Lefty Righty Reel confusion....

[dallas0996]

So...I am left handed and hold my rod and reel in my left hand to cast and reel and I always have; i even have to switch the handle on spinning reels...So what confuses me is the whole baitcaster setup and lefty vs. righty reels thing...I use right handed bait cast reels (at least I think I am -the handle is on the right when I look down at it)...am I doing something abnormal? Do you right handed guys cast with your left hand? seems "lefty" reels would be more appropriate for "rightys"....

or am I just AFU? :

[dman]

Do a search on this and you will find a lot of info....This topic gets discussed every couple weeks or so....

[Raul]

Let me add a little of my harvest to make it more confusing for you.  

I am right handed, cast with my right arm, by the time the bait hits the water the rod is no longer on my right hand but in my left hand so I can crank the reel handle with the right hand, all my reels have the handle on the right side.

How about that ?  ;D

[roadwarrior]

The bottom line is that there is some technical justification for right

handed people to reel a baitcaster with their right hand. However, the

market today offers left or right hand retrieve on most models. Buy

what you feel most comfortable with.

Here is a discussion from awhile ago:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1187794805

It seems this topic has come up nearly every week this year.

So, if you run a search or look back through the last 20 pages,

you'll find some in depth discussion.

-Kent a.k.a. roadwarrior

Global Moderator

[moloch16]

Last year I switched from right-handed bait casters to left-handed bait casters.  I did this so I wouldn't have to switch hands after the cast.  It took some getting use to but the switch was well worth it.  I'm much more efficient now, and can now start cranking (or set the hook) as soon as the bait hits the water.

[dairy39]

Last year I switched from right-handed bait casters to left-handed bait casters. I did this so I wouldn't have to switch hands after the cast. It took some getting use to but the switch was well worth it. I'm much more efficient now, and can now start cranking (or set the hook) as soon as the bait hits the water.

I did the same thing best switch i ever made ! for the op there is no right or wrong just try them both out at the store and get whatever your more comfortable with .

[smallie.huntin]

I am right handed and when i bought my first bait caster I figured I should reel with the same hand that I do with spinning tackle.  I never really understood why anyone would want to switch mid-cast but it comes down to what is comfortable.   I use lefty reels and will never consider changing.

[kms399]

I would love to crank with my left hand, but that hand is retarded. I loose all coordination when trying to crank fast. that said my ice fishing reels are lefty since I only have to reel in 15' of line.

[Raul]

I would love to crank with my left hand, but that hand is retarded.

Yours too ?

[NBR]

It is what you do after the cast that makes the difference. I cast right and reel right but after the cast I palm the reel with my left hand. Now if I was going to palm the reel with a left handed crank I would need to hold the rod in my left hand and move my casting hand to the palming position. Then grasp the crank. More efficient to cast right and move the reel to my left palm. As Raul does sometimes I move the reel to my left palm before the cast is completed. Buzz baits are a good example.

If there is no great reason for a very accurate cast I might cast with the reel palmed in my left hand then crank right. But I always retreive a baitcaster with the reel palmed in my left hand.

When I started baitcasting there were no left handed cranks and I was and am more accurate casting with my right hand. With left handed crank reels it doesn't make a tinkers d**n which way you do it. What ever works for you is the way to go.

[1inStripes]

I have been pondering this alot here lately myself.  Im still a newbie to BC reels anyway, so I think making the switch to lefty reels would be best at the moment anyway as I start to upgrade and add too my arsenal.  

[Ineedanewscreenname20170204]

I'm relatively new to BC, am RH and have all RH BCs.  I cast 2 handed most of the time and have trained my left thumb to feather the spool.  This allows me to keep my left hand in place the whole time amd move my right hand up just a bit for the crankin.  I'm betting this is extra work casting with both hands but I don't get tired and the accuracy is decent enough.  It seems to work for me but I'm always open to better ideas...  Except swithcing to LH BC...

[lubina]

I did the same thing best switch i ever made !  .

Same here