Penn Fathom: "sticky" drag

[Joker]

Good evening

I bought a Penn fathom 30SD and gave a workout. Then I noticed that the drag is a bit sticky.

What I mean by sticky: After I cast, I set my rod in a stand and engage the clicker. Then I set the drag. Pull on the line to check the "smoothness" just in case a fish takes the hook. The drag stays "tight" until I hold on to the spool and turn the handle. After this action, the drag becomes "lighter"

Got home and stripped said reel and gave it a service. Noticed that the HT-100 washers were bone dry. Yes, I gave it some Cal's.

Took reel for another outing and noticed no marked improvement.

Let me just add that the drag is awesome. I just feel that there should be some smoothness in case a bigger fish decides to "take" line. That "stickiness" might snap my line.

how do I improve the smoothness?

Thanks in advance.   

[alantani]

any chance that the metal drag washers are out of order?  it's a star drag reel.  the drag should not change like that.....   

[akfish]

I may be mistaken, but I believe the Fathom reels have the "versa drag" -- meaning that the HT-100s have ears and the metal drag plates do not. This means that the drag washers can be in different orders in order to generate different drag ranges. My guess is that there is a problem with the free floating pinion. Perhaps there is a burr on the post that the pinion sits on or some caked grease that is preventing it from seating correctly.

[alantani]

yeah, that's right.  i forgot all about the versa drag.  so why would anyone deliberately dumb down a fishing reel?  maybe re-versa the drag to it's optimal configuration and let's check things out again. 

[akfish]

Te reason to "dumb down" a reel is to flatten the drag curve at low drags. This might make a certain amount of sense when fishing for salmon, for example.

[Joker]

Thank you for the feed back.

Will open her up again and give it another slab of Cal's.

[Bryan Young]

It could very well be the difference you feel by holding the spool versus the line. They will have different feel because o the direct contact with the spool versus a thin fishing line.

[alantani]

i dunno, guys.  it still doesn't make much sense to me. 

[Joker]

Did not get a chance to strip the Fth again.

I remember my Torium20 andd Tor30 doing the same when it had the original drag washers fitted. I changed to Smoothdrag's Carbontex and the problem was solved.

A buddy of mine has a Trq40 that does the same. And this reel is also fitted with the HT-100 drag washers.

[CapeFish]

Joker, I have had the same problem on more than one reel, make sure the drive shaft is not caked in grease as it makes the collar that pushes down on the drag stick. i now put a drop of oil on the drive shaft so that collar can move easily. Also make sure the drag washers dont have to much grease. you will certainly loose a fish if it is not sorted out as the fish runs and then suddenly the drag slips and causes an overwind, especially if it is a bronzie

[Joker]

Joker, I have had the same problem on more than one reel, make sure the drive shaft is not caked in grease as it makes the collar that pushes down on the drag stick. i now put a drop of oil on the drive shaft so that collar can move easily. Also make sure the drag washers dont have to much grease. you will certainly loose a fish if it is not sorted out as the fish runs and then suddenly the drag slips and causes an overwind, especially if it is a bronzie

Thanks Capefish.

I will definitely keep this in mind when its service time again.