Right or left 2024

Bill Kowalski reply :

Why is it that I see TV fisherman using spinner reels with the lefthand dominant and using baitcasters with right hand? Apparently I grew up using my right hand with spinners. Am I goofy?

bigturtle reply :

doesnt matter. It literally makes no difference

William Rossi reply :

I agree. I cast right hand and reel left hand both spinning and baitcaster. Never made sense to me people that cast right hand, switch rod to left, and reel right.

ethan-333 reply :

i think just about everyone grew up that way. i made myself learn to cast flip and reel with both hands. sometimes in comes in handy but do what pleases you. takes milliseconds to switch hands after a cast.

LuckyHandsINC. reply :

My spinning reels are lefty and my casting reels are righty. Don't know how it happened, but it's working out ok. I'm left handed if that means anything.

12poundbass reply :

I was out ice fishing with my son and my step-dad Saturday and were using his gear, all his reels were reel left. He's the one who taught me to fish. I'm left handed and I use right handed casting and spinning! Apparently after moving out I switched from left handed spinning gear to right. He was confused, I was confused!

Whatever works for you and is most comfortable use it.

roadwarrior reply :

Let's get technical, as there are in fact reasons, not just some lame holdover from days past that put the handles where they are.

What will move the fish during retrieval is placed to the strong hand!

A baitcast is designed to be used as a winch, so it is the reel that retrieves the fish. Hence if you are right handed the handle is in your right hand.

A spinning reel is designed to pick up unloaded or loose line, not retrieve the fish. Hence it is the rod that does the retrieval, so it is the rod that is in your strong hand. If you are right handed then the pole goes to the right hand.

12poundbass reply :

On 1/16/2017 at 9:36 PM, roadwarrior said:

Let's get technical, as there are in fact reasons, not just some lame holdover from days past that put the handles where they are.

What will move the fish during retrieval is placed to the strong hand!

A baitcast is designed to be used as a winch, so it is the reel that retrieves the fish. Hence if you are right handed the handle is in your right hand.

A spinning reel is designed to pick up unloaded or loose line, not retrieve the fish. Hence it is the rod that does the retrieval, so it is the rod that is in your strong hand. If you are right handed then the pole goes to the right hand.

Makes sense. That explains why I use right handed gear exclusively, I golf right handed, bat right, hockey right, yet I'm left handed. I've been bass akwards my entire life. I know no different so it's no big deal. Lol

bigfruits reply :

ive never felt that my reeling hand (left) was lacking when reeling in a fish. i can control the bait much better and get better feel in all presentations since i switched to left reels years ago. i am right handed.

its all preference. use what feels right.

fishnkamp reply :

I use both right and left handed baitcasting reels. I am right handed. If I am throwing baits that I just cast and retrieve I like right handed reels for this purpose. I cast switch hands and then crank down things like rattle traps, crankbaits, spinnerbaits,etc. For any baits that I cast and work back by hoping, dragging, crawling etc I keep my dominant hand on the rod and just take up he line with my left hand. So baits like jigs, carolina rigs, creature baits, texas rigs etc. aall fall into this category.

fissure_man reply :

On 1/16/2017 at 9:36 PM, roadwarrior said:

What will move the fish during retrieval is placed to the strong hand!

A baitcast is designed to be used as a winch, so it is the reel that retrieves the fish. Hence if you are right handed the handle is in your right hand.

A spinning reel is designed to pick up unloaded or loose line, not retrieve the fish. Hence it is the rod that does the retrieval, so it is the rod that is in your strong hand. If you are right handed then the pole goes to the right hand.

When you fight a fish or reel in a pile of slop with a baitcaster do you hold the rod steady and just 'winch' it in? I reel in a fish the same way whether using spinning or baitcasting tackle, yet my spinners are LH and most of my casters are RH.

On 1/16/2017 at 1:15 PM, William Rossi said:

Never made sense to me people that cast right hand, switch rod to left, and reel right.

To me it makes sense to switch because I like to palm a casting reel, but I can't easily operate the thumb bar and feather the spool from that position. So even if I was casting right and reeling left, I'd have to move my hand from casting position to retrieving position, which is actually more awkward for me (trying to move my right hand when the left hand is only holding the reel handle). With a spinning rod I cast with my right hand, and that hand never moves because I use the same grip for casting and retrieving.

