Penn Fathom vs Squall, Which is better and Why?

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Introduction

This article is designed to walk you through comparing the Penn Fathom vs Squall, and then discuss the main differences between the two. After that We go over why you should choose one vs the other.

Finally we end on discussing each variant of the two reels and why you should choose one over the others.

The overall design of this article is to inform you and slowly help you make the decision of penn fathom vs squall one detail at a time so that by the time you get the section discussing the variants you can click over to Amazon and confidently make the purchase.

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If you have been looking to purchase either the Penn Fathom model or the Penn Squall reel, then this article can help you decide which one is ultimately the one for you.

By the time you get done reading this article you will have the knowledge and confidence to hit buy on one of the buttons and know that you got the reel you actually wanted/needed.

Lets get to it.

Penn Fathom vs Squall Comparison

Pen Fathom vs. Squall: Most important differences

Most important difference: The Construction Material

This is one of the most striking differences when it comes to the Penn Fathom vs Squall. The squall has a graphite frame, and the Fathom has a completely metal set up.

So why is this important? Both materials are pretty strong, but the metal built reel and body is going to be more durable in those situations where you are moving poles around and they are mashing into each other.

Possibly the more important situation in which the metal construction wins out over the graphite construction is when you are fighting a big fish that is a fighter (tuna or marlin). The graphite reel can twist and distort under pressure, changing the alignment of all the internal gears. The metal reel shouldn’t distort or twist at all under pressure.

If you plan on doing salt water fishing, then you should really look into the Fathom more, since that is where you will encounter those big fighting fish.

Quick Recap: The Fathom is constructed of entirely metal, the squall has a body of graphite. Graphite can change shape under pressure, like when fighting big aggressive fish.

Size

Ultimately the size is very similar between both models and within each sub model. There are very small variations in the size of the reels.

Weight

When looking at the Penn Fathom vs Squall, there are many different sub models between both of these models.

The weight of the Fathom is typically about 5 oz heavier, this is because it is made of metal vs graphite as mentioned above.

This difference is minor and would be noticed if you are using a light right, but my guess is that if you are using these reels you are going after larger species and if that’s the case then you are probably going to be using a heavier rod, which ultimately means the few oz difference in the reel shouldn’t make that much of a difference.

Quick Recap: The Fathom is slightly heavier, due to the fact that it is made of metal.

Gear Ratio

This is an area that both reels are very similar to each other. The Fathom tends to have slightly higher gear ratios, especially when it comes to the lever series of the fathom model.

Gear ratio is so important in reels, the higher the gear ratio the less reeling you ultimately have to do for more line retrieve to take place.

I tend to prefer reels with higher gear ratio’s.

Quick Recap: The fathom has a higher gear ratio, especially in the lever model

Bearings

Both the Fathom and the squall have similar qualities when it comes to the ball bearings in each one. They both have similar amounts of bearings, which is important for overall smoothness of the reel operation.

The Fathom Level Wind has a few extra bearings than the corresponding model in the squall line up, meaning the fathom reel will be just a little bit smoother.

Both reels have bearings that are made of stainless steel, which is important for withstanding corrosion that comes with fishing in salt water areas.

Quick Recap: The Fathom has a few extra bearings in a few models, but both have high quality stainless steel bearings.

Max Drag

When comparing all the models to each other, the Fathom has on average a slightly higher max drag rating than the squall does.

This makes sense right? The Fathom is built for those heavier more aggressive fish, so it would make sense that you would need a higher max drag rating when it comes to fighting those fish.

You can see the minor variations in drag and all other things we have discussed in the comparison table above.

Why you should choose the Penn Fathom

There is one main reason to choose the Penn Fathom vs. the squall, and it comes down to the size and aggressiveness of the fish.

The Penn Fathom is built from solid metal. This means that with those fish that you need to harness up for (the big ones!) and are going to be fighters that tire you out afterwards, then a solid metal body with solid metal end plates should be better right? It won’t warp, bend, and really shouldn’t break.

Now, another question to ask yourself is, how often will you fish those big fighters? If you are only doing it once or twice on a guided trip, then you could get by just fine with the squall.

If you are the fishing charter captain and you let your guests use your reels, then by all means go with the Penn Fathom as the metal frame will last longer without damage.

