Left/right handed baitcasters? - Page 2

boloson · 03-30-11, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M_A_C_K

Yeah someone was telling me he gets alot of crap from fisherman for useing a left hand retrieve since he's right handed... it seems common, hmmm.

i'm assuming they were all pros who gives him crap?

M_A_C_K · 03-30-11, 03:16 PM

just a buddy said that... he didnt elaborate on exactly who

3dkicker · 03-30-11, 04:45 PM

Left hand retrieve reels allow you to start the retrieve on short casts quicker than right hand....if you are right handed and cast with your right hand. This is important for spinnerbait and chatterbait type baits especially over grass. If you are right hand dominant it would make sense that you set the hook and control the fish with your dominant hand.
I can fish with both types of reels and do fish with them but prefer left hand retrieve reels.

islandbass · 03-30-11, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M_A_C_K

I'm thinking on getting a baitcaster, and I even though i am right handed I cast with my right hand so I think I would be best with a left hand retrieve. Just want to see some input from you guys on what you think on the subject?

Chances are that you will probably be most comfortable choosing a bc reel with the crank on the same side as your spinning reels. So yes, a LH retrieve reel.

There is no guarantee, but I'd bet a floating rapala minnow on it. From one right-hander to another and as on who did not fish during the days when right-handed reels were the only option.

That is perhaps one of the biggest reasons right-hand dominant folks who've been fishing for a long time are accustomed to fishing prefer and use right-handed reels... They not only had no choice, but also "re-programmed" themselves to do so.

Tavery5 · 03-30-11, 06:42 PM

Here is what bothers me about casting right and reeling left. When you make a cast, your hands have a very specific grip, one with your hands back on the rod so as to allow you to de-press the clutch bar, and also place your thumb on the spool to help control the cast. This is a very different grip than you use when retrieving a reel. When retrieving a reel you will typically move the reel to the palm of your hand and hold both the rod and the reel in your grip aka palming the reel. To accomplish moving the reel in your hand from a casting to a retrieving type grip typically requires the use of your other hand to steady the rod and reel. In my opinion this somewhat negates any great advantage from one style to the other.

The other advantage that is spoken of a lot is that it is easier to control the rod and action of the bait with your dominate hand, and I don't disagree with that, however it can be for some of us just as difficult to turn the handle of the reel with our weak hand. My theory is that if you can learn the motor skills to crank the reel with your weak hand, then the same holds true for learning the motor skills necessary to control the rod.

I guess what I am trying to say is, do what is most comfortable for you, there should be no need to cause yourself any discomfort when fishing with a baitcast reel. A lot of the finest fishermen in the world including KVD switch hands with great success, others prefer the single handed approach, either is correct, there are no rules, do what works for you.

encorebilly · 03-30-11, 07:44 PM

I like to change up after 10 or 12 hours on the water\,it makes me a little less fatigued.

3dkicker · 03-31-11, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by encorebilly

I like to change up after 10 or 12 hours on the water\,it makes me a little less fatigued.

Very true. If you've ever fished a three day tournament and pre-fished three days before the event it is very important that the arms and shoulders can handle the repetition. Fatigue and dehydration are a major cause of anglers having poor last days.

With injuries in both shoulders I've learned to cast and retrieve with both hands.

islandbass · 03-31-11, 05:13 PM

Well said. That is one of the reasons I trained myself to fish both ways, although, left-hand is preferred.

chet_long · 04-03-11, 10:58 AM

I am right handed, and use a right hand retrieve reel on all of my casting rods. I have tried to make the switch, but the transition was so awkward, it took the fun out of it. For what it is worth, I will trade missing the occasional early bite, for a confident, solid, hook set any day (which I do not get with a casting rod in my right hand). I have found that I get far more leverage cranking with my right hand than I do with my left. 9 times out of 10, I have switched the rod in to my left hand by the time the bait hits the water.

Oddly enough, I reel all of my spinning reels are setup as left handed retrieve.

