Right Hand Fisherman: What Success In Reeling With Left?

[flyfisher]

I use left retrieve reels for everything. I think the majority of people use the old cast right hand and reel right hand because originally there weren't options to reel with your left hand. My buddy is in the reel left handed on spinning gear and right with a baitcaster too and he always says i am reeling on the wrong side

To me who really cares as long as you are comfortable but i do wish there were as many options for LH retrieve reels as there are for RH.

[dam0007]

Spinning: hold rod with right hand reel with left hand.

Gonna be in the same boat as you next week lol Getting my first baitcast set up and just stickin with left hand retrieve. I couldn't ever imagine casting with my left.

[Bluebasser86]

I'm left handed with a spinning reel and right handed with a baitcaster and can not interchange the two. I have tried to use left handed baitcasters and I end up moving the rod in a circle instead of the reel handle, basically reeling the rod. I tried for a month and gave up. It works for me and I can smoothly change hands while my bait is in the air and be ready by the time my bait is reaching the water so not really an issue anyways.

[papajoe222]

I fished spinning reels for over 30 years, reeling with my left hand and casting and holding the rod in my right. I am extremely right hand dominate and can't even buff the wood with my left hand let alone cast. When I started fishing baitcasters, however, I couldn't get comfortable reeling with my left. I'd end up moving my hand trying to get that familiar balance you have with the reel under the rod instead of on top. Luckily the shop where I bought the reel exchanged it out for a right handed model and I do all my casting and reeling with my right hand for baitcasters. I can't get my head wrapped around doing the same with a spinning combo, likely because of all those years of lefty cranking.

[georgeyew]

I know that this might be a stupid question, but how can the cranking motion be so different between a spinning reel and a baitcasting reel that you suddently forget how to crank with your left when switching to a baitcaster?

[BassAssassin726]

I started fishing with spinning reels cranking with my left hand and when i went to baitcasters i just bought left handed reels so i could just keep cranking with the left. For me personally i want the rod in my strong hand for feel and strength in setting the hook. There is a reason to why guys switch and i read it here in a post by someone. On a spinning outfit the rod is what brings in the fish and the reel is just meant to pick up the slack, hence the pull, reel up slack, pull reel up slack when bringing in a fish. On a baitcasting outfit the reel is where the power is and is used as a winch basically. So thats why guys reel with their right hand because the power is in the reel. Me personally i like to crank with my left hand no matter what. Its just a matter of preference.

[Silas]

Well, to continue the experiment, I got the Curado 100B this morn, placed it on a Powell Diesel 7'2" med-heavy extra fast rod, spooled reel with 12# P-line and went to dock to try. (Oh, and the guy sent some of those funky camo reel grip covers with it...put those on and they actually helped me "find" the handle grip faster!)

First couple of pitches, my left hand kind of bumped the sideplate, but that went away shortly. Then, I found that if I had an "over run" I would have to awkwardly switch hands to put tension on the line as I reeled it in.....definitely a problem. I expect ot have fewer overuns soon.

But, the reeling in became smoother in about 15 minutes.....maybe I could do this! At first, it was "jerky" as if I were pushing the handle in and out, but that went away too. Then, while practicing....with a 3/8oz swimjig with Rage Chunk trailer, I actually had a HIT and caught a bass right off the DOCK!! Alright! Setting the hook seemed ok. Maybe later, I'll experiment with BRAID and Flouro leader, but for now wanted a HI-Vis flourescent mono to check it out.

So now, I have to see what EXTENDED pitching will do as far as fatigue.

So, to conclude, from the 45 minutes of pitching with right hand and reeling with left, I have to say there is great potential for this to remain on my deck as my pitching set up.

[tennsopher]

I fish spinning rod reeling with my left ,rod in right hand.Baitcasting just the opposite, reel with right,cast with right.When I pitch or flip though,I use a TDZ 105HL which is a left handed reel.The reason for this is reaction time to a strike.It's not that hard to get used to and you will find your pitches to be more accurate.

[SirSnookalot]

On a spinning outfit the rod is what brings in the fish and the reel is just meant to pick up the slack, hence the pull, reel up slack, pull reel up slack when bringing in a fish. On a baitcasting outfit the reel is where the power is and is used as a winch basically.

