A fishing reel includes a frame and a crank shaft mounted to the frame. A kick lever is provided for selective engagement with teeth of a ratchet element keyed to the crank shaft. The kick lever selectively engages the ratchet element to place the reel in one of a cast state and a retrieve state. In one embodiment, the kick lever defines a base portion, a support post, a tooth engaging post and a horizontal reinforcing member that define a window. The window receives an attachment member that slidably secures the kick lever and prevents the kick lever from vertical movement during heavy loads. The unique design of the kick lever prevents the kick lever from moving in undesired directions, thereby ensuring that smooth performance of the reel and prevention of jamming of the mechanism.

A clutch pawl includes a synthetic resin body member and a metallic reinforcing member. The synthetic resin body member is pivotally mounted to a clutch cam. The metallic reinforcing member integrally pivots with the body member and reinforces the body member. The toggle spring member divides and biases the clutch pawl to the engaged position and the separated position.

A fishing reel including a low-speed and a high-speed drive gear mounted on a crankshaft. The drive gears are affixed axially relative to the crankshaft. An engagement hub is mounted on the crankshaft between the drive gears. The hub is movable axially relative to the crankshaft. A yoke has a first end portion engaging the hub. A shifting mechanism engages a second end portion of the hub. A speed sensor detects rotational speed of the crankshaft. When the speed sensor detects rotational speed at or above a threshold speed, a command signal is sent to the shifting mechanism to move the yoke to axially urge the hub to engage with the high-speed drive gear. When the speed sensor detects rotational speed below the threshold speed, a command signal is sent to the shifting mechanism to move the yoke to axially urge the hub to engage with the low-speed gear.

A clutch operating member for a dual-bearing reel is disposed at a rear of a reel body of the dual-bearing reel and casts a fishing line in a forward direction. The clutch operating member includes a movable part and a first operating unit. The movable part is movably disposed on the reel body, and is configured to be selectively disposed between a clutch-off position which sets the clutch mechanism in the clutch-off state and a clutch-on position which sets the clutch mechanism in the clutch-on state. The first operating unit has a first end and a second end, is pivotably coupled to the movable part at the first and second ends, and is configured to return the movable part from the clutch-off position to the clutch-on position.