Left handed, right handed, what the heck?

[ohioriverrat]

I have several spinning setups. All are left hand retrieve (rod in right hand). I also have several level wind setups. All are right hand retieve (rod in left hand). I have tried to use the same hand with both types of reel, but either one is uncomfortable being opposite. I'm just more comfortable palming the baitcaster in my left hand, though I must switch hands for the casting phase.

What do you all do?

[aarogb]

    The same thing you do.

     

   

[ChiCityBasser]

My BC's are all left hand retrieve with the rod held in my right hand

[roadwarrior]

This topic comes up a lot. This is what George Welcome wrote and

where I stand:

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.

8-)

[TheHammer84]

I fish spinning and baitcasting with the rod in my left hand and reel with my right.

[dan1942]

RW

That makes sense!  I recently switched and got a new BC Left Hand as I am left handed and I couldnt be happier.  After years of using a right hand BC's I am so glad I made the switch.

Dan

[Bronzefly]

Spinning gear - rod in right hand, handle in left

Casting moving baits - right hand retrieve casting reels

Bottom contact baits - left hand retrieve casting reels

I've made the switch to left handed reels for the majority of my bottom contact lures.  I've found it fantastic for dragging big football jigs or big worms in deeper water as I have my right hand/arm available for a monster hookset ;D  Also when pitching to cover, I'm more accurate pitching with my right hand and it's more natural to just be immediately ready to engage the reel and set the hook.  I still haven't gotten the feel for moving baits - buzzbaits, cranks, etc. with lefty reels, but I'm playing around with it.  It's nice to be able to use both because I find twice the amount of great deals!! 8-)

[ohioriverrat]

RW, thank you very much for that explanation. I swear I thought I was dyslexic for a while, but honestly, using either type reel was foreign to me when in opposite hands. I just wondered about the extra move needed switch hands everytime I cast with the BC.

[says to self:] I am normal, I am normal, I am normal...

[islandbass]

You spin me right round baby, right round, like a record baby, right round, right round....

;D

Spinning - Left

Casting - Left

[.RM.]

roadwarrior,

I am right handed......

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

hand!

My rod moves my fish not the reel hence it is in my right hand, as I pump my rod moving the fish or even setting the hook. Once I have fish on I take up lose limp line with my BC reel which I crank with my left hand  (reel only pays out and retrieves the line).

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.

I don't by it. "It is the reel that retrieves the line"

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.

Same exact thing goes for any BC gear I use.

Just my .02¢ on "power hand fishing".

Tight Lines All!!  

[SirSnookalot]

The rod holds and moves the fish, the reel no matter b/c, spinning or even fly retrieves line.

The "winch" explanation is simply a thought that doesn't cut it in my book, the spool is turning and picking up line regardless which way it's mounted on a reel.  If one is to believe the "winch" theory, then it would apply to a spinning reel as well.  I will admit to the eye a conventional reel looks like it could be a winch and the spinner doesn't.

[rubba bubba]

If one is to believe the "winch" theory, then it would apply to a spinning reel as well.

One other comment:  there is a difference between

 - being designed like a winch

   vs.

 - the design is more winch-like than other designs

History doesn't lean towards the originator designing it to be like a winch, but rather the design ended up closer towards a winch than other designs.  There is a difference.

[roadwarrior]

History doesn't lean towards the originator designing it to be like a winch, but rather the design ended up closer towards a winch than other designs.

Hmm...

There is nothing unique about the basic design. "Application" is

the issue. The invention and use of the winch goes back a few

years:

History

The earliest literary reference to a winch can be found in the account of Herodotus of Halicarnassus on the Persian Wars (Histories 7.36), where he describes how wooden winches were used to tighten the cables for a pontoon bridge across the Hellespont in 480 B.C. Winches may have been employed even earlier in Assyria. By the 4th century BC, winch and pulley hoists were regarded by Aristotle as common for architectural use.

