Left or Right?

[zooker]

Originally Posted by Captmikestarrett

I have seen guys out fish the best prepaired and most expensive gear equipped guys. You know why? Because they fish allot.

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

you are 100% right capt mike,

just because some guy has 30 matching reels with matching brand rods..don't mean jack squat.. look for the guys with reels with worn off paint the rods might be a dozen differant brands. fixed and repaired. these are the guys that takes tourny fishing to the next level..

look at the boat ramp for guys that are out there every weekend. the ONLY way you get good at bass fishing is to be out FISHING!!

nuff said..

zooker

[islandbass]

I am right-handed and prefer my the cranks on my bc reels to be on the left just as with my spinning reels. I also came from a spinning background first.

But let me just clear something up for you that came to me as an epiphany or revelation (as it the light bulb above your head that turns on when you have an idea or solve something).

I believe we as anglers confuse our hand dominance with how reel manufacturers define their reels. Unfortunately, our intuition will not serve us well here, especially if we are new or just coming on board the baitcast reel train.

One who is new might assume based on the how a bc reel is labeled by its maker that a right-handed reel is intended for a right-handed person and vice versa. Trust me, I know because the first bc reel I ever bought was a right-hand model. It was only after the very first turn of the crank that I discovered that it felt funny and that working the rod with my left hand was awkward to say the least.

So here is my take. When a reel manufacturer defines a reel as "Right-Handed" one's hand dominance do NOT come into play. They are just describing something as clear as a crystal lake. Why? Because for a RH baitcast reel, it is irrelevant whether the angler is right or left hand dominant. The angler's right hand is going to do the cranking. That's it. Conversely, regardless of whether an angler is left or right hand dominant, with a LH baitcast reel, the angler's left hand is going to turn the crank.

The bottom line is to find out which side is comfortable to you and get it. I am willing to bet that we will have people all over the map when it comes to what side they prefer to have the crank.

The next milestone that would be ideal is to learn to fish with both. I finally trained myself to cast with my left hand. It took some work, but I am glad I did. The main reason I did it was to ensure that if ever I had to fish opposite handed, say with someone else's gear, I would be good to to go.

[FlyRod]

Unaccustomed as I am to voicing opinions in public, and being rather shy by nature...

I am pretty much a "lefty"...writing, eating, buttscratching. I even kick a football (or used to, anyway,) left-hoofed. Oddly, perhaps, I throw right-handed and, of course, for 50 years, fingered trumpets, cornets, and flugelhorns with the right hand's fingers.

When it comes to endeavors we will not discuss here in a family forum...ambidextrous, I'm happy to announce.

With a baitcasting rig I cast left and crank with the right hand, so use the "standard" reels. Conversely, with spin gear, I cast right and crank with the left paw.
Upside: I do not waste time changing hands. One of my fishing pals, a Mr. B. Lash, however, changes hands while the lure is in flight. This may account for some of the "Professional Overruns".
Downside: My casting hand/wrist rarely get any rest. I use baitcasting, on the average, at least 95% of the time, so the old left hand, wrist, shoulder, etc, take a beating during a long day. Since I dropshot with a specially "designed" baitcasting rig, rather than a spin rig, one potential rest period is lost.
Upside: Although there is a wider variety of left-hand retrieve baitcasting available today, I don't have to seek one. The spin reels, almost without exception, offer quick changes from left to right/right to left cranking.
Speaking of such, Rebbasser and I were at BPS y'day, exchanging a defective reel. Luckily, we noticed that the fine print on the new reel's box stated "Left Hand Retrieve" before we left. Dan, in the fishing department, cheerfully corrected the error. Great guy to deal and chat with, BTW.

I never have understood why, for decades, reel manufacturers and some rodmakers decreed that fishermen/women must change hands post-cast. There were rods, FYI, that had handles contoured for gripping with the left hand. Probably still are some out there. Then, when the French began to populate the planet with spin reels, such as the venerable original Mitchell (Michelle?) 300 (The version exported to Meh-hee-ko and parts south was NOT labelled "Miguel 300", contrary to popular myth.) and it's cousins, it was "Cast right, do not change hands, crank left."...go figure.
Conclusion: Do what feels right for YOU.

There! I feel all better now.

F.Rod
Resident Expert on Absolutely Nothing.

[bassintxlady]

all in all fella's opinions are like ****holes.....everyone's got one and some just plain stink.....so just go with what "you" know....and mike...stop butchering things that i say for i have an opinion too!!!!!!!!.....

