How Many Of You Cast Bc Gear With Either Hand?

[new2BC4bass]

Sitting here tonight contemplating on how much I've come to like using a RH reel. Last year I didn't use my Alphas ito all that much because of its being RH. This spring I mounted my grandson's Procaster (RH) on a 6' Berkley Lightning rod, and decided to use it for practicing my pitching/casting in preparation for getting on the water.

Now I find myself picking up the Alphas ito first the majority of the time. In fact I find myself starting to switch hands to crank when using a LH reel!

This got me to thinking about casting with the left hand. Overhead cast is needed for best results whenever I try a cast to the right. My skill level isn't that great if you haven't already guessed.

One thing I did this spring was set in front of the TV and practice thumb control. It seemed to me that I had better control with my left thumb. The right wanted to stop the spool instead of feathering it.

I'm going out tomorrow with my daughter. I'm going to try casting with my off arm just to see how it goes. Who knows, maybe I''ll learn a new skill.

I know some of you have no problem casting with either hand. I'd like to join that group.

[islandbass]

It isn't that hard. I have become accustomed to fishing opposite handed. It comes in handy if you main side gets fatigued for sure. Kudos to you for doing it.

You could still cast with your other hand and switch afterward.

[Hiram]

I am a RH fisherman. With that said , last fall I was shopping on ebay and ran into a real good deal on a LH reel that I could'nt pass up. I do a lot of topwater fishing and have always liked spinning gear, so I thought I would give a LH BCer a try. I like the control I have working the lure with my RH. It has worked out great for me

[Boogey Man]

I reel right handed but learned to cast left handed out of necessity. I used to fish with a guy who was the world's worst boat operator. He would have you pointed out to the middle, straight into the bank or anywhere in between. That way I could fish regardless of boat positioning. Now I cast more left handed than right handed.

[dulouz]

I cast with both. I found that when I was learning to use baitcasters my right hand was used to a spinning rod and so I didn't have the correct technique. I tried my left, which had never cast anything before. It helps when I am on the bank so I can cast paralell to the shore in both directions. There are a few times I have been on a boat, fishing from the back and it really helped to cast with my left hand.

[BassThumb]

I'm naturally right-handed, but I've been learning how to cast left-handed so that I can throw low trajectory sidearm and roll casts when there's somebody in the boat to the right of me. It's not easy; I'm VERY much a righty.

[new2BC4bass]

Well...I made a few casts without backlashing/overrunning (even a 2-handed cast), but it is definitely something I'll need to practice in the yard before putting into practice on the water.

Speaking of boats, my brother-in-law sits me in the front as he wants me to have the best chance to catch something since I'm only down there a few days. We fish out of his 14' boat that looks a lot like a canoe with a square end. Standing is done only when you have to stretch. Seems most of the time I am either casting overhead or off my left shoulder. The off shoulder is not easy for me given my casting experience. I am getting better, tho. Being able to cast left handed would be a decided advantage.

On a side note, I caught my first Delaware River smallmouth tonight. Nothing big. Then 2 casts later I lost my lure to a snag. It's expensive enough buying lures once. Having to replace them due to loss kind of sux.

[Hooligan]

I have both right and left retrieve and will use both dependent upon technique.

[Bassn Blvd]

I cast very effectively with either hand, but do not retrieve left handed.

[ChrisAW]

Almost all of my reels are left hand retrieve, but with the chance to get a Pflueger Patriarch BC in right hand retrieve for under half price recently had me trying to break that habit. I'm now capable of casting with both hands, and reeling with both hands. Casting with my left hand is a little awkward still, but roll casts are easy enough and I haven't had much problem after a little practice.

[piscicidal]

I use right-hand retrieve BC reels. I flip/pitch left handed or right handed, using whichever is more efficient given the circumstances. I cannot cast overhead left handed.

[new2BC4bass]

I cast very effectively with either hand, but do not retrieve left handed.

I'm the opposite. Doesn't matter which hand I reel with. Never needed to use the left hand for casting with a spinning rod which is why it is awkward for me now in my old age.

Chris, all my reels are LH except the Alphas ito. I knew they were out of production, so when this one came up for sale, I grabbed it. As luck would have it there were a couple of LH itos that were for sale after I bought this one. I don't regret it, tho. Like I said, I've come to like RH reels as well. At first I didn't see why anyone would want to switch hands after casting. Now it doesn't bother me in the least.

[JDN54]

A couple of summers ago I was stuck with a cast on my right hand for a month, including a smallmouth trip to MN. I forced myself to cast left handed and reel with two fingers on my right hand hand. If you really want to learn to use both hands I would suggest to force yourself to use your opposite hand for a few weeks straight (or break your good arm......). You'd be amazed how you will learn to use both when you have no other option. I'm gratefull for it now. It comes in handy often to keep my rod in my left hand for short quick cast or slicing around a dock, stump, etc.

[Primus]

I use both LH & RH reels. I'm righthanded and prefer the RH reels for my cranking & spinnerbait rods, like the LH for topwater, worm & jig rods.

[baluga]

I'm a righty but learned how to cast with my left arm when I had the 'frozen shoulder' on my right shoulder. Now I cast with either arm but prefer to cast with my left.

[ProCraft Joe]

I am right handed but I cast with whatever hand puts the rod over the bow of the boat. I have a dual console and I hit my wind shield when I cast over the boat. I taught myself to go left with a spinning rod.

[new2BC4bass]

A couple of summers ago I was stuck with a cast on my right hand for a month, including a smallmouth trip to MN. I forced myself to cast left handed and reel with two fingers on my right hand hand. If you really want to learn to use both hands I would suggest to force yourself to use your opposite hand for a few weeks straight (or break your good arm......). You'd be amazed how you will learn to use both when you have no other option. I'm gratefull for it now. It comes in handy often to keep my rod in my left hand for short quick cast or slicing around a dock, stump, etc.

It appears that more fishermen are able to cast with both hands than fishermen who can't learn to use a baitcasting reel at all. A good sign for me.

I had a cast on my right arm for 8 weeks when I was twelve. Went from the hand to halfway between the elbow and shoulder. I learned to do quite a few things left handed. Eating LH being the first one! However, I don't think I need get that extreme in this case!

Joe, I don't have a windshield to cast over when I'm fishing with my brother-in-law, but he has an aversion to being hooked when I cast.

Therefore it behooves me to learn to use the left hand. (BTW, I've never hooked him..........yet!)

[jj'sbassinforfun]

I only cast with my right hand. But I can retrieve with either.

When I want to speed fish(like crankin deep) I use the lefty reels. This eliminates the hand swapping. When I slow down I go with the RH reels where hand swapping is less of a speed/time wasted issue.

[Bluebasser86]

I can cast pretty well with both hands. I can reel with either hand on a spinning reel but only right handed with a baitcaster. If I have to reel lefthanded with a baitcaster it looks like I shouldn't be allowed outside without a helmet.

[PondBoss]

I only cast with my right hand, and can only retrieve left handed with a spinning reel. I have been practicing flipping and pitching left handed though for those instant bites when the bait hits the water. So far it's working really well, but I still can not reel a BC left handed comfortably at all. So for now just baby steps. lol