Left or right? 2024

flbassmaster reply :

Are you a left handed fisherman or right? or both? and are there any advantages to being both? I am right handed but I reel my bait caster with my left. I don't see many lefties around.

FordsnFishin reply :

Im right handed. So I cast with my right and reel with my left.

Anyone who switches hands to cast and reel is obviously a psychopath.

Bearsfan67205 reply :

I am in the same boat. I am right handed but I reel my bait caster with my left too. Its more natural for me. The only problem is finding reels that work for me. I am been using the 13 fishing inception 6:3 gear ratio lefty reel. My biggest struggle when I converted from righty to lefty was finding reels that suited my needs.

Junger reply :

BC: cast left, reel right

Spinning: cast right, reel left

Mike L reply :

And again..

Right handed, cast right and reel right and wouldn't have it any other way.

Mike

Tennessee Boy reply :

I’m surprised this topic has never come up before. ????

MN Fisher reply :

Once more into the breach.

I'm a righty, but my left arm is stronger and more stable than my right for some reason. Only BCs I've used have all been right-hand retrieve, so casting with my left and reeling with my right became the norm. Older spinners that I've since retired were all left hand retrieve, so I cast with my left and switched. New spinners are swap-able, so I've moved the handles to the right side. Left hand cast, right hand retrieve.

new2BC4bass reply :

On 3/15/2019 at 10:48 PM, Tennessee Boy said:

I’m surprised this topic has never come up before. ????

I don't recall ever seeing it before either

Both...reel and cast. Some lures can tire out my rod arm. Being able to switching arms is a huge bonus. However, the biggest reason for being able to use both is you aren't denied using a model that is only available in right hand. An even bigger bonus is you don't have to pass on a great deal just because it is not the hand you use. EX. Pflueger had the $200 Patriarch on sale for $80.......available in RH only. Yup. Bought one even though I don't need any more reels.

fishballer06 reply :

Is it mid-March or mid January right now?

flbassmaster reply :

d**n my bad for not looking at the archives and making a double post. Everyone just criticizes. Jesus man. great group of guys let me tell you.

Cant even enjoy a forum. its sad man

Bass_Fishing_Socal reply :

Sometime left, most often time right. Someday caught fish on both left and right handed reel. (Not included spinning reel)

The more I fish left, the more I like it, but only one technique that I cannot use lefty one (swim bait type) cannot get myself to reel smooth enough at speed I want.

Todd2 reply :

Right handed but reel left handed. Switched over a decade ago and haven't looked back.

roadwarrior reply :

CrankFate reply :

Always rod in left. Reel handle right. I do not use spinners. But when I cast, I use my right hand on the reel and throw like a spinning rod.

WRB reply :

On 3/16/2019 at 1:19 AM, flbassmaster said:

d**n my bad for not looking at the archives and making a double post. Everyone just criticizes. Jesus man. great group of guys let me tell you.

Cant even enjoy a forum. its sad man

Don't get upset over things you can't control, it's good topic to revisit like so many others. No good deed goes unpunished.

Peace,

Tom

PS, cast right handed and reel right handed baitcasting. Cast right handed reel left handed spinning, always have and always will. Also right handed and left eye dominate just to make things more interesting.

J Francho reply :

On 3/16/2019 at 1:19 AM, flbassmaster said:

d**n my bad for not looking at the archives and making a double post. Everyone just criticizes. Jesus man. great group of guys let me tell you.

Cant even enjoy a forum. its sad man

Don't take it hard, it's just friendly joking. We get one or two threads like this a week. Every week, lol. It's probably over on page two by now. Same for things like Braid or mono, tie direct or leader, what is a do it all rod. It's all good. It let's different people answer each time.

CrankFate reply :

FishTank reply :

I am right handed and use left handed bait casters. It just works for me. I didn't use to see it that often but now I see all the time.

Hulkster reply :

I learned to baitcast 20+ years ago when there were very few lefties out there. I am right handed, so I cast and switch. I can't unlearn this. its like breathing.

crankbait2009 reply :

baitcaster - cast with right, reel with right

spinning - cast with left, reel with right

(I am right handed btw)

redmeansdistortion reply :

On 3/16/2019 at 2:01 AM, WRB said:

cast right handed and reel right handed baitcasting. Cast right handed reel left handed spinning, always have and always will. Also right handed and left eye dominate just to make things more interesting.

