Using reels the "wrong way"

[new2BC4bass]

bulldog;  I don't get peeved, but I admit I don't understand it.  If it's the only way he can crank RH, then why doesn't he crank LH?  Okay.  Reread your post.  I'm guessing Lou and Susie crank with different hands?

 

It seems to me that cranking as shown in Mr. Franco's picture would result in less cranking power.  Of course that could just be me.

[Bird]

2 hours ago, new2BC4bass said:

We laugh, but I have seen this many times. 

I actually had to go outside and try it for myself and observed the following. 

 

(1) gravity wants to flop the reel.

(2) hooksets would obviously be compromises by eliminating anti-reverse.

(3) the longer guide perches on spinning rods receive much greater stress in this unorthodox position. 

(4) have to believe hand fatigue would set in while fighting fish. 

Just to name a few.

 

[bulldog1935]

1 hour ago, new2BC4bass said:

bulldog;  I don't get peeved...

no reason to get peeved, we'll be fishing here all winter

 

nobody is going to go out and buy a spinning reel to fish upside-down - it's a matter of expediency and muscle memory. 

[new2BC4bass]

6 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

no reason to get peeved, we'll be fishing here all winter

I want to move down by my wife's family where I can also fish year round.  Deland, FL area.  One of my B-I-L's loves bass fishing and needs a partner for safety reasons.  We both are old farts. 

[schplurg]

I can cast right or left with spinners and casters. I'd prefer not to switch hands, but due to tendinitis I do whatever feels good that day. I cast better righty, although I am used to casting a caster lefty. Holding the rod and reeling don't matter to me.

 

I figure switching hands is the best time to drop a rod. This ever happen to you guys? Curious.

[uglyasheck]

On 12/14/2021 at 10:54 AM, J Francho said:

The only wrong way to do things:

 

When I was growing up the local lake manager had an old alumnium boat and he would sit on the very front of the boat, anchor down and bass fish with his spinning reel just like this. he would cast out turn it around and turn the handle very slow and he would hook his plastic worm in the head then twist the worm then insert the tip of the hook that way as he reeled in it turn in the worm giving it action. He caught a lot of fish.

[islandbass]

On 12/15/2021 at 9:54 PM, schplurg said:

I can cast right or left with spinners and casters. I'd prefer not to switch hands, but due to tendinitis I do whatever feels good that day. I cast better righty, although I am used to casting a caster lefty. Holding the rod and reeling don't matter to me.

 

I figure switching hands is the best time to drop a rod. This ever happen to you guys? Curious.

Given my non-grip fingers, I am more likely than others to do this,lol. However it has not yet happened. Regardless of which reel I use,I usually cast two handed. The extra hand (the one closest to the butt) reduces the chances of dropping the rig and IMHO, practically eliminates potential fatigues to my wrist and forearm that can occur from single hand casting. I’m into fishing for life, lol. Tendinitis and fishing don’t mix. You know you’re in trouble when you can’t pick up a coffee mug without pain. Imagine fishing all day. Ouch!!!

[Dash Riprock]

As a kid I started out with a cheapie Zebco RH spincaster, then at some point my dad got me a Zebco spinning reel that, while reversible, came set up LH. I didn't know enough to question it at the time, and it seemed like that was how everybody did it, so that's how I did it for many years even as I upgraded to a real (RH) baitcaster. But I always wondered if there was a reason spinning reels were usually LH and baitcasters RH.

 

A couple of years ago I started getting more serious about this hobby and starting reading boards like this. The issue came up from time to time and was very interesting to me, particularly the argument about having to "switch hands" after casting. I'm extremely RH dominant and cannot for the life of me cast left handed, so not switching hands seemed like it would be an advantage, and, since I already reel spinning reels LH, why wouldn't it work for a baitcaster? Seems perfectly logical. So I kept my eyes open for a deal on a LH baitcaster and a few months ago purchased a LH Shimano Curado K from the flea market.

 

Turns out I can reel a spinning reel left handed all day long without a thought but it's awkward for me to reel this baitcaster left handed. I can force myself to do it, but it feels awkward. I don't know why, I guess it became ingrained at some point. I thought about reselling the LH Curado but it's otherwise such a fantastic feeling reel I figure I'll just continue to work with it and see what happens. 

