Drag Fathom 25n

Rivverrat · May 20, 2015, 07:29:52 PM

I have as I've stated prior here 3 25N's. The issue I'm having are the drags on 2 of them. They work but not as well as I would like. I'm using 60 lb. so I'm setting my drag @ 20 lbs. The issue is the drag. It feels nice & smooth wen pulled by hand directly from the reel. However when setting drag with rod strung & lifting weight or fighting fish with them pulling steady the rod tip bounces. Telling me the drag is not as smooth as it seems when pulling line by hand directly from reel.

These reels have seen heavy use for the short 2 years I've had them but nothing out of the ordinary. Will redoing the drags with Cal's help this? It is probably time to service them a bit. But this problem has been there from the beginning. I thought it might get better with use but that has not been the case. This issue is annoying....Any recommended fixes

Bryan Young · May 20, 2015, 08:06:16 PM

Try repeating what you did but wet the line and see if it improves. Second is to check the guides. If the guides are not smooth, then that could be the problem.

Rivverrat · May 20, 2015, 08:48:40 PM

Brian I presently have 2 of these reels on Ugly Stick Custom rods with stainless guides. They will stay on these rods while I rebuild my St Croix cat rods. There was a noticeable improvement with line wet. But it seems I remember this same scenario on the Missouri River last year a couple of times with some bigger Blues.

As a side note I've yet to achieve the 25 lbs. of drag claimed by Penn in any of my 3 25N's. This is with the star medieval, stupid tight where it wont turn any more. My top shot comes right up to the edge where the black & gold anodize coloring of the spool meets....covering all the black anodize
black anodize.....so I might be over filling a bit.

20 lbs. of drag suits my needs for these reels just fine....I just want smooth as possible!

foakes · May 20, 2015, 09:55:42 PM

Assuming this is star drag and not lever?

It certainly sounds like a drag issue -- but before digging into that -- the rod needs to be eliminated as a possible culprit.

One way -- run one of your wife's old nylons through each guide -- if there is any catching, there is one problem located.

Or, install the reel on a brand new rod -- just to try it out.

Once these are determined to be either determining factors -- or non-issues, you can start on the reel.

Break down the drag stack, inspect the (3) Geared CFs for fraying or glazing. If OK, liberally apply the Cal's -- and try out. If badly worn -- replace the drag washers.

Also replace the under gear washer #4 with Delrin or a lightly Cal's greased CF.

This could also be a spool issue, if these reels are used primarily under tough conditions.

So check the spool Axle tensioners -- check the bearings to make sure they are free and lubed.

For reels under heavy use -- there could be a combination of factors -- but there will be one main issue that will likely address 80% of your problem.

As for the drag numbers -- unfortunately, a good portion of the modern manufacturers are "adjusting" their stated drag numbers to the competition. Penn is no exception. So you will need to determine what is optimum for you.

You possibly do not need that much line on the spool, either.

Good luck,

Fred

Rivverrat · May 20, 2015, 10:37:17 PM

Fred, thanks a lot for that reply. Yes these are star drags. I do think I'm running them a bit over filled. These really are great reels. I just want the drags SMOOTH.
This evening when I get back I will more thoroughly check my guides & other stuff you mentioned. Very possibly the stainless guides are at fault being cheap? But I will always have at times room for & reason to use an Ugly Stick rod. They just come in handy for packing the times when I'm on foot, busting through the Kansas under brush to get to the river bank.

I'll post what I find out. Again thanks for your reply......Jeff D.

Rivverrat · May 20, 2015, 11:52:55 PM

OK I just placed my Andros & all 3 25Ns's on the same St Croix Rod all 3 Penn reels have a drag that grabs & releases nothing even close to what I get with the Andros. It is night & day difference. To such an extreme I will not be using my 25 N's until I get it corrected. My reason for trying the Andros was just to make sure what I was feeling wasn't right. It isn't.

day0ne · May 20, 2015, 11:56:00 PM

If you haven't greased the drags with Cal's, start there. If you didn't pre service the reels before using, it's past time for servicing. BTW, this reel has the Versa Drag, not the conventional Penn Senator type drag.

