Level wind mechanism

A fishing reel comprising:

• a pair of opposed side walls;
• a spool holding fishing line rotatably supported between the side walls;
• and a level wind for evenly winding the fishing line on the spool, the level wind comprising a transverse shaft rotatably secured between the side walls in front of the spool, the transverse shaft having a longitudinal axis and being adapted to be rotated about its longitudinal axis, the transverse shaft further having first and second collars at the opposed ends thereof having planar faces that are disposed obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis and parallel with respect to each other, a central segment disposed between the collars obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis, the central segment presenting a fishing line engagement surface with high and low points, and a transition segment between each opposed end of the central segment and its respective collar, each transition segment defining a line engaging surface that is oblique to both the planar faces of the collars and the central segment and is parallel to the line engaging surface of the other transition segment;
• whereby upon rotation of the spool to reel in the fishing line, the transverse shaft rotates so that the high and low points of the central segment move back and forth in front of the spool to evenly wind the fishing line on the spool.