8-)

[rubba bubba]

You need to look at the history surrounding the origin of the first baitcaster, not Mesopotamian era construction theory. There is evidence leaning towards the left handedness of the designer; there isn't evidence that anyone has provided (to date) that he wanted it to behave like a winch and so wanted to use his right hand for that (and thus purposefully designed it that way).

[KYntucky Warmouth]

I don't understand why this bothers people either way.  If you like a left hand retrieve, most manufacturers make a left hand version of their reels, no big deal.  I know some people are bothered by switching hands after casting but you reposition your hand after a cast regardless of what hand you cast or retrieve with.

[roadwarrior]

Maybe it's just fun to discuss?

It makes no difference from a practical stand point.

Fish what you like. For me it's right hand retrieve

for baitcasters and left hand for spinning reels.

8-)

[ohioriverrat]

Ditto myself. Left for spinning, right for BC. This is the way my dad put rods into my hands, and this is how I learned to do it. However, my wife is ambidextrous, and just learning the finer points. Indeed she uses left hand with a spinnig reel, but she has not tried a BC yet, and I don't want to force her into a right hand retrieve if she would be better suited to a lefty. This conversation goes a long way as to how to approach the BC when she is ready (SOON!).  

Thanks to all who contributed. Good debate.

[I Love BassResource]

I forced my self to adapt to a left hand retrieve years ago, and I've never had regrets that I did. My personal opinion and reasoning has been stated by others.

I prefer to play my fish, work my chosen bait, cast, etc.. with my dominant hand/arm. I also feel not changing hands to reel gives me a (small) time savings in making repeat casts/flips. I also like being able to reel both spinning and bait casters with the same hand.

Its a personal opinion and selection, and I have zero regrets about my mine.

[tutle]

I am a lefty. Does that mean I am sinistral?  Anyway , I hold casting , spinning , and fly rods in my left hand and crank with my right. When my right handed son started using my bait-casters  ,he complained that he could not set the hook as quickly with the rod in his left hand so now his are left hand retrieve.

[rubba bubba]

Learn both and go with the one you prefer; use the other if you're on the water a lot and you're one arm is tiring.

Btw, perhaps this thread should be made a sticky?

[Tin]

I love being ambidextrous. ;D

[J Francho]

Baitcasting gear...I like a right hand retrieve for baits I move with the reel.  For baits that I use the rod to move the bait, a left hand retrieve is comfortable.

Spinning, cast with right, handle on the left.  This was actually the hardest to learn, after growing up using old knuckle busters and spincasters.

[BigJohnny]

I use a left hand retrieve on both my baitcaster and my spinning reel. It's the most comfortable for me and that's all the reason I need. The only drawback is when they have the previous year models on clearance at Gander Mountain they are always right hand retrieve  

[infamous512]

I don't understand why this bothers people either way. If you like a left hand retrieve, most manufacturers make a left hand version of their reels, no big deal. I know some people are bothered by switching hands after casting but you reposition your hand after a cast regardless of what hand you cast or retrieve with.

x2, good point made. ;D

[farmpond1]

I am right handed. I find I get a much better feel of what's going with the bait and I have much better rod/fish control when the rod is in my right hand. The reel is used to take up slack, store the line and, with the drag, release line under tension. Turning a reel handle really doesn't require much strength or coordination, IMHO. Also, switching hands during the most critical phase after a cast is not the best idea to me. I've had countless hits before I had time to switch hands and settle in to the retrieve.

Last week I lost a really nice bas because I used a "right-handed" reel for a change (It was given to me and I felt I ought to use it). I didn't feel the fish with my non-dominant left hand/arm and just sort of pulled it to the surface where it came off. I can't say absolutely that I would've done better if the rod were in my right hand but I believe I would have.

(About the only thing that I don't like about using a "left-handed" reel is that the handle/star drag can get in the way of the line when I'm flipping and/or pitching).

Ultimately, of course, it's individual preference and different strokes for different folks. I used to use the standard "right-handed" reel because that's what people told me was the correct thing to do and, even, what it said on the box. But I switched about 10 years back and I haven't regretted it one bit.