Disclosed is a bowfishing reel that includes a first wheel, a second wheel that can be moved into contact with the first wheel to pinch a fishing line between the wheels, a biasing mechanism that bias the second wheel toward the first wheel with a biasing force sufficient to grip the fishing line between the wheels, an actuator arranged to move the second wheel away from the first wheel against the biasing force, a latch that can independently hold and retain the second wheel away from the first wheel against the biasing force, and a trigger mechanism that can controllably release the latch from holding the second wheel away from the first wheel to allow the biasing mechanism to bias the second wheel into contact with the first wheel to pinch the fishing line between the first and second wheels.