Rivverrat · May 21, 2015, 04:02:04 AM

dayone, I did strip the reels down upon receiving them from Charkbait. Everything looked great for a factory reel. In fact the service it had received from the factory looked better than any I had seen prior on a brand new reel. I don't fish the salt so I did nothing to these reels.....I am starting to believe this is going to be a lesson learned....thanks for your reply ....Jeff D.

Rivverrat · May 21, 2015, 04:47:58 AM

I've always set my spool tension with the reel in free spool & tighten the adjustment right to the point where there is no felt side to side play then backing off a 1/2 to full click on the ratchet. Got to thinking no one ever told me this was the way to do it I just figured it best. Is this right?

day0ne · May 21, 2015, 05:16:21 AM

Quote from: Rivverrat on May 21, 2015, 04:02:04 AM
dayone, I did strip the reels down upon receiving them from Charkbait. Everything looked great for a factory reel. In fact the service it had received from the factory looked better than any I had seen prior on a brand new reel. I don't fish the salt so I did nothing to these reels.....I am starting to believe this is going to be a lesson learned....thanks for your reply ....Jeff D.

The salt has nothing to do with it. All reels need some sort of pre service, especially the drags. Try greasing them and see what happens. If a drag is getting jumpy, it needs service.

Rivverrat · May 21, 2015, 06:27:04 AM

No, salt water is not the issue here. I was just stating that as the basis of my flawed reasoning for not servicing them initially.
After tearing one real down & checking the drag washers I'm pretty greasing them will fix this issue. Got Cal's grease coming. It's been raining & cold for this time of year here so it will be a good time to take care of all 3 of them.

fIsHsTiiCkS · May 21, 2015, 08:01:10 AM

Quote from: Rivverrat on May 21, 2015, 06:27:04 AM
No, salt water is not the issue here. I was just stating that as the basis of my flawed reasoning for not servicing them initially.
After tearing one real down & checking the drag washers I'm pretty greasing them will fix this issue. Got Cal's grease coming. It's been raining & cold for this time of year here so it will be a good time to take care of all 3 of them.

Fred has it all covered and I would go down his list from top to bottom and check the drags a lot the way.

Cals is a MUST and will definitely help the issue as you are running these at max drag settings. Also, I believe the Fathoms come with a plastic under gear washer. I would replace that with a PTFE Delrin washer, they are far more smooth as an under gear washer and help a lot when drags are maxed out like that.

fIsHsTiiCkS · May 21, 2015, 11:54:32 AM

I have to ask, what kind of fresh water fish are you after that you utilize 20 lbs of drag?

Rivverrat · May 21, 2015, 11:41:07 PM

fIsHsTiCks,
I'm after big Blues & Flathead. The bigger Flathead some times take up living in log piles that the river pushes together. 20lbs. of drag is not enough to get some of them out & circle hooks don't cut it here either.
The Missouri River is a different animal all together compared to the Kaw River. In the past fishing with 7000 C3's I would get spooled fishing using 40 lb. & 14 lbs. of drag. Some times it was the fish other times it was the fish & the 5+ mph current one deals with. The Missouri River is relaxing but is at the same time a heads up affair. 4 Killer B's of the Missouri River BRIDGES, BARGES, BUOYS & BEER!!!

The Kaw River is my favorite. Said to be one of our nations top Flathead Cat fisheries by In Fisherman. I have fished, trapped & hunted its banks for 40 + years I have guided on it for some 10 years, never once growing tired or bored with any of it. Some day I will pull a state or very possibly a world record from this River. I have come close numerous times.

I've have now stripped down my reels. Following Fred's recommendations I am convinced a full service is in order & believe some Cal's will fix the issue on all 3 reels. Waiting on stuff to get here......Jeff

Rivverrat · May 21, 2015, 11:43:11 PM

Where do I get the delrin washers or the material to make them?