Left or Right?

[ILfishinman]

on Baitcasting reels do you prefer left or right handed retrive? i prefer left on my spinning reels but when i go to BPS in a few weeks im looking into getting a nice baitcaster, i have a calcutta 100b i inherited from my gramps, but the thing i dont like about the right handed retrive is im right handed and using spinning i have always worked the bait with my right hand, real hard for me to do with the baitcaster when holding the rod with my left hand. also you have to switch hands after you cast the bait, and you set the hook with ur off hand, i dunno is it more natural left hand retrive or do you prefer the right hand models?

[InEccess]

I have a left handed Spinning reel and a couple right handed baitcasters. I dunno why. Tell me why I shoot left handed in Hockey and golf right handed.

[hackattack]

look at the pros. 90% of them use rightys, but if its more comfortable goin left, do it. just doesnt feel right to me...

[ILfishinman]

well that the thing never tried a left baitcaster, gunna try one while im at bps but just wanted y'alls input

[vagabond]

I'm right handed but use a left handed reels only. Same reason as you gave. I learned it becasue I fly fished for years. It's so much easier for me to hold the rod with my right hand.

It's one of the questions that you can't really ask on an internet forum. You just need to see what feels right to you.

[The Bateman]

I cast right handed, and found that it was hard to keep a buzz bait near the surface while switching hands to retreive. So I bought a left handed retrieve baitcaster. I was surprised how quickly I learned to use it. Now I can start my retrieve as soon as the bait hits the water.

[bassthumb32]

i use left handed on flipping and pitching, carolina rigging, and anything else that is a finesse type retrieve. for spinnerbaits and crankbaits i use right handed retrives.

[Curado]

I'm left handed and I cast and hold the rod with my left hand, and reel with my right hand.

[crab]

left handed spinning right handed baitcaster.

[JB]

left handed but have always used right handled gear, and was surprised that I had never noticed for years that right handers cast with the right then switch to the left hand to hold the right, while reeling with the left.
It does make an advantage with the buzzbait, thats for sure.

[Wishing2BFishing]

Ilfishinman, you asked a very good question. A few years back, when I was thinkin' of getting my first baitcaster, I had the very same inquiry.

Similar to you, I too use my right hand to control the rod and my left hand to reel up the string. I was surprised to learn that most baitcasters have the retrieve on the right. I was even more surprised when I found out that many pros would use the right hand retrieve and then switch hands after they cast.

Well, after wrestling with the information, this is my conclusion: If you cast with your right and reel with your left, you should purchase a left hand retrieve. I will go as far as to say that the "standard" should be a left hand retrieve since even the pros generally, will switch hands after they cast. I submit that they must lose fish that immediately do a "reaction bite" when the lure falls.

Anyway, I am not sure whether my colleagues on this site will agree, but in my opinion, the left hand baitcast reel is they way to go. Just my opinion . . . which I feel strongly about

[bassthumb32]

i never noticed an advantage at all with buzzbaits. i still use a right handed retrieve. i like it better. was the buzzbait hits the water i thumb it with my right hand and slowly drag the buzzbait on top of the water as i switch hands. i tried a left handed baitcaster and couldnt get it to stay on top nearly as good as a right handed.

[Jolly]

I'm right handed but use left handed reels for everything... especially for flipping and pitching. I found that the time the line was slack while I switched hands to begin the retrieve and tighten up the line was when i would get bites. Using a lefty eliminated that switch and eliminated those missed bites. Works good for me!

Jolly

[ILfishinman]

alright thanks for your input peoplez, i see it as your dominant hand should be holding the rod since that is the most vital part of your presentation and the other is just there to merely reel in line, it is important too just not in my eyes as important as the rod action

[bassintxlady]

i think that fishing is 60% fishing gear and 40% confidence in your equiptment and how it feels in your hands....if the rig is over sized then how can you be confident that you can grip it well when you have a nice fish on there...try several reels...see what feels good to you.....they have some rigs with line and plugs on them at the store ....throw them ....see what feels good....i am left handed and i use a right handed retrieve....bet uses a left handed retrieve.....the nice thing about our situation is we always know who's is who's..... ......good luck and have fun........

[Raul]

I´m right handed
I crank with the right hand

Back then during the age of the dinosaurs when I learned to fish with baitcasters you could choose between right handed and ... right handed so I chose right handed.

There´s really no right or wrong, after a while there´s no difference, you switch hands when the bait is about to land; it´s like learning to shift gears with a manual transmission car, applying the dominant hand theory you should hold the wheel with your dominant hand while shifting gears but in order to do so the wheel should be on the left side of the vehicle and in few countries cars have the wheel on the left side.

[bassinbob]

I'm with Raul. I switch the rod before the bait hits the water. Flipping is a different story.

[zooker]

BOTH!!!
bassenforcer throws all lefty reels i got to thinking.. bought a cheap one -pfluger trion-BELIVE me there is a definate learning curve.. though for flipping and pitching it is a ton easier..

the trick i figured out was not to try palming the reel. in fact i rarely adjust my grip on a lefty reel..trust me you will learn the meaning of a tired arm. if you use it alot..

lefty grip



righty grip



any questions??

zooker

[thebus71h]

I never even thought about it till after I bought my first baitcaster. Now, it's just like second nature, don't think about it, and you'll be fine. But the weird thing is, once I realised it, I switched all my reels to right hand retrieve, and boy was I out to lunch. Had it like that for about 20 minutes, and switched them all back. Just didn't seem "natural" to me. It's all in what you start with. But I usually cast my baitcasters with both hands, and I actually can finesse a bait better with the left hand than I can with the right.

[mack]

spinning- lefty
baitcasting- righty

[JB]

looks no natural in his hand.............................

[Captmikestarrett]

Originally Posted by bassintxlady

i think that fishing is 60% fishing gear and 40% confidence in your equiptment and how it feels in your hands....if the rig is over sized then how can you be confident that you can grip it well when you have a nice fish on there...try several reels...see what feels good to you.....they have some rigs with line and plugs on them at the store ....throw them ....see what feels good....i am left handed and i use a right handed retrieve....bet uses a left handed retrieve.....the nice thing about our situation is we always know who's is who's..... ......good luck and have fun........

WHAT? I do not buy the 60% gear talent thing.. I have seen guys out fish the best prepaired and most expensive gear equipped guys. You know why? Because they fish allot and apply what they have learned.

Gear helps about 10% I would say. The rest is practice..

My 1 cent

Capt Mike

[Captmikestarrett]

I hear the same on the fly boards. Right hand retreave means changing hands with fish on reel and left does not.. 4 righties that is

Same with golf clubs steel bad, aluminum good.. graphite too wobbly ...


The point is go with what works for you.. Plain and simple....

Capt Mike

[texasbasser]

I use right retreive, on spinning and baitcast. I am right handed, but after 10 years of doing it this way, I got the left hand hook set down lol so im not changing.

[weaverml34]

I use left hand retrieve reels. I'm right handed and it's easier for me to cast, work the bait, and set the hook with my right hand. I always find it interesting though when somebody uses a left hand retrieve on their spinning reels but right hand on their baitcasters. To each their own and whatever works best for them. I just find it easier to use left hand retrieve reels for all of my applications.