Right vs. Left hand retrieve ??

[dan94]

How should a dominant right handed person hold and retrieve (baitcasting) ? Im dominant with my right hand but i retrieve left both spinning and casting outfits. Why do some anglers reel left with a spinning rod and then reel right with a casting ?? 

[Scott F]

There is no right way or wrong way. Do what feels comfortable to you. 

For many years, almost all reels available only had the reel handle on the right side so that's what everyone used. Today, many reels come in both versions so we have the luxury of being able to choose whichever you prefer.

[NorthwestBasser]

When I first started using a baitcaster I bought a right handed retrieve because all the pros used them, for the most part. I thought that was the way it was done. And it worked fine at first, but as I started using it for different techniques I found it impossible to successfully perform the correct cadence and retrieve speeds. So I bought a left handed reeland haven't looked back, all my reels are now left hand retrieve. Find what works for you, comfort is key for the long days of tournament fishing and fun fishing for that matter.

[moguy1973]

I have all left hand retrieve reels.  I cast with my right hand and I can immediately start reeling without having to switch hands.  I can work the rod much better in my right hand too.  Personal preference though.

[IndianaFinesse]

It is entirely personal preference, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

                               End of story.

[Raul]

This topic has been discussed ad nauseum, get it right: there is no such thing as the "right way" , it a matter of how you feel comfortable, I'm right handed an all my reels got the handle on the right side.

[islandbass]

Raul is right. Everyone is different.

 

However with that said, let's get one thing clear.  A “right-handed” baitcaster is now labeled as such because it is for a right-hand dominant person and vice versa for a “left-handed” reel.

What it does mean is that a right-handed casting reel is labeled this way because the angler’s right hand is going to turn the crank regardless of the hand dominance of the angler.

 

I made the “mistake” (it really wasn’t one) of buying my an RH casting reel because I assumed since, I’m right-hand dominant, this should be for me.  It was awkward and uncomfortable but I trained myself to use to make me a better-rounded angler.  I can now use either but I prefer LH reels.

 

We can make a general analogy with baseball.  A right-handed baseball player will put his mitt on his left hand to catch the ball and use his dominant hand to throw the ball.  When we cast, in essence, we are throwing the lure.  So theoretically, a right-hand dominant person should (key word should) feel more comfortable with a LH.  There are of course always exceptions.  For example, if they learned with RH casting reels since they were young, it is already ingrained in them.  Also, even in baseball, some right-handed players actually are more comfortable batting the opposite way.

 

Bottom line? Try both.  Unless you are ambidextrous one or the other is bound to feel more comfortable to you.

It makes me wonder if the inventor of the casting reel was left handed, lol.

 

Raul, glad to see you’re still here!

 

-ib

[NHBull]

Most people can retrieve with either hand, but most cast with right are dominant.

 

It is all personal, but I can SET, flip and pitch with my right, and retrieve left.

 

All my spinners and caster are left for me.

 

What I have noticed is that folks that have fished casters when younger, tend to cast and retrieve with the right. If a spinning rod was the primary tool, left seams to be more natural.

 

Since there are more R's to try, there is still a tendency to stay R.

Watch TV and most pro's switch hands.

 

That said....

When working with youth that are learning to cast, they have no memory or tendency except they tend to cast R.........most of these youth will naturally retrieve L.  

 

IMHO, L hand reels will overtake R in yrs to come........

 

 

 

[Deleted account]

Are we really doing this again?

[fissure_man]

Casting and reeling with the same hand is best, but not everyone has the skill/coordination to manage swapping hands.  For these troglodytes, it’s easier keep each hand focused on a specific task to avoid confusion.  No worries – although they’re technically wrong, the disadvantage is minor.  It’s best not to give them too hard a time about it and just enjoy catching an average of 6.43% more fish by using the correct gear.

 

[Deleted account]

4 hours ago, NHBull said:

IMHO, L hand reels will overtake R in yrs to come........

 

I will wager any amount against that.

