Baitcasters; Right vs Left handed retrieve...

[sdsc357]

My first BC was a Shimano Curado CU-201. It just felt more natural to me. I have a fishing buddy who is right handed, he insist to use right handed reels. It's almost 2 years now, he still can't master the walk the dog technique. LOL

[PAbasser927]

I’m righty and have all left handed retrieve baitcasters.  If I only casted I could probably get used to switching hands while the lure is midair.  Pitching is the main reason I prefer LHR.  Pitching and switching hands the whole way down a bank sounds exhausting - though I admit I never tried.  Plus it’s nice to be ready to go on the occasions where a bass takes your jig immediately as it touches the water.

[PAbasser927]

16 minutes ago, BaitFinesse said:

Do you not palm your reels?  You still have to take your hand off the rod grip and then place it on the reel to palm if you were to pitch or cast by holding the rod.  

When I make a pitch or cast, I still keep two fingers in front of the trigger.  When I regrip to fully palm, I have three in front.  I don’t ever actually take my hand off the rod though.  I just shuffle my ring finger from behind the trigger to in front of it.

[Gundog]

As a righty who started out using a left hand reel but switched to right, then went back to left I can tell you a left hand reel is easier for me, more comfortable for me and allows me to quickly start retrieving baits like buzz baits. I can still use a right hand reel but prefer a lefty. It also means more powerful hook sets because I'm using my dominant hand.

[PAbasser927]

1 hour ago, BaitFinesse said:

Does placing more fingers in front of the trigger and the moving of the right hand onto the reel encourage you to move your left hand further up the rod and onto the split grip portion of the rod when casting?  I've noticed that some guys who cast this way dislike split grip rods.

It’s funny you mention that, I actually just caught myself starting to do this more and more in the recent months.  I wouldn’t say that I dislike my split grip rods because of this, but it is awkward to find the right place for your left hand depending on the rod.  I am primarily a bottom contact fisherman so I like split grips just to keep the blank lighter for sensitivity.  Usually my casts take 5 minutes or so to retrieve so a slightly awkward cast is not a huge deal.  However, if I was running and gunning with crankbaits all day I think I would prefer the full grip.

[bigfruits]

so much nicer moving the rod with the dominant arm IMO

[Koz]

After decades of fishing with a LH retrieve spinning rod a few years ago I bought a RH retrieve baitcaster. The first time  using the baitcaster it was awkward trying to get my cranking cadence just right. Then when the first three pounder hit and gave me a fight it felt weird holding the rod in my non-dominant hand. Between that and the awkward cranking, for a brief second I thought I might drop my rod. By the second day out I didn't even think about it.

 

I still cast right handed and switch over, sometimes in mid cast and sometimes after stopping the line. Being a bank fisherman, I probably should learn to cast left handed to better fish some tight locations. But I'd rather do some actual fishing than practice casting.

 

My next baitcaster will probably be another RH retrieve. I don't see any reason to switch.

[J Francho]

I use both left and right hand retrieve with casting gear.  Fly, pin, and spin are all handle on the left, ironically a right handed reel, back in the days when spinners weren't reversible.  I only cast with my right hand forward, and left hand on the lower grip, always two handed unless I'm pitching or making the rare flip cast.  The message here is, it makes no difference.  Do whatever is comfortable, or even challenge yourself, and learn what's uncomfortable.  It doesn't matter as long as you have accurate casts.

[JustJames]

I from started alway right hand retrieve but lately I've tried to use both right hand and left hand retrieve on bait caster.

I have found that your dominant hand might be better off cranking the reel instead of just moving/holding the rod. Sometime you will need to crank fast/super fast or steady slow winch which your dominant hand would perform better than other. I admit that my right hand might help moving the lure(walking/twisting) better than left but that is only technique all other techniques don't require precise movement. I'd rather put my dominant hand on the reel where I'd use the most when bringing the fish in.

[deadadrift89]

Being left handed i cast with that hand and reel with right, never understood why all my right handed friends did the cast/switch thing. Funny thing is when i use fly or spinning gear im more comfortable casting with my right and keep rod there during retrieve....go figure?

[ratherbfishin1]

25 minutes ago, stratoliner92 said:

Being left handed i cast with that hand and reel with right, never understood why all my right handed friends did the cast/switch thing. Funny thing is when i use fly or spinning gear im more comfortable casting with my right and keep rod there during retrieve....go figure?

I'm the exact same way as you.  I always assumed my friends were doing something wrong but when I realized everybody but me was switching hands I started to wonder if I was doing it wrong.  Luckily there was a thread at the time talking about it and I learned that it really doesn't matter.

[YoTone]

I think its one of those things that once you feel each side retrieve you will instantly feel comfortable with one or the other with no real explanation other than that.

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