With a casting reel the switch is seamless for a two-handed cast:

- right hand on trigger, left hand at end of rod handle, start the cast

- mid-cast, bring left up to palm the reel

- end of cast, start reeling with right hand

Easy to forget that you have to switch your hands back at the end of the cast, which is actually the most awkward and potentially time consuming IMO. For cast and retrieve lures it's no problem and happens during the back-swing, but it can be tedious for rapid-fire pitching/flipping.

For those rods I've been trying LH reels, but still have the issue of hand position being a compromise between palming and casting grip. If anyone's trying to do the same - I found that using a small reel like a Daiwa Alphas/Sol and fitting it with a large handle makes it easier. The small frame reel is easier to operate from a compromised grip, and the longer handle seems to be easier to use with my uncoordinated left hand (which has no problem with spinning reels, somehow).

Chowderhead reply :

I use a RH casting reel and LH spinning reel. I am RH. Did not have a good explanation when my son asked me about it.

Angry John reply :

I am right handed and i dont want to switch while casting. I always reel left with a spinner and started baitcasters left for the same reason. You want the power of your righ hand for hook sets and accurate casting. Your left hand can do the easy work of cranking the reel. If your switching you may miss a bite or get caught in a situation where you are not in control. In the end do what you want and what is comfortable. It also costs more to fish left handed as used reels are a premium for leftys. I was looking for the zillion in the japan special and it was over a hundred dollars more in left.

Mumbly reply :

I am right handed and cast and reel right handed regardless of spinning or baitcasting. Just feels natural to me for some reason. After 40+ years I don't see that changing.

Jaderose reply :

On 1/17/2017 at 3:32 AM, Mumbly said:

I am right handed and cast and reel right handed regardless of spinning or baitcasting. Just feels natural to me for some reason. After 40+ years I don't see that changing.

^^This^^. The switch is not something I have to think about. I just do it. Pretty sure it happens before the lure ever hits the water

MassYak85 reply :

It's purely preference. Whenever I hear someone talk about "oh you need to put the rod or reel in your stronger hand/arm" this always pops into my mind:

I don't know about you guys but my arms are pretty evenly strong and any slight difference is not a concern when fighting a fish as weak as a freshwater bass. What makes an arm or hand dominant is the fine motor skills it has learned to do over time. Which is why as righty, I want my right hand doing the small circular motions of reeling regardless of spinning or baitcasting.

Bassun reply :

This debate will NEVER end. I could literally defend either side with what could be considered "good" reason, but let's face it --- you're gonna do what you're comfortable with. I personally find it bizarre that anyone would have ever started casting with their right hand, then swapping hands to reel, by choice. But, if all you had was a right hand crank bait caster - what else would you do. Either learn to cast left handed, which as a beginner using your off hand would be adding an extra level of difficulty... or swap hands.

I suspect many of the "swappers" started on bait casters. Learned the process as a necessity, and grew comfortable with it. Conversely, I would suspect those who learned to cast right and crank left probably learned on spinning or spin-casting gear - and learned that way. There will, of course, be a few outliers --- but my guess is that's how the majority of us learned.

I personally learned on spinning gear, and cast right, reel left - and only buy left hand crank bait casters. It's comfortable, it's easy, and it's what I like. Now, for those who hold a spinning reel upside down, and crank it in reverse.... well, that's a whole different beast... lol!

MIbassyaker reply :

I do not accept any of the arguments for any kind of universal practical advantage to holding/casting/reeling/retrieving baitcasters vs. spinning gear with different hands -- they all sound to me like rationalizations after the fact.

The only consistent principle that makes any sense to me is that people have a hard time getting their non-dominant hand to do things it doesn't do very often. Did you learn how to hold a baitcaster and retrieve/work a bait/hookset with your left hand long ago despite being right-handed? Then your left hand will be comfortable with that, but probably not so comfortable trying to turn a reel. However, your dominant right hand will be much more adaptable.

