Baitcasters: Handles, Why? Spools, Why Not?

[dulouz]

I have two ideas I was pondering:

1. Why are right handed reels backwards (as opposed to spinning reels). Is there a technical reason manufactures choose to make us switch hands?

2. Why can't baitcasters have interchangeable spools like spinning reels? It would be nice to have another spool to swap out for a different type of line, or if you get a backlash and want to pick it out later and get back to fishing.

[Ima Bass Ninja]

I have two ideas I was pondering:

1. Why are right handed reels backwards (as opposed to spinning reels). Is there a technical reason manufactures choose to make us switch hands?

2. Why can't baitcasters have interchangeable spools like spinning reels? It would be nice to have another spool to swap out for a different type of line, or if you get a backlash and want to pick it out later and get back to fishing.

1. I believe the thinking on this is that with a spinning rod you use the ROD to fight the fish because the reel doesn't have much power therefore the rod should be in your dominant hand. With baitcaster the REEL is what fighting the fish and it is what has the power(like a winch pulling a truck outta the mud) so the reel should be controlled by your dominant hand...This is by no means set in stone , a lot of people on this forum (including myself) reel with the same hand regardless of which kind of fishing gear we are using .

2.Some do, most of them you can buy spare spools for them they just don't come with them in the box.

Hope this helps!!!

[OkobojiEagle]

Why are right handed reels backwards

Never thought of reels as right-handed or left-handed, only reels with the handles built on the right side or the left side. I choose to fish with reels that have the handle built on the left side.

oe

[.RM.]

1. I believe the thinking on this is that with a spinning rod you use the ROD to fight the fish because the reel doesn't have much power therefore the rod should be in your dominant hand.

This is correct.

With baitcaster the REEL is what fighting the fish and it is what has the power(like a winch pulling a truck outta the mud) so the reel should be controlled by your dominant hand...

Wrong! Fishing reels don't fight fish, they store and pay out line. Fishing rods, line, hooks, and lures catch/fight fish.

As far as to what hand you crank a reel with, the first statement is the truth. Use the rod with the power hand and crank with a setup accordingly.

Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!

[Raul]

You can get spare spools for baitcasters, they aren´t exactly cheap and in some cases you can get compatible spools from other reels built on the same frame ( for example, Curado 100B, Curado 100D, Curado 100DSV, Citica 100DSV, Chronarch 50 Mg are compatible ) and turn your reel into a reel that you can use with different line without having to spend in another reel. I have a couple of Citica 100 DSV spools spooled with heavier line for my Chronarch 50 Mg.

[dulouz]

You can get spare spools for baitcasters, they aren´t exactly cheap and in some cases you can get compatible spools from other reels built on the same frame ( for example, Curado 100B, Curado 100D, Curado 100DSV, Citica 100DSV, Chronarch 50 Mg are compatible ) and turn your reel into a reel that you can use with different line without having to spend in another reel. I have a couple of Citica 100 DSV spools spooled with heavier line for my Chronarch 50 Mg.

Less expensive and spools take up less room!

[spruce]

This is correct.

Wrong! Fishing reels don't fight fish, they store and pay out line. Fishing rods, line, hooks, and lures catch/fight fish.

As far as to what hand you crank a reel with, the first statement is the truth. Use the rod with the power hand and crank with a setup accordingly.

Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!

I guess you have never seen any saltwater fishing.... fishing reels DO fight fish

[trevor]

1. I believe the thinking on this is that with a spinning rod you use the ROD to fight the fish because the reel doesn't have much power therefore the rod should be in your dominant hand. With baitcaster the REEL is what fighting the fish and it is what has the power(like a winch pulling a truck outta the mud) so the reel should be controlled by your dominant hand...This is by no means set in stone , a lot of people on this forum (including myself) reel with the same hand regardless of which kind of fishing gear we are using .

2.Some do, most of them you can buy spare spools for them they just don't come with them in the box.

Hope this helps!!!

You should never use the reel as a winch. The rod should fight the fish.

[Ima Bass Ninja]

You should never use the reel as a winch. The rod should fight the fish.

Why??...If you ever looked at a winch on a truck it looks like an oversized baitcaster. Watching people i've fished with , i've noticed that most of the time that they are fighting with a spinning rod they / I will lift the rod and pull the fish to them while reeling out the slack and repeat until the fish is caught. On the bait caster once you set the hook you pull back on the rod hold pressure and reel in the line, like a winch. But that's JMO and how i taught myself, i am curious to hear how else you could use it.

[trevor]

Why??...If you ever looked at a winch on a truck it looks like an oversized baitcaster. Watching people i've fished with , i've noticed that most of the time that they are fighting with a spinning rod they / I will lift the rod and pull the fish to them while reeling out the slack and repeat until the fish is caught. On the bait caster once you set the hook you pull back on the rod hold pressure and reel in the line, like a winch. But that's JMO and how i taught myself, i am curious to hear how else you could use it.

