Patent ID: 6851637

Claim:
A fishing reel for attachment to a fishing pole for holding, dispensing, and retrieving a fishing line, the fishing reel comprising: a reel body for mounting to the fishing pole and having a base plate with a centrally mounted reel arbor extending therefrom; a spindle shaft terminating in a spindle flange and a free end, said spindle shaft rotatably engaging said reel arbor; a gear fixably attached to said spindle flange and axially aligned with said spindle shaft; a pawl assembly mounted to said base plate, said pawl assembly positioned to operably engage said gear to allow rotation of said spindle shaft in a first direction while preventing rotation of said spindle shaft in a second direction opposite said first direction; a flange friction washer surrounding said spindle shaft and fixably attached with respect to said spindle flange; a spool for holding the fishing line, said spool having a spool central passage therethrough, at least a portion of which is configured to be slidably and rotatably mounted with respect to said spindle shaft, said spool terminating in a spool first end and a spool second end, said spool first end having a spool first end friction surface surrounding said spool central passage for engagement with said flange friction washer; a drive plate having a plate free side and a spool-engaging side, said drive plate having a plate central passage through which said spindle shaft passes, said spool-engaging side engaging said spool and said plate free side being provided with a plate friction washer surrounding said plate central passage; means for lockably engaging said drive plate with said spool, thereby preventing rotation therebetween; a drag capsule having, a drag capsule base with a drag capsule base passage therethrough surrounded by a drag capsule friction surface, and said drag capsule base passage being configured for adjustably engaging said free end of said spindle shaft, means for advancing said drag capsule base on said spindle shaft so as to forcibly engage said drag capsule friction surface with said plate friction washer, and means for affixing said drag capsule to said spindle shaft so as to maintain said drag capsule friction surface in forced engagement with said plate friction washer, thereby providing frictional resistance while allowing rotational motion between said drag capsule friction surface and said plate friction washer; and a winding handle operably connected to said drive plate to allow a user to rotate said drive plate and said spool.