What the....How do you...

[SoFlaBassAddict]

How the heck do you guys use LH baitcasters.  I picked one up today to try out and I just couldn't even turn the handle smoothly.  I was just jerking the thing around.  I like the idea of being able to pitch and not have to swap hands, but good god that just don't seem worth it.

[northern basser]

I couldn't even think of using a LH baitcaster.  I even reel my spinning reels on the right.  Most of my friends up here think that is backwards.

[CWilliams]

I couldn't even think of using a LH baitcaster. I even reel my spinning reels on the right. Most of my friends up here think that is backwards.

I am the same way. Stops people from wanting to use my spinning gear.

[Steve1357]

I think you'd be surprised how short of a period of time it would take for you to get use to it.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

Funny part is, all of my spinning gear is cranked on the left side.

[b.Lee]

I am all right hand cranking left hand rod.  What you need to ask is why do you switch hands after casting? That is what is backwards

[I.rar]

lol.

every spinning reel i used cranked on the left. when i decided to buy a BC , i figured a lefty would come natural. it did. i dont know how some of you guys switch hands after every cast.  ;D

[Whets Lines]

lol.

every spinning reel i used cranked on the left. when i decided to buy a BC , i figured a lefty would come natural. it did. i dont know how some of you guys switch hands after every cast. ;D

This is exactly what I thought and why I decided to use LH baitcasters. This is only my second season of bass fishing and LH feels natural. Honestly, I have a harder time fighting a fish with the rod in my weak (left) hand. So for me it's more about which hand the rod is in rather than which hand I'm reeling with.

One thing to think about though, I'm afraid I may damage my reels in the long run because sometimes I catch myself starting to reel before the spool has stopped. I've been working on consciously stopping it with my thumb first, but you know how it goes.

Whets

8-)

[I.rar]

lol.

every spinning reel i used cranked on the left. when i decided to buy a BC , i figured a lefty would come natural. it did. i dont know how some of you guys switch hands after every cast. ;D

This is exactly what I thought and why I decided to use LH baitcasters. This is only my second season of bass fishing and LH feels natural. Honestly, I have a harder time fighting a fish with the rod in my weak (left) hand. So for me it's more about which hand the rod is in rather than which hand I'm reeling with.

One thing to think about though, I'm afraid I may damage my reels in the long run because sometimes I catch myself starting to reel before the spool has stopped. I've been working on consciously stopping it with my thumb first, but you know how it goes.

Whets

8-)

exactly!

[bassinbrian]

Yeah I'm right handed and learned spinning gear left handed so why change. Im more accurate  and figure working the rod takes the most work and precision to do and why not use your dominant arm? Reeling is the easiest part.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

I've definitely gotta give this a little more time, but man it just don't feel natural right now.

[Sam]

I use a left handed spinning reel as I want to keep my right forefinger on the line coming off the spool when Texas, finesse or Senko fishing.

I use a right handed baitcaster mostly for moving baits and have never had a problem fighting any big fish, be it a bass or catfish.

I keep the rod tip at the 11 or 12 0'clock position when fishing plastics so I can feel all strikes and see the line move.

Any way you want to fish is fine with me as long as you are comfortable with what you are doing and can catch bass. 

[kLuo]

Funny part is, all of my spinning gear is cranked on the left side.

haha so what's the difference between the two? I learned on spinning gear that is LH, so switching over was no problem at all for me.

[JaxBasser]

I have the same problem. I always reel with the left on spinning gear but it just feels wrong trying to reel with my left on baitcasters.

[Big Bait Fishing]

How the heck do you guys use LH baitcasters. I picked one up today to try out and I just couldn't even turn the handle smoothly. I was just jerking the thing around. I like the idea of being able to pitch and not have to swap hands, but good god that just don't seem worth it.

i feel the same way about right handed retrieve baitcasters !!!! it feels funny just to try to palm the reel like i do with my lefties !! and it is not about "weak hand" "strong hand", it is what ever hand you learn to work the rod with , you crank with the other hand ......

[SoFlaBassAddict]

I have the same problem. I always reel with the left on spinning gear but it just feels wrong trying to reel with my left on baitcasters.

That right there is the problem, KLuo.  It could just be because the handle on a spinning reel is longer.  I don't know. Maybe I just don't have the same wrist action in my left hand as my right .  I'll give it a few more days before I swap it out.  I like holding the rod in my right hand, it's very comfortable, I just can't crank it properly for some reason.

[rfrazier]

I have the same problem. I always reel with the left on spinning gear but it just feels wrong trying to reel with my left on baitcasters.

That right there is the problem, KLuo. It could just be because the handle on a spinning reel is longer. I don't know. Maybe I just don't have the same wrist action in my left hand as my right . I'll give it a few more days before I swap it out. I like holding the rod in my right hand, it's very comfortable, I just can't crank it properly for some reason.

It's really just due to habit in most cases. I originally used right handed baitcasters and bought a lefty by accident. At the time I was mainly walking the dog with it, and it just felt silly reeling with my left and I could hardly do it. But after 3-4 days it was fine. Now when I use right handed reels again it feels just as awkward. Stick with it

[K_Mac]

I experience that same feeling of, "what the..." every time I pick up a righty reel. I'm right handed, but learned on an old LH Shimano. I do wish I was more comfortable with RH reels just to be able to change up during a long day of fishing. I don't think it is going to happen though. :-/

[ToledoEF]

I am ambidextrous so it doesnt matter to me.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

I am ambidextrous so it doesnt matter to me.

Truly insightful. 

[Big Tom]

I am ambidextrous so it doesnt matter to me.

Same here.  It really is an awesome gift and comes in handy so much while fishing.

[slonezp]

What drove you to buy the LH in the first place? I fish LH spinning RH casting. Never had a problem switching hands after the pitch. If it works don't fix it.

[Gone_Phishin]

Quite a few muskie guys I know, who all usually purchase righty reels, have a few lefty reels in their arsenal.  The southpaws are on their big jerkbait rods, so when fatigue starts to set in from using a 10" Reef Hawg, they switch over to their lefty setup.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

What drove you to buy the LH in the first place? I fish LH spinning RH casting. Never had a problem switching hands after the pitch. If it works don't fix it.

I wanted to experiment a little.  This one goes into the fail column for right now.