Baitcasters; Right vs Left handed retrieve... 2024
Eric J reply :
When I bought my baitcaster I went with a left hand retrieve as it feels more natural to me, maybe because of years of spinning with left hand. Plus I'm a right handed and that's my power hand/arm.
But I see so many right handed anglers go with a right hand retrieve, do the pass over after cast and set with the left hand.
Any reason why you righties go with a right retrieve?
Eric86 reply :
I'm a leftie and I prefer a right handed baitcaster. I like that my dominant hand does all the important stuff as turning a handle is a basic task for either hand. That being said as a leftie I have had to become efficient at using my right hand because let's face it... it's a right handed world.
flyfisher reply :
old topic and age old question. I will see if i can sum up the 2 main answers i have seen:
1) Baitcasting reels are more like a winch and the power is generated by the reel and not the rod so you want the stronger arm to be reeling
2)If you started using them "back in the day" or were taught by someone from that time frame, all that existed were right hand retrieves so that is what you bought or learned on from the people who taught you.
For me it made no sense so i use left hand retrieve reels for everything from spinning, bait casting and fly reels. I am glad that bait casting reels have definitely increased the offerings in LH retrieve.
BrianinMD reply :
Just use what feels comfortable to you....no point in making things harder than they need to be.
MassYak85 reply :
Just use what's more comfortable. IMO the whole "your dominant arm is stronger so use that" argument is silly. It's fine motor skills that make one arm or hand dominant not your raw strength, and even if one arm IS stronger for some reason, no one is using their full strength to set the hook anyways...nor should you for bass fishing unless you want broken rods. I'm a righty, I reel with my right hand for spinning and casting because it feels easier to make a circular motion with my hand.
Tennessee Boy reply :
On 9/23/2018 at 10:31 PM, Eric J said:Any reason why you righties go with a right retrieve?
Yes, they don't know better ????! .... just kidding. Angers that "do it wrong" include most pros so obviously you can catch fish that way. I will say that I'm very glad that 25 years ago I decided to switch to left hand reels on my slow retrieve rods. It didn't take long to get used to "doing it right" and it offers many advantages and no disadvantages beyond the initial time getting used to the change.
BassWhole! reply :
On 9/23/2018 at 10:31 PM, Eric J said:Any reason why you righties go with a right retrieve?
YES. I'll elaborate in January, Again.... 
Lead Head reply :
I went the opposite route. Years ago, when I started more seriously bass fishing (somewhere around age 20), I decided it would be more efficient to cast with my left hand so I wouldn't have to switch over to reel. At that time I had recently had reconstructive surgery on my right wrist so I was learning how to do all kinds of things lefty and casting came pretty easy. I have recently been trying to relearn to cast right handed just to make it easier to hit all available targets. Its pretty comical, you would never believe I spent the first 20 years of my life casting with my right hand if you could see how bad it is.
Glenn reply :
Tastes Great, Less Filling.
I've had guys tell me they can make more casts, more efficient, etc. with lefties because they don't need to switch hands. Then they're humbled when I go toe-to-toe with them and make more casts. So much for that argument. But the "righties" that use "lefties" love it, so more power to them!
Bottom line is, it's personal preference. There is no "best" way that's universal. It's whatever works "best" for YOU.
Have fun fishing!
flyfisher reply :
On 9/24/2018 at 12:27 AM, Glenn said:Tastes Great, Less Filling.
I've had guys tell me they can make more casts, more efficient, etc. with lefties because they don't need to switch hands. Then they're humbled when I go toe-to-toe with them and make more casts. So much for that argument. But the "righties" that use "lefties" love it, so more power to them!
Bottom line is, it's personal preference. There is no "best" way that's universal. It's whatever works "best" for YOU.
Have fun fishing!
so you literally sat there and had a casting contest with a person to see who could cast more frequently? Were all casts the same distance, same retrieve rate reels and reeled the exact same speed, same line and weight?
I am calling BS on this one, sorry...
Now all that being said i don't think it matters too much on number of casts but by the definition of the word casting with one hand and retrieving with the other is more efficient. There is no way to argue it isn't because each had does one thing.
