Does anyone know if the 15XNLD2 was an Australia only release? Ignore the price sticker this is a photo pulled from the interwebs. Bill
Bill you can buy those in the US too...I love my 15ld2 for 30# bait, i went standard width 15 for the added line capacity.
There was an outfit in Australia selling them pretty cheap awhile ago, I bought one but haven't used it yet. Feels like a nice reel
Not an Aussie only reel, just the best deals!
Cool beans. Pulled the trigger and it should be here in a couple weeks. Already have a rod waiting to rebuilt to put it on. Can't complain about the price either. It was less than what I paid for my Fathom 25NLD2. It must have been a pretty big outfit if they have sold over 170 of them. Bill
I think the 15xnld2 is a really good size and that is why it was so popular. Its about as tall as a 25nld2 but skinnier. I bought mine from Australia too. It's crazy how even with the $20-30 US shipping fee it still comes out like $20-40 cheaper than US if the reel was in stock. A credit card with no foreign transaction fee is a must as well. US dollar exchange rate too good.
Billy-boy, if I have any rod parts you need, I got you.
Quote from: thorhammer on February 03, 2023, 09:15:53 PMBilly-boy, if I have any rod parts you need, I got you.
Thanks John. I've been debating on painting the rod (a gift from Brewcrafter) it's mustard yellow right now. The wife says keep it yellow, it's so ugly no one would steal it 🤣. Bill
Quote from: Bill B on February 04, 2023, 10:50:11 PMQuote from: thorhammer on February 03, 2023, 09:15:53 PMBilly-boy, if I have any rod parts you need, I got you.
Thanks John. I've been debating on painting the rod (a gift from Brewcrafter) it's mustard yellow right now. The wife says keep it yellow, it's so ugly no one would steal it 🤣. Bill
When we talked before I think I forgot to mention citristrip is awesome for removing unwanted colors from rod blanks.
imma bout to try it on a nasty painted magnaflex heaver
Bill, got your PM, but have never figured out how to reply to them!
Anyway, the "Gen1" FTH15XNLD2 was a pretty popular reel in the US market, but it came out 3 years after the rest of the series, so if you have an older catalogue it might not be in there.
Many retailers sold off their Gen1's [what you have],and erased them from their listings once the Gen2's arrived.
PENN still has a few left that they have on clearance, so the specs are still posted, but not sure how much longer that will be posted.
However, the gear ratio, max drags, etc. are the same in the Gen1 and Gen2 models of the 15XN.
https://www.pennfishing.com/fathom-lever-drag-2-speed-1347896?variant=1525512
Thank you Steve. I will be spooling it with 50# braid and 30# top shot. Can't wait to get it on the water. Bill
Using Berkley Pro-Spec Chrome solid braid, it will hold 400/50 filled all the way up.
Topshots are at about a 2-1 ratio to remove the braid, meaning if you want a 25-yard topshot, you need to take off about 50 yards of braid.
Of course there is a big variation in yardage depending on what brand of braid you use.
BTW, I am prepping a 15XN for a Slow Pitch Jigging trip into Mexican waters, and know that we will be hitting at least one 500 foot deep spot.
Using a 325-yard spool of 20-pound Berkley X-9 braid as the topshot, I had to use 400 yards of 30-pound Pro-Spec as backing to fill the reel properly; giving 725 yards of total capacity.
Even with some scope, I should be able to fish 700-plus feet easily before hitting the splice.
For that depth I switch to the FTH25NLD2/TRQ25NLD2.
Quote from: Keta on February 11, 2023, 10:56:05 PMFor that depth I switch to the FTH25NLD2/TRQ25NLD2.
Correct if you are using 40-pound braid or heavier.
The newly-legalized extreme depths in California have been un-fished for over 20 years, it will definitely be a learning experience.
I will be fishing a single jig [no teaser], and mimicking the Florida SPJ fishery, where they often go as light as 15-pound braid for extreme depths to 900 feet, since it sinks better.
I can't quite make myself use 15-pound braid, but "IF" I had gone straight 20-pound on the 15XN, it would have taken over 800 yards.
Even with 30-pound, it would have held well over 650 yards.
Bumping up to the 25N size might have required as much as 950-plus yards of 20-pound braid.
Man those extreme depths takes me back to the old rock cod days of the 70's. But then we were using 6/0's (the rich folks had 9/0's 🤣), 50# Dacron, 3#+ of lead, and 10 hook ganyons.
Quote from: Bill B on February 12, 2023, 12:36:45 AMMan those extreme depths takes me back to the old rock cod days of the 70's. But then we were using 6/0's (the rich folks had 9/0's 🤣), 50# Dacron, 3#+ of lead, and 10 hook ganyons.
Yup, all of those deep spots have been un-touched since back then!
In the interim, superbraid came onto the market, allowing drastically smaller reels that still hold plenty of line.
The much thinner line also means that you can get to those extreme depths with lighter sinkers [or jigs].
"However", while the new law allows you to go all that way down now, but you can still only use two hooks, so those 10-hook gangions are out!
I am not up to date with your laws, but I brought some 16 strand braid, 60 lbs, it is only .029 diametre and very smooth, if that helps, good luck cheers Don.