Left handed baitcasting reel

[MJack]

I grew up using right handed baitcasting reels. Recently, I was given a left handed one for Christmas. I’m trying to decide whether to keep it or return it for a right handed one. Any experience with making this switch? Would it be awkward to have some rods with a right handed reel and others with a left handed one? Are there applications better suited to a left handed one like fishing a plastic worm or pitching? It feels weird in my hand, but maybe I’d get used to it. Thanks for any advice! 

[Finessegenics]

Pitching and punching with a left handed reel makes a lot of sense to me. In the end it is a preference thing. If you never give it a shot, then you’ll never know. I only use left handed reels.

[Phil77]

I'm ambidextrous but have always fished right handed, even spinning reels. I've known a few guys who have switched to lefty and prefer it. I'm a simple creature and have no desire to switch.

[PhishLI]

Learning to use both will help make you more versatile on a boat and even on the bank. It's definitely an advantage.

[OkobojiEagle]

Be comfortable... trade it.

 

oe

[PressuredFishing]

1 hour ago, MJack said:

I grew up using right handed baitcasting reels. Recently, I was given a left handed one for Christmas. I’m trying to decide whether to keep it or return it for a right handed one. Any experience with making this switch? Would it be awkward to have some rods with a right handed reel and others with a left handed one? Are there applications better suited to a left handed one like fishing a plastic worm or pitching? It feels weird in my hand, but maybe I’d get used to it. Thanks for any advice! 

If you don't like it I'd just take it back, nothing worse than a reel you don't like.

[ironbjorn]

When I got into bass fishing I wasn't aware that there are left handed reels. In those days my reels came from Walmart in the form of Abu Garcia Black Max and Silver Max, all right handed (that's all they carry). I wasn't even aware of the plethora of reels available and I thought these Max series reels were among the best because that's what the big box stores carry. When I did find out about much better reels and decided that it was time for me to get into them, my research online lead me to the option of right handed or left handed. Totally blew my mind. I'm as right handed as any right handed person. Fighting the fish and working the baits and getting the right action ALWAYS felt awkward and awful to me. I'm right handed, why am I using my weak side to fight fish? Why is my weak side holding the long stick trying to get the right action? All my right hand does is turn a handle. So I went lefty, and I never went back. It's far more natural.

[RDB]

I’m going to reel with the side I am more coordinated with and that’s my right hand.  Plus, if I’m going to hand land or boat flip a good bass, I’m not going to risk it lefty if I don’t have to.

 

IMO, you would be better off learning to cast and pitch from both sides.  There are always times you are going to have to switch hands depending on the direction you are going or access to your target.  For me, that is way more useful.

[FrankN209]

I'd trade it and get one that is meant for you. No reason to switch left and right, it doesn't give any advantage...

[new2BC4bass]

4 hours ago, PhishLI said:

Learning to use both will help make you more versatile on a boat and even on the bank. It's definitely an advantage.

Have to agree with you and disagree with Frank.  However, if the OP doesn't want to learn to use both hands, then I agree he should exchange it for a reel he would use.

 

There has been a time or two when I was glad I could switch rod arms.  At my age dragging a spinnerbait thru weeds can tire out my rod arm after awhile.  I'm more than happy to be able to switch arms. 

[evo2s197]

I use both depending on the technique, if you are right handed you might find you like a left handed reel for better lure manipulation such as topwater and vice versa, also most of the time your dominant hand is usually more sensitive as far as touch and feeling, so it would make since to reel with your less dominant hand and hold the rod with your dominant.

[volzfan59]

I've tried reeling with my left hand, just wasn't comfortable for me. I had two or three left handed reels. Sold all three.

[RDB]

If fishing lefty feels more comfortable, you should switch.  If you need lefty & righty for stamina reasons, carry both.  Otherwise, I can’t see where carrying both left and right is practical or optimal.  IMO, you should choose one side or the other.  Remember, even if you “technically” don’t have to switch hands after a cast or pitch, most people palm their baitcasters when reeling which is typically not how you hold when casting or pitching, so you are going to have to readjust your palming hand anyway.  Your better solution is to learn to pitch and cast from both sides.  Then no matter how the cover your targeting sets up, you can access it from any angle without switching reels.

[RDB]

53 minutes ago, evo2s197 said:

I use both depending on the technique, if you are right handed you might find you like a left handed reel for better lure manipulation such as topwater and vice versa, also most of the time your dominant hand is usually more sensitive as far as touch and feeling, so it would make since to reel with your less dominant hand and hold the rod with your dominant.