Same here. When I first learned to use a baitcaster, there weren't many left hand crank models available and spinning reels with switchable cranks were just starting to get heavy on the market.

flbassmaster reply :

On 3/16/2019 at 2:01 AM, WRB said:

Don't get upset over things you can't control, it's good topic to revisit like so many others. No good deed goes unpunished.

Peace,

Tom

PS, cast right handed and reel right handed baitcasting. Cast right handed reel left handed spinning, always have and always will. Also right handed and left eye dominate just to make things more interesting.

thank you, Tom!

On 3/16/2019 at 2:06 AM, J Francho said:

Don't take it hard, it's just friendly joking. We get one or two threads like this a week. Every week, lol. It's probably over on page two by now. Same for things like Braid or mono, tie direct or leader, what is a do it all rod. It's all good. It let's different people answer each time.

thanks J!

On 3/16/2019 at 1:42 AM, Todd2 said:

Right handed but reel left handed. Switched over a decade ago and haven't looked back.

same here!

NHBull reply :

We're still talking fishing, right? ????

Cast R, Reel L,

Almost ambidextrous.

Left eyed.

Hook sets are just better with my R.

.......don't be out off from some gentle ribbing.????

MassYak85 reply :

I'm a righty. For BC and spinning I reel with my right hand. I cast with both depending on the situation and angle I need to make the cast at. But no matter which hand I'm "casting" with I always have the other hand on the but of the rod to cast. I feel like it gives me more leverage and control than just using one arm. Most of my casting if I get to choose is done with my left, including pitching, so I don't have to switch hands to reel.

Tennessee Boy reply :

On 3/16/2019 at 1:19 AM, flbassmaster said:

d**n my bad for not looking at the archives and making a double post. Everyone just criticizes. Jesus man. great group of guys let me tell you.

Cant even enjoy a forum. its sad man

I for one am not criticizing you. This comes up about every week and I enjoy jumping in every time. Hopefully one day these hand switchers will realize the error of their ways. ????

I do admire these guys that can cast with either hand. If I tried to cast with my left hand I think I would probably end up throwing the rod in the lake.

flbassmaster reply :

On 3/16/2019 at 3:21 AM, Tennessee Boy said:

I for one am not criticizing you. This comes up about every week and I enjoy jumping in every time. Hopefully one day these hand switchers will realize the error of their ways. ????

I do admire these guys that can cast with either hand. If I tried to cast with my left hand I think I would probably end up throwing the rod in the lake.

thank you and yeah I would cast with my other hand but I would probably also throw my rod in the lake lol!

WRB reply :

When your dominate eye is opposite your dominate hand; right hand left eye what you see as a small target isn’t located where you see it with both eyes open it’s to the left side.

You see a stump for example and cast missing it a few feet to the right.

You should learn to cast with the same hand as you are eye dominate.

Tom

MN Fisher reply :

On 3/16/2019 at 4:45 AM, WRB said:

When your dominate eye is opposite your dominate hand; right hand left eye what you see as a small target isn’t located where you see it with both eyes open it’s to the left side.

You see a stump for example and cast missing it a few feet to the right.

You should learn to cast with the same hand as you are eye dominate.

Tom

I guess I just trained myself to do the opposite - right eye was dominant, but I still cast with my left hand.

Now it's a moot point as I lost my right eye to cancer 4 years ago. Good thing I was already left-handed for casting.

WRB reply :

I didn’t know I was opposite eye dominate for over 30 years. Had a hard time with shotguns missing and archery missing the target to 1 side, had to adjust by compensating. I learned about eye dominance from a archery instructor teaching Indian Guide kids how to use a bow, tested the kids and dads. I should shoot left handed after all those years!

Tom

WRB reply :

On 3/16/2019 at 4:47 AM, MN Fisher said:

I guess I just trained myself to do the opposite - right eye was dominant, but I still cast with my left hand.

Now it's a moot point as I lost my right eye to cancer 4 years ago. Good thing I was already left-handed for casting.

Sorry to hear about loosing your eye, stay safe.

