Fishing reel with bail arm

Abstract

A fishing reel front section includes a support shaft extending along an axis and configured for reciprocal movement along the axis, a spool supported by the support shaft and a drum rotatably supported about the spool. The spool includes a peripheral groove configured to store fishing line, a front flange on a first side of the groove, a rear flange on a second opposite side of the groove and a rear skirt extending from the rear flange and terminating at a rear edge. The drum includes a body, first and second diametrically opposed retrieval arms extending forward from the body and a bail arm coupled to ends of the first and second retrieval arms. Each retrieval arm has a base proximate the body and an opposite end. The first and second retrieval arms define a fishing line retrieval side and a fishing line casting side on opposite sides of a plane parallel to the axis and intersecting the first and second retrieval arms. The first bail arm moves between a retrieval position in which the first bail arm extends on the retrieval side so as to wind fishing line on the spool and a casting position in which the first bail arm extends on the casting side so as to permit fishing line to be released. The fishing reel front section further includes a surface extending between the first and second retrieval arms on the line retrieval side. At least a portion of the surface extends forward the rear edge of the spool. The one exemplary embodiment, a fishing reel front section includes a second bail arm between the first and second retrieval arms. The second bail arm has a forward edge providing the surface and an opposite rear edge spaced from the body.