fly reel

A fishing reel is a device used for the deployment and retrieval of fishing line using a spool mounted on an axle. Fishing reels are traditionally employed in the recreational sport of angling. They are most often used in conjunction with a fishing rod, though some specialized reels are mounted directly to boat gunwales or transoms. The earliest known illustration of what is clearly a fishing reel is from Chinese paintings and records beginning about 1195 A.D. Fishing reels first appeared in England around 1650 A.D., and multiplying or geared-retrieve reels were being advertised by London tackle shops by the 1760s. Paris, Kentucky native George Snyder is generally given credit for inventing the first fishing reel in America around 1820.

Types of Fishing Reels

Fly Reel

The fly reel or fly casting reel has traditionally been rather simple in terms of mechanical construction, though this has been changing with the development of better reels and drags for fighting larger fish. A fly reel is normally operated by stripping line off the reel with one hand, while casting the rod with the other hand. Early fly reels often had no drag at all: the angler simply applied hand pressure to the rim of the revolving spool to slow the fish (known as 'palming the rim'). Later, simple click-pawl mechanical drags were adopted, which although adequate for smaller fish, did not possess a wide adjustment range or the power to slow larger fish. Newer fly reels frequently have more sophisticated disc-type drag systems made of composite materials that feature increased adjustment range, consistency, and increased resistance to high temperatures caused by drag friction. Most newer fly reels also feature large-arbor spools designed to reduce line memory and maintain a consistent drag, as well as to assist the retrieval of slack line in the event a hooked fish makes a sudden run towards the angler.

At one time, multiplier fly reels were widely available; these reels had a geared line retrieve of 2:1 or 3:1 which allowed faster takeup of the fly line. However, their added weight, complexity, and expense did not justify the advantage of speedier line retrieval in the eyes of many anglers, and today they are rarely seen. There are also automatic fly reels which utilize a coiled spring mechanism which pulls the line into the reel at the flick of a lever. Automatic reels tend to be heavy for their size, with limited line capacity. They were once very popular in the southern United States, where they allowed the use of a free hand for sculling a paddle when fishing for bass. Automatic fly reels peaked in popularity during the 1960s, and since that time they have been outsold many times over by manual fly reels.

Saltwater fly reels are designed specifically for use in the ocean environment. Saltwater fly reels are normally much larger in diameter than most freshweater fly reels, with a large line and backing capacity designed for the long runs of powerful ocean gamefish. In order to prevent corrosion, saltwater fly reels often use aerospace aluminum frames and spools, electroplated and/or stainless steel components, together with sealed, waterproof bearing and drive mechanisms.

Fly Reel Operation

Fly reels are normally manual, 'single-action' designs; rotating a handle on the side of the reel rotates the spool which retrieves the line, usually at a 1:1 ratio (i.e., one complete revolution of the handle equals one revolution of the spool).

Bait Casting Reel

Bait casting reels are reels in which line is stored on a revolving spool. The bait casting reel is mounted above the rod, hence its other name, the overhead reel. Many of today's bait casting reels include a level-wind mechanism to prevent the monofilament line from being trapped under itself on the spool during rewind, thus interfering with subsequent casts. Spool tension on most newer bait casting reels can also be adjusted to reduce spool overrun during a cast and resultant line snare, known as backlash. Most bait casting reels can easily be palmed or thumbed to increase drag or to accurately halt the lure at a given point in the cast.

A variation of the bait casting reel is the big game reel. These are very large and robust fishing reels, designed and built for heavy saltwater species such as tuna, marlin, sailfish, and sharks. Big game reels are not designed for casting, but used for trolling or fishing set baits and lures on the open ocean.

Another type of bait casting reel is the multiplier reel. This is a bait casting reel with a free-rotating spool. The freely rotating spool of the multiplier reel creates less friction and allows for greater distance and accuracy when casting. The spool can also be manually slowed and then stopped when the lure hits the water. It is otherwise operated in the same manner as a standard bait casting reel.

Bait Casting Reel Operation

A bait casting reel and rod is cast by snapping the rod backwards, then forwards. During the forward cast, the line is pulled off the bait casting reel by the weight of the lure. Because the momentum of the forward cast must rotate the spool as well as propel the lure, baitcasting designs normally require heavier lures for proper operation than with other types of reels.