Team9nine reply :
On 9/23/2018 at 10:31 PM, Eric J said:When I bought my baitcaster I went with a left hand retrieve as it feels more natural to me, maybe because of years of spinning with left hand. Plus I'm a right handed and that's my power hand/arm.
But I see so many right handed anglers go with a right hand retrieve, do the pass over after cast and set with the left hand.
Any reason why you righties go with a right retrieve?
...because we haven't learned to reel efficiently with our left hand, along the lines of what MassYak85 said. Makes no difference in the big scheme of things
BaitFinesse reply :
Turning the handle requires dexterity some right handed people may not have in their left hand. I can only turn the handle wirh my left hand a fraction the speed of my right. Going faster causes the fluid circular motion to break down and become jerky.
Jrob78 reply :
Back in the day left hand baitcasters weren't popular so we all learned on rh reels. I've tried to use lh baitcasters but years of muscle memory makes it really hard to switch. The balance between lh and rh reels is different and the way you have to grip the rod changes. I can cast, switch hands and thumb the spool while the bait is still in the air, it is just as fast for me to use rh reels. All that said, if you are right handed and can use a lh reel, it makes sense to do so.
MickD reply :
I've used left crank spin reels and right crank BC reels since I was a kid, and that's a long time ago. I am naturally a right handed person. Two years ago I injured my left rotator cup and found that with my baitcasters I had trouble jigging blade baits, so thought the solution would be a left crank BC reel so that my right could do the jigging.
Within a few months I found myself trying to retrieve my old right crank BC reels with my left hand. I had gotten used to the left crank.
I now prefer the left crank BC reel to my old right cranks.
Bottom line, it's about what you prefer, and one can get used to either even after using only one for many years.
Chris186 reply :
I am ambidextrous so I can use rods and reels either way. But I prefer a right hand retrieve reel, but I also prefer to cast with my right. I can do pretty much everything equally with both hands like swing a golf club, bat, throw a ball etc. The only thing I can't do with both hands anymore is write, I haven't done it since I was very young and my parents told me I had to pick a hand so I went with the right.
NYWayfarer reply :
When I bought my first baitcaster I got a right handed retrieve reel because I am right handed.
It felt natural because I was brought up on saltwater baitcasers that only came in right handed retrieve.
Domino256 reply :
I prefer LHR though being right-hand dominant. I also noticed that the left-hand retrieve reels are more difficult to keep in stock. I had a reel in my cart for a week between paychecks and LHR is now sold out completely. Does it sell better or do they make less of them? Thoughts?
kenmitch reply :
On 9/24/2018 at 9:34 PM, Domino256 said:I prefer LHR though being right-hand dominant. I also noticed that the left-hand retrieve reels are more difficult to keep in stock. I had a reel in my cart for a week between paychecks and LHR is now sold out completely. Does it sell better or do they make less of them? Thoughts?
Good question for a large tackle distributor I'd think. Without having the data I'd lean towards not as popular so they stock less. It could also be the other way around and they're more popular.
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I cast with the right and reel with the right on both baitcaster and spinning as it's the way it feels more natural too me. The switching of the rod from my right to left hand happens just after the lure hits the water. I've always done it this way and don't see any reason to change it.
Caliyak reply :
On 9/23/2018 at 10:31 PM, Eric J said:When I bought my baitcaster I went with a left hand retrieve as it feels more natural to me, maybe because of years of spinning with left hand. Plus I'm a right handed and that's my power hand/arm.
But I see so many right handed anglers go with a right hand retrieve, do the pass over after cast and set with the left hand.
Any reason why you righties go with a right retrieve?
I'm trying flipping and pitching with a left reel, little weird but getting use to it. I will use a right for moving baits, speed. Buzzbait is a good example. Try to use the left for one technique and the right for another. See how that goes. It takes time and practice. But, if you fish once a week, like me, it will take you longer.
Boomstick reply :
I am primarily left handed, cast left handed but I cannot reel with my left hand for the life of me, so I use right handed baitcasters so the rod never leaves my left hand. It fees much more natural that way to me.
