Should I close the bail by hand or with the handle?
By hand, always, then pull the line snug before the first crank. Closing with the handle flips the bail with slack line behind it — that slack becomes the loose wrap that causes the next wind knot, and the impact wears the bail-trip mechanism.
The full story
This answer is one piece of a longer lesson — setups, diagrams and the reasoning behind it.
More questions about Spinning Reel
- Why does my line twist into coils after half an hour on a spinning reel?
- Can I fill a spinning reel with fluorocarbon or nylon as the main line?
- Shallow, standard or deep spool — which one should I buy?
- 2500 or 3000 for bass?
- What do the S, SS, M, D, C, HG, XG, PG letters mean?
- Gear ratio: high speed or low speed?
- How full should I load the spool?
- Why does braid slip and spin on the spool under drag?
- What are wind knots and how do I stop them?
- Why does the drag stick or jerk instead of running smoothly?
- Does a bigger spool really cast farther?
- Left-hand or right-hand retrieve?
- Can I use a spinning reel in salt water?
- The reel grinds or feels rough — what is worn?
- How do I match the reel to the rod?
- Why is the line piling up at one end of the spool?
- Does the reel's weight matter?