I taught my left how to reel a spinning reel years ago. My left learned this motion over many years. But my left simply cannot hold a rod and do anything with it properly. It never learned this. Now, my right, being my dominant hand, can do both -- it is my left that is the weak link. So I let the left do basically the one thing it has a lot of practice doing: turning the crank. This means reeling left in both spinning and casting. If I had learned to fish initially on a RH baitcaster, My left would be well-practiced at something else, and my preferences would be different.

Some pros use consistent hands too: Chris Zaldain and David Walker are both right-handers who reel left for spinning and baitcasting. And Denny Brauer is left-handed but uses a RH retrieve on both.

wdp reply :

On 1/16/2017 at 7:30 PM, LuckyHandsINC. said:

My spinning reels are lefty and my casting reels are righty. Don't know how it happened, but it's working out ok. I'm left handed if that means anything.

I'm right handed but I do the same. Just the way I grew up fishing & got used it. And it actually feels perfectly natural.

fissure_man reply :

On 1/17/2017 at 6:15 AM, MIbassyaker said:

I do not accept any of the arguments for any kind of universal practical advantage to holding/casting/reeling/retrieving baitcasters vs. spinning gear with different hands -- they all sound to me like rationalizations after the fact.

To the non-swappers: how do you grip the rod in your non-reeling hand? I put an honest effort into becoming a non-swapper, but having to compromise on grip is what keeps me switching hands most of the time. I like to palm the reel pretty far forward for balance and to touch the line with "feel" baits, but from that position I can't run the thumb bar and feather the spool.

I have LH casting reels and when I use them (casting right handed), I always feel like my right hand is either too far back to palm the reel properly, or too far forward to run the thumb bar. Same thing when I cast or pitch with my left hand using a right handed reel.

When I was a kid learning a baitcaster, small hands would've made that issue even worse (not that I even thought of it). I was using a large round Abu, casting and reeling RH, holding the foregrip in my left on the retrieve. Maybe all the non-swappers just have gorilla hands and never encountered this issue?

The difference with spinning gear is that preferred hand position for casting and retrieving is the same, so there's never a need to swap hands or adjust grip between casting and retrieving. In fact, it's super awkward to switch hands on a spinning rod because you're putting your off hand into the space your casting hand is already occupying.

RoLo reply :

I'm right-handed, so quite naturally all my spinning rods, casting rods & conventional rods

are held in my dominant right hand. In this manner, all my casting is done with my strong arm

which gives me the greatest accuracy and distance. In addition, it keeps my rod in my strong arm

where it's always in position for the hook-set, and for pumping a trophy fish to the boat.

The only job assigned to my left hand is retrieving the lure and cranking-up slack line (woop-dee-dew).

As a bonus, there is none of that ridiculous hand-switching after EVERY CAST

In days gone by, I refused to buy any reel that wasn't available in a 'left-hand' version,

but thanks to today's strong demand for left-hand reels, that is no longer a problem.

Roger

Bassun reply :

On 1/17/2017 at 8:16 AM, fissure_man said:

To the non-swappers: how do you grip the rod in your non-reeling hand? I put an honest effort into becoming a non-swapper, but having to compromise on grip is what keeps me switching hands most of the time. I like to palm the reel pretty far forward for balance and to touch the line with "feel" baits, but from that position I can't run the thumb bar and feather the spool.

I have LH casting reels and when I use them (casting right handed), I always feel like my right hand is either too far back to palm the reel properly, or too far forward to run the thumb bar. Same thing when I cast or pitch with my left hand using a right handed reel.

When I was a kid learning a baitcaster, small hands would've made that issue even worse (not that I even thought of it). I was using a large round Abu, casting and reeling RH, holding the foregrip in my left on the retrieve. Maybe all the non-swappers just have gorilla hands and never encountered this issue?

The difference with spinning gear is that preferred hand position for casting and retrieving is the same, so there's never a need to swap hands or adjust grip between casting and retrieving. In fact, it's super awkward to switch hands on a spinning rod because you're putting your off hand into the space your casting hand is already occupying.

Generally speaking, the same way you do, only with my right hand.