Tom

Backofboatfisher reply :

I actually use both for BC. I wanted to try the left retrieve and ended up liking it. Now I have have 3 left hand and 4 right hand retrieve. I still cast righty though. I use the LH retrieve for techniques that might get bit right away, like jig or t rig, and RH for spinnerbaits and cranks. Gives a nice break to from the constant reeling of moving baits.

new2BC4bass reply :

On 3/16/2019 at 1:19 AM, flbassmaster said:

d**n my bad for not looking at the archives and making a double post. Everyone just criticizes. Jesus man. great group of guys let me tell you.

Cant even enjoy a forum. its sad man

Like others have already said....this subject comes up all the time. You notice that it doesn't stop us from posting our preferences....every time. We do like to poke fun once in awhile. No disrespect meant. It is all in good fun.

Lots of topics get rehashed. Sometimes we even change our attitude on a subject so we get to give a new opinion on an old subject.

LonnieP reply :

I’m right handed,right eye dominate,cast and reel right handed.

keagbassr reply :

Lefty. Cast with my left reel with my right with both spin and casting reels.

haggard reply :

I'm right handed. When buying the first reel salesguy asks if I want righty or lefty reel. No idea. Tried righty. That was okay. Tried lefty. That was WAY more okay.

I feel like reeling is something either hand can do, but when it comes to casting or working the lure, that's for the power and control of the dominant hand. For this righty, it's always a left retrieve reel.

BaitFinesse reply :

Cast right and reel right. My left hand is too stupid to do complex tasks.

bc106111 reply :

On 3/15/2019 at 10:41 PM, FordsnFishin said:

Im right handed. So I cast with my right and reel with my left.

Anyone who switches hands to cast and reel is obviously a psychopath.

I feel the same. My buddy is right handed and casts right and reels right. I told him it was wrong but he insists I am wrong. Like you said though, only a psychopath would cast and reel with the same hand.

BIGfryFish reply :

Hmm, I'm Right handed, cast with my left hand, reel with my right, and my left eye is dominant.

But I'm still in my right mind. lol

Besides the fish don't care how the bait is thrown to them.

blckshirt98 reply :

I'm right-handed but reel with my left for both spinning and casting. I got a late start with baitcasters and there were many left-side handle models available. Most right-handed people I know that use right-side handle casting reels did it out of necessity since many years ago the model they wanted didn't have a left-side option.

An added bonus to reeling with my left hand is that being right-handed, I like to control the rod, and hence the fish, with my dominant arm.

Koz reply :

I'm right handed and:

Spinning - cast right, reel left

Baitcaster - cast right, reel right. Switching the rod to the other hand just happens. I don't even think about it. However, when fishing a buzzbait timing is critical. But because there are times when casting left handed would give me a better angle I have worked on back handed casting both sidearm and throwing from over my left shoulder.

Reeling left seems natural on a spinning reel as does reeling right on a baitcaster. My son bought a LH retrieve baitcaster and I gave it a try and I just could not do it all that well. It definitely did not seem natural. I think that if I tried a RH retrieve spinning reel I'd probably end up tangled up in the line ????

.ghoti. reply :

They make casting reels with the crank on the wrong side? How long has this been going on?

kjfishman reply :

I always cast with right hand but have both right and left bait casters. My right thumb likes to lock up (trigger thumb) so it is nice to be able to switch off to the left hand reels.

Boomstick reply :

I am left handed, but for whatever reason reeling with my left hand just feels really awkward to me so I use a right handed casting reel.

Bass Junke reply :

I am a pure lefty( hand, eye,leg). I can cast and reel with either hand but to really work the rod with deft and dexterity I need my left hand. For me, it's cast left reel right both bait casters and spinners. Switching hands seems kind of crazy, there is a significant amount of time you are not in contact with your bait as you switch. However I am pretty sure most people " palm" low profile bait casters, but I don't cast holding it that way so I also move my hand to a different position at the end of the cast. Do we all loose contact with our bait momentarily when fishing with bait casters? Maybe we need to design a better bait caster. Maybe anglers that switch hands are not psychopaths ( at least not all of them).