[Dash Riprock]

To briefly add - when I'm throwing the LH Curado, force of habit quite often has me switching the rod back to my left hand after casting, resulting in the handle digging into my left palm while my right hand grasps at air looking for that handle on that side. I have to constantly remind myself that "hey dummy, this is your leftie reel".

 

These old habits die hard, apparently.

1 hour ago, uglyasheck said:

When I was growing up the local lake manager had an old alumnium boat and he would sit on the very front of the boat, anchor down and bass fish with his spinning reel just like this. he would cast out turn it around and turn the handle very slow and he would hook his plastic worm in the head then twist the worm then insert the tip of the hook that way as he reeled in it turn in the worm giving it action. He caught a lot of fish.

That's so bizarre. The spinning reel wants to flip over, I can't imagine fighting gravity in addition to all the other things you have to worry about while fishing.

 

Plus aren't you forced to reel backwards? 

[cheezyridr]

like some others, i can cast either hand,  but i prefer casting and cranking with the right hand with baitcasters, and cranking left hand with spinning rods.  for whatever reason, i like a casting rod to be in my left hand for the retrieve, and spinning rods to be right hand during the retrieve.

 

On 12/16/2021 at 12:54 AM, schplurg said:

I figure switching hands is the best time to drop a rod. This ever happen to you guys? Curious.

 

not that i can recall.  i've been doing it so long, i don't even think about it, i just do it. 

[cyclops2]

I Have always been right handed. The Right is faster & stronger. So it always holds any rod during a cast.  Spin or Fly.   The left hand is the cranking hand.  It works for me.

When I bait casted 40 years ago was last time with a level winder.  CAst spool up to brake as needed. Then put spool facing down & left hand crank.   With bad joints I will be using more right hand cranking.

[Diggy]

On 12/14/2021 at 11:54 AM, J Francho said:

The only wrong way to do things:

 

[Skunkmaster-k]

I cast both spinning and casting rods right handed and reel both right handed.       Sometimes I even turn my spinning reel upside down and crank it backwards just for fun. 

[schplurg]

6 hours ago, islandbass said:

Given my non-grip fingers, I am more likely than others to do this,lol. However it has not yet happened. Regardless of which reel I use,I usually cast two handed. The extra hand (the one closest to the butt) reduces the chances of dropping the rig and IMHO, practically eliminates potential fatigues to my wrist and forearm that can occur from single hand casting. I’m into fishing for life, lol. Tendinitis and fishing don’t mix. You know you’re in trouble when you can’t pick up a coffee mug without pain. Imagine fishing all day. Ouch!!!

 

Ya I always cast two-handed as well, except pitching etc.

[schplurg]

5 hours ago, Diggy said:

Gee what a shock.

[desmobob]

[KP Duty]

On 12/14/2021 at 10:53 AM, Kirt Howe said:

  This saves me from having to switch the rod from one hand to the other between casting and reeling. It also prevents the problem of being unprepared when a fish strikes the moment the lure touches down.  At first blush, you would not think casting with one hand and reeling with the other would save much time, but over the course of a day, it can really add up.

You may not be switching hands during/after a cast,  but don't you need to move your hand from the casting position on the rod handle to palming the reel?  Also, I switch hands while my bait is still airborn...near the end of the cast.  Just some food for thought...

[MN Fisher]

2 hours ago, KP Duty said:

You may not be switching hands during/after a cast,  but don't you need to move your hand from the casting position on the rod handle to palming the reel?

For those who palm a reel - I don't.

 

I also cast left - retrieve right whether it's BC or Spin.

[Craig P]

Reeling isn’t the thing that I scratch my head about but hook setting I do. I cannot understand how someone who uses one arm for casting, I would assume, it is there dominant hand, does not use their dominant hand to set the hook.

 

I understand most people are ambidextrous in many ways, I am myself but when comparing casting and hooking, I would think the same hand / arm would be preferred?

[Maggiesmaster]

The only good thing about being a lefty is that I can cast with my left hand & reel with my right on the ‘old style’ baitcasters. 

[GRiver]

I have always casted right handed and reeled with my left. I can cast right hand and switch and reel right handed, but it feels awkward. 
Can I cast left handed?…… ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!

I couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn , even if I was inside with all the doors and windows shut…..I’m a danger to myself and everything around me.