I was at the store testing out a pflueger trion reel and I noticed if you reel backwards the handle comes unscrewed. I tightened it back and it did it again. I realize nobody reels backwards anyway but sometimes it happens. I would nt want the handle to fall into the lake. Is this a defect or is it supposed to happen. Does the president le do that or just the trion. Seems like it defeats the purpose of anti  reverse.

Some spinning reels have a separate screw or fastener to secure the handle in place but with the Pflueger (and many other reels), when you back reel, you are, essentially, doing the "thing" which would normally unscrew the handle.  This is normal.  About the only way to keep it from unscrewing is by tightening it down snug (don't over-tighten it, though).  If it won't "firm up" and you insist upon back reeling, don't buy it.

14 minutes ago, Ratherbfishing said:

Some spinning reels have a separate screw or fastener to secure the handle in place but with the Pflueger (and many other reels), when you back reel, you are, essentially, doing the "thing" which would normally unscrew the handle.  This is normal.  About the only way to keep it from unscrewing is by tightening it down snug (don't over-tighten it, though).  If it won't "firm up" and you insist upon back reeling, don't buy it.

Thanks so much! I appreciate it.

Most spinning reels are built that way. They have a switch that turns the anti reverse on and off. If you wish to back reel ( which many anglers did often before modern reels were built with such great drag systems) turn off the anti reverse and you can reel backwards and the entire handle and gear system will go in reverse. The handle will not come off in that position. To return to "normal " operation clich the switch back to the other side. This is standard operating conditions.

9 minutes ago, fishnkamp said:

Most spinning reels are built that way. They have a switch that turns the anti reverse on and off. If you wish to back reel ( which many anglers did often before modern reels were built with such great drag systems) turn off the anti reverse and you can reel backwards and the entire handle and gear system will go in reverse. The handle will not come off in that position. To return to "normal " operation clich the switch back to the other side. This is standard operating conditions.

This is exactly what I did over 50 years ago.  Locked down the drag, and back reeled when necessary.  This was with 4# mono. 

Well they have come along way since then. It is amazing what a quality reel can do these days. Now we own 6 G Loomis spinning rods (these rods I consider to be expensive and high quality) and we have Pflueger President spinning reels in multiple different sizes on most of them. I do not consider these reels to be expensive (they retail for $60 each) and there are lots of reels that cost much more, but every time either one of theses combos tag into a big fish I am amazed how well they work. Case in point, in April we fished on Dale Hollow Lake. This is the home of the world record smallmouth bass. It weighed 11 pounds 15 ounces.  So we were catching 6 pound smallies on tiny Ned Rigs. The rods we used were G Loomis 6 foot light action  fast tipped models with a lure rating of 1/16 to 5/16 ounce. We were throwing a 1/10 ounce jig with the 2.5 inch TRD body on it. She hooked, fought and landed a 6 and a half pound catfish that ran here all around the boat. All I did was loosen the drag a bit since it was set for  bass, not a big hard fighting fish like that cat. It was hilarious to watch but the gear did its job perfectly.