J.Vincent reply :

This topic will twist your head like a pretzel....just get a Cane Pole : )

PourMyOwn reply :

For those of us using a baitcaster since the Reagan administration, it's almost always reel with your right hand. Back then you only had what seemed like 10% of reels that offered a left handed option.

fissure_man reply :

On 3/16/2019 at 4:45 AM, WRB said:

When your dominate eye is opposite your dominate hand; right hand left eye what you see as a small target isn’t located where you see it with both eyes open it’s to the left side.

You see a stump for example and cast missing it a few feet to the right.

You should learn to cast with the same hand as you are eye dominate.

Tom

Cross dominance can be an issue in shooting sports because you are forced align your vision from one eye through an optic or sight to the target. When your dominant eye doesn’t align with the sights/barrel (i.e. left eye dominant, shouldering a shotgun on the right), you need to force your brain to focus through the non-dominant eye typically by just closing or obscuring the other. This works, but it’s not ideal (compensating your aim is a bad idea, but off topic). Better to align the sights with your dominant eye and keep both eyes open.

For casting I doubt cross dominance would have any noticeable effect, and may even benefit..? A lure’s trajectory is not necessarily aligned with either eye’s line of sight (think of a sidearm cast), and even when it kind of is (pitching, maybe? Or overhead cast?), casting with a particular hand doesn’t mean you couldn’t align the trajectory with whichever eye you innately prefer. For most people, casting with the hand that feels unnatural to them is a huge hindrance, while the benefit of matching eye dominance (if there is any) would be insignificant.

…

For me, switching hands started with spin casting. For a young kid with small hands, palming is not an option and you need to grip behind the reel to operate the push button. Retrieving while keeping the same grip behind the reel is extremely awkward and strenuous, so some hand-shifting is required (we only had right hand retrieve spincast reels, anyway). Easiest way to do this is to cast right, grab the foregrip with the left hand at the end of the cast, and then start reeling with the right. To this day this is how I do it with casting/trolling reels that are too large to comfortably palm, while bass sized casting reels get the same treatment but are palmed during retrieve with the non-casting hand. The hybrid palming/casting grip that militant non-switchers employ surely works fine for them with ‘palmable’ bass reels, but is less practical for small (child) hands or big reels; I’d guess this is a part of why hand-switching remains common for baitcasting.

With spinning reels of any size (and hands of any size), it is perfectly comfortable to cast and retrieve without changing the position of the hand that’s holding the rod. Not surprisingly, it’s relatively rare to see an experienced fisherman that switches hands with a spinning reel after casting. JMO

Tennessee Boy reply :

I’m cross dominate and I’ve always felt like it gives me a big advantage in shooting. I’ve always shot left handed. Guns, archery, even pool all left handed. Being able to control the gun with your dominant hand and aim with your dominant eye is an advantage IMO. I would struggle if I tried to shoot right handed.

Jaderose reply :

I'm a hand switcher with both types of reels. Happens in one fluid motion and I've never missed a fished because I was changing. I can pitch with my left which is what I'm doing with a spinning reel most of the time. Don't like it or think it's wrong? Ok

Spankey reply :

On 3/23/2019 at 12:10 AM, J.Vincent said:

This topic will twist your head like a pretzel....just get a Cane Pole : )

I'm gonna sell all my stuff and go that direction with the cane poles. Thanks for the nudge.

On 3/15/2019 at 10:41 PM, FordsnFishin said:

Im right handed. So I cast with my right and reel with my left.

Anyone who switches hands to cast and reel is obviously a psychopath.

A psychopath I must be. Been called a lot worse. Heck it wasn't all that long ago you couldn't even buy a left handed casting reel.

Log Catcher reply :

On 3/16/2019 at 12:01 PM, bc106111 said:

I feel the same. My buddy is right handed and casts right and reels right. I told him it was wrong but he insists I am wrong. Like you said though, only a psychopath would cast and reel with the same hand.

I cast and reel right handed. Doesn't matter if it is a baitcaster or spinning setup. Us psychopaths got it right. I can't believe all the people doing it differently. You all need a checkup from the neck up.

MN Fisher reply :

On 3/23/2019 at 11:07 PM, Log Catcher said:

I cast and reel right handed. Doesn't matter if it is a baitcaster or spinning setup. Us psychopaths got it right. I can't believe all the people doing it differently. You all need a checkup from the neck up.

Been checked and dutifully take my meds. If you're swapping hands, you obviously have issues. Might want to have that checked.

