conventional reel help

[klark200814]

I have been looking for a new conventional reel to buy and have been thinking about the penn squall. heard good things about it but i have never owned a conventional reel that does not have a line guide. the part that helps guide the line when reeling in to disperse on the spool evenly...how does it reel in the line evenly and not have line build up in one spot more than other spots on the spool without the guide moving left and right..any answers i would much appreciate

[Hotrod]

You do it manually with your thumb
Level winds are susceptible to failure.

A very small pawl runs across an equally small worm gear. When fighting a large fish with 15-20 pounds of drag, the line guide system is under a tremendous amount of pressure.  Then we throw in some salt and some sand, and maybe we don’t clean and lube the reel like we know we should.  All of these factors can increase the potential for a failure.  Open faced conventional reels know no such failure

 

[Bucktail]

Yeah  with your thumb. 

[paul-e]

 

I have the Penn Squall SQL12

Don't recall where I got it from

Love this reel so far and don't think you can go wrong with this one.
Good luck

[ped579]

Like Bucktail said, you use your thumb to allow the line to go from side to side on the reel.  I have a Penn 525 mag and love it.  Than again I have used a conventional for so many years I hate to tell you how long.

Happy catching

Paul