Using lefty and right baitcasters.

[dodgeguy]

Does anybody use both ? Are there advantages to using both ? I was thinking of pitching with a lefty.

[jimmyjoe]

   Good luck. I tried it 2 years ago, and couldn't re-learn my coordination. I tried it specifically to put my heavier rods on my power side, which to me is the big advantage (I'm right-handed). On the other hand, I know 2 fishermen (half my age) who do it quite successfully, although I suspect one of them is either ambidextrous or almost ambidextrous. Both are boatmen; I'm a shorecaster.

   I guess it's just an age-and-habit thing with me, though. Hope you have better luck!       jj

[new2BC4bass]

I use both.

 

1.  At my age the rod arm can get tired with some lures such as a larger spinnerbait with Colorado blade(s).  Especially if cranking it though tops of weeds.  Lovely to be able to switch rod arm.

 

2.  Some reels only come in right hand.  (I started with left hand when going from spinning to baitcast.)

 

3.  Regardless of whether or not a reel comes in both hands, if a good deal comes up on a reel I am interested in, the side the handle is on isn't all that important....although I prefer the more expensive reels purchased to be left hand models...but that doesn't always work out.

 

4.  I just plain enjoy using both right and left hand reels.

 

BTW, I bought my first baitcast reel at 61.  First right hand reel was probably a couple years after that.

 

[Teal]

Yes both my jig rods are left.  My punching rod is left and so is one of my spinning rods.  I like that quick pitch and no need to switch on those rods

[GTN-NY]

I’m very right handed. Left hand is just going along for the ride. I always thought it would make more sense to control the rod with my dominant hand. Left hand can handle going around in circles but man it would be great to cast with either hand. Docks would be so much easier 

[BrianMDTX]

I use both. And from my perspective, equally well. One nicety about a L/H reel for a right-hander is not having to switch hands for holding the rod. Not that switching is hard, but it’s one less thing to do. 

[dodgeguy]

I ordered a lefty by accident. I'm thinking of keeping it and using it for pitching and flipping.The only thing I don't know is if I can get used to reeling lefty. When I tried my friends it felt weird. I have no problem reeling a spinning reel lefty but baitcast feels weird.i do like the idea of being instantly ready to hammer a fish after a pitch.

[TnRiver46]

I use both. It’s a long story that I’ve posted many times before but it’s not hard to learn casting with your off hand. 

32 minutes ago, dodgeguy said:

I ordered a lefty by accident. I'm thinking of keeping it and using it for pitching and flipping.The only thing I don't know is if I can get used to reeling lefty. When I tried my friends it felt weird. I have no problem reeling a spinning reel lefty but baitcast feels weird.i do like the idea of being instantly ready to hammer a fish after a pitch.

You can get used to it, I got one on accident 30 years ago and now I buy R or L 

[FishTank]

I could use both but prefer left handed reels.  I cast with my right and reel with my left, never switching hands.  It just feels natural now. 

 

I do clean a couple of reels in the winter for a few buddies (just finished 4 of them), all right handed.  I take them out and test them before giving them back if the water isn't frozen just to make sure they are in top shape.  I have found that I can pitch and flip better with some right handed reels due to an old injury (broken hand and wrist) than I can with a left handed reel.  I may add a right hander in the future. 

 

[Captain Phil]

I am right handed.  Back when I was actively fishing tournaments, I trained myself to use left handed casting reels when worm fishing. I seemed to have better control when working the worm and my hook set was much firmer.   It wasn't hard for me because I also use spinning tackle which I hold in my right hand and crank with my left.  I still have a few left handed casting reels laying around.  These days, I fish worms with spinning tackle because it is easier on my hands and arms. 

[Lead Head]

When I was little, I would cast (pretty poorly) with both hands. My grandfather did it that way, so I wanted to be like him. My senior year in HS, I had major reconstructive surgery on my right wrist (I'm right handed, and was mostly a right hand caster to this point). I decided this was a perfect time to "get good" with my left hand, it seemed right hand reels were ment to be cast with the left hand anyway since I didn't need to switch hands. Between the surgery and me working so hard on getting good left handed, I now am pretty much worthless casting with my right hand. It works out fine, but there are times I really wish I could switch to my right for a better casting angle. The biggest drawback is, when I have used my friends lefty reels, I absolutely struggle with everything about reeling with my left hand. Guess I just didn't spend enough time with a spinning reel before going to baitcasters as the first thing I do with every spinning reel I can remember owning is swap the handle over to make it right hand retrieve. 

