Baitcasters

[MIbassin]

i learned from my dad to hold the rod with my right hand and reel with my left (spinning tackle) so i assume i would also reel with my left with a bait caster.

so why does everyone i see use a righty bait casting reel?

[moguy1973]

I cast with right reel with left. Much more natural for me.

[roadwarrior]

Response from George Welcome, Professional Guide:

Let's get technical, as there are in fact reasons, not just some lame holdover from days past that put the handles where they are.

What will move the fish during retrieval is placed to the strong hand!

A baitcast is designed to be used as a winch, so it is the reel that retrieves the fish. Hence if you are right handed the handle is in your right hand.

A spinning reel is designed to pick up unloaded or loose line, not retrieve the fish. Hence it is the rod that does the retrieval, so it is the rod that is in your strong hand. If you are right handed then the pole goes to the right hand.

[MIbassin]

road warrior thank you so much! i understand now

[Busy]

HUGE thread on this if you search it. Best answer I could find is that spinning setups are designed for the rod to do most of the work in pulling the fish in so you want your dominate hand (right for most people) on the rod and you move the rod to pull the fish and reel in the slack line, repeat. Baitcasting setups were designed for the reel to do most of the work (its like a winch) so you want your dominate hand on the reel.

Personally, I cast right-handed and reel right-handed with both spinning and baitcasting setups, switching the rod in my hands usually before the bait hits the water.

[Busy]

RW beat me to it

[BassmanDan]

I know this is an endless debate so I'll just say...for me being right handed I just learned as a kid to fish with right handed reels and work the rod with my left. I think you can develop your fishing style both ways, but just like I've always thrown a baseball with my right hand and had the glove on my left...my skills greatly diminish when I try to switch.

[BrianinMD]

What works best.....whatever is comfortable to the user

[MrPeanut]

I would agree that it's whatever is the most comfortable for you personally, there's no real right or wrong with which hand is used for holding the rod or reeling.

I personally reel with my right hand for both spinning and casting, although I am trying to teach myself to make short pitches as a lefty...instead of trying to transfer the rod back over after the bait hits the water

[jj'sbassinforfun]

I'm right handed and do both(rh-lh) with baitcaster. I use the lefties for speed or fast casts where you can get to work as soon as the lure hits the water(mostly crankin, top water and spinnerbaits). I use the right hand reels for rigs/jigs where you have time to switch as the your waiting for the lure to fall. I suppose I could do both with spinning gear as well, But I fish with the rod in my right hand.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I have to disagree with the opinion of the guide quoted by RW. The rod should be the main fish fighting tool with the extra reel power primarily handling the bigger heavier high resistance baits. There are probably some exceptions in deep sea fishing. Even if you are winching in fish there's way more stress on the rod hand than the reeling hand. Either way it boils down to personal preference.

[islandbass]

i learned from my dad to hold the rod with my right hand and reel with my left (spinning tackle) so i assume i would also reel with my left with a bait caster.

so why does everyone i see use a righty bait casting reel?

Because back in the day, RH reels was pretty much the only option. So it didn't matter if you were left hand or right hand dominate. It was a fact that you had to use rh reels only. It makes me wonder if the inventor of the bc reel was left-handed, lol.

As to RW's post about winches, it may be true, it simply doesn't work for me. I am RH dominant, but when it comes to "winching" in fish, both my hands are equally capable and neither feels uncomfortable (now). However, my right hand feels better in charge of handling the rod. With this said I can fish either way because I trained myself to fish both ways. I did make the "mistake" of buying a rh reel because I was rhanded. And it definitely felt awkward to say the least until I got accustomed to it.

Since you are already used to retrieving with your left hand, I am willing to bet you a floating rapala minnow that you will prefer your bc reels to have handles on the left side.

[slowpoke274]

im a lefty and fish rigth handed reels so after a cast i dont have to switch hands to begin my retrieve i read an article years ago cant remember which mag that said you average an extra hundred or so casts a day over someone that has to switch hands to start a retrieve just my 2 cents

[TNBassin']

I'm incredibly ambidextrous, so using my left hand isn't a hindrance to me. I can winch a fish out of where ever I need to. Are some people REALLY that weak with their non dominant side to where they can't reel in a fish???

[BASSclary]

I use both.

For low resistance baits (Jigs, plastics, etc) - I'll take a lefty. I want my right hand to control the action better.

For anything that requires semi-constant to constant reeling (Jerkbaits [hard and soft], crankbaits, spinnerbaits, etc) - I need to reel with my right hand, thats what is controlling my lure, not my rod. Plus reeling fast only feels natural in my right hand.

However, I can use RH reels for anything. I can switch hands mid-cast while still thumbing the spool, so I can cast righty, reel righty.

I also only cast righty

[islandbass]

I'm incredibly ambidextrous, so using my left hand isn't a hindrance to me. I can winch a fish out of where ever I need to. Are some people REALLY that weak with their non dominant side to where they can't reel in a fish???

I think the challenge for them is handling the rod in their non-dominant hand. In the words of Metallica, sad but truu-uue.

[Busy]

I'm incredibly ambidextrous, so using my left hand isn't a hindrance to me. I can winch a fish out of where ever I need to. Are some people REALLY that weak with their non dominant side to where they can't reel in a fish???

I can barely hold a fork in my left hand when there is a fork, a rib-eye, and a steak knife right in front of me.

[TNBassin']

I'm right handed but I can't get comfortable with reeling with my right and holding the rod with my left. I wish I could, because there are some sweet Lew's reels I would buy in a heart beat.

[j.bruno]

Go to bass pro. Find a rod and reel you want. Mount a lh and a rh retreive on the rod. See what feels better for you.

[North Ga Hillbilly]

Im still convinced that the only reason RH reels are the way they are, which to me is backwards, is because the Zebco 88 came out in 1949 and folks got use to it.

NGaHB

[rockchalk06]

Im still convinced that the only reason RH reels are the way they are, which to me is backwards, is because the Zebco 88 came out in 1949 and folks got use to it.

NGaHB

I would agree. I started off with an 88. My dad taught me baitcasters reel with right hold with left. When I asked why, his answer was because grandpa told me to

[bassr95]

Yeah, I think I agree that using a RH casting reel is probably just something I got used to when I learned to use a baitcaster.

[.RM.]

What works best.....whatever is comfortable to the user

X2....

To the original poster

Don't worry about what everyone else is using, use what ever is comfortable for you!

Good reading: Powerhand Baitcasting By Richard Forhan.

Tight Lines All!

[LgMouthGambler]

Im a righty, and if I take a spinning reel and put the handle on the right side I feel like Ive never fished before, its just unnatural to me. That being said, I am able to use a LH baitcaster, but not as easily as I can a RH. My wifes uncle is righthanded, and he uses LH baitcaster. I would say its what feels better for you.

[11justin22]

Im a righty, and if I take a spinning reel and put the handle on the right side I feel like Ive never fished before, its just unnatural to me. That being said, I am able to use a LH baitcaster, but not as easily as I can a RH. My wifes uncle is righthanded, and he uses LH baitcaster. I would say its what feels better for you.

Thats the way I am. Can't fish a spinning reel right handed, it has to be left. But if it's bait casting i can get by with a left but prefer right handed. Weird I know