I do not understand why closing a spining by hand is good.

[4pwr]

I do not get the reason for closing a a spinning reel bail by hand after a cast is better than turning the handle to close the bail.

[Wayne P.]

When you use the handle to rotate the bail closed, the bail slapping the line when it snaps closed is when the dreaded loops occur.

[7magJake]

+1, I learned that lesson the hard way. Ohh also be sure to lube that beil up, youlll learn you can loose a lure on the cast when the beil flips back over halway through and your bait goes into another guys boat.

[cbfishalot]

When you use the handle to rotate the bail closed, the bail slapping the line when it snaps closed is when the dreaded loops occur.

X3 and causes less line twist!!

[BassinDave]

if you crank the bail closed it can, at times, cause the line to lay across the end of the spool where the drag knob is, thus causing a loop. I prove this on a fishing trip one time while spending a lot of time watching the reel to try to figure out where the loop was comming from. Believe it or not, closing the bail by hand solved the problem.

[islandbass]

They pretty much covered why, but I'll add one thing to closing the bail manually. That is 90% of the battle. The other 10% involves ensuring that there is no slack on your side of the bail before the retrieve starts.

You can still get the loops manually closing the bail if there still is slack in the line before the retrieve is started.

The move is simple. Close the bail and then move the rod up or to a side slightly with your hand or small flick of the wrist to make the line taut and start your retrieve. I don't experience line twist or loops any more as a result.  8-)

[SpringCantComeSoonEnough]

It has always been a habit of mine. I think I actually started because it was quite loud and hard to close the bail by turning the handle on my first spinning reel. It was a Shimano FX2000F.

[dodgeguy]

it also saves bail springs.

[Sam]

Not only do you use your hand to close the spinning reel bail, but you pull on the line to get it tight first.

This will help eliminate a loose spool and line twist.

And by closing the bail by hand also prolongs the life of the spinning reel as you do not use any force against the bearings.

As NIKE says....Just Do It!

[PDB]

Or you could just use the reel as designed an reel the bail closed, taking a quick glance down to make sure you don't have the loop.  If for some reason your line becomes twisted over time, let all the line out without any lure on it and reel it back in applying light pressure with your fingers.  No sense in making something more complicated than it needs to be.

[NBR]

Agreed closing by hand eliminates the small loop that ends up a few casts later as a wad of snarls by the first guide but I don't understand how closing the bail by hand reduces or eliminates line twist?

[Just_Old_Fisherman]

Or you can do like me and use braid which doesn't twist up like mono and not close the bail by hand.  

[Wayne P.]

No matter how you close the bail, it has no effect on line twist. That is a result of either the bait spinning during the cast and/or retrieve or  because the line changes direction by 90 degrees from the rod to the spool. Braid twists just a much as mono using the same presentations. It just not as noticeable due to it's limpness. Yes, you also need to have some tension on the line before reeling regardless of line type to minimize the loose line on the spool.

[dodgeguy]

it helps with stopping throwing loops on the spool but not line twist.

[surfer]

I always thought this way too, but didn't want to say anything because so many people say it does prevent twists.  Its nice to know I am not alone and can come out of the closet now.

But it is nice to learn where these darn loops over the drag knob come from. >

[lubina]

I close by hand too

[.dsaavedra.]

many reasons why to do it.

it prevents loops and line twist

when you put your hand infront of the reel to close the bail, you can "feather" the off coming line to get more accurate casts.

it puts less stress on the reel and your hand; closing the bail with the crank is pretty hard sometimes and wears down the little hump on the inside of the spool that closes the bail.