The bail serves two essential purposes. For one, it is the casting trigger. To cast your bait, you must open or activate the bail for the line to spool off properly. To retrieve or reel in, you must close the bail. To close, turn the handle as if you’re reeling. The automatic closing system should activate. You can close the bail manually by flipping it to its original position.
The second function of your spinning reel’s bail is to keep your fishing line in-line as it comes off and rolls onto your spool. Without the bail, your fishing line could act without direction. This could potentially cause knots and limit performance. The bail arm keeps everything orderly for smooth casts and retrievals.