Left-handed casting?

[J Francho]

I'm selling on this whole "set with the stronger arm" thing. I'm of slight build, like a buck-fifty wet, and I have no doubt that many of your "weak arms" are much stronger than both of my arms put together. But I guarantee I run a harder stump puller hookset than most. In fact, anyone that fishes with me for the first time sees me swing, and are usually shocked, LOL.

Its not from brute strength though, its leverage. Perhaps the fact that I've been playing drums for 30 years has some effect, but I don't feel like my left is any weaker, just slightly less coordinated.

Good hook sets are required for certain bait, like weedless jigs or worms, and for both baits, we generally prefer a longer, MH to H rod.

Why?

Most will say to lift the fish from cover, but before that even happens, the longer rod means more tip speed which equals more line pickup and more potential force created to set the hook. The heavier power rod transmits that force back to the hook.

Using braided lines or lines with less stretch works toward this goal as well.

Bottom line, reel with whatever side is more comfortable.  If you think there is a weakness in your hookset, examine all the parts.  Maybe learning to reel with your other hand will help, but I doubt it.

[TheBeast]

I once had a fish blow up on a spinnerbait the second it hit the water.  Fortunately I landed it.  Was casting on a spinning rod and when he hit I cranked the bail shut (sinful I know) and hauled back on him and landed him.  He was a keeper too at 15" long.

Had the same thing happen to me on my first 5 lb. fish, if it hadn't been for fishing left and being ready to set the hook and reel instantly I wouldn't have gotten it.

Why should it be different?

I guess you didn't bother to read through the referenced

thread I posted on page 1:

Re: Why is the reel handle on the right

Reply #15 - Aug 22nd 2007 at 11:37:12

By George Welcome

Let's get technical, as there are in fact reasons, not just some lame holdover from days past that put the handles where they are.

What will move the fish during retrieval is placed to the strong hand!

A baitcast is designed to be used as a winch, so it is the reel that retrieves the fish. Hence if you are right handed the handle is in your right hand.

A spinning reel is designed to pick up unloaded or loose line, not retrieve the fish. Hence it is the rod that does the retrieval, so it is the rod that is in your strong hand. If you are right handed then the pole goes to the right hand.

That makes very littel sense and I believe it is just a fancy worded up excuse.  

Hey Rooster you mentione casting position and moving your hand anyway.  I don't know about anyone else but when I cast my right hand is in the same position it is in when I reel palming the reel.  How short is your thumb or how big a real are you using that you can't hit the realeas and thumb the spool from the palming position?

Did anyone else watch Elias bring in those fish for the record and watch him changing hands while bringing in a 8+ on a crankbait just so he could release the spool and give line and then have to change hands again to start reeling again.  I was watching this just knowing he was apt to lose any one of those fish during one of those hand switches.

[Hooked_On_Bass]

I once had a fish blow up on a spinnerbait the second it hit the water. Fortunately I landed it. Was casting on a spinning rod and when he hit I cranked the bail shut (sinful I know) and hauled back on him and landed him. He was a keeper too at 15" long.

Had the same thing happen to me on my first 5 lb. fish, if it hadn't been for fishing left and being ready to set the hook and reel instantly I wouldn't have gotten it.

Why should it be different?

I guess you didn't bother to read through the referenced

thread I posted on page 1:

Re: Why is the reel handle on the right

Reply #15 - Aug 22nd 2007 at 11:37:12

By George Welcome

Let's get technical, as there are in fact reasons, not just some lame holdover from days past that put the handles where they are.

What will move the fish during retrieval is placed to the strong hand!

A baitcast is designed to be used as a winch, so it is the reel that retrieves the fish. Hence if you are right handed the handle is in your right hand.

A spinning reel is designed to pick up unloaded or loose line, not retrieve the fish. Hence it is the rod that does the retrieval, so it is the rod that is in your strong hand. If you are right handed then the pole goes to the right hand.

That makes very littel sense and I believe it is just a fancy worded up excuse.

x2! ;D

[Raul]

there's not too many left hand retrieve bait casters out there?

Not entirely accurate, I 'd say that most bc reels are offered in both versions, there are companies like Shimano that may not offer lefty versions in some models, but most BCs are offered in both versions, the reatailer may only offer righty versions, but that is not the companie 's fault, it 's the retailer 's fault.

One thing I don 't get is why Shimano doesn 't offer lefty versions for certain models when you can find the lefty version in JDM, an example of that is the Calais 100A, it 's only offered in righty but the JMD Antares 100AR ( the same reel with different name ) is offered in both versions.  :-?, of course somebody is going to tell me that lefty reels don 't sell as much as righties, or that it 's a matter of investing in tooling n 'such, I would understand it if for example the reel is being developed or so, but hey, Calais ' are made in Japan, how come Japan has the lefty version ? they already got the tools, all they need is to print the box CALAIS 101 and that 's it.

[Strike King]

When i was a kid my dad took me to a fishing/bait store to buy my 1st spinning reel. the salesman asked me if i was right or left handed. I said that i was right handed so he showed me a Mitchell 300 that cranks on the left. He said that since im right handed that i should cast/control the fish with my strongest hand/arm. I still use those 300's and 300c's to this day. so for me its how i started and how i will finish lol. My baitcasters also crank on the left. I cast with the strong arm and crank with the weaker with no switching. a buddy of mine is right handed with a spinning reel with the crank on the right. so he casts with the right hand then switches the rod to his left to retrieve. it look very awkward. just my .02 cents :-)

[Bassn Blvd]

You should be proficient casting left or right handed.  

[SirSnookalot]

Totally agree with strikeking.  More power on the rod and better coordination at least for me.

Not unusal down here in fla to catch peacocks or jacks 2 at a time on the same lure.

[Strike King]

Totally agree with strikeking. More power on the rod and better coordination at least for me.

Not unusal down here in fla to catch peacocks or jacks 2 at a time on the same lure.

:-)

ok now that sounds fun !!!

[Tokyo Tony]

I think George Welcome's explanation makes perfect sense, at least if you're fighting fish correctly.

There's a lot more strain on your cranking hand with baitcasting reels than with spinning, and a lot more strain on your rod-holding hand with spinning reels. Why not put the greater amount of strain in your stronger/more coordinate hand/arm?

I understand if you don't feel comfortable reeling with your right hand because you grew up with spinning gear. In that case, the benefits of reeling a baitcaster lefty probably outweigh the disadvantages.

Personally, I would feel very uncomfortable using a lefty baitcaster, just as I would feel uncomfortable using a righty spinning reel.