achieves this in a much more compact and balanced package. Even though I usually prefer a lever drag reel for jigging, casting and bottom dropping for precise drag control, the power (via a user-adjustable VersaDrag system that can dial in 25 pounds of full drag), smoothness (six stainless steel ball bearings) and ultra-fast 6.0:1 retrieve ratio that takes in an impressive 40 inches of line with every crank of the reel’s power handle has made me a believer of the FTH25N and her entire family approach. Pick one up, put her in free-spool and give that anodized aluminum spool a spin with your thumb; mine was going strong for almost 30 seconds with no line on the reel, which is an impressive display of its harmonic balance and disparate parts all coming together into one functional unit.

FAMILY TRAITS
%pullstart%If you are into larger reels for bigger tasks, the Penn FTH30 and FTH40 are for you, weighing only 18.4 and 18.7 ounces respectively, but upping the ante for both line weight and capacity.%pullend%Depending on your needs, there is a Penn Fathom reel that should strike your fancy. If being armed with a downsized and lightweight aluminum reel is on your agenda, then either the FTH12 (15.5 ounces) or the FTH15 (15.6 ounces) should be good to go. Like all other members of the new Fathom family of star drag saltwater fishing reels, each of these two mighty mites features a stainless steel reel stand, six stainless ball bearings and that same lighting fast 6:0:1 retrieve rate. But since these two little sisters have a smaller profile and correspondingly downsized footprint, they will retrieve only 28 inches of line per crank when either dancing a jig vertically in the water column for blues or stripers, or working a popper horizontally through a rip, which is still faster than most competitive reels in their class. The FTH12 will hold either 360 yards of ten-pound mono, 260 yards of 12-pound or 230 yards of 15-pound mono. When using braid, she’ll hold 525 yards of 15-pound, 420 yards of 20-pound or 320 yards of 30-pound braid, which will unlock her massive 25 pounds of max drag.

The FTH15 model features a slightly wider spool that will increase line capacity for both braid and mono. My fave FTH25N offers the aforementioned larger diameter side plates that will up the ante to 40 inches per crank of the adjustable power reel handle, but its “reel” strength is that it packs a huge amount of braid into a relatively compact package that’s only 17.9 ounces.

The narrow spool FTH25N will hold either 650 yards of 20-pound braid, 450 yards of 50-pound or 370 yards of 65-pound braid, which should allow you to handle some really tough customers with plenty of run-stopping drag and enough line capacity to get the job done, even with large pelagics on the menu. From my field testing, this micro-sized, sturdy, machined aluminum reel casts like a dream and stops ‘em cold when the time comes to settle an argument. With 425 yards of 50-pound braid and a 25-yard, 60-pound mono top-shot, I am ready for just about everything, including jigging tuna and tilefishing the canyons.

If you are into larger reels for bigger tasks, the Penn FTH30 and FTH40 are for you, weighing only 18.4 and 18.7 ounces respectively, but upping the ante for both line weight and capacity. The big sister FTH40 will store 725 yards of 50-pound braid, 600 yards of 65-pound and an impressive 525 yards of 80-pound braid, which as an aside, is about 50 yards more than my Penn 16 VSX reels. Other cool Fathom family features include a full metal body and side plates to keep precise gear alignment under heavy loads; a machine-cut marine grade bronze main gear with hardened stainless steel pinion gear; a Versa-Drag system with HT-100 washers that can be easily rearranged for three different max drag settings; a “Live Spindle” design with free floating spool; an internally adjustable centrifugal braking system; gold line capacity rings set on either side of the aluminum spool that quickly indicate “full”, 2/3 and 1/3 line levels at a glance; a 5+1 shielded stainless steel bearing system; plus an instant anti-reverse bearing with silent back up ratchet. I also like the neat pre-drilled tie-off holes in the spindle to prevent braided line from “slipping” on the spool. The MSRP for the FTH12 and FTH15 Fathom reels is $199.95, whereas the FTH25N, FTH30 and FTH40 models go for $219.95.

In my opinion, you can’t go wrong with any of these new Penn Fathom reels, so head on down to your local tackle shop and give one a try.

Related

Starbrite

Starbrite Ceramics SiO2 Wash & Wax and Wax and Seal

Balance Your Outfit: Knots, Lines, Leaders & Gear

Balancing your fishing outfit for extended fishing time.

60 Fishy Gifts: 2023 Holiday Gift Guide

The Fisherman staff gives a sneak peek at what’s on our wish list this season.