I need advice

[Fishing guy29]

I’m used to spinning setups with a left handed retrieve (I’m right hand dominant). I want to hop on the bait casting band wagon and need to know if I should stick to left handed retrieve when going into bait casters and what set up would y’all suggest(under $80) as a starter combo. 

[Finessegenics]

Stick with the left hand if that’s what you’re comfortable with. I was in the same situation as you when I started with baitcasters. I tried the “traditional” RH retrieve and it just felt wrong to me. 
 

At 80$, I’d take a look at a black max combo. 

[Allen Der]

I don't think there is a right or wrong answer.  I use left hand spinning and right hand baitcaster.  My first BC was a hand me down so I didn't have a choice in retrieve hands but now that I'm used to it I wouldn't want to switch to a LH BC. 

 

One other thing to note is there are sometimes less choice in LH baitcasters in terms of gear ratios and sizes, although it has gotten better. I have noticed more LH on clearance than RH, so that would seem to indicate a smaller market for LH.

[Michigander]

I'm all left handed bait casters. Right hand retrieve seems silly to me.

#LeftSideIsTheRightSide

[Bubba 460]

I am ambidextrous, I can throw with either hand or catch with either hand.  I bat left handed but would draw a gun on the right... Crazy stuff. But fishing reels... I want handles on the left so my power arm can set the hook. Can't see it any other way and why switch hands casting/reeling?

 

Also, the little, tight turning radius of a bait-caster drives me crazy. I try to get bait casters with a power handles, not the little Jack in the Box winders. But hey, that's just me, everyone is different. Photo for comparison of handle lengths. 

 

 

[JWall14]

I am a righty and use right hand reel casting reels.  My brother is also righty and uses lefty castings reels and neither of us notice anything drastically different except his reels are in stock more often.

[BigAngus752]

I’m a righty and I fish full lefty. It’s a million times more efficient than switching hands after every cast. 
 

@Allen Deris absolutely correct. Sometimes retailers don’t even have LH baitcasters BUT I’m much more likely to get an awesome clearance deal. 

[JWall14]

2 hours ago, BigAngus752 said:

I’m a righty and I fish full lefty. It’s a million times more efficient than switching hands after every cast. 
 

@Allen Deris absolutely correct. Sometimes retailers don’t even have LH baitcasters BUT I’m much more likely to get an awesome clearance deal. 

Very true about the deals. Lefty reels are the last to sell out as well.

[MN Fisher]

3 hours ago, BigAngus752 said:

Sometimes retailers don’t even have LH baitcasters BUT I’m much more likely to get an awesome clearance deal. 

(dangling a tempting target in front of Angus' bait monkey)

Sheels is currently discounting the Pflueger Supreme LH 7.1 by 30% - RH is still full price

https://www.scheels.com/p/pflueger-supreme-low-profile-reel/8950-1315404-BOX.html?cgid=fishing-baitcast-reels

[BigAngus752]

3 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

(dangling a tempting target in front of Angus' bait monkey)

Sheels is currently discounting the Pflueger Supreme LH 7.1 by 30% - RH is still full price

https://www.scheels.com/p/pflueger-supreme-low-profile-reel/8950-1315404-BOX.html?cgid=fishing-baitcast-reels

Although I keep it to myself on here so as not to offend anyone, I am not a fan of Pflueger...and stop trying to spend my money just because I'm an easy mark.  ?

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, BigAngus752 said:

Although I keep it to myself on here so as not to offend anyone, I am not a fan of Pflueger...and stop trying to spend my money just because I'm an easy mark.  ?

Well - our stimulus checks came in...and I ordered a right-hand one from Amazon for $62. It'll make 2 of the Supreme 7.1's I'll have in my arsenal. I was very happy with the one last year...so for me it was a good deal.

[BigAngus752]

1 minute ago, MN Fisher said:

Well - our stimulus checks came in...and I ordered a right-hand one from Amazon for $62. It'll make 2 of the Supreme 7.1's I'll have in my arsenal. I was very happy with the one last year...so for me it was a good deal.

Darn right.  That's a good deal.  And to each their own.  

[MN Fisher]

Just now, BigAngus752 said:

And too each their own.

Yep - I've been using Pfluegers since the 70s and they've always been good to me...this one's replacing a President - trying to get all my BC reels to aluminum frame...only one plastic-frame left now.

 

You don't like them...you don't like them...gotta find what works for you.

[AManWearingAHat]

When I got into bait casting after years of spinning reels with left hand retrieves, I got a right hand retrieve bait caster like all the cool kids..... I sent it back the same day for a left hand. Never looked back. It’s nice not having to switch hands and it feels much more natural for me. 

[the reel ess]

When I started fishing most spinning reels were left handed and all BC reels were right. I used them too long to change anything now. But I'll admit, I don't like left handed spinning. My left is very uncoordinated. I'm very right dominant. But I can't cast left-handed, so It's the best arrangement for me. I cast and reel the baitcaster with my right.

[roadwarrior]

Nearly every spinning reel is adjustable to left or right handle retrieve.