Spinning Reel

Reels utilizing a fixed spool were in use in North America as early as the 1870s. They were originally developed to allow the use of artificial flies or other lures for trout or salmon that were too light in weight to be easily cast by baitcasting reels. Fixed-spool reels also solved the problem of backlash, as they did not have a rotating spool to overspeed and foul the line. The earliest fixed-spool reels turned the take-up cylinder 90 degrees in the body of the reel for retrieval, then reversed into casting position. In casting position, line was drawn off in coils from the end of the fixed, non-rotating spool. At the end of World War II, the spinning reel design was introduced, which oriented the face of the fixed spool forward in a permanently fixed position. Spinning reels are normally mounted below the rod. A mechanical wire bail was attached to permit line retrieval. Because the line did not have to pull against a rotating spool, much lighter lures could be cast than with a bait casting reel. Conversely, stopping the lure at the correct position of the cast requires more practice in learning to feather the line with the forefinger as it unwinds from the spool.

Spinning Reel Operation

Spinning reels are cast by opening the bail, grasping the line with the forefinger, then using a backward snap of the rod followed by a forward cast, releasing the line with the finger at the same time. On the retrieve, the large rotating wire cage or bail (either manually or trigger-operated) serves as the line pickup, restoring the line to its original position on the spool. Though spinning reels do not suffer from backlash, line can be trapped underneath itself on the spool or even detach in loose loops of line, called 'birds nests'. Various level-wind mechanisms have been introduced over the years in an effort to solve this problem. Line twist can also occur from the rotation of the wire bail when engaged mechanically by the crank handle. Most spin fishermen manually reposition the bail after each cast in order to minimize line twist.

Spin Cast Reel

Spin cast reels were developed by the Johnson Reel Company in the early 1950s. The spin cast reel is an attempt to solve the problem of backlash found in baitcast designs, while reducing line twist and snare complaints sometimes encountered with traditional spinning reel designs. Just as with the spinning reel, the line is thrown from a fixed spool and can therefore be used to throw relatively light lures and bait. However, the spin cast reel eliminates the large wire bail of the spinning reel in favor of one or two simple pickup pins. Traditionally mounted above the rod, the spin cast reel is also fitted with a nose cone that encloses and protects the fixed spool.

Spin Cast Reel Operation

Pressing a button on the rear of the reel disengages the line pickup, and the button is released during the forward cast to allow the line to fly off the spool, then pressed again to stop the lure at the position desired. Upon cranking the handle, the pickup pin immediately re-engages the line and re-spools it on the reel. With their fixed spool, spin cast reels can cast lighter lures than baitcast reels, though friction of the nose cone against the unspooling line slightly reduces casting distance compared to spinning reels. Spin cast reels also generally have narrow spools with less line capacity than either baitcast or spinning reels of equivalent size, though this also tends to reduce line snare issues. Like other types of reels, spin cast reels are frequently fitted with anti-reverse and drag mechanisms.

Underspin Reel

Underspin or Triggerspin reels are spin cast reels in which the reel is mounted underneath a standard spinning rod. Like spin casting reels, underspin reels have no wire bail to hold the line, but rather one or two pickup pins. These may be instantly engaged by turning the crank handle. With the reel's weight suspended beneath the rod, underspin reels are generally more comfortable to cast and hold for long periods, and the ability to use all standard spinning rods greatly increases its versatility compared to traditional spin cast reels.

Underspin Reel Operation

A lever or trigger is grasped or rotated (usually by the forefinger) and this action suspends the line in place. During the forward cast, the lever/trigger is released, and the line flies off the fixed spool. When necessary, the lever can be activated once again to stop the lure at a given point in the cast.

Direct-Drive Reel

Direct-Drive reels are generally of the spin cast or bait cast design. The reel normally has no drag or anti-reverse, instead, the reel handle is directly linked to the spool.

Direct-Drive Reel Operation

With this design, the angler must backreel when the fish pulls line from the reel. Direct-drive reels are usually used with heavy lines to 'horse' a fish with main strength where the prime objective is to prevent the fish from running and hanging the line on underwater obstructions.

See also

• Abu Garcia
• Angling
• Bass fishing
• Fishing rod
• Fly Fishing

References

• Turner, Graham, Fishing Tackle: A Collector's Guide, Ward Lock Ltd. (1991)
• O.R.C.A. Online, Reel History
• General Questions About Antique Reels, FAQ