J.Vincent reply :

On 3/23/2019 at 8:40 PM, Spankey said:

I'm gonna sell all my stuff and go that direction with the cane poles.

I knew my logic was sound and would convince someone; I will pay you .10 cents on the dollar for all your Baitcasters ! : )

BaitFinesse reply :

It's the right handed people using left handed reels casting with two fingers in front of the trigger that are the weirdos.. That's up there with not palming your reel or using a spinning reel on a casting rod. They even have the audacity to go and palm their reels wrong too. Nut jobs.

MN Fisher reply :

On 3/24/2019 at 1:29 AM, BaitFinesse said:

That's up there with not palming your reel

What is this 'palming the reel' you speak of?

On finger in front of the trigger, other three fingers grasping the rod behind the trigger, thumb on the switch/spool. This is how I've always held a baitcaster...there's a reason they call it a 'handle'.

Scott F reply :

After watching the pros fish on MLF, I noticed that almost none of them use left handed baitcasters. I'm sure some must, but I haven't seen one yet. All of them cast with the right hand, move the rod to the left, and reel with the right. Considering that many anglers emulate what the pros do, it's a bit surprising to see how many here reel with the left hand. BTW, I use both, left and right hand baitcast reels.

J.Vincent reply :

A few years back; I fished a whole season with LH retrieve Baitcasters; the only advantage I discovered for a Right Hander is when making quick pitches down a shoreline while saturating an area. Its occasionally advantageous to be able to Pitch and engage the spool without switching hands. The reason I actually prefer RH reels now is because with a LH retrieve if I were to side arm, overhead or two hand cast with my RH, I have to hold the bottom of the Rod butt with my left hand for an extra split second to allow my Right Hand to shift upward and palm the reel. This is more awkward than casting Right and following over into my left hand with one motion to exchange and palm the reel....So in my experience it’s less about eye dominance or hand dominance; but instead it’s about being able to comfortably palm the reel with my grip right under its weight which is the fulcrum point for most techniques. I’m telling you if you are RH and thinking about getting a LH reel for all of your primary techniques; then at least borrow a LH and try it in various techniques first before making the investment; especially if you frequently palm your reels when fishing. That is the last I will comment on this because I don’t want to turn my head into a pretzel anymore ????

J Francho reply :

On 3/25/2019 at 2:58 AM, J.Vincent said:

A few years back; I fished a whole season with LH retrieve Baitcasters; the only advantage I discovered for a Right Hander is when making quick pitches down a shoreline while saturating an area. Its occasionally advantageous to be able to Pitch and engage the spool without switching hands.

This is what I use LH reels for. For moving baits, I prefer a RH reel. So, for the sake of sarcasm in this thread, anyone not using both is a fool!

RPreeb reply :

On 3/15/2019 at 10:36 PM, flbassmaster said:

Are you a left handed fisherman or right? or both? and are there any advantages to being both? I am right handed but I reel my bait caster with my left. I don't see many lefties around.

Right handed

Baitcaster - Cast right, crank right.

Spinning - cast right, crank left.

Bass_Fishing_Socal reply :

On 3/25/2019 at 9:41 PM, J Francho said:

This is what I use LH reels for. For moving baits, I prefer a RH reel. So, for the sake of sarcasm in this thread, anyone not using both is a fool!

Not totally agreed but closed ????

And situation like this when left reel come in handy.

GeekFisher reply :

Right handed, cast with both depending on how I cast. Reel righty both spinning and casting...

Now that I've just been diagnosed as a psycho, I'll go see a doc ????

FishDewd reply :

I learned on right hand retrieve, but find I am more precise using my right, more dominant hand, to control the rod. Therefore, all my recent reel purchases have been left hand retrieve. It feels better to me. But to each their own. I'm hardly a pro by any stretch; I suck at switching hands mid cast so this makes more sense to me.

Glaucus reply :

I'm right handed in all things except for reeling. Not only does it feel more natural to cast right handed and reel left handed, but my left hand actually feels more refined and dominant for reeling. I have no idea why because in everything else my left hand is useless. 10-15 years ago we could have made some pretty spot on jokes about how I look trying to throw a ball with my left hand.

2254

Left or right? 2024

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