Using any reel like a winch causes faster wear. The gears on spinning reels and baitcasters aren't all that different.

[islandbass]

I have two ideas I was pondering:

1. Why are right handed reels backwards (as opposed to spinning reels). Is there a technical reason manufactures choose to make us switch hands?

They are not backward. It is actually a true statement. The hand dominance of the angler is irrelevant. A "right-handed" reel is designated as such because the angler's right hand, regardless of hand dominance will turn the handle. It doesn't mean that a "right-handed" reel is for right-handed, or more accurately right-hand dominant persons exclusively.

I get the impression that the inventor of the baitcast reel might very well have been someone who was left-hand dominant.

2. Why can't baitcasters have interchangeable spools like spinning reels? It would be nice to have another spool to swap out for a different type of line, or if you get a backlash and want to pick it out later and get back to fishing.

There are spare spools available. However, they are not that cheap relative to the price of a new reel, generally. Besides, trying to remove a spool that has a nasty bird's nest can actually be tough to do.

[.RM.]

I guess you have never seen any saltwater fishing.... fishing reels DO fight fish

Yes I do know salt water fishing, and salt water gear.

Worked half day boats out of San Diego for a lot of yrs....

I will say it again!

Fishing reels only hold, retrieve, and pay out line. They do not fight fish. The angler and the rod fight. Now if you want to state the whole system fights the fish fine, that would include the angler, reel, rod, line, hook, and lure. But it wasn't the quote is.......

With baitcaster the REEL is what fighting the fish and it is what has the power

[A-Rob]

spinning reels are just up side down

and you can buy a 2nd spool, but it would be nice to get a spare for free.

[bass or bass ?]

All my reels, bait cast, spinning, and fly cast are set up for right hand retrieve for consistency.

[dulouz]

and you can buy a 2nd spool, but it would be nice to get a spare for free.

Free would be nice. I have noticed that not as many spinning reels come with free spools anymore. I checked with Shimano, a new spool for a Citica is around $35. I paid $90 for my last Citica. 30% of the reel doesn't seem like it is worth it.

[Hooligan]

I guess you have never seen any saltwater fishing.... fishing reels DO fight fish

Uh, no, no they dont. Mount a reel on back of a boat, just the reel. Chuck a bait out there and latch on to a 140lb class sail. Try to land that fish without the rod fighting it. That sail would spool you faster than you can say, yep, I was wrong. The rod is what gives leverage and power to turn and fight fish. Without it, you're sunk.

I don't care what reel you're talking about, they do not fight the fish.

[MaxumBass]

The Zebco ZO3 comes with a spare spool....

[J Francho]

Why??...If you ever looked at a winch on a truck it looks like an oversized baitcaster. Watching people i've fished with , i've noticed that most of the time that they are fighting with a spinning rod they / I will lift the rod and pull the fish to them while reeling out the slack and repeat until the fish is caught. On the bait caster once you set the hook you pull back on the rod hold pressure and reel in the line, like a winch. But that's JMO and how i taught myself, i am curious to hear how else you could use it.

A winch is the exact OPPOSITE gearing of a baitcaster. They simply do not compare. A winch divides the effort to turn the spool, while a baitcaster multiplies it.

[.RM.]

A winch is the exact OPPOSITE gearing of a baitcaster. They simply do not compare. A winch divides the effort to turn the spool, while a baitcaster multiplies it.

Perfect explanation

Also the main reason when they first came out they were called multipliers or multiplying reels.

Tight Lines All!

[Ima Bass Ninja]

A winch is the exact OPPOSITE gearing of a baitcaster. They simply do not compare. A winch divides the effort to turn the spool, while a baitcaster multiplies it.

Ok makes sense...Small gear turning big gear = more pulling power / torque vs big gear turning small gear = more speed..... my mistake!......But don't you think that a baitcasting reel has more pulling power by design than a spinning reel...sure feels that way to me??

[J Francho]

If you looked at the internals, you see where the pinion shaft is a weak point on light freshwater casting reels. It's not really designed to take too much torque. It's just a thin shaft and a cross pin driving the spool. When you are not reeling, the anti revers/one-way bearing bears the burden, which it is designed for. The way you properly fight a fish is to move it with the rod, and reel back down. repeat this process until the fish is boat side.

[BobP]

Why not? Well, you can buy most baitcasters in either left or right hand versions so should be able o satisfy yourself. I'm right handed and prefer a right hand handle, as do most users. Having the reel on top of the rod versus on the bottom a la spinning reel makes a big difference. You may want to try both before you make a final decision. If you pitch baits a lot underhanded, a left hand baitcasting reel is a definite advantage if you can get used to it (unfortunately I never have). Extra spools: it's just a matter of expense. Spinning spools are relatively simple and cheap. Baitcaster spools are precision balanced, more complex, often made of expensive light metals, and often contain bearings - so cost much more. Enough more that the companies cannot reasonably include an extra spool that might retail for 1/3 the total cost of the reel.