I just bought a BEIHAICHEN KM 50 spin reel at an estate sale for a great deal. I couldn’t find out much about it online. This reel has a funny switch and knob on the back side of it, that I can’t figure out what it does. I can flip the switch then it automatically flips back when you start reeling. I can’t tell what’s being affected when I twist the knob. None of my other reels have these. What do they do?
Posted by Serious-Head-2709
1 Comment
It’s a baitrunner reel. It has two drags-a front and a rear. The lever switches back and forth between them. You set the front drag for whatever you want for fighting fish, depending on the strength of your line. You set the rear drag for as light as you can get away with-whatever amount you need for preventing the current from carrying your bait away or whatever. You leave it switched to the rear drag while waiting for a bite. When a fish takes your bait and runs with it, he doesn’t feel a lot of resistance that might cause him to become suspicious and drop it. When you are ready to set the hook, you turn the crank handle and the reel switches automatically to the front drag. At least, that’s how most of them work.