Have You Ever Forced Yourself To Reel Opposite Hand?

[ghost]

All my reels are for left handed reeling. A few years ago, I bought and tried a right handed BPS Crappie bait cast reel. I tried to get used to reeling with my right hand, I just could not get the hang of it. Also, trying the work a lure with my left arm felt so weird. I'm a left handed reeler through and through . I returned it, a right handed reel wasn't for me.

I know some of you guys are ambidextrous , at times I wish I was, so I could own some bait cast reels that are only in a right hand configuration . 

You guys ever tried switching when you are dominant in one way of reeling, casting and working a lure?

[basham1988]

I just got into baitcasters this year and knew from just toying around in the store with a couple combos that I was going to be most comfortable with a left hand retrieve. It just feels more natural that way. I think I even seen an old Shimano left hand bantam ad that stated something like "the true right handed reel" or something like that..

[WIGuide]

Switched from spinning to baitcasting as a little kid. Handles were on opposite side, and all mine still are. With practice and persistence, the clumsiness goes away and you get proficient with it.  

[crypt]

am left handed all the way.but had injury to left forearm,detached tendon,had to have surgery. waiting for surgery wasn't going to stop me,so used a spinning rod opposite hand. funniest thing to watch me cast at first. got a little better as time went on. thank god surgery was a success !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ohio Archer]

All my spinning reels were left hand retrieve. When I got my first baitcaster it was right hand (won in a raffle). Could not get used to it.  Bought left hand models and still do. 

Also, no one who I fish with can use them. ;-)

[Scott F]

I used right handed baitcasters, cranked with my right hand, for years. I cranked my spinning reels with my left hand. By mistake, I ordered a left handed Curado a few years ago. I decided to keep it and had zero issues cranking that reel with my left hand. Not much different than cranking the spinning reel.  I found out a long time ago, I can't use a lefty spinning reel at all.

[Gavin.Ange]

Its weird, I use a lefty spinning reel and a righty baitcaster... I think it may just have something to do with the way we were taught or first started

[JustJames]

I also right hand on casting and left hand on spinning. Recently I just got a left hand baitcaster to try out for a small jig or top water action which work just fine.

[bigfruits]

I am right handed. I used to have all right handed baitcasters several yrs ago. I tried a left handed reel for 3 or 4 hours and replaced all of my reels with lefties shortly after.

[rippin-lips]

Everything I own is lh but I can use both hands if need be. I started with a rh casting reel. Since 95% of the reels I'd buy come in both I don't have a reason to buy rh reels. 

[MassYak85]

Nope, right handed and have all right handed baitcasters and spinning reels. Don't feel a need to switch. And I made sure that when I learned to pitch I started off learning to do it with my left hand so I wouldn't have to switch hands when the lure hit the water. 

[jsh32]

I switched my spinning reel over to left just to give it a shot and its not too bad but I don't see myself ever switching my baitcasting reels over to leftie. I am however experimenting with teaching myself to cast and flip leftie which is kinda annoying

[Steveo-1969]

These threads are always interesting.  I reel a spinning reel with my left hand and a baitcast reel with my right hand.  I injured my right arm in 2015 and couldn't hold a rod in my right hand. I tried holding a spinning rod in my left and reeling with my right and absolutely couldn't do it.

So until my right arm healed I used a baitcaster, holding it in my left and reeling with my right.  Exactly what I COULDN'T do with a spinning rod.  Weird.......

[fishnkamp]

All  of my spinning rods I have the standard handle on the left. I regularly use 12 different baitcasters. All of the reels mounted on rods that I use for crank and wind baits have right handed reels on them. All of my rods that I cast and hop, jump, drag or impart action to, I use lefties on. So carolina rigs ,jigs, jerkbaits, pitchin, frogging etc have lefties on it. I do it this way for several reasons. I am right handed so if I throw a crankbait out it does not matter if I take a moment, change hands and then start my retrieve. When I pitch a jig that jig is "fishing the minute it starts falling and since I am not changing hands I am ready to strike as I follow the line down.  If I am fishing a swimbait or jerkbait my dominate hand holds the rod and I am more comfortable with that when I need to set a hook.  I have been a mechanic for over 3 decades. In that time my hands have taken a beating, so if I use one hand for too long it can cramp up.  Changing baits and techniques means changing hands and that helps me feel better throughout the day.

[J Francho]

2 minutes ago, fishnkamp said:

All  of my spinning rods I have the standard handle on the left. I regularly use 12 different baitcasters. All of the reels mounted on rods that I use for crank and wind baits have right handed reels on them. All of my rods that I cast and hop, jump, drag or impart action to, I use lefties on. So carolina rigs ,jigs, jerkbaits, pitchin, frogging etc have lefties on it. I do it this way for several reasons. I am right handed so if I throw a crankbait out it does not matter if I take a moment, change hands and then start my retrieve. When I pitch a jig that jig is "fishing the minute it starts falling and since I am not changing hands I am ready to strike as I follow the line down.  If I am fishing a swimbait or jerkbait my dominate hand holds the rod and I am more comfortable with that when I need to set a hook.  I have been a mechanic for over 3 decades. In that time my hands have taken a beating, so if I use one hand for too long it can cramp up.  Changing baits and techniques means changing hands and that helps me feel better throughout the day.

Pretty much the same here, too.  I always use a right handed on top, two handed cast.  My left hand is on the palm plate, right on the handle before the bait touches down.  It's neither inefficient, or slow, as many suggest.  Anyone that has fished with me knows I'm like a machine gun caster. 

[Jeff H]

About every 5 years I buy a left handed reel and give it a go.  It's not which side the handle is on that bugs me, it's which hand my rod is in.  I have a lefty Tatula CT right now that I was pitching with last summer.  I'll use it again next year and see how it goes.  So, this will be a first, never used the lefty 2 yrs in a row before.

[Spankey]

I left hand spinning reesl and right hand a baitcaster. Don't have issues doing that. I've been kicking around picking up a LH baitcaster and see how I take to it. I don't think it would be too big of a deal.

[OCdockskipper]

I actually did that last Saturday.  My right wrist was a little sore, so I removed the handle from one of my spinning reels & switched it to the other side.  I still casted it with my right hand, but like a baitcaster, I then switched the rod to the left hand and reeled with the right.  Did it for about 20 minutes, it felt a little awkward, but it was doable.

[Jar11591]

Tried it for 5 minutes, not happening. Ever.

[Raul]

Cranked the handle of a lefty reel like 10 times, so unless for whatever reason I lose my right hand it ain't gonna happen.

[Columbia Craw]

I tried to go both ways a few years ago and bought two leftys for my pitchin sticks.  I gave it one season. It just doesn't work for me.  I'm right handed dominate. I can pitch left handed.  Like, JFranco, I cast and actually transition hands before the lure hits the water. I reel spinning with my left.  Too many years and too much muscle memory.   

[lo n slo]

8 hours ago, WIGuide said:

Switched from spinning to baitcasting as a little kid. Handles were on opposite side, and all mine still are. With practice and persistence, the clumsiness goes away and you get proficient with it.  

this is me

[Darren.]

As of now, I'm left for spinning, right for casting gear
and I'm no worse for wear  

Have an awful time using a spinning reel with right
hand reeling, and casting with left. Just the way it is
for me. No big deal. Live and move on  

[clh121787]

Nope.

[wdp]

I use righty for baitcasters & lefty for spinning. I've always done it this way & it feels natural. I've never tried a lefty baitcaster, but something tells me I wouldn't like it.