[throttleplate]

1 hour ago, the reel ess said:

When I started fishing most spinning reels were left handed and all BC reels were right. I used them too long to change anything now. But I'll admit, I don't like left handed spinning. My left is very uncoordinated. I'm very right dominant. But I can't cast left-handed, so It's the best arrangement for me. I cast and reel the baitcaster with my right.

in january 2021 i wanted to be able to use my right dominate hand for not just casting and holding the rod but get used to using the right hand for reeling because i reel left handed and felt i needed to spread the wear and tear between the two hands, arms, shoulders after 2 elbow operations and 3 shoulder surgeries.

 

So i started brushig my teeth using left hand only and wow was that unusual after years of only using right hand and just the muscles needed to brush with left got sore for awhile. Also started using left hand for holding things such as screwdrivers, washing dishes.....

 

now that i started fishing again 3 weeks ago i started casting with the left arm and reeling with the right and again wow what a challenge that was to just open and close the bail and hold my finger on the line and rod to make a cast but i kept to it and just the other day i started with casting with my left and reeling with my right and stuck with it and didnt change the handle over all day.

 

So now i am gettin real comfortable with the left i will start switching the handle every couple hours just to even out the wear and tear on my joints.

[the reel ess]

3 minutes ago, throttleplate said:

in january 2021 i wanted to be able to use my right dominate hand for not just casting and holding the rod but get used to using the right hand for reeling because i reel left handed and felt i needed to spread the wear and tear between the two hands, arms, shoulders after 2 elbow operations and 3 shoulder surgeries.

 

So i started brushig my teeth using left hand only and wow was that unusual after years of only using right hand and just the muscles needed to brush with left got sore for awhile. Also started using left hand for holding things such as screwdrivers, washing dishes.....

 

now that i started fishing again 3 weeks ago i started casting with the left arm and reeling with the right and again wow what a challenge that was to just open and close the bail and hold my finger on the line and rod to make a cast but i kept to it and just the other day i started with casting with my left and reeling with my right and stuck with it and didnt change the handle over all day.

 

So now i am gettin real comfortable with the left i will start switching the handle every couple hours just to even out the wear and tear on my joints.

Oh man! I'm too old to want to do that. It all works for me this way.

[MN Fisher]

On 4/14/2021 at 7:17 PM, MN Fisher said:

Well - our stimulus checks came in...and I ordered a right-hand one from Amazon for $62. It'll make 2 of the Supreme 7.1's I'll have in my arsenal. I was very happy with the one last year...so for me it was a good deal.

This crapped out for two reasons

1: I ordered the 7.1:1 - they shipped a 5.4:1

2: Shoddy packing - they just tossed the reel box in a bigger box and let it knock about loose. Reel-box busted open and the reel just wandered around getting who-knows-what kind of damage.

 

Shipped it back after a back-n-forth - says he won't even charge 'restock fee' for it...we'll find out.

[TheBasslayer]

I've always fished with a right handle, and I'm right handed. It's really your preference. Try it out in the store and see if it is right for you. And x2 on the Black Max combo.

[huZZah]

On 4/14/2021 at 12:05 PM, BigAngus752 said:

I’m a righty and I fish full lefty. It’s a million times more efficient than switching hands after every cast. 

Same.  Not to mention working finesse style baits.  Why on Earth use my non-dominant hand?

[Dash Riprock]

Very interesting discussion. This is why I love to lurk on this site.

 

I'm extremely right hand dominant and have always wondered why we use left handed spinning reels. I guess that's how I started out so I never really had a problem, but have always thought it odd.

 

Now I learn that some righties use left handed casting reels so the the dominant hand has better control of the rod, which makes perfect sense in the abstract. Plus, there's no way I could even attempt to cast anything left handed, so yeah, the idea of not having to switch hands after every cast is appealing. But I don't know if my mind can process a left handed casting reel - just thinking about it seems weird to me, which is stupid because I already use left handed spinning reels. 

 

I dunno, y'all really got me rethinking some things right now. Guess I'll have to pick up a left handed casting reel on clearance somewhere and try this out for myself. It's the only way to be sure, right?

[K1500]

I was a longtime spinning rod/LH retrieve fisherman. I had a few bait casters in LG retrieve before I got my first RH retrieve. It was a bit strange for a while but now it’s no big deal. In fact, I have several of both and don’t even think about the handedness of the reel when I fish.

 

The hand transition is no big deal. It happens as the cast is landing and becomes natural. It also spreads the load out on your arms and shoulders to be able to switch. 

 

Both are nice, and I imaging you will end up with a few of both before it’s all over. 

[Crankin4Bass]

I think the current trends seems to be that if you are just starting out with a bait caster and you are a righty, it probably makes sense to go with LH retrieve. It's more efficient.

 

A lot of us older guys started out when only RH retrieve bait casters were available, so that feels normal to us. Although it felt very weird at first, I am slowly moving over to LH retrieve. I do still like RH for moving lures.

 

At the end of the day, the fish don't know. Go with what feels more comfortable to you.

[Denny]

New to baitcasters last year, went to the local shop and they let me fool around with RH and LH reels for what was probably an hour.  I do everything righty, EXCEPT reel. RH retrieve just felt wrong every time I picked it up. The LH just felt natural.  Before plopping down those green backs, get them in your hands if you can. The choice should be obvious then for you