PENN Fathom Star Drag

Paired this reel with a heavy action 7ft Ugly Stik Tiger Lite rod and 50 lb test Spiderwire braid. Landed a 25 pound Bull Red off the pier at Gulf State Park that didn't really test the rod or reel. Next day I hooked up an approximately six foot, 130 pound bull shark that put the rig and me to the test. I broke a sweat but the rod and reel handled the shark easily. Had to max out the drag and really dig in with the rod to turn him when he ran for the pier. The shark pulled well over a hundred yards of line at fairly high drag settings and another forty or fifty yards at max drag when he got spooked at the pier and made another run. Got the shark to the pier for pictures and cut him loose in about ten minutes. The drag was smooth as silk no matter what pressure was put on it. Impressive reel and one of the best reels on the market in that price range IMO. I plan on putting this rod and reel to some heavy use this year. We'll see if they hold up long term.

This thing casts so well! The free spool is amazing. I'll be using this in Baja to cast surface irons and jigs so I went out and practiced at the river and this reel does not disappoint. It's very rugged, not as sleek as some of the nicer reels on the market such as the Avet and Truth reels, but it feels solid in your hand and it outcasts those reels easily. Definitely worth having in your toolbox if you're throwing irons and heavy jigs at large game fish.

I have spent way more $$ on reels and this is a very solid reel for the price.. I'm glad to see Penn start making good reels again!The drag is smooth and can catch 20lb fish all day long. It feels like it is built to last, and for the price it can't be beat.....I just picked up a left hand 20 version because of the quality of this one..

Got Fathom 35N for my deep sea fishing out of Carolina coast. smooth and strong. I have a couple of reels from Penn including Peen Spinfisher V as well as Fathom, always exceeding my expectation.

Best reel in the market today. Easy to use handle large fish with no problem. When out on a 3/4 day boat for yellowtail fishing and got 25 lbs yellow on the boat with no problem great reel

great reel, super strength, light weight enough, and looks dope

Super smooth and strong.

Took it to the Coronados got a Yellowtail on it nice bait or jig reel.