Penn Defiance 25LW

[akfish]

You don't need that much. A Baja Special is just about perfect; a 16VSX is almost overkill. And I got a Fathom 25LW for my girlfriend; she's caught fish up to 100 pounds. I've been fishing an HX Raptor this year; the standard HX is OK too. But the Defiance series just won't cut it. If reel makers would specify what sort of fish could reasonably be targeted with their reels, it would make my job a lot easier.

[Krabby Patties]

Did a search for my problem and found this. Often the handle could be turned backwards a half turn to several turns before the dog would catch. I bent the springs on the dog to the point they were touching each other and it still slipped. Seems to be working good for now. I drilled an 1/8" hole in the dog and coated a spring I had with Cal's grease hoping it won't rust. The spring has a gold colored plating on it. What kind of spring do I really want?  

[steelfish]

those springs mods are really nice idea.


well I will use this same thread to post more issues on this reel.


guys since you have this same reel, by chance your reels make a grinding noise if you turn the handle when the eccentric lever is in free spool?

I mean, in the reel I have if you put it in free spool and spin the spool by hand it can spin easily by 30 seconds and completely silence but if you turn the handle (the reel is still on free spool mode) the reel will make a grinding noise, if you turn the lever to engage the pinion with the spool then the noise is gone

everything else is good, dog is acting like it should, spool spins freely and nicely, and drag is nice too.. it just that grinding noise that happens only on that moment.
good thing is that you normally dont turn the handle and having the reel in free spool at the same time.

It looks like the pinion is still touching (barely) the spool "tooth" on the axle when the free spool mechanism is activated, but maybe is the way this reel works.

[Keta]

in the 1st photo that dog looks damaged

Yup, the ear is bent.  The spring made the reel much better.