Lefty Or Righty?

[soflabasser]

I reel with my right hand and hold the fishing rod with the left most of the time.

[Basswhippa]

Shimano should quit making left handed reels and pass those savings on to the vast majority of their customers. The tooling costs that could be saved would be substantial. At a minimum they should only offer leftie retrieves in one ratio.

[Rick Howard]

My bait casters all have the handle on the left side. Until a month ago I only had spinning rigs. Handle on the left there too. Fished with the handle on the left for so long that I figured I would rather not add another hitch to my learning curve.

[NathanW]

I am 100% left hand reeling. Did a lot more flipping this summer than I usually do so it has me thinking about getting a righty reel. 

 

Flipping right handed with a left handed reel is just a headache. 

[21farms]

i'm right-handed and regularly use both left- and right-handed baitcast reels. for bottom-contact baits, i use high-speed left-handed reels where i can use my stronger arm for working the lures and setting the hook. for moving baits, i use low-speed right-handed reels where i think my strong hand is better at winding. for spinning gear, i reel exclusively with my left hand.

[roadwarrior]

Posted August 22 2007 - 11:37 AM

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. 

 

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/36646-why-is-the-reel-handle-on-the-right-hand-side/

[bigbill]

I'm amberdexterious, both arms are strong. Left or right hand no biggie.

I see guys cast casting reels then switch hands(pros). Do what ever your comfortable doing. Seek your own nitch.

[NJBassin1997]

I started fishing with a spinning reel with left hand retrieve and when I started to take a larger interest and went to baitcaster I could not change to a right retrieve.