Fishing reel with electronically variable brake for preventing backlash

A fishing reel, comprising:

• a spool for holding and releasing a length of fishing line;
• an electronically variable brake couplable with the spool for applying a braking force to resist rotation of the spool during casting to prevent the spool from overrunning the length of fishing line being released from the spool;
• determining means for determining an overrun status of the length of fishing line being released from the spool and generating an electronic status signal dependent thereon;
• and controlling means receptive of the electronic status signal for controlling the electronically variable brake to apply the braking force to resist rotation of the spool during casting when the determining means determines an overrun status so that a braking force is applied when the overrun status determined by the determining means indicates that the spool is overrunning the length of fishing line being released, the braking force being applied until the overrun status determined by the determining means indicates that the spool is not overrunning the length of fishing line so as to prevent the spool from further overrunning the length of fishing line being released.

A fishing reel, comprising:

• a spool for holding and releasing a length of fishing line;
• position detecting means for detecting a position of strands of the length line held on the spool relative to the spool to sense an overrun condition of the line being released from the spool, at least some of the strands being held relatively tightly against the spool when there is no overrun condition and being held relatively loosely against the spool when there is an overrun condition;
• an electronically variable brake couplable with the spool for applying a variable braking force to resist rotation of the spool in response to the sensed overrun condition of the fishing line being released from the spool;
• and controlling means for controlling the electronically variable brake to apply a variable braking force to resist rotation of the spool during casting so that a greater braking force is applied when the position of the strands indicates that a portion of the line held on the spool is wrapped relatively loose on the spool and less braking force is applied when the position of the line indicates that the line held on the spool is wrapped relatively tight on the spool to prevent the spool from overrunning the length of fishing line being released from the spool.