I guess after fishing this way for 30+ years, I see no reason to fight through a change. Bottom line, whatever feels best is the way to go.

Garry2rs · 04-06-11, 09:20 AM

Why do newbies to baitcasting always think that the generations that came before them had it all wrong? If there were an advantage to right hander's reeling baitcast reels from the left we would all be doing it!

Obviously I cast right and reel right. On a normal side arm or overhead cast I change hands while the lure is in the air. I place the reel into my left palm to give me the best grip on the reel when I start the retrieve.

If you hold the rod in the casting position, with your finger around the trigger while you reel, the torque of reeling is putting a lot of stress on your wrist. This is very tiring. Righty's who want to reel left will have to find a compromise grip in order to hold the reel in their palm without changing hands.

For Jig/pig I do own one left handed reel so that I have the option to reel instantly... but this is only on short underhand-lob type casts...This idea of missed fish is a highly over-rated in my option. Left or right reel, if I have a hit I always jam the spool with my thumb to set the hook, I seldom have to worry about a fish dragging me deep into a snag where I fish.

The other disadvantage of using the wrong side reel is every once in awhile you will bump or snag the handle, which is pointing down instead of up, on your cloths and drop it into gear in the middle of a cast.

You have to twist your wrist to the inside in order to get maximum flex, so if you think that a casting reel is held level during the cast, I'm sorry but you don't know what your doing.

In my opinion, right handed casters owe it to themselves to try a right hand reel before they go gaily off trying to reinvent the wheel.

Bryan · 04-06-11, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garry2rs

Why do newbies to baitcasting always think that the generations that came before them had it all wrong? If there were an advantage to right hander's reeling baitcast reels from the left we would all be doing it!

You don't feel that working lures, setting hooks, and fighting fish with your stronger, more coordinated hand is an advantage?

CamG · 04-06-11, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bryan

You don't feel that working lures, setting hooks, and fighting fish with your stronger, more coordinated hand is an advantage?

Don't waste your breath Bryan. There is the Garry2rs way and the wrong way. He has never made a valid point on this subject and it has been mulled over many times.

Jrob78 · 04-06-11, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CamG

Don't waste your breath Bryan. There is the Garry2rs way and the wrong way. He has never made a valid point on this subject and it has been mulled over many times.

X2, pay no mind to the guy with the extra R, he has no point.

Garry2rs · 04-06-11, 02:11 PM

Since you asked, I find it easier to work a casting rod with my left. After all, I'm not trying to sign my name, it's mostly twitch-twitch and turn the crank or tug-tug-pause and I don't need fine motor skills for that. Beside that I'm hold both sides of the reel so my hands work in concert.

Incidentally, KVD also casts right and reels right, so maybe there is something about the old traditional way that is worth knowing...

M_A_C_K · 04-06-11, 03:14 PM

Yeah the first post was bitter as hell sounding... reinventing the wheel lol... I understand that if he grew up when they only had right hand retrieves thats what he would be most comfortable on... all I got from it was "all these young wippasnappers trying to ask questions just get out there do it the way i did" lol

MIbasser · 04-06-11, 03:48 PM

I know we had this discussion a long time ago, but I as much as I hate to say it, I'm with Gary on this one. I'm very right handed. I cast right handed, reel right handed, but on spinning reels I'm a lefty. Reeling with my right just feels odd, very odd. I do switch in mid air when casting and have no issues with it. I've taught myself to pitch left handed over the winter and have gotten pretty good at it.

BUT, I will say trying to set the hook with my right arm (my dominate hand) feels so odd I couldn't do it. So why is that? It goes back to my spinning reel. I can set the hook better with my NON-dominant hand/arm - Left - better.

M_A_C_K · 04-06-11, 04:29 PM

And if there wasn't people trying to reinvent the wheel we would all still be using Cane poles (a stick)

Jrob78 · 04-06-11, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MIbasser

I know we had this discussion a long time ago, but I as much as I hate to say it, I'm with Gary on this one. I'm very right handed. I cast right handed, reel right handed, but on spinning reels I'm a lefty. Reeling with my right just feels odd, very odd. I do switch in mid air when casting and have no issues with it. I've taught myself to pitch left handed over the winter and have gotten pretty good at it.

