Abstract: A spinning reel for fishing which is arranged to retrieve the line either by a hand crank or by an electric motor. Either of the alternative drives may be actuated without effect on the other. The entire mechanism including the electric motor and batteries is enclosed in a single casing. Either of the controls for retrieving the line may be used without requiring operation of a preselecting mechanism. The motor drive control of the illustrated embodiment comprises an axially slidable worm wheel driven by the motor and biased to its driving position and which is moved against the bias and out of its driving position by operation of the hand crank.