Have You Ever Forced Yourself To Reel Opposite Hand?

[Cyacnba]

I normally use left handed reels, but there was one time when I injured my right hand's pinky and couldn't really have a good hold of the rod. I bought a right handed reel and used it for like 2 months. I had no issues with it when fishing with jigs or pitching, but I just couldn't fish with frogs at all. I couldn't walk the bait, but thankfully, my finger is healed, and I'm back to the lefties. Setting a good hookset was tough at first.

[edfitzvb]

Like many others here my spinning setups reel with the left hand and bait casters with the right. I started out on an old Zebco 202 as a kid and then graduated to spinning tackle. When I bought my first bait casting setup it was a right handed reel. My oldest son is left handed and fishes left reeling spinning and left bait casting. Whatever you accustom yourself to, it's all muscle memory. I tried LH bait casters for buzz baits and ended up giving the reel to my son which made both of us happy.

[YUT18]

I prefer left handed reels.  Even though I am right handed  it feels more natural for me to cast with my right and reel with my left.  I tried using a right handed reel a few years ago and did not like having to switch hands after casting.  Prefer to have the rod ready to rip lips versus transitioning after the cast.

[fishballer06]

I use left handed casting reels, but last winter I bought two right handed reels to experiment with. I practiced pitching in my basement and felt like I was pretty decent with it. Once I got on the water to actually fish with a right handed reel, I couldn't do it. I was fine if I just straight reeled something in, but if it came to doing anything that required working the rod and reeling (jerkbait, poppers, spooks, etc) I just didn't have the strength/control that I have whenever I use my left handed reels. So I'm back to all lefty reels. 

[KDW96]

18 hours 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.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

This is the reason i own both rh and lh

[roadwarrior]

George Welcome

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Posted August 22, 2007 · Report post

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.

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George Welcome Sebastian Florida

[Turtle135]

I am a lefty and use a right handed baitcasting reel. It is perfect as the rod never leaves my left hand.

Back when I started with spinning reels the handle was on the left. In the old days they were not commonly reversible as they are today. I have tried for years to switch to using the handle on the right but apparently this old dog can not learn that new trick! 

[N Florida Mike]

I mostly do left hand spinning and right hand casting I don't understand why,but it feels normal that way. I am most comfortable with fighting the fish with my right and reeling left.

Reeling feels natural for me either way,but I am somewhat less comfortable fighting a fish with  my left.

[new2BC4bass]

This subject comes up a lot.  Force myself?  No.  Want to?  Yes.  Grew up with spinning reels and reeling left hand.  Stayed that way when I tried a baitcast reel.  An Alphas ito Ai came up for sale at a decent price.  Unfortunately it was right hand.  Figured I better take advantage of the deal while I could rather than wait for a left hand version.  I've come to enjoy using both hands to reel.  This not only allows me to use reels that only come in right hand retrieve, but also to take advantage of any sweet deals that come up.  Almost half my reels are right hand retrieve.

Reeling with either hand is not a problem.  Casting with either hand can be.  Far as I can tell the rod doesn't care which side the reel handle is on.  I use a roll cast pretty much all the time.  Even use a small roll in an overhead cast.  This is where casting with the off arm (left in my case) gets a little tricky.  Side arm, no problem.  Overhead, not so easy.  If accuracy is required, I cast overhead with the right arm regardless of where the handle is.  I am a little better working the lure with the dominate arm.

[pondbassin101]

My spinning and baitcasting reel are both LH. I simply cannot fish with RH retrieve, way to awkward.

[Further North]

Tried it.

 

Don't like.

 

Still cannot come up with a single good reason why it's a good idea to switch hands before I start reeling...

[Bluebasser86]

I tried for a good while to make myself reel left handed with a baitcaster, can't do it. I switch hands during the cast without even thinking anyways. Right handed with a spinning reel is about impossible too. 

[BradGinKC]

On 12/14/2016 at 2:20 PM, MassYak85 said:

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. 

Good advice. I wish I would've learned how to pitch with my left hand years ago when I was first learning. This is one of my top priorities before the 2017 season gets going. I spend a lot of time pitching and most of the time switching hands isn't a big deal, but there were several times this past year where the fish were hitting the bait the instant it touched the water. I tried making a few pitches keeping the reel in my left hand. It was really bad. I'm sure I looked drunk.

[livin2fish]

For me, spinning reel handles are switched left to right when right hand/arm gets tired of casting.  for bait casting, have tried left hand reeling, but balance of the reel feels awkward.  Also, palming the reel in the right hand doesn't come natural.  Casting a bait caster works with either hand.  This type of thread is always fun.  All kinds of ways to present the bait.

[AC870]

I've tried lately. But I've got a touch of arthritis in my right wrist. Something about holding that rod straight just kills it.   No problem reeling with that hand but can't hold rod with it.  

[Blake Burns]

I fish completely right hand besides flipping. I flip with a left handed reel. It's awkward at fish but if you just hold the rod and practice reeling a little bit sitting at home it makes it a lot easier to adjust to on the water. 

[Spartyon2k]

On 12/14/2016 at 6:56 PM, OCdockskipper said:

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.

I'm in the same predicament.....I have to have hand surgery on my right hand - had a very childish moment 3 years ago (1 punch = 3 specialists/lots of cortisone/multiple MRI's)...... STUPID! Anyway, I have a a LH arsenal of Revo SX & STX's. In lieu of taping my right hand over splints (like back in my fighting days) just to slash jerkbaits, walk Spooks, effectively run frogs and other rod action lures.....and albeit I could cast fine, I couldn't even write my name after docking the boat. And come Monday, being a landscape designer, I couldn't draw a thing. I found the Lew's combo with the MBS Tournament combo for my 12 year old in RH at a steal, I procured one as well (and knowing the manager a Curado for cost, as well) - just to see if I could, and ultimately allow me to work the rod effectively as well (and forego the pre-fight prep and pain). I found it awkward at first, but think it will be the way to go......as well as swapping spinning reel side to RH. I cut down an old rod so I can practice switching hands and reeling. Time will tell if the 6 Revo go up for sale...

 

New to the group and am already learning some cool info. Thanks all!