I don't buy that. True the mechanics of the 2 reels differ, but bringing a fish to the boat or shore is done by gathering up line on the reel. You can say winch if you like for a b/c or wrapping the line around the spool on a spinning reel but the result is identical, line gets put on the spool by turning the crank. The rod can move fish around, like away from cover or pylons but it doesn't bring the fish in, the reel does. Pull up and reeling in the slack is "landing fishing 101", primarily done with larger fish, this action is done with both conventional gear as well as spinning gear. As far as which type has more power, what's actually meant by more power, a higher max drag? I for one don't batten the drag down all the way, the max number is not all that important if you are playing a fish and not dragging it in.

[BASSHUNTER1961]

I don't buy that. True the mechanics of the 2 reels differ, but bringing a fish to the boat or shore is done by gathering up line on the reel. You can say winch if you like for a b/c or wrapping the line around the spool on a spinning reel but the result is identical, line gets put on the spool by turning the crank. The rod can move fish around, like away from cover or pylons but it doesn't bring the fish in, the reel does. Pull up and reeling in the slack is "landing fishing 101", primarily done with larger fish, this action is done with both conventional gear as well as spinning gear. As far as which type has more power, what's actually meant by more power, a higher max drag? I for one don't batten the drag down all the way, the max number is not all that important if you are playing a fish and not dragging it in.

In my book, this 100% spot on!

With either spinning or BC gear landing a fish should be a pump and reel in the slack action, not winching.

[Silas]

Well, the "experiment" is over!! There are just too many negatives with this pitching with my right hand and reeling with my left.

So, after today's issues, I put the rod/ree/ set up aside and caught bass on my Calcutta 200GTB with a keel weighted Space Monkey. A cold front comes tonight and the fish bit today!

After I got home a few minutes ago, I REMOVED the Shimano Curado 100B (which is a really good caster!!) and replaced it with an old Team Daiwa X 105 reel, right handed.

I told my brother he could use the 100B, but to my surprise, even though he is left handed he reels with his RIGHT!

So, I'll probably put the reel up for sale or trade.....I wish it were the Curado 100B....the right handed model. Maybe someone will want to trade for one.

So, now I will begin another experiment.....pitching with my LEFT hand, and reeling with my right. And if that fails, then back to pitching AND reeling with my right.

Found the Powel Diesel rod a great pitching rod in the process.

[78Staff]

Right Handed, Left eye dominant. I throw Right, Reel Left. Always have, just seems natural to me. Pitching, especially, which is what I do 80% of the time anyway. I tried to convert, since there are so many more RH options in reels, but just couldn't get used to it. Working the bait with my right hand is much more natural motion to me.

[Bankbeater]

I cast with my right and reel with my right. Always have and probably always will.

[PABASS]

Since what 90% of the populous is right handed, I am left handed but do many things right outside of fishing.. I cast with my left and reel with my left, pitch with my left, fight fish with my right and never had an issue.

I do have a question, why is it all spinning reels on the show floors are set to be left handed? It’s easier for me I just don’t get it?

[iabass8]

Im right handed. All my baitcasting and spinning set ups reel reel with my left hand. Just feels natural casting with the right not switching hands.

[3dees]

carpel tunnel in my right wrist forced me to go to left hand reels about 15 years ago. did'nt take long to get used to it and I would never go back to right hand. why switch hands? my hook sets are so much better with my dominate hand.

[bass1980]

Since I'm just getting into baitcasting I was thinking now is the time to see if I would like to use lefty reels so it'll be the same as spinning reels I used. However after looking at all the retail reels and reels in the classified I think I'm going to stick with right hand reel. Just more options to choose from and when a good deal comes up in the classified it will most likely be a right hand reel. At this point, I am buying more used items than new since I'm somewhat new to bass fishing.

[tugsandpulls]

cast with my right reel with my left im ambidextourus

[retiredbosn]

Like many here I started with a spin cast, quickly graduated to spinning and didn't start baitcasting til my mid 30's. I have always casted right and reeled left, but with b/c equipment I cast right and reel right. Don't understand why. The only thing I can speculate is that with spinning gear the reeling hand is a bit lower than the rod hand. On b/c almost the same plane, I've tried to make the switch just feels odd. Even today I cast right reel left with spinning and cast and reel right with baitcasting.

[Knightiac]

I'm lefty but actually cast left and reel right - so I use righty reels. Just lucky I guess. No switch.

Being that I fish banks a lot and there are a lot of trees around here, I've gotta use a sidearm cast a good amount. For whatever reason I am much better at an underhand cast than a backhand cast with my left, so I'm gonna start learning how to cast with my right, so I don't have to turn my entire body. Just switch hands depending on where I'm casting - that's the goal anyways.