Pflueger Spinning Reels Question

[Outdoor Zack]

Hello.  I have 2 Pflueger reels already and will probably pick up at least 2 more this year.  They are awesome for the price and work really well.

 

but I am wondering if anybody could give me some advice on converting my bail to a manual shift (so that the reel will not close the bail with a crank of the handle)?  I read about doing this mod in a Outdoor Life article and it sounds like it is simple, but I have not been able to figure out if it's really this easy or how to do it. 

 

Does anybody have any experience with this, especially on the president and trion models?  

[smalljaw67]

Just close the bait by hand, no modification needed.

[GrumpyOlPhartte]

What @smalljaw67 said.  My three-year-old President has a nice firm bail action that almost discourages me from rotating the handle to close the bail. I've finally gotten into the habit of manually closing the bail. Personally, I would not make any mods.

[Bankbeater]

What the others have said.  I use to turn the handle to close the bail, but after I started closing the bail by hand for a while it became automatic for me.

[Jaderose]

Yep...make it part of your casting motion.  Manually close it

[DubyaDee]

Closing it by hand will cut down on line twist and wind knots too. It's a great habit to get into. 

[OkobojiEagle]

3 hours ago, Jaderose said:

Yep...make it part of your casting motion.  Manually close it

... and pull the line taught from the reel before you start the retrieve.

 

 

oe

[Jaderose]

Just now, OkobojiEagle said:

... and pull the line taught from the reel before you start the retrieve.

 

 

oe

 

Yep.....another natural part of my casting motion.  It just happens

 

[Bluebasser86]

Like the others, I close mine by hand without ever knowing I'm doing it. The sound of a bail snapping shut from someone turning the reel handle makes my skin crawl. 

[MickD]

I agree with all above, and add that it may be that making modifications might affect how the reel works when reeling in.  It might compromise the bail staying in place while reeling. I don't know if that is the case, but I will not be taking that chance.  I'll just close it by hand.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I don't get the concept even. Why would you crank the reel with the bail open?  

[MickD]

On 7/8/2017 at 11:02 AM, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

I don't get the concept even. Why would you crank the reel with the bail open?  

I'm not saying that.  What I'm saying is that it might be possible that defeating the bail closure device could compromise the reeling of line with the bail manually closed.  I'm not saying it would happen, but it is conceivable that the device that closes the bail could keep it properly in position when reeling with the bail closed.  Defeating it could allow the bail to open when reeling with the bail closed.

 

There also is the possibility that defeating it will affect warranty and resale value.  There is no reason that I can see to justify defeating it when you can simply bump the bail to close it.

[Outdoor Zack]

4 hours ago, MickD said:

I'm not saying that.  What I'm saying is that it might be possible that defeating the bail closure device could compromise the reeling of line with the bail manually closed.  I'm not saying it would happen, but it is conceivable that the device that closes the bail could keep it properly in position when reeling with the bail closed.  Defeating it could allow the bail to open when reeling with the bail closed.

 

There also is the possibility that defeating it will affect warranty and resale value.  There is no reason that I can see to justify defeating it when you can simply bump the bail to close it.

 

Good points made Mick

 

thanks to everyone for the insight.

Just for kicks, this is the article I read: