I'm looking for an inexpensive reel - not for bowfishing, but possibly for use with a crossbow for lofting some fishing line over a tree limb (which I would use as a pilot line to pull up some stronger line that I can use to hold up a wire ham radio antenna).

I have no experience with any of this stuff - so I'm just doing some what-if thinking here.

My property is 14 acres, mostly forested, adjacent to hundreds of acres of forest. So, while I'm aware of potential hazards of aiming a crossbow skyward in the vicinity of houses, people, etc.that is not the situation that I'm facing.  I would use a steel projectile (not a lighter-weight aluminum one) with a blunted end rather than a sharpened end since I would need to have enough weight to bring the end of the line down to the ground after going over a branch.

I'm thinking that a bowfishing reel would be preferable to a standard rod-type fishing reel because I do not want to take the chance of having the reel bind and finding the projectile coming back towards my face.

But since I have no experience with such things, it is possible that what I'm considering doing is either impractical or dangerous.

Any pointers to what might be a suitable low-cost reel would be appreciated.

There's a ham radio forum under Outdoors.

We have a lot of solutions for this.

I've seen a fairly inexpensive bow fishing reel at Academy, FWIW to you.

Or one for $80 at HRO.  

save yourself money, if you dont already have the crossbow.
Pick up a used bow at a sportshop for around 100 dollars and buy a used bowfishing rig off evil bay

I saw some interesting articles in the ham radio subforum archives (talking about everything from slingshots to spud guns as line slinging methods).

Some kind of bow and projectile is probably the most attractive method for me to consider right now, even if I have to buy a new or used bow and reel and then try and resell them after I'm done (ha ha - you're never done with antenna work)...

Would a "retriever" reel be useful in this application? The ones that I have seen look like they hold a heavier, flexible braided line rather than monofilament line.

I'm wondering whether the line in such a setup would be too heavy for my purposes. Isn't most bowfishing done at short distances, whereas I would be looking at shooting 100 feet of line or more over a tree branch.

What alternative reel type might be better? Is a "spincast" reel the type that I should be looking for?

Maybe a Zebco 808?

I believe you said inexpensive. I would suggest you just buy the older style kit for 60.00 from bass pro as for your actual application would be ideal. go to an actual bowshop or somewhere like Bass Pro and find out your draw length.

Tf you go to a local bowshop you should be able to find a used bow for 100-200 dollars and add the bowfishing kit for 60 more complete with everything.http://www.basspro.com/Bohning-Bowfishing-Kit/product/24037/