Woody_California reply :
Lefty here that prefers right hand retrieve.
Eric J reply :
On 9/25/2018 at 1:49 AM, Caliyak said:I'm trying flipping and pitching with a left reel, little weird but getting use to it. I will use a right for moving baits, speed. Buzzbait is a good example. Try to use the left for one technique and the right for another. See how that goes. It takes time and practice. But, if you fish once a week, like me, it will take you longer.
I was away from fishing for many years, Spinners were still the reel of choice and I always cast with the right and reeled with the left. Casters were not yet a freshwater thing. So when I got back into it it just felt natural to go left hand retrieve.
No reason for me to try to change up, I don't have any issues with right hand cast/left hand retrieve... Really just curious...
Derek1 reply :
I also am left handed, just recently switched over to baitcaster. Always reeled with my right so just got a bait caster the same way. I like it like this I don’t think I could reel with my left.
govallis reply :
My right shoulder and arm have been abused by computer mouse, so I use right hand to retrieve and my left hand to hold the weight and twitch. And, this way, the handle screw is harder to lose.
Catt reply :
On 9/24/2018 at 12:27 AM, Glenn said:Then they're humbled when I go toe-to-toe with them and make more casts. So much for that argument.
On 9/24/2018 at 12:44 AM, flyfisher said:so you literally sat there and had a casting contest with a person to see who could cast more frequently? Were all casts the same distance, same retrieve rate reels and reeled the exact same speed, same line and weight?
I am calling BS on this one, sorry
Yeah! It's called tournament fishing!
If all ya got to beat me is what hand my rod is in ya just donated your entry fee!
You'll only underestimate me once! ????
NHBull reply :
I took a different approach. I am very close to being ambidextrous. I qualified expect with rifle and pistol both L and R. Can bat,golf, and shoot a puck almost as good L as R. That said, setting a hook with my R is distinctly better and my R hand more sensitive to touch.
It's just more natural for me NOT to change hands.
If this was Winter, the replies will be a mile long.........Do what feels natural and don't waste time trying to confirm.
sdsc357 reply :
My first BC was a Shimano Curado CU-201. It just felt more natural to me. I have a fishing buddy who is right handed, he insist to use right handed reels. It's almost 2 years now, he still can't master the walk the dog technique. LOL
PAbasser927 reply :
I’m righty and have all left handed retrieve baitcasters. If I only casted I could probably get used to switching hands while the lure is midair. Pitching is the main reason I prefer LHR. Pitching and switching hands the whole way down a bank sounds exhausting - though I admit I never tried. Plus it’s nice to be ready to go on the occasions where a bass takes your jig immediately as it touches the water.
BaitFinesse reply :
On 9/26/2018 at 8:30 PM, PAbasser927 said:I’m righty and have all left handed retrieve baitcasters. If I only casted I could probably get used to switching hands while the lure is midair. Pitching is the main reason I prefer LHR. Pitching and switching hands the whole way down a bank sounds exhausting - though I admit I never tried. Plus it’s nice to be ready to go on the occasions where a bass takes your jig immediately as it touches the water.
Do you not palm your reels? You still have to take your hand off the rod grip and then place it on the reel to palm if you were to pitch or cast by holding the rod.
PAbasser927 reply :
On 9/27/2018 at 1:25 AM, BaitFinesse said:Do you not palm your reels? You still have to take your hand off the rod grip and then place it on the reel to palm if you were to pitch or cast by holding the rod.
When I make a pitch or cast, I still keep two fingers in front of the trigger. When I regrip to fully palm, I have three in front. I don’t ever actually take my hand off the rod though. I just shuffle my ring finger from behind the trigger to in front of it.
Gundog reply :
As a righty who started out using a left hand reel but switched to right, then went back to left I can tell you a left hand reel is easier for me, more comfortable for me and allows me to quickly start retrieving baits like buzz baits. I can still use a right hand reel but prefer a lefty. It also means more powerful hook sets because I'm using my dominant hand.