Being more serious, it just depends. If I am casting long, or sweeping casts, I generally keep my hand further back on the reel - if I am doing more short stuff or just pitching I generally work forward on or palm the reel. But I cast from that position most of the time (I think -- I don't really think about it, I just do it.) Sometimes it just a matter of moving forward one finger up.

I do the same with my spinning gear too though. I especially like to move forward one finger for any finesse or really slow presentations.

Jeff H reply :

Who cares! To "debate" this is what makes no sense!

CTBassin860 reply :

I'm right handed and I reel lefty on my spinning gear and righty on my casting gear.Its what I'm used to.My rod is in my other hand as I'm engaging the reel.

Further North reply :

On 1/16/2017 at 12:54 PM, Bill Kowalski said:

Why is it that I see TV fisherman using spinner reels with the lefthand dominant and using baitcasters with right hand? Apparently I grew up using my right hand with spinners. Am I goofy?

Cast with your dominant hand (accuracy and distance will be at your best), reel with the other (hook set reaction time will be at your best).

I've never seen any justification for switching hands that made any sense...and I've seen a ton of fish caught (or missed) in that ¹/₂ second when the rod is switched from hand to hand...

That said...do what works for you. Ignore what everyone else says...

Bill Kowalski reply :

Not to mention that the spinner bail should be closed with the free hand before reeling so that timing issue is irrelevant. At least on spinners switching handle sides is quick and easy.

Further North reply :

On 1/17/2017 at 11:31 AM, Bill Kowalski said:

Not to mention that the spinner bail should be closed with the free hand before reeling so that timing issue is irrelevant. At least on spinners switching handle sides is quick and easy.

Took me years to get that...still trying to teach my brother...

Wonder what a baitcaster with a switchable handle would look like?

Fisher-O-men reply :

LOL, this is the new "what stick bait is as good as Senko". For what its worth, I feel spastic setting the hook with my non-dominant hand. For a while I felt spastic reeling with my non-dominant hand. I felt the hook setting was more important.

Hawghead reply :

There are 5 boys in my family. I am the only left handed one.

They all crank right handed with a bait caster and left handed with a spinning reel. They used spincast reels growing up, and then moved to spinning reels. I sorta brought the bait casting bug into our family. My 4 brother hadnt used anything but spinning gear for 35 years. It amazes me that they instantly and instinctively were able to start reeling with their other hand after all that ime.

I cast left and crank right no matter what. Pretty interesting dynamic

fissure_man reply :

On 1/17/2017 at 10:39 AM, Further North said:

I've never seen any justification for switching hands that made any sense...and I've seen a ton of fish caught (or missed) in that ¹/₂ second when the rod is switched from hand to hand...

Someone should tell KVD how many fish he's missing:

tholmes reply :

I fish the way it's most comfortable for me. Rod in my left hand, reel with my right hand. Don't overthink this. Do what feels best to you.

Tom

Jaderose reply :

I don't understand this "argument". I'm a 49 year old man. With no disrespect meant to anyone, I couldn't possibly care less whether anyone else thinks I'm doing it right or wrong. I do it the way I do it and I catch plenty of fish. End of story

Bassun reply :

Just wondering, for those who swap hands exclusively --- if you fly fish, how do you handle things there?

Further North reply :

On 1/17/2017 at 1:09 PM, fissure_man said:

Someone should tell KVD how many fish he's missing:

Again...who cares what the pros do? They operate at a a level so much higher than we do it's not worth discussing. I didn't see anyone drafting like in NASCAR on my way to work today either...
Everyone - including KVD - has room for improvement. Ask him. He'll agree. That's how he got to where he is.
What does your comment/video add to the discussion? Help me out here...really trying to figure it out...I'm not watching 20+ minutes of video for 10 seconds of wisdom on why it's a good idea to switch hands...do us a favor and tell us where in the video it gets discussed.

Further North reply :

On 1/18/2017 at 12:52 AM, Bassun said:

Just wondering, for those who swap hands exclusively --- if you fly fish, how do you handle things there?

