Casting and Reeling With the Same Hand

[papajoe222]

I've been doing this since I began using a baitcaster; cast, switch hands, then reel.  The weird thing is with spinning gear my rod stays in my right hand. I was gifted a couple of Revos and they're left hand retrieve. I'm thinking of practicing with them over the winter, for no other reason than to give me something to do during the 'ice age.'  I've attempted this more than once, but it was during fishing season and I would quickly put that rod away.

For those that don't switch hands: Have you always done it that way, or did you learn it at some point?

[LCG]

I'm right handed, and only use left hand baitcasting reels. Started fishing about 10 years ago, learned baitcasters about 7 years ago. Started with left hand reels as it just felt more natural to me. 

 

My understanding is that further back in time, they didn't make left handed reels or they were harder to come by, so naturally people used them and that's how they learned. I could be wrong.

 

I don't plan on changing. But, not saying either way is right or wrong. Whatever works best for the user.

[ElGuapo928]

I’m left handed, but cast with my right hand…..after the cast I switch to my left hand and reel with the right. With the spinning rods I reel left handed.
 

I bought a left handed baitcaster a few years back and absolutely hated it - just felt wrong across the board.

[Hammer 4]

I'm a righty, and use left handed reels. My reason for doing so, is that I want my Dominate hand to be working the rod, which is more important that cranking with it. Also it eliminates having to switch hands. I've had bass hit my lure even before it hits the water, and the time it takes to change hands may cause a lost bite. 

[Susky River Rat]

The only rod I switch’s hands with is my musky rod with the tranx 500. They only off the 500 in right retrieve. Everything else j get in left retrieve. It just makes more sense to me. 

[GRiver]

I fish with left handed baitcaster, cast right, crank left. I can with with right handed reels but doesn’t feel natural. 

[TnRiver46]

I can go either way with baitcasting but not with spinning 

[Mike L]

Like you I’ve just always just done it the same way. 
Right handed, cast right, switch, reel right. 
It just feels more natural, could never get the same feel casting right, reeling left. 
 

When I used to use spinning gear It’s the opposite, cast right and reel left and THAT felt more natural fir some reason. 
Taught all the kids the same way. 

Once you get proficient at it you really don’t even think about it. 
Most times during a normal cast, you’re ready to go before the lure even hits the water. 
 

Total personal preference 

 

 

 

 

Mike

 

[Catt]

5 hours ago, Hammer 4 said:

I've had bass hit my lure even before it hits the water,

 

So the bass jumped up in the air & caught your lure mid flight?

 

Interesting 😉

 

17 minutes ago, Mike L said:

Total personal preference 

 

Agreed!

 

Even though the Pros push not switching hands many of them do. Watch KVD videos 

[12poundbass]

I’m left handed. I cast with my left and reel with my right with both set ups. I’ve never thought to try switching hands. It’s always made sense to me to have my power arm/hand in full control.

[Tennessee Boy]

6 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

For those that don't switch hands: Have you always done it that way, or did you learn it at some point?

In the 1990’s I taught myself and practiced some in the back yard first.  It wasn’t hard.  I like working the bait with my dominant hand.  
 

I still switch hands so I can crank with my dominant hand with fast retrieve baits like crankbaits.

[A-Jay]

In my world, a Spinning rod is in my right hand and I reel with my left.

Casting rods held in my left hand and I reel with my right hand.

I cast two-handed so transferring the gear hand to hand is routine and 'just happens'.

Don't have to think about it. 

Tried to do the old switcheroo with casting gear and it didn't work out.

Never even considered it with spinning gear.

I am right hand dominant, but feel pretty confident

with the rod in either hand when the pressure is on.

Finally regardless of which gear I'm hooked up with, once a fish gets 'close to the boat', the rod always ends up in the right arm while I net the beast with my left.

No middle ground on that one. 

Fish Hard

A-Jay

[LrgmouthShad]

From the time I bought my first baitcaster, I bought them with the handle on the left side since I am right hand dominant. Just made sense to me. 

[scaleface]

However I do it , its probably wrong.

[BrianMDTX]

@TnRiver46 I am the same. Spinning is reel left-only. Baitcasting I can do both equally well (have both left and right reels). 

[MN Fisher]

I'm the weirdo again - I'm right handed, but my left is stronger/steadier...reason I'm a righty shooting rifles, but a lefty with pistols.

 

All my reels are set up as right-hand retrieve...and I cast with my left...no switching involved.

[Mike L]

As I said earlier, I cast and reel right but when pitching it’s easier and much quicker to make all subsequent pitches left after the initial one. 
 

Just bringing it up and out again saves time and gets back in water ready to pull the trigger. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

[2tall79]

"I've had bass hit my lure even before it hits the water, and the time it takes to change hands may cause a lost bite."

Me too. My PB smallie   snatched a spinnerbait out of the air before it touched water. 

[Catt]

When I started using baitcasting reels back in the early 60s, there were no "left" handed reels. If all you have to beat me is which hand your reel is in...you ain't got much!

 

Whether you're right-handed or left-handed, your dominant arm has the advantage of being stronger simply because you use it more often in day-to-day activities.

 

I'm right handed but when I boxed & fought full contact Karate my knock out power was in my left hand.

[Pat Brown]

I honestly don't care.  I like left handed baitcasters a smidge more for topwaters and Jerkbaits but for everything else it doesn't matter much.  And honestly could go either way, either way.

 

I have to cast with my right AND my left hand regardless of which side the crank shaft is on the reel.  I don't like manipulating a frog or a jerkbait with my left hand...just feels weird....but I can do it.  Everything else is pretty basic and I am equally  proficient both ways I suppose.

[WRB]

Learned in the 50’s to cast right handed and switch to the left hand to retrieve lures using my right hand. When spinning reels 1st came out the handle was on the left side so cast right handed and reel left hand.

Left hand casting reels were rare until the mid 80’s and spinning reels became universal left out right handed.

My fishing partner had only left hand reels and tried them but didn't feel right and my strike detection was poor compared to decades of holding the casting rod in the left hand.

With a few hours of practice the casting motion should be decent, hand eye coordination will take more time.

Probably should have learned left hand casting because I am left eye dominate.

 

Tom

[Will Ketchum]

I once worked with a guy who lost one hand up to the elbow. He would cast with the good hand and switch the rod to the other side holding it between his elbow and his side and crank with the good hand. He made it work.

[garroyo130]

I had to teach myself to fish and spincast taught me to retrieve right handed. From there went to baitcaster, also right handed retrieve. Last reel I learned was spinning and it only seemed natural to swap the handle to reel right handed too ... 

[fishhugger]

i'm right handed. i learned to bait cast a couple years ago.  it simply made sense to me to not have to switch hands after casting. for both spin and bait casting i hold the rod with rh, reel with the lh.  so no switching hands bait casting. that just seemed so odd to me...  i can bait cast with either hand.

it's interesting how so many guys find different ways to be comfortable and all the various hand combinations, to do certain things with a certain hand... and some guys just do both, or either! 

[bulldog1935]

My daughter has always cast, switched hands, and reeled right-handed.