backbay Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 I reel with my left hand on either spinning or bait casting rigs. Cast with my right hand. I probably do it that way because the spinning reels I used as a kid had the handles on the left hand side. Also, I think I can work a jerkbait, or anything else, a little more precisely if I hold the rod in my right hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garfisher Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 On spinning reels I cast with my right and reel with my left. On my baitcaster I cast with my left (or use both in a baseball swing) and reel with my right.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wormdunker Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 Doesn't matter to me as long as I have a fish on!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lew Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 It's just like what side of a bicycle should a person climb on or off. There's no right or wrong hand to crank a reel or hold a rod with. Just do whatever feels best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rufus Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 When I bought my first spinning reel back in the '60's (yes, I am dating myself!) it actually came with instructions and a pitch as to why in the interest of efficiency one should learn to cast without switching hands. prior to that of course everyone switched as just about all handles were on the right. Switching was the natural way to fish. Not switching was a new method that had to be learned. I thought that was dumb of course and continue to switch to this day Do what ever feels good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Cliff Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 Well, I don't know about you, but I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallyboss Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 I always reel with my left hand baitcaster and Spinning reels. But i find it awkward, but the reason I do it, is because I have a lot better rod control with my right hand. I can't seem to be able to get used to jerk-pause, jerk-pause using my left hand and it seems natural with my right hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 It's so funny how comfortable you feel depending on the setup.. I can't imagine fishing a baitcaster with my left hand on the reel handle.. Walking the dog topwaters with my left hand wrapped around the reel and my right hand on the handle. Then the other end of the spectrum.. Spinning setup fishing for brookies and using a 'pause jerk pause' motion with my left hand on the handle and my right hand on the reel seat/rod. Silly when you think about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harrison Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 (edited) Strong arm should be on the rod. More power, better aim. Using the wrong hand on the reel feels like you are writing with the wrong hand, it takes practice. I switched over quite a few years ago now. With some practice I noticed a huge difference. For the first while I only pitched and flipped left handed and casted right. Now it is all left. Most guys like KVD, never switched because back in the day you could only really get right hand baitcasters. Sometimes it is hard to teach an old dog new.... you know... Those that switch hands after each cast, pitch, flip are probably very comfortable doing it, but for myself switching from right to left was well worth it. For what it's worth. Edited March 5, 2012 by Harrison Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asdve23rveavwa Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 Left all the way, for the reasons stated by many others AND the fact that it just feels right...er...um.....left Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickingfrog Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 left hand all the way just like joeytier said i find it really strange as to why people cats then switch hands to rell in ??? left hand you never have to switch hands and its more user freindly and for trolling with a tiller its the only way !!! Do you fish on the left or right side of the boat? I'm lefthanded. And reel with my right hand for both. I get to use my dominant hand on the tiller, face the left (port) side of the boat. My non-dominant right hand (not my normal rod hand) surely works as good as a rod holder while trolling. l can set the hook by rotating my upper body and arm using my back muscles. Most people have stronger upper back muscles, then chest muscles. Funny how something that can seem as simple as fishing can be done so many different ways that are all so obvious to the individual, but completely different from the next person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roe Bag Posted March 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2012 (edited) I was going to see what kind of deals were around at either the Bass Pro Fishing Classic or the Sportsmens Show but I think I'll borrow a couple and see how things shake out. I think I would prefer working the rod with my dominant hand. That's the way I work my jerk baits and any jigging (spinning) so I'm thinking left hand retrieve but I want to be sure before I fork out the coin. Appreciate your thoughts guys. Thanks for the help. Edited March 7, 2012 by kwikfish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBW Posted March 7, 2012 Report Share Posted March 7, 2012 (edited) I was going to see what kind of deals were around at either the Bass Pro Fishing Classic or the Sportsmens Show but I think I'll borrow a couple and see how things shake out. I think I would prefer working the rod with my dominant hand. That's the way I work my jerk baits and any jigging (spinning) so I'm thinking left hand retrieve but I want to be sure before I fork out the coin. Appreciate your thoughts guys. Thanks for the help. I'm a lefty and I had about 3 or 4 baitcasters that were a right hand crank. the second I tried and left hand crank all those reels went up for sale. just saying... I crank on a spinning with my left, I can play with my kids rods that crank on the right and even though I'm a lefty; casting with my right hand holding the rod feels better and I get the power cranking a fish in the boat with my left (strong hand?) vs. the switch over that I did in the past. *edit to add* being a lefty I grab a fish with my left hand 95% of the time or more so holding the rod in my right and giving my cranking hand free play to grab the fish felt better too. Edited March 7, 2012 by GBW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickingfrog Posted March 7, 2012 Report Share Posted March 7, 2012 Most of us are not using winches for reels. You don't crank a fish in with the reel, you recover the line with it. The rod moves the line. Not saying someone is "wrong" for doing things differently then convention, but sometimes the reasoning for why things are done a particular way has flaws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBW Posted March 7, 2012 Report Share Posted March 7, 2012 crank, reel, rip... my point was all one in the same... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bramptonjerry Posted March 7, 2012 Report Share Posted March 7, 2012 have often been told I reel set up is backwards but I cast with my right, reel with my right, it just feels right...to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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