BUT, I will say trying to set the hook with my right arm (my dominate hand) feels so odd I couldn't do it. So why is that? It goes back to my spinning reel. I can set the hook better with my NON-dominant hand/arm - Left - better.

I agree that when you've been fishing one way for 20+ years, the switch to LH is probably impractical for most people. I gave it a shot but I found that unless I was going to switch all, or the majority of my reels to lefties, it wasn't going to be worth the trouble of going back and forth. I could do it but it wasn't really very efficient.

That said, I still believe 100% that a right handed person just starting out with baitcasters, with no muscle memory developed, should start on a left handed reel. It just makes sense, even if switching up half way through life might not.

BigBassin144 · 04-08-11, 07:08 AM

3dkicker · 04-08-11, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garry2rs

Incidentally, KVD also casts right and reels right, so maybe there is something about the old traditional way that is worth knowing...

Take another look at some of his video's and you'll see him reel with his left and with his right.....not as traditional as you might think.

M_A_C_K · 04-10-11, 04:39 AM

Yeah from what I read just about all the pros are left and right handed... makes sense when fishing 3 day tournaments.

03-30-11, 04:45 PM	#28
3dkicker BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Spotsylvania, VA Posts: 4,483	Left hand retrieve reels allow you to start the retrieve on short casts quicker than right hand....if you are right handed and cast with your right hand. This is important for spinnerbait and chatterbait type baits especially over grass. If you are right hand dominant it would make sense that you set the hook and control the fish with your dominant hand. I can fish with both types of reels and do fish with them but prefer left hand retrieve reels. __________________ Smitty www.smittystubes.com

03-30-11, 06:42 PM	#30
Tavery5 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 2,427	Here is what bothers me about casting right and reeling left. When you make a cast, your hands have a very specific grip, one with your hands back on the rod so as to allow you to de-press the clutch bar, and also place your thumb on the spool to help control the cast. This is a very different grip than you use when retrieving a reel. When retrieving a reel you will typically move the reel to the palm of your hand and hold both the rod and the reel in your grip aka palming the reel. To accomplish moving the reel in your hand from a casting to a retrieving type grip typically requires the use of your other hand to steady the rod and reel. In my opinion this somewhat negates any great advantage from one style to the other. The other advantage that is spoken of a lot is that it is easier to control the rod and action of the bait with your dominate hand, and I don't disagree with that, however it can be for some of us just as difficult to turn the handle of the reel with our weak hand. My theory is that if you can learn the motor skills to crank the reel with your weak hand, then the same holds true for learning the motor skills necessary to control the rod. I guess what I am trying to say is, do what is most comfortable for you, there should be no need to cause yourself any discomfort when fishing with a baitcast reel. A lot of the finest fishermen in the world including KVD switch hands with great success, others prefer the single handed approach, either is correct, there are no rules, do what works for you. __________________ They call me Ishmael

03-30-11, 07:44 PM	#31
encorebilly BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 3	switching I like to change up after 10 or 12 hours on the water\,it makes me a little less fatigued.

03-31-11, 05:13 PM	#33
islandbass BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: WA State Posts: 1,783	Well said. That is one of the reasons I trained myself to fish both ways, although, left-hand is preferred. __________________ ARX "If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles." Doug Larson (Shimano 2005 Reel Catalog)

04-03-11, 10:58 AM	#34
chet_long BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Twin Cities/Marcell, MN Posts: 13	I am right handed, and use a right hand retrieve reel on all of my casting rods. I have tried to make the switch, but the transition was so awkward, it took the fun out of it. For what it is worth, I will trade missing the occasional early bite, for a confident, solid, hook set any day (which I do not get with a casting rod in my right hand). I have found that I get far more leverage cranking with my right hand than I do with my left. 9 times out of 10, I have switched the rod in to my left hand by the time the bait hits the water. Oddly enough, I reel all of my spinning reels are setup as left handed retrieve. I guess after fishing this way for 30+ years, I see no reason to fight through a change. Bottom line, whatever feels best is the way to go. __________________ If I can't fall asleep, I go walleye fishing; that always works! :)

