Parts of a spinning reel

Ten parts of a spinning reel, from the bail to the anti-reverse switch.

A spinning reel hangs under the rod on its foot and stem. Turning the handle spins the rotor, which carries the bail and line roller around a spool that slides in and out without turning. The drag knob is usually on the front of the spool, though rear-drag designs exist, and not every reel has an anti-reverse switch.1 2 3 4 5 6

Labelled diagram of a spinning reel in side elevation, as mounted under the rod: 1 handle, 2 stem, 3 reel foot, 4 line roller, 5 bail, 6 drag knob, 7 spool, 8 rotor, 9 body, 10 anti-reverse switch (if fitted). — Fig. 1
Spinning reel

Parts key · spinning reel
#	Part	What it does
1	Handlealso: crank	The handle is the crank the angler turns; on most spinning reels it can be moved to either side of the body.4 5 7
2	Stemalso: leg	Connects the reel foot to the housing, spacing the reel below the rod.4 5
3	Reel footalso: foot	The reel foot is the flat plate that slides into the rod's reel seat; the stem joins it to the body.4 5
4	Line rolleralso: roller	The line roller is the small wheel on the bail arm that guides line as it is wound onto a spinning reel.1 8
5	Bailalso: bail arm, bail wire	The bail guides line onto the line roller and spool when closed; opening it frees the line to leave the spool during a cast.4 5
6	Drag knobalso: front drag	Sets how hard a pull must be before the spool yields line.2 6 9
7	Spool	The spinning reel's spool holds the line and oscillates in and out so the rotor lays line evenly; it does not turn for the retrieve.1 5
8	Rotor	The rotor is the part that revolves around the spool, carrying the bail and line roller, and it is what the handle turns through the gears.2 5
9	Bodyalso: housing	The body, or housing, holds the gear train that turns handle rotation into rotor or spool rotation.5 6
10	Anti-reverse switch (if fitted)also: back-reel switch	On reels with this switch, it selects whether the handle can turn backwards. Other reels have anti-reverse without an external switch.4 5

Fig. 2 · Photographs

Bail open, bail closed

Two different spinning reels. Find the bail, the spool and the line roller on each.

Bail open
Opened for a cast, the bail lets line leave over the spool lip.4 5 10
Photo: JaredMcKenzie CC0 1.0 Image details
Bail closed
Closed, the bail guides line onto the roller and spool as the handle turns.1 4 5 8
Photo: Jonathan Ewen & Stephen Ewen CC BY 3.0 Image details

How the baitcast reel differs

On a baitcast reel the spool itself revolves and the drag is a star beside the handle; on a spinning reel the rotor revolves around a fixed spool and the drag is a knob on the spool front.1 2 3 6 11 12

What are the parts of a spinning reel?

A spinning reel hangs from its foot and stem; the body holds the gears that turn the rotor, and the rotor carries the bail and line roller around the spool.2 4 5 6 The drawing numbers ten parts, and three of them move in different ways.

Rotor, spool and roller move differently

The spool holds the line and slides in and out as you wind.1 5 The rotor spins around it, carrying the bail and the line roller.2 5 The roller guides the line as it is wound on.1 8 Select each of the three in turn, then watch the retrieve in the lab.

Anti-reverse, with or without a switch

Anti-reverse stops the handle and rotor from turning backwards.4 5 Some reels have a switch to turn it off and others have none, so a reel without a switch still has anti-reverse.

When line comes off in loops

Spinning line can develop twist or loose coils; line wound on incorrectly and an overfilled spool are common causes.1 13 14 The spool does not overrun on the cast, but slack or twisted line can still leave it in loops and tangle.1 2

Questions people ask

What is the line roller for?: It guides the line onto the spool as the rotor revolves. A binding roller is one possible cause of line trouble.1 8
Does the spool spin on a spinning reel?: Not on the retrieve. The rotor revolves around it while the spool moves in and out to lay line; the spool only rotates when the drag slips.1 2 3 9
Where is the drag on a spinning reel?: On the reel shown, it is the knob on the front of the spool. Some spinning reels put it at the back of the body instead (a rear drag).2 6
Can you switch the handle on a spinning reel?: Usually. Most spinning reels let you move the handle to either side; baitcast reels are made as right-hand or left-hand models instead.1 4 5 7 13 15

Print and worksheets

Spinning reel
- Labelled sheet, spinning reel
- Blank sheet, spinning reel

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Sources

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Parts of a spinning reel

Spinning reel

Handle

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