[Captmikestarrett]

Originally Posted by bassintxlady

all in all fella's opinions are like ****holes.....everyone's got one and some just plain stink.....so just go with what "you" know....and mike...stop butchering things that i say for i have an opinion too!!!!!!!!.....

Yes, sorry I will go somewhere far away from the bustling crowd. How about right under there...

I just made you say underwear..



Capt Mike

[Wishing2BFishing]

Using a lefty eliminated that switch and eliminated those missed bites. Works good for me!

Jolly[/quote]

Jolly, I agree with you 100%.

[ILfishinman]

thanks for al the input fellas and lady fellas. and yea you did make me saw underwear lol. hopefully the bps in portage has the casting lanes you speak of up when i go. get to try out the leftys, cause i find swithcing hand when i use my righty not annoying but just nerving casue i dont have the switch in air down yet.

[3dkicker]

How about my 2 cents?? or am I too late??

I agree with Zooker....I use both left and right handed retrieves for my bait casting rods.

Flipping, pitching, spinnerbait, buzzbait, etc are all left handed. Crankbaits and topwater all right handed. By switching up I believe I am less tired after a long day of fishing.

[HOG Ranger]

Originally Posted by crab

left handed spinning right handed baitcaster.

Same here, I tried a left hand baitcaster and it felt strange.

[Captmikestarrett]

Originally Posted by HOG Ranger

Same here, I tried a left hand baitcaster and it felt strange.

Same here except I would set the hook and push the release bar. Can you spell backlash with fish on.

Capt Mike

[Raul]

Originally Posted by Captmikestarrett

. Can you spell backlash with fish on.

Capt Mike

It´s spelled: =)(&%$"!!!!!!!

[Raul]

Forgot to add:

[zooker]

Originally Posted by Captmikestarrett

Same here except I would set the hook and push the release bar. Can you spell backlash with fish on.

Capt Mike

i have actually done this.. and raul is right on the spelling but not on the lenth of the string of cussin..

zooker

[pbnstevo]

I use a lefty, so does my dad.

It seems easier than casting with your left, than switching to your right, grrr.

Lefty is so much easier.

[Raul]

Originally Posted by zooker

i have actually done this.. and raul is right on the spelling but not on the lenth of the string of cussin..

zooker

Weeeeeeeelllll, I shortened it beacuse I don´t want you guyz to think I have a foul mouth.

[Vabass22]

What ever you start with, you will most likely get used to. Its all in personal opinion. See for yourself what feels more natural.

[ILfishinman]

well i have a right handed shimano calcutta i got from my gramps and i dont like that i have to work the lure with my left arm, used to doing it with my right.

[senko]

Originally Posted by mack

spinning- lefty
baitcasting- righty

ditto





senko

[K-Driz]

I reel with my left hand on both spinning reels and baitcasters even though I'm right handed because the dominant right arm is quicker to react, can produce more variations in lure retrieval, and is sure to drive the hook home every time.

[ILfishinman]

K-Driz, thats how i look at it too the right hand works the lure, makes sence to work the lure with your dominant hand instead of wasting it reeling lol

[betursweetbass]

Originally Posted by Captmikestarrett

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

Cpt. Mike,

I think my partner's meaning was that when the average joe, uses better equipment, they will most likely feel more strikes and hopefully land more fish.

I'm sure that BTL will agree with me that you can not give the best equipment in the world to an amature bass fisherman and expect them to go out and win their first tournament. Most everyone knows, it takes years of experience on the water to just find fish, let alone catch the big ones that will put you over the top.

My sweetie is most likely drawing from her own personal experiences on the water. When I first met her she was fishing with mostly low end gear that most folks start off with as I did when I started bass fishing. After a few dozen outtings with inferior gear, it was obvious to me that I needed to upgrade my equipment to "feel" those sneaky little boogers when they picked up my worm, grub or whatever I had tied on at the time.

Myself, personally, I like to tell folks here on the forum that I sincerely believe that for most of us "average weekend" anglers, all it takes to have fun and catch fish is a little basic lure knowledge, a positive attitude, lots of patience, and some good equipment. We all know for a fact, you can feel a soft tap on the line alot easier with a AiRRUS, Loomis, St. Croix, whetever, more so than if you are using a $14.95 walmart special.

Here's a silly example, if you wanted to go hunting with your buddies, you wouldn't want to take a BB Gun. You'd take something that you know is going to drop your target like a rock. (Assuming you hit it)

Just my 2 cents....

BET

[Hef]

I guess I'm the odd ball. I use right handed baitcasters and I swap handle on my spinning reels so I can crank with my right hand. If it ain't broke don't fix it.