Oh man, thats a LONG line. I gotta think once it gets out a certain distance doesn't the line pretty much go horizontal? At that point do you lose the vertical action that copper and lead are famous for?
While i run the typical finned ball i REALLY like the looks of those Atomic Torpedo weights. There's a guy on lakeontariounited.com selling them at reasonable prices too so there must be some molds for them around.
I'd maybe try these if west marine doesn't have them: http://greatlakesskipper.com/category-1/5_671-boat-deck-and-docking-hardware-deck-fillers.html or here: http://www.iboats.com/Boat-Gas-Caps-Fuel-Fills/dm/cart_id.424183739--session_id.130226080--view_id.238168
Pull the 55 apart and check out the drag washers. There should be a steel one followed by a fiber one. Many of the newer Okuma's have come with plastic washers instead of fabric. If those get grease on them they can stick. Either clean off all the steel washers and the plastic washers with brake cleaner of carb cleaner or better yet order the carbon fiber washers from tuna toms and replace the fabric/plastic washers. Will make a world of difference.