Continued from previous post



Have you ever been fishing and had the reel work fine one minute and the next the bail wouldn’t return all the way back? Usually this is caused by a bent bail, the next 2 pics show how to fix this small problem. This can be caused by a lot of things, but it is usually very easy to fix.


As you can see in the pic, the bail on this reel is bent out a good bit. If the screw was in, it would probably not return all way back when the reel is turned. The bend puts a good bit of pressure on the mount points of the bail. Always make this adjustment on the opposite side of the bail that the return spring is located on.


Just very slightly and carefully bend the bail in small increments until it is sitting in it’s proper position without the screw in it. It should be just above the mount point, and stay there when pulled back for casting without the screw installed. Once you have it in this position, install the screw and make sure it moves freely when the screw is tight. That’s all there is to it. It’s the most common problem with a spinning reel. Note in the last pic there is a different handle on the reel, the one that was on it was slightly bent so I put a handle from a newer reel on for now.

That’s it. There’s really not all that much to maintaining one of these fine old reels. I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 of these reels. Mostly 300’s but also 400’s and 410’s as well. I also have the salt water series of these reels the 306, 302 and 402 as well as the ultra light series, 308 and 408. Most of my reels are more than 30 years old and all work like new. I usually get them at flea markets, yard sales and pawn shops and I won’t pay more that $10.00 for one. I used to buy them off eBay until it got so commercialized, with shipping I bought 3 reels one time for $7.50. Probably not many of you use this type of reel, but if you do I hope this article is of some use.

Now someone needs to post a “how to” for Daiwa type baitcasters, I have two of these. I started to disassemble one once and got the 4 screws out of the handle side, took it apart, saw the 14 million little parts and promptly put it back together again and felt fortunate that it still worked. Even with the diagram I am not brave enough to do it.