Left Hand Retreive Baitbast

[LucG]

I was shopping for a baitcasts reels at basspro.com and found that alot of them are only available in a right hand retreive.

 

Now I've allways held a rod and casted with my right hand and retreived with my left. Should it be the oposite with a baitcast reel or should I just do what feels more comfortable.

 

Thanks

[Raf]

do what is comfortable

 

i also reel with left.. while there are less options for us in terms of reels, there are enough if you look.

[AzuluSpookd]

Many of the guys I fish with, use left hand spinners and then switch and use right hand baitcasters.....

 

I can't do that. I'm with you, all of my baitcasters are left hand retrieve.

[Jer]

I never understood why people would want to switch hands from spinning to baitcast. I use left-hand baitcasters as well.

[lookinforwalleye]

Do what feels right to you, I cast with my right hand switch the rod to the left hand and reel with the right.

With spinning gear it`s cast with the right and reel with the left, that`s how I learned it feels comfortable.

[lookinforwalleye]

I never understood why people would want to switch hands from spinning to baitcast. I use left-hand baitcasters as well.

 

In my case it`s just that I can`t do much with my left hand, I can hold a rod and I can reel with the left but when I try and cast with my left it looks like I have some kind of pyhsical disability and I find it very uncomfortable.

[JohnF]

I'm still learning baitcasting but I discovered the same thing. I like doing it left handed. In a pinch I can handle righty but prefer left. Sometimes it feels like I'm gonna toss the whole rig in the drink when I really snap one out the way I was taught. Perhaps it comes back to the hockey thing that they talk about in golf. So many of us grew up playing hockey left handed that we just find it natural. Hence so many left handed Canuck golfers. And perhaps that's why so many of us prefer left handed baitcasters.

 

I was talking to a tackle shop owner from New Jersey and he said that there's not much call for lefties in casting gear in his market. He figgered that was why I got such a good deal on the LH Calcutta in Ohio. There was a righty in the same model right beside it for $199.

 

What I've discovered is that to find LH ya gotta go slightly up the scale ladder. The cheaper reels are only RH. But then perhaps that isn't such a bad thing if it means we start out with slightly better equipment. By all accounts a crappy BC can sure ruin an otherwise nice day.

 

Keep yer eyes peeled. I've bought a Quantum Energy PTi (the rainbow looking one) and a Calcutta 201B for $100 each in the last year or so. By all accounts those are decent deals.

 

But I'm a neophyte. What do I know.

 

JF

[ColdH20guy]

I'm with the 'lefty' group as well! Although right handed, I play hockey and golf left handed and use a LH retrieve for a Bait Caster...good to see there are a few more on here!

[s2k4mee]

LH for both spinning and baitcaster.

[LucG]

I don't feel as alone...thanks...lol

[GBW]

LH for both spinning and baitcaster.

same here.

[johnnyb]

LOL -- we're all here for ya! I'm a right handed person who, shoots a hockey stick left, golfs right, swings a bat from both sides of the plate, but MOST IMPORTANTLY, reels with the left

[gbaysteel]

The higher end baitcast reels all come in left and right hand retrieve. Do yourself a favour and buy a decent reel, especially if you are just learning

[Roy]

Left hand reeler here too. I have a few right hand baitcasters that were "cast" upon me but now I'll only buy lefties. If a manufacturer only makes righties, I buy from someone else. Most of the really good reels are made in left hand retreive versions.

[lookinforwalleye]

I never realized there were so many of you noodle-eyed guys out there!LOL

 

Being right handed and golfing left handed is just too wierd.

[lookinforwalleye]

LOL noodle eyed??LOL

[basketclam]

I've looked into the same issue and had a very difficult time finding a left handed baitcaster. I've often seen people cast left handed with the baitcaster and switch hands to retrieve right handed. Seemed illogical at first, but when I started picking up rods and trying it myself, it seemed to work alright. Pick some right handed rods up and try it for yourself.

 

Like scissors - when's the last time you saw a left handed pair? Even though I use my left hand, I can't use left handed scissors (on the rare time that I find them) because I'm so used to the feel of a right handed scissor in my left hand. That's clearly beside the point.

[DRIFTER_016]

I am also a Lefty.

There are a lot more lefty baitcasters now than there used to be.

Back in the 80's you could almost count the number available on one hand.

Today it seems that most of the manufacturers are producing several left handed models.

[gogu392]

Left hand handle here too.

If you use your right hand in all daily activities you should buy a LH baitcaster.

Why? Simple. You need the right hand (the most strong one) to do the heavy lifting/work and the week one to do the small job (reel).

In past the baitcast where RH only (the reel was always in gear), today with clutch/gear, more and more are produced in LH.

It is a pain in the ass to switch the rod from one hand to another, one more useless step.

Try before to buy. See what you are confortable with.

If you are Right handed the Left Handle is for you, and viceversa.

Have fun.

Edited February 3, 2010 by gogan

[Garry2Rs]

It the days when the crank handle was always in gear, the handle would spin backward at high speed, during the cast. This was a very good reason to put it on the right side of the frame out of the way of body and sleeves etc.

 

Casting right, switching hands and reeling right is easy and feels quite natural after a few minutes. Ask anyone who does it and they will tell you that they generally change hands while the bait is still in the air.

 

Now it's none of my business if someone wants to become a Refty. However, it's doubtful that they will reach their full potential bait casting with a wrong sided reel. The reason is simply the design of the reel. It's too hard to use the proper grip and get the proper casting stroke. Refties teach themselves to cast with the reel on top of the rod and never get the power that could be generated with a better grip.

 

If you're curious about what I'm talking about, look up bait casting on line, or get a book from the Library. It will show you proper form and the correct grip etc.

 

None of this means that a Refty won't have an enjoyable day on the water, so let them do it their own way.

[Raf]

However, it's doubtful that they will reach their full potential bait casting with a wrong sided reel. The reason is simply the design of the reel. It's too hard to use the proper grip and get the proper casting stroke. Refties teach themselves to cast with the reel on top of the rod and never get the power that could be generated with a better grip.

 

not sure what you mean by that garry. when I cast the reel is off to the side, with the handle pointing up (or down) depending on where in the cast I am. that would be a problem with the reels of yesteryear that had the handle that spun when you casted but they don't any longer.

Edited February 3, 2010 by Raf

[GoneFishin]

I never understood why people would want to switch hands from spinning to baitcast. I use left-hand baitcasters as well.

Spinning you can get away with retrieving with your right hand, baitcaster not so much..

 

Bass pro most likely only has right handed reels because they are all sold out of left hand reel lol.

[mepps]

I'm a lefty too! Never had trouble finding lefty reels though. Bass Pro brand and Cabelas brand are all righties (at least they used to be) but any other big brand should offer most of their reels in both.

[I'mHooked]

Interesting read. The only thing I can do with my right hand is reel either a baitcast or spinner.

I do everything lefty. Hockey, golf, swing a bat, writing, casting. Other then crankin' on the reel handle, I can't hold my toothbrush with my right hand.

 

I can't imagine having to switch hands to cast & retrieve. Seems so foreign.

[BillM]

Spinning reel - left hand, baitcaster - right hand, centerpin - left hand, golf - right hand, hockey - left hand.