Short answer: Poorly. I can't imagine what a disaster that'd be...'specailly if a fish hit right after the fly hit the water.

fissure_man reply :

On 1/18/2017 at 10:09 AM, Further North said:

Again...who cares what the pros do? They operate at a a level so much higher than we do it's not worth discussing. I didn't see anyone drafting like in NASCAR on my way to work today either...

Everyone - including KVD - has room for improvement. Ask him. He'll agree. That's how he got to where he is.

What does your comment/video add to the discussion? Help me out here...really trying to figure it out...I'm not watching 20+ minutes of video for 10 seconds of wisdom on why it's a good idea to switch hands...do us a favor and tell us where in the video it gets discussed.

The pros get to such high levels of performance with practice, honing their skills, weeding out bad habits, etc. The fact that so many pros choose to swap hands after casting shows that they don’t see it as an issue that needs to be fixed. Why would their demonstrated stances be less valid than random anonymous internet posters? Regarding NASCAR, the people you saw on your way to work weren’t racing. For someone learning to become a better race car driver, would it be a bad idea to look to the professionals for driving techniques?
Sure, but if reeling with the opposite hand made a difference, it would be a pretty low hanging fruit for improvement. These guys go out of their way for any advantage they can get.
You claimed that swapping hands costs time and “a ton of fish.” The video shows the best power fisherman in the world being tasked to catch as many fish as possible in a short amount of time, still choosing to swap hands with each cast. He does this for a living, and if his casting technique was costing him “a ton of fish,” he would fix it.

Doing whatever gives you the most coordination and comfort for casting, retrieving, bite detection, hook setting, fighting fish, etc is what makes sense, and the answer is going to be different for different people. Compromising any of the above in order to avoid swapping hands would be a mistake. If it made a difference, the top ranks of the sport would be skewed toward folks who don't swap hands, and that is not the case.

mwh33 reply :

I can cast, flip, and pitch with both hands, but I prefer to reel with my right hand with both casting and spinning gear. I feel I control the fish better with my left hand on the rod. I think it probably comes from a combination of me using a right hand zebco 33 growing up and I am left handed when I hit baseballs and softballs.

Bassun reply :

On 1/19/2017 at 2:45 AM, mwh33 said:

I can cast, flip, and pitch with both hands, but I prefer to reel with my right hand with both casting and spinning gear. I feel I control the fish better with my left hand on the rod. I think it probably comes from a combination of me using a right hand zebco 33 growing up and I am left handed when I hit baseballs and softballs.

Do you fly fish? And if so, how do you approach that?

mwh33 reply :

On 1/19/2017 at 2:50 AM, Bassun said:

Do you fly fish? And if so, how do you approach that?

I haven't got into fly fishing. I only really fish for largemouth and inshore. I live in South GA on the coast. I do want to try it out though. I think it would be fun for inshore.

Bassun reply :

On 1/19/2017 at 3:09 AM, mwh33 said:

I haven't got into fly fishing. I only really fish for largemouth and inshore. I live in South GA on the coast. I do want to try it out though. I think it would be fun for inshore.

Ok, cool thanks. Anyone else who is a right hand cast and cranker, who also fly fishes? How do you handle things?

Further North reply :

On 1/19/2017 at 2:05 AM, fissure_man said:

The pros get to such high levels of performance with practice, honing their skills, weeding out bad habits, etc. The fact that so many pros choose to swap hands after casting shows that they don’t see it as an issue that needs to be fixed. Why would their demonstrated stances be less valid than random anonymous internet posters? Regarding NASCAR, the people you saw on your way to work weren’t racing. For someone learning to become a better race car driver, would it be a bad idea to look to the professionals for driving techniques?

Yeah...that's what I was saying...and you completely missed the point about NASCAR: People driving to work aren't racing...that's the point. People fishing outside of the very top competitors...aren't competing...and have no where near the skill set, ability, reaction time...

On 1/19/2017 at 2:05 AM, fissure_man said:

Sure, but if reeling with the opposite hand made a difference, it would be a pretty low hanging fruit for improvement. These guys go out of their way for any advantage they can get.

See above. They fish hundreds of days a year and practice, practice, practice. We're talking about normal, every day fishermen here...

