Broadly speaking, fishing reels fall into two main categories: “drum-style” reels (or baitcasting reels), where the direction of line winding aligns with the direction of line entry and exit; and “spinning” reels, where the direction of line winding is perpendicular to the direction of line entry and exit.
What exactly do “line winding direction” and “line entry/exit direction” mean? Pick up any reel and mount it on a fishing rod, then observe the shape of its spool. If the spool must rotate directly to wind or release the main line-and the line enters the spool in a nearly parallel direction without making a sharp turn-then it is a drum-style reel. Conversely, if the spool remains stationary during line entry and exit (though it may rotate during line release in certain situations), while a “bail arm” handles the winding action and the line must make a sharp turn of nearly 90 degrees to enter the spool, then it is a spinning reel.
Drum-Style Reels
The name is said to originate from their appearance, which is typically cylindrical. Although the “height” of the barrel (i.e., the width of the reel) varies, they all resemble a large drum; hence, the British early on called them “Drum Reels.” The Japanese naturally adopted the term “Taiko-riiru” (literally “drum reel”), and in Taiwan, they are known as “drum-style reels.”
Modern dual-axis drum reels feature drag washer sets with larger surface areas, capable of generating greater braking force and ensuring smoother, more stable performance when a fish pulls line during a fight. A key characteristic of dual-axis reels is that the line releases at an angle parallel to the rod, resulting in minimal resistance and excellent sensitivity for feeling the lure touch the bottom. They are well-suited for targeting large, fast-swimming predatory fish, such as in saltwater angling or boat-based jigging. Baitcasting reels are commonly paired with casting rods.
Spinning Reels
Early English terminology referred to them as “Fixed Spool Reels”-meaning, as previously mentioned, that the spool does not rotate during line release or retrieval. However, because the mechanism for winding the line relies on a bail arm-somewhat resembling the operation of a spinning machine-the term “Spinning Reel” emerged; this is the type of reel commonly known today as the spinning reel.