Do you switch hands when you cast a baitcaster?

[FD.]

I switch sometimes.  I hurt my shoulder a few years ago and had to learn to cast with my left hand.  Most of the time I cast with my right hand and make the switch just as the bait hits the water.  Most of the time when I'm pitchin or flippin it is with my left hand.

[boneil]

I was taught early on that you use your power hand to hold the rod.  I'm right handed so I use a left hand retreive reel.  No switching here.  I couldn't see fighting a big fish, wether a bass or tuna, with my weaker arm.

[A-Jay]

I started fishing Spinning back in the day. My first bc reel was right hand retrieve and so has every one since. I can see where when pitching/flipping the inability to be able to set the hook or detect a strike when changing hands could be a reason to miss fish.

Last year I picked up a mid level left hand retrieve casting reel specifically to see if I could adapt to it when flipping/pitching. I was too lazy/chicken to try it. This year I'm vowing to give it a go.

I may have to leave All the other rigs home though . . . . .

A-Jay

No, you don't have to leave them at home, just give them to your wife. Tell her that every time you ask for one of them, she can get another puppy! ;D ;D

Dude - we're at 6 now - but my wife is in love with your idea ~

A-Jay

[bass or bass ?]

Yep, I switch with every cast. Not only that, but I converted my spinning and fly casting rigs over to right hand retrieve for consistancy. Now reeling with my left hand seems really awkward.

[.dsaavedra.]

i cast a baitcaster using my right arm then switch to reel in with my right hand.

i cast a spinning rod with my right arm and don't switch, as i reel in with my left hand

[South FLA]

For baitcasting gear I switch, but not if I am flipping or pitching, have a lefty baitcaster. 

Its funny how if you ask people how they fish spinning gear most of the time they cast with their right arm and reel with the left hand.  So its pretty easy to use a left baitcasting reel if you have been using righty spinning setups.

[-nick-]

I switch and can't see it being a big deal. Flipping and pitching that's definitely understandable, but just casting it doesn't hurt anything. Usually by the time the lure hits the water the rod is already switched over anyways. And even with shorter softer casts, it's not a long enough time period to make a difference. I've had bass smash a lure as it hits water and still managed to catch them so there's really no need to "learn" a certain way. Just do what feels right I think.

[Hamby]

Yeah, i also do the opposite with spinning reels. A spinning rod stays in the same hand the whole time, but the BC gets switched. If i wanted to be consistent, i'd change the BC not the spinning. There's too much stuff to do at the end of a cast with a spinning reel to be switching hands with it. Sometimes ya gotta stop the lure by grabbing the line, and then you have to close the bail. Some people close the bail by reeling, but i always do it by hand and give the line a tug.

[georgiaken]

I'm right-handed. I only started last year and I started with spinning gear. I cast with my right hand and reel with my left.

When I bought my bait caster, I continued to do the same (all lefty reel bait casters).

One of the things I love to do with my bait caster is what I call "gun slinging." I'll pitch a spinner bait (not the inline type), right up to the bank, in about 4-6 inches of water and reel it as soon as it hits the water. The spinnerbait will land right up on the bank and never touch the bottom.

When the fish are on this pattern (double willow and real shallow), I can't tell you how much fun it is...just repeatedly whipping the lure out, while letting the wind push me down the bank.

I don't think I could do this quite as well if I was constantly switching hands...that would get old quick.

[IntroC]

On the Bass Pros the other day KVD was doing some flipping and was doing the ole switcheroo. Suprised me a bit I must say. I do the switcheroo on power casts but taught myself to flip left handed because I think quick missing quick strikes could be a problem.

[Hamby]

I'm right-handed. I only started last year and I started with spinning gear. I cast with my right hand and reel with my left.

When I bought my bait caster, I continued to do the same (all lefty reel bait casters).

One of the things I love to do with my bait caster is what I call "gun slinging." I'll pitch a spinner bait (not the inline type), right up to the bank, in about 4-6 inches of water and reel it as soon as it hits the water. The spinnerbait will land right up on the bank and never touch the bottom.