On 1/19/2017 at 2:05 AM, fissure_man said:

You claimed that swapping hands costs time and “a ton of fish.” The video shows the best power fisherman in the world being tasked to catch as many fish as possible in a short amount of time, still choosing to swap hands with each cast. He does this for a living, and if his casting technique was costing him “a ton of fish,” he would fix it.

Again...we're talking about one of the top people in the sport. What he can do, and what you and I can do are completely different...

...and I still have not seen a good reason for switching hands. I see a lot written a lot of rationalization for why it's OK and why some people do it...and how it supposedly doesn't make a difference...but nothing saying why it's a good thing to do, or what benefit there is.

That's all I'm asking for.

On 1/19/2017 at 3:11 AM, Bassun said:

Ok, cool thanks. Anyone else who is a right hand cast and cranker, who also fly fishes? How do you handle things?

I thought you were asking rhetorically...but since it seems I was wrong, here's my take:

When you're fly fishing, you seldom crank the reel - you're stripping your line in by hand. I can only recall a few fish I needed - or wanted - to try to get on the reel.

I strip in trout, bass, pike and musky. Of the bunch, a big trout is the one I'm most likely to try to put on the reel as they are most likely to run hard for sigsnifcant distance, often up current.

If you really need to swap hands though, get it done right after the fly hits the water, and get your left fingers pinched onto that line before you let go with your right fingers. Messed around a bit with this tonight...and I'd slide my right index finger forward whil still holding the line against the rod, put my left hand on the grip with my left index finger behind the right index finger...and hope like heck that wasn't the moment a 5 lb' smallie chose to inhale my popper...

samwise2u reply :

For flipping and pitching - left handed reel. For everything else - right handed reel. Works for me.

fissure_man reply :

On 1/19/2017 at 9:11 AM, Further North said:

Yeah...that's what I was saying...and you completely missed the point about NASCAR: People driving to work aren't racing...that's the point. People fishing outside of the very top competitors...aren't competing...and have no where near the skill set, ability, reaction time...

See above. They fish hundreds of days a year and practice, practice, practice. We're talking about normal, every day fishermen here...

Again...we're talking about one of the top people in the sport. What he can do, and what you and I can do are completely different...

So you’re saying that switching hands is a handicap, but it doesn’t handicap pro anglers because their other skills make up for it? What about the other pros with similar skills who don’t swap hands? Wouldn’t they have an advantage?

I’d say that someone competing at the highest level is much MORE likely than the normal fisherman to do everything they can to remove such handicaps, if they created an actual issue. The fact that so many pros are still swapping hands on their casting reels shows that it’s not creating a disadvantage, or they would have fixed it in the hundreds of days per year that they practice.

Pro vs. non-pro fishermen is not at all the same comparison as commuters vs. race car drivers. When I go fishing, my basic goal is the same as a pro: I want to catch a fish! The same things that help a pro catch fish will help me as well. When I drive to work, there is nothing similar about what I’m doing and what a race car driver does. The things that help a race car driver achieve success will end in a wreck on public roads.

On 1/19/2017 at 9:11 AM, Further North said:

...and I still have not seen a good reason for switching hands. I see a lot written a lot of rationalization for why it's OK and why some people do it...and how it supposedly doesn't make a difference...but nothing saying why it's a good thing to do, or what benefit there is.

That's all I'm asking for.

The biggest “advantage” of switching hands is that for the people it comes naturally to, it allows for the most coordinated and comfortable casting, retrieving, bite detection, and hook setting. The same can be said for not switching hands, if one’s personal preference dictates that that is more comfortable. Forcing yourself one way or the other to handle your rod/reel in a way that is uncomfortable or uncoordinated the only way to put yourself at a disadvantage. Do what feels right!

Any other advantages are debatable, subjective, and should be trumped by personal preference. Going back to my first point, if there was any universal advantage to be had, the best in the sport would be all over it. But since you insist, here are two points from my own experience with LH and RH reels (which I think I already posted?). Your mileage may vary:

Swapping hands lets me hold the rod with a different grip for casting vs retrieving, which is an advantage to me. I can grip behind the reel and run the thumb bar for casting, and still fully palm the reel during the retrieve. Palming the reel during the retrieve improves balance (vs gripping further back), and I can put a finger on the line during the retrieve for ‘feel’ baits. Maybe some guys with big hands can do all this without changing grip; I can’t.

