Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Hello all, I am new here but really like the site. I have a Penn 525 Mag that works fine until I hook a fish! Free spool is fine and the retrieve is OK until there is a load on the line. I was guessing the spool may be warped and I dont know if that sounds right or if it can be fixed short of replacing the spool. Any ideas will be appreciated. Thanks.

Is it a constant binding or sporatic? 

you might have tightened the side plate screws too much.  try backing each one of them off by half a turn.  if this is the cause, then this should relieve the pressure on the side plate and the spool will spin properly again. 

The binding is fairly constant with a load. If I lift the rod tip I can reel as I lower the rod, but it binds if I try to just hold the rod steady and reel. I will try the side plate screws. Thanks.

Hi CAPTDAVE.
Have you checked the condition of the pinion bearing?

Is it the line coming through the rod?