So why not just switch to lefty.  Both of your examples above suggest using a left handed reel.  What value are you getting from the right handed reel that you can’t get from left handed.  In my view, this is just overcomplicating things.

[moguy1973]

I am right handed but I reel with my left hand.  My right hand is my strong hand so I prefer to work the rod with that hand.  Plus I cast with my right and I can start reeling with my left as soon as it hits the water instead of having to switch hands to start reeling.

 

[Deephaven]

Whatever you do learn to cast with the hand you are not reeling with.  That is more important than the side you reel on although rather related.  If you do everything on the rod with your left reel with your right or vice versa.

[evo2s197]

1 hour ago, RDB said:

So why not just switch to lefty.  Both of your examples above suggest using a left handed reel.  What value are you getting from the right handed reel that you can’t get from left handed.  In my view, this is just overcomplicating things.

I prefer right handed reels for all moving baits, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, swimbaits etc.

[RDB]

Bottom line MJack, decide what hand you would like to reel with and go with it.  I would not keep the left handed reel on the remote chance that you will be one of the <.1% that uses both left and right handed reels for different techniques.  That’s just fishing advice malpractice IMO.

 

And it’s ok to switch hands if it feels good.  >90% of the pro’s do and that’s how they make their living.  The only one I can think of off the top of my head that doesn’t switch regularly is Seth Feider though I’m sure there are a few more.  Accuracy and consistency is what separates average, good, and great…not whether they switch hands.  However, I can guarantee you that every one of them can cast with both hands.

 

41 minutes ago, Deephaven said:

Whatever you do learn to cast with the hand you are not reeling with.  That is more important than the side you reel on although rather related.  If you do everything on the rod with your left reel with your right or vice versa.

Agree…and then learn the other side to so you don’t have to do everything from one side.

[Cody28]

You need to be comfortable or you won’t use it enough to keep. If you need another reel in your main line up then I would just take it back. If this is more of a cherry on top reel then I’d say give it a chance. In addition to flipping and pitching, lures that require you engage the reel quick like buzzbaits also do better without having to switch hands, but imo the baits that matter the most are any that require working the rod more than the reel. Walking top waters, poppers, frogs, jerkbaits, flukes, etc. Working the rod with my dominant hand makes it these techniques so much more precise. A lot of people I know will put a lefty reel on just their frog/pitching combo since it benefits both just for different reasons, so maybe you can try that out. For me, I’m all in on the left retrieve. 

[islandbass]

Try it first. If it feels uncomfortable and crappy then exchange it. One plus of being able to fish both ways is if one side gets tired, you can switch. Not to common in bass fishing but a skill worth possessing. I bet it won’t even take three outings to get accustomed. I did and I am sure I’m not alone. That said, I prefer LH but can fish with both. 

[Deephaven]

9 hours ago, RDB said:

 

Agree…and then learn the other side to so you don’t have to do everything from one side.

And then you will know if you want some of each reel.

[dodgeguy]

Last Christmas I accidentally ordered a lefty Lew's Custom lite SLP. I decided to try it pitching so I wouldn't have to switch hands . It was awesome. Now I'm planning on switching them all as I need to. I started bait casting in 1990 when almost no lefties existed so I got used to righties and had used them for 31 year before switching..

[GRiver]

I cast right handed… well,….because no one or nothing is safe if I cast left handed. 
Switching hands never quite right…. I can fish that way but it doesn’t feel natural.

Once I tried a lefty bait caster, I never looked back.

All my spinning rigs were all set up to crank left handed so why not my bait casters.

[Mastercaster]

Being right handed, never really understood why one would chose a "right hand" BC reel as you have to switch hands to start reeling. I suppose it is mainly due to availability of left handed BC reels early on. I did not start really using BC reels till late 90s/early 2000 so I had the choice to pick left handed BC reels and it just seemed to be the natural thing to do to keep the rod in my dominate hand for casting and setting the hook. It probably would be nice to be proficient with both hands, especially on those long days on the water. 

[moguy1973]

What would be really awesome is if a reel manufacturer would come up with an ambidextrous bait casting reel where you could move the handle from one side to the other like most spinning reels are able to do.  Doubt that's doable with the gear boxes and such but it would solve the problem of having needing to buy the right one.   Plus it would be cheaper for the manufacturers only needing to make one reel instead of one of each side.