Penn Fathom 25N Video Service Tutorial

[ReelSpeed]

Alright guys, I have been waiting a long time to bring you this reel tutorial.  This is one of my favorite and most exciting reels that I have seen in a very long time...The Penn Fathom!

I really think Penn hit it out of the park on this reel.  Let's go through the list:
* Light Aluminum Frame (17.9 oz on this model)
* Free Floating Spool for maximum freespool
* Brake system to aid in casting
* Instant A/R Bearing + Double A/R Dogs!!!
* Carbon Fiber Drag w/ 25Lbs of stopping power
* and most importantly of all...this is one of the most "serviced" reels from a factory that I have seen in a very long time.  Penn has done an excellent job of adding marine grease throughout the reel to help keep the corrosion down. 

I just don't know what you can put in front of me to compare with this..They have every feature of any competitor in its class, plus more and at the same or much better price.  The only thing I might ask for is a swap-able lower gear ratio option..but most reels don't have this anyway.  And a little more grease in the non-spool bearings.

Ask any customer of mine which reel I recommend and you would hear them say the Penn Fathom.  "Buy it, and Fish it"! 

Tell me why again are we waiting on Newell to get their act together???

When I was finished with this reel, I timed out 4:30 of freespool!  I think that will do!

Okay, back to the tutorial... Here is a link to the schematic: http://s7d5.scene7.com/is/content/purefishing/407-FTHSD25N_Rev_0  or https://www.mysticparts.com/Assets/images/pennparts/schematics/fthsd25n.pdf


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"Edited as per Moderators to correct Scott's Bait & Tackle over to their new store name Mystic Reel Parts / www.mysticparts.com"

[Dominick]

Nice job Aaron.  Thanks for that video.  I thought the format was smoooth.  Dominick

[alantani]

yeah, i've gotta start doing videos, too!  that was very nice!!!!!!

[john2244]

Excellent !!  Thank you.
John

[Bucktail]

Great job!  Very slick!

[UK Ron]

Nice Job Aaron and Henry

[Rivverrat]

Help I'm having issue tightening the star for the drag on my 25n. The gear shaft spins while tightening the star. Not enough room to get any wrench I have on the flat sides of the gear shaft. What am I missing here?

Thanks in advance Jeff

[johndtuttle]

Typically it means you have cross threaded the Star. If properly threaded and the threads are greased it should go right on.

[Tightlines667]

You might try flipping the star upside down and threading it on   the sleeve is stai less and may be ablebto self correct any cross threading   you can hold the sleeve still with a needle nose vise grip this way too.

[fIsHsTiiCkS]

As I plan to use this as a 40# yoyo/jigging reel. How well is the centrifugal breaking system?

[Rivverrat]

Thanks for the replies guys. It wasnt cross threaded. Threads were just tight. Finally got it.

Fishsticks, regarding the brake system I'm not aware of any one using it on the Fathoms complaining about it, I have 3  25N's. I dont use the brakes on them. Well I take that back I do have 2 activated on one reel for throwing ridiculously heavy live bait. These fathoms free spool out of the box as well or noticeably better than any thing out there in there price range or better than a lot of higher level reels. So I certainly understand some one needing them. If you do need to use the brakes NO WORRIES THEY WILL WORK !

You will need to take the left sideplate off to activate them by using a thin screw driver & pop them up into place. Last I checked Penn did not show this in their manual. Here are some pics. Pics didn't post in perfect order but you can see you nee to pop the bottom washer up above the molded detent. I turned the spool On the 3rd pic. You can see the brake that is activated above the blade on my driver.   Hope this helps a bit.....Jeff

[Rivverrat]

I would like to add that I have fished these reels every day last summer & close to the same the prior year. I have no complaints except one & that is the gear ratio being so high. The only thing that touches them that I am aware of in their price range is the Okuma Cedros star drag. I base this only on specs I have yet to fish one. But they still have a ridiculous gear ratio & sell for 289 vs the   Fathom for 219 retail.

Because of the ratio I am thinking about a Fathom Lever in a 30 or 40. Im hearing there is more drag available on these reels than on the Fathom star drags. With out the lever drag issues until you start using the last available amount of drag.

[fIsHsTiiCkS]

Those pics tell me everything I need to know! Thank you very much! Yes I will be using brakes, as it saves the skin on my thumb and used right, only aids in casting further!

If you don't like the gear ratio being so high, Black Pearl sells 4.8:1 SS gears for these reels. https://squareup.com/market/pro-challenger-llc

[Bryan Young]

Help I'm having issue tightening the star for the drag on my 25n. The gear shaft spins while tightening the star. Not enough room to get any wrench I have on the flat sides of the gear shaft. What am I missing here?

Thanks in advance Jeff

I know I'm late to the party, and Jeff, I know that you've got it.

What I do in these situations is take a pair of long nose pliers to old the flat sides of the gear sleeve and spin the star just enough where I can hold the gear sleeve with my finger.  this usually happens because sometimes the handle arm flattens the gear sleeve threads a little making it tight for the star to get past this point.

[Rivverrat]

Fishsticks, Oh my God..... THANK YOU So much for that info on the gears !!!

Brian you are as I've seen by reading many of your other post correct with your advice here. I will be purchasing   pliers just for this or some that can be modified to work.