BaitFinesse reply :
On 9/27/2018 at 1:53 AM, PAbasser927 said:When I make a pitch or cast, I still keep two fingers in front of the trigger. When I regrip to fully palm, I have three in front. I don’t ever actually take my hand off the rod though. I just shuffle my ring finger from behind the trigger to in front of it.
I see. A lot of the right hand dominate left retrieve guys do this. Casting with two finger in front of the trigger and palming the reel while casting does make the transition from casting to palming quick and the only way left hand reels make sense. Does placing more fingers in front of the trigger and the moving of the right hand onto the reel encourage you to move your left hand further up the rod and onto the split grip portion of the rod when casting? I've noticed that some guys who cast this way dislike split grip rods.
PAbasser927 reply :
On 9/27/2018 at 4:58 AM, BaitFinesse said:Does placing more fingers in front of the trigger and the moving of the right hand onto the reel encourage you to move your left hand further up the rod and onto the split grip portion of the rod when casting? I've noticed that some guys who cast this way dislike split grip rods.
It’s funny you mention that, I actually just caught myself starting to do this more and more in the recent months. I wouldn’t say that I dislike my split grip rods because of this, but it is awkward to find the right place for your left hand depending on the rod. I am primarily a bottom contact fisherman so I like split grips just to keep the blank lighter for sensitivity. Usually my casts take 5 minutes or so to retrieve so a slightly awkward cast is not a huge deal. However, if I was running and gunning with crankbaits all day I think I would prefer the full grip.
bigfruits reply :
so much nicer moving the rod with the dominant arm IMO
Koz reply :
After decades of fishing with a LH retrieve spinning rod a few years ago I bought a RH retrieve baitcaster. The first time using the baitcaster it was awkward trying to get my cranking cadence just right. Then when the first three pounder hit and gave me a fight it felt weird holding the rod in my non-dominant hand. Between that and the awkward cranking, for a brief second I thought I might drop my rod. By the second day out I didn't even think about it.
I still cast right handed and switch over, sometimes in mid cast and sometimes after stopping the line. Being a bank fisherman, I probably should learn to cast left handed to better fish some tight locations. But I'd rather do some actual fishing than practice casting.
My next baitcaster will probably be another RH retrieve. I don't see any reason to switch.
J Francho reply :
I use both left and right hand retrieve with casting gear. Fly, pin, and spin are all handle on the left, ironically a right handed reel, back in the days when spinners weren't reversible. I only cast with my right hand forward, and left hand on the lower grip, always two handed unless I'm pitching or making the rare flip cast. The message here is, it makes no difference. Do whatever is comfortable, or even challenge yourself, and learn what's uncomfortable. It doesn't matter as long as you have accurate casts.
Bass_Fishing_Socal reply :
I from started alway right hand retrieve but lately I've tried to use both right hand and left hand retrieve on bait caster.
I have found that your dominant hand might be better off cranking the reel instead of just moving/holding the rod. Sometime you will need to crank fast/super fast or steady slow winch which your dominant hand would perform better than other. I admit that my right hand might help moving the lure(walking/twisting) better than left but that is only technique all other techniques don't require precise movement. I'd rather put my dominant hand on the reel where I'd use the most when bringing the fish in.
stratoliner92 reply :
Being left handed i cast with that hand and reel with right, never understood why all my right handed friends did the cast/switch thing. Funny thing is when i use fly or spinning gear im more comfortable casting with my right and keep rod there during retrieve....go figure????
ratherbfishin1 reply :
On 10/17/2018 at 5:28 AM, stratoliner92 said:Being left handed i cast with that hand and reel with right, never understood why all my right handed friends did the cast/switch thing. Funny thing is when i use fly or spinning gear im more comfortable casting with my right and keep rod there during retrieve....go figure????
I'm the exact same way as you. I always assumed my friends were doing something wrong but when I realized everybody but me was switching hands I started to wonder if I was doing it wrong. Luckily there was a thread at the time talking about it and I learned that it really doesn't matter.
YoTone reply :
I think its one of those things that once you feel each side retrieve you will instantly feel comfortable with one or the other with no real explanation other than that.
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