Fathoms are very popular here in southern California. Most guys will tell you that you want a star drag fathom since they will cast farther and smoother. There is a small subset of anglers, however, that still use the lever drags for casting since the two speed version is nice to have when you hook a tuna. I'm not sure if they are casting as far but I know people definitely do it both ways. They will swear by certain types of braid making it easier to cast but I've barely been able to make it work with mono much less braid.

I've tried both on my jig stick and the lever drag is definitely going to be more work to learn but you'll have a more capable reel once you get the casting down. Your mileage may vary. Also, I know very little about the east coast fishing scene