Swapping hands reduces fatigue by keeping both hands and arms better engaged. This is especially true for flipping/pitching, where keeping the rod in one hand all day definitely increases strain on that arm. However, the hand-swap is not as seamless with the pitching motion, even worse if you need to strip line in deeper water. So for pitching, the jury is out for me. I do it both ways.

On 1/19/2017 at 3:11 AM, Bassun said:

Ok, cool thanks. Anyone else who is a right hand cast and cranker, who also fly fishes? How do you handle things?

I don't fly fish, but I imagine I would instinctively handle it like a spinning reel, casting right with the reel handle on the left. Even though I cast and crank right-handed with casting reels, I don't with spinning. There's no "palming" of a spinning reel, and removing your casting hand to put your other hand in the exact same place is more awkward than hand-swapping with a baitcast reel (and as mentioned before, your off hand is busy closing the bail). Interestingly, you won't find nearly as many pros that switch hands with spinning reels, even among those that do with casting reels.

Bassun reply :

On 1/19/2017 at 9:11 AM, Further North said:

I thought you were asking rhetorically...but since it seems I was wrong, here's my take:

When you're fly fishing, you seldom crank the reel - you're stripping your line in by hand. I can only recall a few fish I needed - or wanted - to try to get on the reel.

I strip in trout, bass, pike and musky. Of the bunch, a big trout is the one I'm most likely to try to put on the reel as they are most likely to run hard for sigsnifcant distance, often up current.

If you really need to swap hands though, get it done right after the fly hits the water, and get your left fingers pinched onto that line before you let go with your right fingers. Messed around a bit with this tonight...and I'd slide my right index finger forward whil still holding the line against the rod, put my left hand on the grip with my left index finger behind the right index finger...and hope like heck that wasn't the moment a 5 lb' smallie chose to inhale my popper...

lol - no, I wasn't trolling - I had just never thought about how swappers handle fly gear.

So, if I followed you correctly, you cast and reel right handed on spinning and casting gear; fly fishing you also have a right hand crank reel (or flipped to reel on the right depending on reel), but strip with your left hand? Unless you hook up with a fish that you want to put on reel, then mid fight you swapped hands, for those you did put on the reel? Excluding your immediate swap practice last night, lol. I think this may be one scenario where I think there is a clear advantage to not swapping hands, lol. I guess I'm kind of lucky in that regard, as I am a right hand rod, left hand cranker regardless of the style...

And I think the nascar / pro angler vs commute / weekend warrior was this:

Pro's are more capable, finely tuned professionals who are capable of swapping hands with less risk / impact than an average Joe. While there may (or may not) be an advantage/disadvantage, their total skill set and experience put's them so far ahead of weekend warriors that they can effectively nullify any negatives with their extreme proficiency. Those same disadvantages (if they exist) would more significantly impact WW because they are not skilled at the same level.

While I am not really convinced one way or the other on actual impact, that concept I 100% agree with, and is relatively inarguable. To debate that would be akin to debating that most WW's bait casting skills are equal to the pros. Sorry, but very very few are as competent. I think there is room to debate the technical risk of a swap vs the gains of comfort and more natural approach for those not as highly skilled. In that regard, I think the amateurs biggest benefit would come from what is natural and feels comfortable - regardless of the risk gained during a swap.

Randomly, I also just thought about the scenario where a fish does instantly strike as soon as the lure hits the water ... I guess it could even be argued, that since one of the biggest issue's rookies have when topwater fishing is setting the hook too soon, perhaps that delay during the swap could actually be a benefit by slowing down the hook set reaction time. Or, it could fluster the angler and they try setting mid swap, without cranking out slack, and miss more. IDK, lol.

