Abstract: A bow fishing reel for mounting on a bow. The reel provides an indicator for alerting a shooter when the reel is configured to fire safely. A main shaft in a body of the reel is positionable from a rearward winding position to a forward casting position by depressing a thumb button protruding the reel body. A thumb button structure engages with the main shaft for transitioning the main shaft from the rearward winding position to the forward casting position. A visual indicator displays a first indicator when the main shaft and thumb button are in the casting position. The visual indicator may be located on an indicator portion of the thumb button that is visible through an indicator window on a reel upper surface. The visual indicator may include a negative indicator and a positive indicator. A secondary negative indicator may also be provided on the thumb button.

Abstract: A fishing reel including a crank handle retained to a threaded end of a crankshaft by an attachment which comprises a nut for threadedly fixing the crank handle to the crank shaft, wherein one end of the nut has a hexagonal cross section and the other end includes an outward flare, and a plastic retainer for the nut comprising: a first inside cavity shaped to receive the hexagonal portion of the nut such that the nut is nonrotatably captivated relative to the retainer; a second inside compartment shaped to receive the outward flare of the nut such that when matably received, the retainer is secured to the nut; a pin protruding from the retainer to be received by a hole in the crank handle to prevent rotation of the retainer relative to the crank handle; and a smooth outside surface.