reel.platform · part
Penn Fathom II Conventional
Lever drag, machined aluminium, and the line capacity offshore work actually requires. Set strike position on the dock and never touch it again.
Verified destination: Fathom II 30 LD 2-speed (2026-10-21). Other sizes or packs are not verified by this link.
Open a clean build in the studioWe asked the solver to build a rig around the Penn Fathom II Conventional for all 75 fish-and-water pairs we publish. 59 clear every engine check, 12 carry warnings, 4 carry errors.
- clean
- 59
- warnings
- 12
- errors
- 4
- no size fits
- 0
tradeoffIt is a boat reel. Heavy, no casting finesse, and completely out of place on anything but a real conventional rod.
- Type
- conventional
- Size
- 300
- Max drag
- 30 lb
- Gear ratio
- 6.2:1
- Weight oz
- 21.0
- Bearings
- 6
- Capacity
- 400 yd / 30 lb mono; 620 yd / 65 lb braid
- Hand swap
- no
- Salt rated
- yes
- Street price
- ~$240
What the solver builds around it
The most common pick at each other stage, across the 71 builds around the Fathom II Conventional that clear without an error.
- hook.terminalEagle Claw Lazer Sharp Circle Sea43/71
- mainline.connectionBerkley Trilene XL Monofilament68/71
- leader.connectionYo-Zuri HD Carbon Fluorocarbon Leader31/71
- rod.platformShimano SLX Casting Rod45/71
- lure.platformZoom Trick Worm18/71
- weight.terminalBullet Weights Lead Bullet Worm Weights53/71
- float.terminalBeau Mac Steelhead Drift Float5/71
Every fish, every water
Each row is the best rig the solver can build for that fish in that water while being forced to use the Penn Fathom II Conventional. "Adds" lists the engine problems it brings that the free solve for the same pair does not have, and the last price column is the cost against that free solve.
| Fish | Water | Engine | Adds | Build | vs. free |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Farm Pond | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$383 | +$240 |
| Largemouth Bass | Weedy Lake | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$383 | +$240 |
| Largemouth Bass | Clear Reservoir | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$383 | +$240 |
| Largemouth Bass | River Run | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$386 | +$240 |
| Largemouth Bass | Big River Channel | 1 warningstudio | nothing new; the free solve carries the same flags | ~$383 | +$240 |
| Smallmouth Bass | Clear Reservoir | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$358 | +$245 |
| Smallmouth Bass | River Run | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$365 | +$240 |
| Smallmouth Bass | Big River Channel | 1 warningstudio | nothing new; the free solve carries the same flags | ~$358 | +$245 |
| Rainbow Trout | Farm Pond | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$366 | +$250 |
| Rainbow Trout | Clear Reservoir | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$358 | +$245 |
| Rainbow Trout | Mountain Creek | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$370 | +$250 |
| Rainbow Trout | River Run | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$365 | +$249 |
| Rainbow Trout | Hardwater / Ice | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$366 | +$250 |
| Brook Trout | Mountain Creek | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$370 | +$250 |
| Brook Trout | Hardwater / Ice | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$366 | +$250 |
| Walleye | Weedy Lake | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$366 | +$250 |
| Walleye | Clear Reservoir | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$359 | +$245 |
| Walleye | River Run | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$366 | +$250 |
| Walleye | Big River Channel | 1 warningstudio | nothing new; the free solve carries the same flags | ~$359 | +$245 |
| Walleye | Hardwater / Ice | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$359 | +$245 |
| Northern Pike | Weedy Lake | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$382 | +$239 |
| Northern Pike | Clear Reservoir | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$382 | +$239 |
| Northern Pike | Hardwater / Ice | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$382 | +$239 |
| Muskellunge | Weedy Lake | clears every checkstudio | the free solve already uses it | ~$441 | ±$0 |
| Muskellunge | Clear Reservoir | clears every checkstudio | the free solve already uses it | ~$441 | ±$0 |
| Muskellunge | River Run | clears every checkstudio | the free solve already uses it | ~$428 | ±$0 |
| Channel Catfish | Farm Pond | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$383 | +$239 |
| Channel Catfish | Clear Reservoir | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$383 | +$239 |
| Channel Catfish | River Run | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$413 | +$184 |
| Channel Catfish | Big River Channel | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$413 | +$184 |
| Blue Catfish | Clear Reservoir | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$426 | +$49 |
| Blue Catfish | Big River Channel | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$413 | +$49 |
| Crappie | Farm Pond | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$366 | +$250 |
| Crappie | Weedy Lake | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$366 | +$250 |
| Crappie | Clear Reservoir | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$358 | +$245 |
| Crappie | Hardwater / Ice | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$366 | +$250 |
| Bluegill & Panfish | Farm Pond | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$366 | +$250 |
| Bluegill & Panfish | Weedy Lake | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$366 | +$250 |
| Bluegill & Panfish | Hardwater / Ice | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$366 | +$250 |
| Common Carp | Farm Pond | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$367 | +$239 |
| Common Carp | Weedy Lake | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$368 | +$239 |
| Common Carp | Clear Reservoir | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$368 | +$239 |