[bigfruits]

i am right handed and switched to all left handed reels several years ago and haven't looked back. it doesn't matter, use what you like, but I find its better to work the baits with my dominant hand/arm. better feel and control that way in my experience.

[Jaderose]

Hand switcher with both types of reels.  It is a natural part of my cast and happens before the lure hits the water.  I can flip and pitch with my left so that's covered too.  Do what feels right to you...there IS NO RIGHT WAY.

[david in va]

I WOULD TRUELY like to see a right handed guy reeling in a 8 lb  BASS WITH HIS LEFT HAND

 

Look out when he breaks water

I have fished that was so long with spin casters I am much better with the left hand setting the hook

[Pro Logcatcher]

I feel the most comfortable reeling with my left hand for both spinning and baitcasting reels. However, I forced myself to learn how to use both.

[pondbassin101]

I started off fishing with a spinning reel with the handle on the left and then moved on to LH baitcasters. I've tried fishing with RH caster, and I simply cannot work the lure properly plus it feels completely unnatural.

[broke4bass]

I use LH reels mostly on my baitcasters.  I got a few RH reels to give my right hand a break from holding the rod when I need to.  Currently practicing casting/pitching with rod in left hand for if I ever need to.  I wish baitcaster worked like spinning reels where I could just swap which side I reeled on.

[mllrtm79]

I taught myself both when learning a baitcaster, but find the hookset is more comfortable/natural when I have the rod in my right hand, so I just sold my last rh one over the weekend. It's all in what is comfortable overall for each person.

 

[scbassin]

Didn't anyone ever tell you that that left handed people are the chosen people. All my reels are left handed.

[walpy]

I right-reel on spinning, when I went to learn on a baitcaster I got a right-handed but I cast with my right as well and hated switching hands.. so I learned to use a left-handed reel and I'm happy with it.

[sully420]

9 hours ago, NHBull said:

Most people can retrieve with either hand, but most cast with right are dominant.

 

It is all personal, but I can SET, flip and pitch with my right, and retrieve left.

 

All my spinners and caster are left for me.

 

What I have noticed is that folks that have fished casters when younger, tend to cast and retrieve with the right. If a spinning rod was the primary tool, left seams to be more natural.

 

Since there are more R's to try, there is still a tendency to stay R.

Watch TV and most pro's switch hands.

 

That said....

When working with youth that are learning to cast, they have no memory or tendency except they tend to cast R.........most of these youth will naturally retrieve L.  

 

IMHO, L hand reels will overtake R in yrs to come........

 

 

 

This is my Theory on this subject as well. Where I grew up you pretty much have a spinning set up put in your hands from day one and they tend to just come left hand retrieve so when I stepped up to a baitcaster left hand just felt natural. And for the amount of flipping and pitching I do it seems to work well

[bigfruits]

4 hours ago, david in va said:

I WOULD TRUELY like to see a right handed guy reeling in a 8 lb  BASS WITH HIS LEFT HAND

 

 

done it. 20 lb stripers and plenty of 10lb + bluefish too. did I mention the shovelnose shark? all with my left hand turning the crank. its incredible. 

[Ads7633]

I bought my first baitcaster when I was about 12. At the time I didn't know any better so I just used my logic, "if I want to cast right handed I should reel with my left". So I bought a lefty reel and haven't looked backed. I don't think I could even teach myself how to do it the "right" way now. So just do whatever is comfortable! Also I do think there are advantages over not switching hands after casting, like being able to engage the reel quicker.

[dan94]

maybe the guy who invented baitcasters was dominant left handed and put the retrieve on the right side for himself and when he sold his idea off to companies they were too dumb at the time to flip the gears on the left side to make a left handed reel, or just totally oblivious to that idea and because of that people had no choice to learn that way regardless of what hand they were dominant with because that was unfortunately the only way available at the time. 

[GrumpyOlPhartte]

I say put the handle on top and reel like you're churning butter ... With either hand. Wouldn't need the endless debate! Well, except for which direction to rotate. Hmm. I gotta work on this some more. Uh, never mind.