When the fish are on this pattern (double willow and real shallow), I can't tell you how much fun it is...just repeatedly whipping the lure out, while letting the wind push me down the bank.

I don't think I could do this quite as well if I was constantly switching hands...that would get old quick.

If i'm making fairly long casts, i usually switch hands mid cast. Or i raise my rod tip while i switch hands, then reel down.

[Intrepid]

im right handed, and have reeled with my left hand all my life and held the rod in my right hand. i feel i have much more control fighting a fish if the rod is in my power hand, and in addition i feel i have much better grip on the rod. i bought my first baitcasting reel two weeks ago and went with the left hand reel, so no switching for me. ive tried right handed reels and they just didnt feel comfortable from holding the rod in my left hand and cranking the reel with my right hand...

[backpain...]

I switch because I don't hold the rod and reel in my hand the same when casting as I do while I am retrieving the lure. It would be silly to not switch and have to double switch to get my hand up on the front of the reel where I can feel the line in my finger tips.

[K_Mac]

No switching. I learned on an old lefty reel. Setting the hook and controlling the fish with my dominant hand seems natural to me. By the time I realized most other folks cast and reel with the right hand it was too late change. My wife used to have a couple of RH reels, but when we upgraded reels I talked her into trying LH. Now we don't have any right hand reels in our boat.

In a perfect world I would have some of each. It would be nice to be able to change up over the course of a long day or two of fishing. I just am one of those old dogs that doesn't learn anything new easily.

I also palm my reel a big part of the time. As I engage the reel with my left hand I can adjust my right hand on the reel as needed. It ain't no big thing after a few thousand casts. 8-)

[fishingcreetour]

I switch. I've recently returned to "conventional" gear from a decade of fly fishing exclusively. During that time I used my left hand as the line hand so it is super educated to the feel of a strike. Now I palm a baitcaster and keep one finger in contact with the line. I'd be silly to waste that conditioning by merely reeling with that hand.

[CSimon2]

I do not switch. Even though I am right handed, I fish left handed. I cast with my left and reel with my right does not matter if I am using spinning or baitcasting.

[Raider Nation Fisher]

If I'm casting righty then I switch hands. I taught myself to be sufficent casting with both hands so that's the only time I need to switch. Doesn't save me much movement because I palm my reels and have to move my hands anyway.

[fishingkidPA]

nope, since i learned on a spinning reel i though it was supposed to be the same with it on the left, but i learned that people cast and reel w/ the same hand and i thought it was weird, so all i use i lefty baitcasters

[MFBAB]

I am glad someone brought this up because I argue with my buddies all the time about why they switch hands. I go with left handed baitcasters.

+1, I'm righty but I switched everything out about 6-7 years ago and never looked back.  It was wierd for a couple of weeks but after that no big deal.  It actually feels really odd now whenever I use a righty baitcaster, I troll for crappie in the summer and the line counter reels I use don't come in LH models

[=Matt 5.0=]

I don't switch. I reel everything left handed. Like to have the rod in my dominant hand, everything else feels retarded.

[mikeeasttn]

I do not switch hands as I am left handed and cast with left hand.  I also put the cranking handle on spinning reels on the right hand side also. 

[roadwarrior]

Two handed casting, both spinning and baitcasting

tackle. My spinning reels are set up for left hand

retrieve, on the right for baitcasters.

8-)

[intheweeds]

I am right handed  and I cast with my right and reel with my left. That goes for both spinning and baitcasting.

[John J.]

I found that I switch when I am casting, I'll use a right handed reel (reel on the right side), cast with my right hand, and then as soon as the lure hits the water I switch hands and engage the reel.

With flipping/pitching I have left handed reels and I don't switch hands with those. I just pitch/flip with the rod/reel in my right hand and then engage the reel with my left.

[MaxumBass]

I am left handed to write...but right handed for almost everything else. I cast with my right and switch to the left hand to reel. The right is my power hand..I'm sure i could crank a lefty but it wouldn't feel good. Also don't think the hook set would be as good. Like I said..I'm screwed up but you gotta do what feels right. Its called enjoyment...