03-30-11, 03:16 PM	#27
M_A_C_K BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Ludington, Michigan Posts: 280	just a buddy said that... he didnt elaborate on exactly who

04-06-11, 09:20 AM	#35
Garry2rs BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: AZ. USA. and Ont. Canada Posts: 145	Why do newbies to baitcasting always think that the generations that came before them had it all wrong? If there were an advantage to right hander's reeling baitcast reels from the left we would all be doing it! Obviously I cast right and reel right. On a normal side arm or overhead cast I change hands while the lure is in the air. I place the reel into my left palm to give me the best grip on the reel when I start the retrieve. If you hold the rod in the casting position, with your finger around the trigger while you reel, the torque of reeling is putting a lot of stress on your wrist. This is very tiring. Righty's who want to reel left will have to find a compromise grip in order to hold the reel in their palm without changing hands. For Jig/pig I do own one left handed reel so that I have the option to reel instantly... but this is only on short underhand-lob type casts...This idea of missed fish is a highly over-rated in my option. Left or right reel, if I have a hit I always jam the spool with my thumb to set the hook, I seldom have to worry about a fish dragging me deep into a snag where I fish. The other disadvantage of using the wrong side reel is every once in awhile you will bump or snag the handle, which is pointing down instead of up, on your cloths and drop it into gear in the middle of a cast. You have to twist your wrist to the inside in order to get maximum flex, so if you think that a casting reel is held level during the cast, I'm sorry but you don't know what your doing. In my opinion, right handed casters owe it to themselves to try a right hand reel before they go gaily off trying to reinvent the wheel.

04-06-11, 02:11 PM	#39
Garry2rs BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: AZ. USA. and Ont. Canada Posts: 145	Since you asked, I find it easier to work a casting rod with my left. After all, I'm not trying to sign my name, it's mostly twitch-twitch and turn the crank or tug-tug-pause and I don't need fine motor skills for that. Beside that I'm hold both sides of the reel so my hands work in concert. Incidentally, KVD also casts right and reels right, so maybe there is something about the old traditional way that is worth knowing...

04-06-11, 03:14 PM	#40
M_A_C_K BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Ludington, Michigan Posts: 280	Yeah the first post was bitter as hell sounding... reinventing the wheel lol... I understand that if he grew up when they only had right hand retrieves thats what he would be most comfortable on... all I got from it was "all these young wippasnappers trying to ask questions just get out there do it the way i did" lol

04-06-11, 03:48 PM	#41
MIbasser BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Okemos, MI Posts: 1,447	I know we had this discussion a long time ago, but I as much as I hate to say it, I'm with Gary on this one. I'm very right handed. I cast right handed, reel right handed, but on spinning reels I'm a lefty. Reeling with my right just feels odd, very odd. I do switch in mid air when casting and have no issues with it. I've taught myself to pitch left handed over the winter and have gotten pretty good at it. BUT, I will say trying to set the hook with my right arm (my dominate hand) feels so odd I couldn't do it. So why is that? It goes back to my spinning reel. I can set the hook better with my NON-dominant hand/arm - Left - better.

04-06-11, 04:29 PM	#42
M_A_C_K BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Ludington, Michigan Posts: 280	And if there wasn't people trying to reinvent the wheel we would all still be using Cane poles (a stick)

04-08-11, 07:08 AM	#44
BigBassin144 BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toledo, Ohio Posts: 9,463	__________________ As of June 14, 2014 the members of the BF.com forum have moved to basschat.yuku.com!

04-10-11, 04:39 AM	#46
M_A_C_K BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Ludington, Michigan Posts: 280	Yeah from what I read just about all the pros are left and right handed... makes sense when fishing 3 day tournaments.

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