Fishing rod and reel anatomyKnow your tackle.
See how it works.

New to your gear? Find it in a photograph, learn its parts, then see what moves.

Start with your reel

Meet a spinning reel

Choose a part, then switch views to find it on the drawing.

PhotoDiagram

Find a partHandleSpoolBail

Handle

You turn the handle to wind the line back in.1 2 3 4

Follow the metal arm to the grip at the lower left of this photo.

Winding the line back in is called retrieving. The handle drives the reel through its gears.1 2 3 4

Spool

The spool stores your fishing line.2 5

Look for the drum wrapped in bright line at the upper right.

During a normal retrieve it moves in and out as line is laid onto it. It does not spin to wind the line in.2 5

Bail

The bail is the curved wire beside the spool.1 2

Look below the spool for the dark wire curving into a U shape.

When closed, it guides line onto the line roller. Opening it lets line leave the spool for a cast.1 2

Explore all 10 parts

Photo: George Chernilevsky CC BY 4.0 · Labels addedImage details

Same job,
different moving parts

Both reels bring line back in.2 4 6 7 8 9 Watch which part turns when you turn the handle.

Explore the mechanism lab

Spinning reelThe rotor turns.Baitcast reelThe spool turns.

Every guide

17 illustrated guides

Know the parts

Find it on the drawing. Understand its job.

Understand the mechanism

Follow the line through a cast and retrieve.

Compare the differences

See how layouts change the way tackle works.

Make sense of the numbers

Action, power, length, size and gear ratio.

Sources

First cited on this page

All references 9 in total

Show citation numbers in the text