| Common Carp | Big River Channel | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$399 | +$184 |
| Striped Bass | Clear Reservoir | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$383 | +$164 |
| Striped Bass | Big River Channel | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$413 | +$109 |
| Striped Bass | Open Surf Beach | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$413 | +$109 |
| Striped Bass | Inshore Flat | 1 warningstudio |
| ~$382 | +$164 |
| Striped Bass | Jetty & Pier | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$413 | +$109 |
| Redfish | Open Surf Beach | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$413 | +$109 |
| Redfish | Inshore Flat | 1 warningstudio |
| ~$382 | +$164 |
| Redfish | Mangrove Estuary | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$413 | +$194 |
| Redfish | Jetty & Pier | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$413 | +$109 |
| Speckled Trout | Inshore Flat | 1 warningstudio |
| ~$368 | +$165 |
| Speckled Trout | Mangrove Estuary | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$399 | +$195 |
| Speckled Trout | Jetty & Pier | 1 warningstudio |
| ~$376 | +$165 |
| Snook | Open Surf Beach | 1 warningstudio |
| ~$386 | +$164 |
| Snook | Inshore Flat | 1 warningstudio |
| ~$382 | +$164 |
| Snook | Mangrove Estuary | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$413 | +$194 |
| Snook | Jetty & Pier | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$413 | +$109 |
| Flounder | Open Surf Beach | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$413 | +$110 |
| Flounder | Inshore Flat | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$413 | +$195 |
| Flounder | Mangrove Estuary | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$413 | +$195 |
| Flounder | Jetty & Pier | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$413 | +$110 |
| Tarpon | Inshore Flat | 1 errorstudio | nothing new; the free solve carries the same flags | ~$426 | +$145 |
| Tarpon | Mangrove Estuary | 1 errorstudio | nothing new; the free solve carries the same flags | ~$426 | +$145 |
| Tarpon | Jetty & Pier | 1 errorstudio | nothing new; the free solve carries the same flags | ~$426 | +$50 |
| Bonefish | Inshore Flat | 1 warningstudio |
| ~$383 | +$165 |
| King Mackerel | Jetty & Pier | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$415 | +$109 |
| King Mackerel | Nearshore Reef | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$415 | +$109 |
| King Mackerel | Offshore Bluewater | 1 warningstudio | nothing new; the free solve carries the same flags | ~$415 | +$109 |
| Yellowfin Tuna | Offshore Bluewater | 1 errorstudio | nothing new; the free solve carries the same flags | ~$426 | +$50 |
| Salmon (Coho / King) | River Run | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$413 | +$183 |
| Salmon (Coho / King) | Big River Channel | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$413 | +$183 |
| Steelhead | River Run | clears every checkstudio | nothing over the free solve | ~$366 | +$240 |
| Steelhead | Big River Channel | 1 warningstudio | nothing new; the free solve carries the same flags | ~$366 | +$240 |
Fish-and-water pairs are the ones we publish solved rigs for: water type matches and the fish is actually targeted there. Build prices are street-price estimates from our catalog.
Where it falls short
The checks the Fathom II Conventional trips that the free solve for the same pair does not, by how many builds each one fires in. The quoted line is the engine's own message from the first build it fired in.
Salt ratingwarn in 7 builds
Striped Bass, Inshore Flat: SLX Casting Rod is not rated for salt. Inshore Flat is salt water. Unsealed bearings and non-passivated metal start pitting within a single trip and are seized within a season. If you fish it anyway, rinse in fresh water the same day; that genuinely buys you years.
In salt or brackish water every hook, swivel, rod and reel is checked for a salt rating. An unsealed reel is an error.
Where our rigs already use it
Pages where the solver picked the Fathom II Conventional with nothing forcing it.
Against the other reel options
The same test run on every reel in the catalog, ranked by clean builds. Full specs side by side are on the reel comparison.
| # | Part | Clean | Warn | Error | No size | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Penn Battle IV Spinning Reel | 61 | 10 | 4 | 0 | ~$130 |
| 2 | Daiwa BG MQ Spinning Reel | 61 | 10 | 4 | 0 | ~$190 |
| 3 | Shimano Stradic FM Spinning Reel | 59 | 12 | 4 | 0 | ~$230 |
| 4 | Penn Fathom II Conventional | 59 | 12 | 4 | 0 | ~$240 |
| 5 | Abu Garcia Black Max Baitcaster | 40 | 9 | 26 | 0 | ~$60 |
| 6 | Shimano SLX Baitcaster | 40 | 4 | 31 | 0 | ~$110 |
| 7 | Okuma Ceymar Spinning Reel | 36 | 8 | 31 | 0 | ~$55 |
| 8 | Pflueger President Spinning Reel | 36 | 6 | 33 | 0 | ~$85 |
frequently asked
04What fish is the Penn Fathom II Conventional good for?
Built around it, the engine clears every check for Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Walleye, Northern Pike, Muskellunge, Channel Catfish, Blue Catfish, Crappie, Bluegill & Panfish, Common Carp, Striped Bass, Redfish, Speckled Trout, Snook, Flounder, King Mackerel, Salmon (Coho / King), and Steelhead. It works with warnings for Bonefish.
What does the Fathom II Conventional pair with?
Building around it, the solver most often picks the Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp Circle Sea (hook, 43 of 71 builds), the Berkley Trilene XL Monofilament (mainline, 68 of 71 builds), the Yo-Zuri HD Carbon Fluorocarbon Leader (leader, 31 of 71 builds), and the Shimano SLX Casting Rod (rod, 45 of 71 builds).
Where does the Fathom II Conventional fall short?
salt rating (a warning in 7 builds, e.g. Striped Bass, Inshore Flat: SLX Casting Rod is not rated for salt).
How does it compare with other reel options?
It ranks 4 of 8 reel options in our catalog by clean builds (59 of 75). The Penn Battle IV Spinning Reel clears as many or more (61) for less (~$130 against ~$240). Prices are street-price estimates, not live Amazon prices.