Right or Left hand retrieve ??

[mikeymikey]

I would like to know...

 

Why are most of baitcast reel have right hand retrieval ?

 

For those who use left hand retrieve for spinner, do you use right hand retrieve for baitcast?

 

Why is that ?

 

What is the science behind this?

 

Something to do with way you are holding the rod, reel?

 

I would love to hear your experience on this.

 

 

Thank you.

[mepps]

Baitcasts are held the opposite of spinning - on top of the rod, not below.

 

You just pick which is most comfortable. I am right handed, but like a left hand retrive so i have my strong arm holding the rod - providing better fight control.

 

Just about every major manufacturer WILL infact offfer right and left hand reels, but not always available in all sizes.

[Frankypro]

Hey mikeymikey,

 

Well,

 

I am all over the map when it comes to right handed/left handed, but I guess in general I fish left handed. My spinner gear is hold with left and crank with right. My baitcaster is cast with right switch rod in hands to left and then crank with right. I golf, play golf and hockey right handed, but put the fork in my left hand (always).

 

Now my buddy IS left handed but took a right handed reel and turned it upside down ( yes the whole pole eye-lets, reel and everything were up side down) and operated it "pole in left and crank with right"???

 

I think your gunna find there are as many ways of doing things as there are people.

 

What ever works for you to catch fish is what matters mikeymikey!

[Clampet]

... I am right handed, but like a left hand retrive so i have my strong arm holding the rod - providing better fight control...

 

I agree.

An angler should accustom(?) his/herself to holding the rod with their good arm, if your right handed then hold the rod with your right hand, and get used to turning the reel handle with your left, after all it's only turning the handle in a circle.

With a little practise it becomes second nature.

[danc]

Left hand retrieve for a spinning reel and right hand for a bait caster. I don't know why that is, but I'll bet that it is the popular answer on here.

[Heybud_e]

am about to order a left handed Abu Garcia® Revo™ S Casting Reel from cabelas, sure it cost $99.99 but garcia is a name u can trust! i am more comfortable with left hand retrieve as mepps said, holding the rod in my stronger arm... being the right...Bud

[huntervasili]

Left retrieve for spinning and flyfishing... when fly fishing you need ther rod in your good hand so that you can false cast and allow line out... Baitcaster retrieve with right, cast with right

[GbayGiant]

I'm ambidextric as well, don't know why it's just a natural reflex. I usually make the cast with the rod in my right hand, then pass the rod to my left and reel with my right.

Edited April 27, 2007 by GbayGiant

[mikeymikey]

Oh geez...

 

With spinner, I hold with right and retrieve with left.

 

Why can't baitcast be able to swap the handle like spinners!?

 

It would solve so... universal.

[hawg_hauler]

I agree with Mepps, have your good arm on the rod. I crank spinning outfits with my left as do I with bait casting. Of course in the end you would just have to go with what feels natural.

[OhioFisherman]

Tradition probably has something to do with the design, baitcasters were designed right hand retrieve and prior to the 70`s you saw very few that offered a left hand retrieve version. The only ones I remember were the Abu 5001c`s. The flipping and pitching craze that hit in the early years of professional bass fishing might have caused this to carry over, your using a stout rod, heavy line, and trying to pull the fish away from cover, you want your strong arm doing it, for most people it is their right arm, but they were used to right hand retrieve reels and there weren`t many options.

 

Like Lew says, that has changed over the years, a lot of lefties out there now, most companies offer some models in a lefty. Spinning reels went the other way, most seemed to be designed for left hand retrieve and righties were added later. They are a newer style of reel though.

 

It`s all a matter of comfort, you will use it more if your comfortable with it.

[JerseyDog]

The guy at BPS recommended that I buy the right hand retrieve. He said a lot of folks cast with their right hand, switch hands after the cast and then retrieve. So I tried that and I hated it.

 

So i returned it and bought a left hand retrieve and that has worked great for me.

 

I found it most natural to cast with my right and retreive with my left just like my spinning rig.

[lew]

This question pops up about once a month and it's always the same, somebody will tell someone else they're doing it wrong because it's different than what THEY do.

 

There IS no right or wrong way to do it !!!!!!!!!!

 

Go to a store and try out a left hand reel, and if it feels good, buy it.......if it doesn't feel good, try a right hand reel, and if that one feels better, then buy THAT one.

 

I've been using baitcasters longer than most people on this board have been alive, and I cast with my right hand, then switch the rod to my left and crank with my right hand.

 

Spinning reels I cast with my right, but crank with my left.

 

Am I wrong ??.....of course not, it works for me, so that means it's right for ME, but maybe not for anyone else, so try something different until you find whats right for YOU.

 

Just do whatever the heck feels good to YOU and don't worry about what anybody else thinks is right.

[bbog]

I'm left handed and am happy that most baitcasters and levelwinds are commonly right hand retrieve. It means that I just need to switch over my spinning reels to match! Strong hand and casting am is always on the rod.

 

Only time this is an issue is if I pass one of my spinning rods to someone that is accustomed to left hand retrieve.

 

Can't wait to get out tomorrow and try out my newest ultra light on Crappie.

[Slick Willy]

I agree with the advise to do what feels good for you. That being said the idea of having to switch hands before and after each cast seems like a waste of time. It also creates the possibility of missing bites while transferring the rod from one hand to the other.Not a big deal with crankbaits but moreso when flippin'. These may be tiny details but their importance can add up over time. I started out with a r. hand retreive because that's what was available at the time. When the time came to purchase a new reel I made the switch. Having used l. hand retreive spinning reels since I was old enough to hold one just made it seem more natural. I can still pick up a righty and wing it if neccessary- just like riding a bike.

 

>Bill

[GbayGiant]

I agree with the advise to do what feels good for you. That being said the idea of having to switch hands before and after each cast seems like a waste of time. It also creates the possibility of missing bites while transferring the rod from one hand to the other.

 

I switch hands before the lure even hits the water, as I'm sure the other guys with this technique do the same, no problems at all.

[Slick Willy]

I switch hands before the lure even hits the water, as I'm sure the other guys with this technique do the same, no problems at all.

 

Then you switch again before casting - that was also my point. To each their own. This is a very small amount of wasted time but if you're in a competition it may allow you an extra number of presentations which over time will mean more bites.

[mikeymikey]

Thank you all for replies.

 

I wasn't really asking what is right or wrong but I just wanted to know why just about all baitcast are right handles vs just about all spinners are left.

 

Maybe some of you just use right retrieve on baitcast because it was what you had and just got used to it.