Do longer rod butt ends help left handled casting reel users?

[michaelsrex]

Ever since I got my first longer casting rod (7'6 *** MHM) I realized how much more comfortable it was to have a longer butt end. When I measure the but end of the rod I measure from the U shaped piece you your hand rests against when you're holding the rod. On the longer rods I really loved the 11.5 to 12+ inch handles. it just feel like you're ready to jack any fish at any moment because the handle is all the way down the forarn. I was also talking to someone that mentioned that longer butt ends would only help left handled guys and hurt right handled people, why is that? In addition can anyone recommend what brands and models to look at that have longer handles? Kistler helium 3s are a rod I love and I could even be fine with the 7 footers but the handle is too short to me. Even the KLX zolo 7'6 brawler had about an 11 & 1/4 handle. Mind you a lot of places measure from the beginning of the reel seat, I don't. Your hands always going to be against the U shape so why not measure from there.I'd rather fight a fish with my arm than my wrist. 

[Jrob78]

I prefer most casting rods to have a handle in the 10"-11" range, measured from the butt end to where the reel seat starts. I usually cast with 2 hands and that length fits how I cast without being too long and getting in the way.

 

TW lists handle lengths on all the rods they sell, measured from the butt end to wherever the reel seat/foregrip stops. I'm not sure what you mean by the "U shape" but you can probably figure out something based on TW's measurements.

 

Also, I don't think what hand you cast with has anything to do with handle length.

[new2BC4bass]

I've never measured rod handles to see what length I prefer.  Like Jrob I almost always cast 2-handed.  Short handles like on my Smallmouth and Smoke rods aren't as comfortable to use.  First cast after switching from a "normal" length handle often has me missing the rod end with my off hand.

[MIbassyaker]

The person you were talking to probably was thinking that a left-hander would use a right-handed reel, and would benefit from a long-handled rod because they would be casting with their non-dominant (right) arm, with their dominant (left) arm on the handle for leverage.

 

But why would a left-handed person do this? They could simply choose to cast with their dominant hand, just as right-handers cast with their dominant hands. They could do this whether they used right-handed reels or left-handed reels. Denny Brauer, for instance, is left-handed and uses right-handed reels -- he just casts with his left hand and doesn't switch hands to reel.

 

I, on the other hand, am a right hander who uses left-handed reels, doing all rod-work with my dominant right hand, including casting, while retrieving with my left. And I prefer shorter handles rather than longer handles.

[FCPhil]

I like longer handles for increased leverage. I made a custom extension for one of my rods. I’m right handed and use a left hand retrieve baitcaster. 

[hwright38]

On 2/25/2019 at 8:29 PM, MIbassyaker said:

I, on the other hand, am a right hander who uses left-handed reels, doing all rod-work with my dominant right hand, including casting, while retrieving with my left. And I prefer shorter handles rather than longer handles.

That's funny. I'm a lefty, and use left-hand retrieve reels, but also don't switch hands casting. I much prefer to work the rod with my right arm for some reason. Everyone seems to be a little different with this lol.

[Boomstick]

On 2/25/2019 at 10:29 PM, MIbassyaker said:

I, on the other hand, am a right hander who uses left-handed reels, doing all rod-work with my dominant right hand, including casting, while retrieving with my left. And I prefer shorter handles rather than longer handles.

And I am a left hander who uses right handed reels. I can't reel with my left hand, it just doesn't feel right. But as far as handle length, I prefer a shorter handle on a rod I am using for lures with a more vertical retrieve (jigs, soft plastics, drop shot etc) but for horizontally retrieved lures, a longer handle is nice.

[Tim Kelly]

Longer butts help casting heavier lures as it gives you some mechanical advantage. I suppose if you swap hands to reel then the longer butt would be more awkward to pass round your body. I hold the rod with my right hand and reel with my left, so never have to do the swap hands dance. ?

[Tennessee Boy]

On 2/25/2019 at 9:11 PM, michaelsrex said:

 I was also talking to someone that mentioned that longer butt ends would only help left handled guys and hurt right handled people, why is that? 

I usually wait till Friday to switch from last weeks left /right hand thread to the latest left/right hand thread but I'll make an exception.  I don't know what the person who told you this was talking about.  Maybe if the handle was really long, it might get in the way as you switch hands.  I cast with my right hand and use left hand reels for slow retrieve baits keeping the rod in my right hand.  For fast retrieves I use right hand reels and switch hands after the cast.  I have long handles on all of my rods.  The long handle is more important to me on fast retrieves because I'm holding it against my forearm or my side for leverage against the pull of the lure.  That would be the case if I cast with left and switched to my right so I don't see the issue.  

 

For some reason this reminds me of a time I was playing golf with some buddies.  We had a guy convinced that his slice was due to the fact that he was hitting right handed balls with a left handed driver.

[Jrob78]

The switching hands thing is silly. Anyone who has been casting right handed and then switching the rod to the left hand for any period of time does it without thinking. Your arms are extended immediately after a 2 handed cast so the length of the handle doesn't get in the way during the switch. This is a non-issue.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Go back to who told you this and slap them. It’s for their own good.