Why you should choose the Penn Squall

• Lightweight
• Price

Variant Types

Both the Penn Fathom and the Penn Squall have the same variants. This section focuses on the differences between the variants and when you would use which one. By this point you should have an idea of whether you want the Fathom or the Squall.

Once you find the variant that you want, click on the button in that section to go buy it on Amazon. This article is designed to help you make the decision one point at a time.

Lever Drag 2 Speed: Variant 1

This kind of reel is great because you can set your drag once on the side of the reel and then in essence forget about that, because you have a ever on the side that allows you to quickly tighten up the drag or loosen it depending on what you are doing. There is a strike mode, full mode, and sunset mode on the lever drag.

The majority of people keep this reel in strike mode.

Then when done with that fish you can easily put the lever back to its starting position and it will be set at the drag setting you chose initially.

This reel has a 2 speed system that allows you to easily change from high to low speed reeling. The lower speed reeling is designed to put more force on the fish and so it allows you to reel in those monsters without moving the pole around a ton, making it easier to maintain control.

Benefits of the Lever Drag 2 speed

• Quick drag adjustment
• Quick speed adjustement

What is it used for?

This is great for deep sea fishing, and reeling in fish that are notoriously fighters. The two speed adjustement and quick lever drag changes allows you to fight when the fish is tired, and rest when the fish is fighting.

If you fish deep sea fish, this is the reel for you. It is the most versatile of them all.

• If you go after >30 lb fish in the sea then the Fathom is your choice.
• If you go after <30 lb fish in the sea then the Squall is a great option

Lever Drag: Variant 2

Ultimately the lever drag is the same info as above, just without the two speed option. So, I won’t add more for you to read.

Star Drag: Variant 3

This type of reel is what most people think of when they think traditional reels. The construction of the reel above holds true for this reel variant as well.

The main difference with this reel is how you adjust the drag and then what this reel is better at than the lever drag.

With this reel, there is a star shape near the handle that you can use to adjust the drag. This makes it quick and easy to adjust the drag system for either more or less drag when you need it.

Benefits of the star drag

• Any amount of drag between the max settings can be engaged
• Quick and easy adjustment of the drag

What is the star drag variant best used for?

This reel is great for jigging and for fishing the bottom. The ability to have a wide range of drag quickly as opposed to the few preset levels of drag with the lever drag is a great option.

As above, the fathom is great for heavier fish (>30 lbs) and the squall is a great option for lighter fish (<30 lbs).

If you know you are going to be doing a lot of bottom fishing with jigging, then this is a great reel, just pick if you want to chase heavy fish or lighter fish and click the buttons below to buy them on Amazon.

Level Wind: Variant 4

The level wind model has a unique guide on the reel that will help in laying the line back on the spool in an even and flat way.

As far as the drag system goes, it is essentially the same set up as the star drag discussed above.

Since the drag system is the same as the star drag this reel ultimately has a lot of the same benefits as that one does.

Benefits of the Level Wind

• Quick easy drag adjustment
• Line almost always lays down flat and even

What is the Level Wind best used for?

Jigging and fishing the bottom, but it is also great for the fish species that are known to be fighters. This is because they can really mess with your line and how it lays down. With this reel the line almost always lays down flat.

Same rule applies to the weight of the fish above.

So really, the benefit of using this reel vs. the star drag above is the fact that the line will always lay flat and even on the spool.

Click the buttons below to check them out on Amazon

Summary and Final Recommendation

When it comes down to choosing between the Pen  Fathom vs Squall, the choice is difficult. Before you buy one of these you really need to ask yourself if you are going to be chasing after those big agreessive fish such as Tuna and Marlin, and how often you will be doing it.

If the answer is a lot, then you should go with the Fathom as it has more strength to it and the other qualities mentioned above that will help you fight those big fish.

If you will only be going after those bigger fish occasionally then you may be able to handle them with the squall.

Ideally, I would purchase the Fathom and the Squall and have the Fathom available to me for those times when I want to chase the monsters, and I would use the Squall the other times.

When it comes to which variant you want, that is a matter of preference for the minor differences that were mentioned above.

I hope this article has helped you make a choice on which reel you want, either the Penn Fathom or the Penn Squall, or both :).

Good luck out there

Sean