Does Everyone Think They Are Left-Handed

[robdob]

why is it that everyone fishes with the handle on the left using a spinning rod and the right on a baitcaster.. yes i understand most cheap reels are only made for right handers but thats not really the case now-a-days.. you can't set the hook as hard with the rod in your left hand if you are right handed. you don't have as much control over the reel using your right hand to reel if your a right hander.. so why is this. its everywhere even the pro's think they are ambidextrious. i just dont get it.

[tomustang]

I'm left handed, so I think I'm a lefty.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

I'm left handed, so I think I'm a lefty.

X2 or should that be negative X2 beings thats the opposite of how righties write it.

[Hi Salenity]

I started out with a Zebco 33 (well over 33 years ago) so wen I started using my dads spinning reel the handle was on the wrong side.

I ended up getting a Mitchel 301 & a 308.

So for me the handle was on the wrong side of the spinning reel.

[SAC2]

its just how they learned. thats how all of my friends are as well. the reel with the left hand on spinning reel, and switch to reeling with their right with casting. all righties mind you. i am a righty also, but i was raised reelnig spinning reels with my right hand, and the transition to using a casting rod was easy. i have no down time switching hands and that could possibly lead to more bites for me!

[aavery2]

its just how they learned. thats how all of my friends are as well. the reel with the left hand on spinning reel, and switch to reeling with their right with casting. all righties mind you. i am a righty also, but i was raised reelnig spinning reels with my right hand, and the transition to using a casting rod was easy. i have no down time switching hands and that could possibly lead to more bites for me!

I have often wondered about this, I assume when you fish you palm your reels, so when you cast is your hand lower on the rod so you can depress the clutch lever and cast or do you do that with the reel in the palm of your hand. Because if you cast with your hand on the lower part of the rod, don't you then have to move your left hand to the rod so you can move the reel to the palming position?

This is just an observation I made with a friend of mine who has the same thoughts as you, but when I watched his casts I did not see any time saved.

[JIGFISHERMAN.]

I always respond with...KVD does it, and if you can fish faster, or win more money doing it "the right way" by all means do so.

[loodkop]

I always respond with...KVD does it, and if you can fish faster, or win more money doing it "the right way" by all means do so.

Amen.

[NBR]

During the retrieve I palm a bait caster in my left hand. Cast righty and switch hands, sometimes before the bait hits the water. No way to palm a spinning reel so I cast righty and crank lefty.

[brianwhite]

all of my spinning gear is left handed, just the way it felt comfortable using to me and i have a left handed baitcaster for flippin so i'm not constantly swapping hands. all my other baitcasters are right handed though. it's not that they think they're ambidextrous, it may just be that's the way they learned or are comfortable doing it

[J Francho]

This question comes up about once or twice a month. If you don't know why you have a preference, does it matter what everyone else does?

I think the real question is, what hand do you cast with. What side the handles are on will fall into place once you answer that.

[weezy109]

missing the point. Being right handed means you can do more intricate/precise things better with that hand. Reeling is the thing you do 90 percent of the time you have a rod in your hand so why would you do that with your odd hand?

[roadwarrior]

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.

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George Welcome Sebastian Florida

[Hooligan]

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.

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George Welcome Sebastian Florida

Best answer ever to this oft asked question. Being truly ambidextrous, I have both left and right casting reels for different purposes.

[bman310]

I always respond with...KVD does it, and if you can fish faster, or win more money doing it "the right way" by all means do so.

I was thinkin the same thing when I saw this thread. Seriously I'm right handed and it just feels better casting right handed and using the right hand to crank.

-b

[Packard]

The way I think of it is, when using a spinning reel the reel is below the rod so I reel left handed. Flip a casting rod upside down and the handle is on the left side.

[Crankenstein Crony]

I think of it as being a switch hitter in baseball. I am right handed but Ken Griffey Jr was my favorite baseball player growing up, and I wanted to hit like him. I learned how to swing from both sides of the plate and it came in very handy during my high school baseball years. It gives the hitter a bit of an edge over the pitcher. If you are good at switch hitting, you are more valuable to your team.

I fish my spinning reels left handed because when I first started fishing, I learned on a left handed reel. Because I was comfortable using left handed spinning reels I started out using left handed bait casters. Once I became proficient with a left handed bait caster, I forced myself to start using right handed bait casters. Now I can interchange them with no problem. And like Hooligan, now I have both left and right bait casters for different situations. The more you learn, the more you know, the better off you are!

[jignfule]

I'm a righty and switched over to left-hand retrieve years ago. Started enjoying fishing with b/c a lot more, just more natural and comfortable for me.

[flippin and pitchin]

Don't think....just do.

[SirSnookalot]

Just a matter of personal choice. I own only 1 conventional reel, not used for casting, but ocean offshore use. I have a left hand crank as I like my right arm (stronger) on my rod when I'm pumping up and reeling down.

[jdw174]

I crank left handed spinning, right handed casting and have no trouble in doing so. No problems with hooksets or anything else. Bought a left-handed baitcaster once and got rid of it after a trip or two. It just wasn't for me at all.

[Goose52]

Like J Francho said above - this question comes up all the time. After literally hundreds (perhaps thousands) of posts on this topic you could summarize it all as............it don't matter! Just do what floats your boat.

Just fish......

I crank left handed spinning, right handed casting and have no trouble in doing so. No problems with hooksets or anything else. Bought a left-handed baitcaster once and got rid of it after a trip or two. It just wasn't for me at all.

Yup - me too - still have that lefty reel (luckily I got it used on eBay for only a few bucks).

[scbassin]

I am left-handed but when I played baseball I batted right-handed threw left handed, basketball shot left handed except for the 2 handed set shot. When I fish I palm my reel & crank with my left hand, cast right handed with my 5 1/2 & 6' rods & 2 hands with my 6 1/2 thru 7 1/2' rods. I flip & pitch with my right hand, I set the hook with both hands as they are both right there.

[Triton21]

When I started tournament fishing several I switched to left handed casting reels. The reason was that I could get many more casts than a 'switch hitter' and the opportunity for more fish to see my bait.

Kelley

[NCLifetimer]

I'm right handed, cast with my right hand then switch hands and reel with my right hand.

I think it feels the most natural to me because I played baseball for so long. The finally motion after full extensions when throwing a baseball(and your right handed) is to bring your left arm into your body( similar to a hook setting motion) and move your right arm forward(casting motion).

Its very awkward for me to try and set a hook with my right hand/arm, as it is to reel with my left hand. I can cast ok on my left hand thou.

As others have stated, its just personal preference.