 

I'm currently working on at least being capable of casting right handed again, but I don't think I'll ever be able to reel with my left.

[redmeansdistortion]

When I was a kid, left hand retrieve baitcasters were few and far between.  As a result, I cast and reel with my right.  I've tried using left hand retrieve many times over the years but just can't get used to it due to the lack of fine motor skills.

[APK62]

I use a LH baitcasters for Pitching/Flipping, Jigs and T-Rigs. The rest I use RH baircasters. 

[TBAG]

No way, only LH retrieve for me. I grew up fishing as a young kid and learned on a spinning reel so the LH baitcaster was a natural progression in my case. I'm right handed btw.

[MickD]

I cast with the right, often two handed, and have both left and right BC reels.  I don't have a problem going back and forth.  I think for most people it just takes practice, getting used to it. 

[A-Jay]

I tried it a few years ago ~

Purchased one Left handed casting reel "Just to see".

Did it for a very short time but eventually gave it up.

Made me think too much.

Never a good thing for me.

A-Jay

[NHBull]

I am left eye dominant and left hand dominant, but ambidextrous with handguns, rifles, golf.  I have tried RH reels and casting left and it doesn't  work.......I wish it did since my vision in my right eye is failing.  At least left hand reels are plentiful now?

[NoShoes]

Right handed fish lefty. Never made sense to me to have my weak hand do the important stuff (set hook, hold the rod, detect bites). 

[MN Fisher]

On 12/29/2020 at 8:11 AM, NHBull said:

I am left eye dominant and left hand dominant, but ambidextrous with handguns, rifles, golf.  I have tried RH reels and casting left and it doesn't  work.......I wish it did since my vision in my right eye is failing.  At least left hand reels are plentiful now?

 

9 minutes ago, NoShoes said:

Right handed fish lefty. Never made sense to me to have my weak hand do the important stuff (set hook, hold the rod, detect bites). 

Since I lost my right eye almost six years ago, I've had to adjust for tracking because of lost of binocular vision - also sucks that I can't watch 3-D movies anymore.

 

I'm right handed, but I've always done 'heavy work' with my left...so all the rod work is done with my left hand as it's the stronger one. Right is for 'delicate' work.

 

Only reels I've ever had that were left-handle were my old Pflueger 640 spinning reel - which is retired despite being in 9+/10 mechanical condition, and my old Mitchell 320 - which was basically destroyed about 25 years ago.

[Denny]

I always felt most comfy with the rod in my right hand, seeing as I'm right handed.  I got my first BC this year after fishing the last 10 years with spinning gear, so it just felt natural to keep reeling with my left hand and keep the important stuff in my right hand.  I spent an hour at the tackle shop switching back and forth between left and right BC’s and the right just felt wrong every time I picked it up

[Crankin4Bass]

Both. I'm right handed and most of my reels are right handed. This year I tried a left handed reel for topwater and I like it. I found I'm so much better at imparting action, like walking the dog, with my dominant right hand. I guess I could have used spinning reels I already own for topwater but the bait monkey said NO. ? 

 

Still prefer cranking with a right handed reel.

[Fishnski48]

I have both but favor LH. Lots of Fly fishing and Spin fishing with LH retrieve.  My first BC was RH and I thought why am I switching.. just go with a Leftie.  All my salt water experience wasn't really casting more drop and troll even though retrieve was on  the RH side.

 

[dodgeguy]

Mounted it on a rod tonight. Put line on. Will try it out pitching in the yard tommorow.Didnt feel bad reeling line on.

[Tennessee Boy]

On 12/28/2020 at 7:44 PM, dodgeguy said:

Does anybody use both ? Are there advantages to using both ? I was thinking of pitching with a lefty.

I do every time I go fishing.  I’m right handed.   I use left had reels on my bottom contact rods so I can use my dominant hand to impart the magical action on the lure.  I use right hand reels on my fast retrieve rods so I can use my dominant hand to do all that cranking.

[dodgeguy]

I just took my new lefty Lews Custom lite out in the back yard to try it out pitching. It's amazing. The reel weighs nothing. The spool is so light it makes pitching effortless. Casts are also further than my tournament pro . I like the lefty crank for pitching so I don't have to switch hands. You can fire off pitch after pitch.