Front of the Reel
The front of a closed face reel houses the fishing line and consists of the front cover, spinner head and line spool. Fishing line is wound around the spool and is held in place by the spinner head. A small release pin is mounted to the spinner head that allows the line to unwind when released. The spinner head and line spool are attached to the body of the reel by a series of washers and nuts. Covering the front assembly is the front cover. This may be made of metal or plastic and typically twists onto the reel to lock in place.
Reel Body
The body of a closed face reel includes the main housing, anti reverse mechanism, clutch ring, center shaft, back cover assembly and thumb release. The anti reverse is used to prevent the fishing line from unwinding on it own. The clutch ring controls the spool and allows the line to unwind when disengaged and provides for winding when engaged. The center shaft, back cover and thumb release combine to form the release mechanism that allows for releasing the line while casting.
The Crank Handle Assembly
The handle essentially consists of the crank handle, locking nut, drag star and crank shaft. The crank handle may consist of one or two grips and is secured to the crank shaft by a locking nut. Between the handle and body of the reel, a star-shaped drag adjustment wheel is mounted to allow for adjustments to the drag or line resistance.
Article Written By Keith Dooley
Keith Dooley has a degree in outdoor education and sports management. He has worked as an assistant athletic director, head coach and assistant coach in various sports including football, softball and golf. Dooley has worked for various websites in the past, contributing instructional articles on a wide variety of topics.
