Daiwa 120M Closed Face Reel

[JohnA]

I have a pair of Daiwa 120M closed faced reels that I used to use years ago when I fished matches. The 120M was a forerunner of the 123 & 125 & has an Abu style drag system that is adjusted via a knob on the reel handle. During my match fishing years, I never used the drag, always preferring to backwind, but I would now like to start using the drag, as I am thinking of teaching my son the joys of float fishing rivers & I don’t think that he would be capable of backwinding, or of trotting using his more modern open face reel.

 

Years ago I did experiment with the drag, but never really sussed it out. The knob on the reel is turned to increase & decrease the drag, but the handle also moves backwards & forwards, even with the anti reverse switch on. I suspect that this may be a way of altering, or in fact activating the drag, as appears to be the case with Abu closed face reels. Having long since disposed of any manuals that came with my 120M’s, I am hoping that someone on this site is still using the same reel, or can recall the workings of the drag system.

Edited February 14, 2006 by JohnA

[medwaygreen]

No drag system as far as i know you wind forward or backwards the knob on the winding arm is just for tension.

[JohnA]

No drag system as far as i know you wind forward or backwards the knob on the winding arm is just for tension.

 

I am fairly confident that the reel does have a drag system, as turning the knob on the handle in the direction of the "-" sign allows me to pull line off the reel without the handle turning, as the spool itself rotates. Also, I cannot see the reason why the reel would have an anti-reverse switch if it did not have a drag mechanism. Are you confusing the 120M with the 123, which as far as I remember, did not have a drag system?