Like I said way back, this debate will go on as long as fishing does. I don't think there is a "right" or "wrong" way - just go with what works for you. Maybe you miss more fish, maybe you don't. As long as you are having fun and sharing that fun with others, who cares!

fissure_man reply :

On 1/19/2017 at 6:05 PM, Bassun said:

And I think the nascar / pro angler vs commute / weekend warrior was this:

Pro's are more capable, finely tuned professionals who are capable of swapping hands with less risk / impact than an average Joe. While there may (or may not) be an advantage/disadvantage, their total skill set and experience put's them so far ahead of weekend warriors that they can effectively nullify any negatives with their extreme proficiency. Those same disadvantages (if they exist) would more significantly impact WW because they are not skilled at the same level.

While I am not really convinced one way or the other on actual impact, that concept I 100% agree with, and is relatively inarguable. To debate that would be akin to debating that most WW's bait casting skills are equal to the pros. Sorry, but very very few are as competent. I think there is room to debate the technical risk of a swap vs the gains of comfort and more natural approach for those not as highly skilled. In that regard, I think the amateurs biggest benefit would come from what is natural and feels comfortable - regardless of the risk gained during a swap.

Totally disagree with the logic in this case ... but I don't think there’s much point in trumpeting my opinions any further lol

On 1/19/2017 at 6:05 PM, Bassun said:

Randomly, I also just thought about the scenario where a fish does instantly strike as soon as the lure hits the water ... I guess it could even be argued, that since one of the biggest issue's rookies have when topwater fishing is setting the hook too soon, perhaps that delay during the swap could actually be a benefit by slowing down the hook set reaction time. Or, it could fluster the angler and they try setting mid swap, without cranking out slack, and miss more. IDK, lol.

With a casting reel, there truly is zero delay in this scenario – that’s the misconception. It’s the same motion as making a two-handed cast without swapping hands. Without a swap, one hand has to move from the butt of the rod to engage the reel handle, and by the time the lure hits the water, that hand is ready to go. Same thing for swapping hands: one hand moves from the butt onto the palm plate. The other hand is already right next to the handle; all it has to do is start cranking (even before the lure hits the water, if you want). Same thing for a one-handed cast, your free hand is either moving from wherever it is to grab the handle, or moving to palm the reel – no difference.

Bassun reply :

On 1/20/2017 at 2:09 AM, fissure_man said:

Totally disagree with the logic in this case ... but I don't think there’s much point in trumpeting my opinions any further lol

With a casting reel, there truly is zero delay in this scenario – that’s the misconception. It’s the same motion as making a two-handed cast without swapping hands. Without a swap, one hand has to move from the butt of the rod to engage the reel handle, and by the time the lure hits the water, that hand is ready to go. Same thing for swapping hands: one hand moves from the butt onto the palm plate. The other hand is already right next to the handle; all it has to do is start cranking (even before the lure hits the water, if you want). Same thing for a one-handed cast, your free hand is either moving from wherever it is to grab the handle, or moving to palm the reel – no difference.

I'm not sure what you disagree with, surely not that pros are better than weekend warriors, lol. :-) Just kind of poking ya here.

A little more seriously, the second part, I think perhaps that may be true for some - but certainly not all. And definitely not the few that I know whom I've watched swapping. They basically went through the entire process from cast to touch down, then swapped. A couple tried my left hand cranks, and looked completely lost. They were definitely more proficient swapping than not, but I think mainly because of muscle memory and practice all that jazz. One guy, who admittedly wasn't great with his own bait caster, seemed to stop and think about reeling before he ever turned the crank. He was running a buzz bait, and when he swapped to mine - it may as well have been a spinnerbait, lol.

It's funny this topic, which we all know will be debated until the end of time, still get's this much conversation, lol. Fun times!

Further North reply :

On 1/19/2017 at 6:05 PM, Bassun said:

So, if I followed you correctly, you cast and reel right handed on spinning and casting gear; fly fishing you also have a right hand crank reel (or flipped to reel on the right depending on reel), but strip with your left hand? Unless you hook up with a fish that you want to put on reel, then mid fight you swapped hands, for those you did put on the reel? Excluding your immediate swap practice last night, lol. I think this may be one scenario where I think there is a clear advantage to not swapping hands, lol. I guess I'm kind of lucky in that regard, as I am a right hand rod, left hand cranker regardless of the style...

I cast right, reel left with all types of rods; the rod never leaves my right hand.

When I'm chucking flies, I hold the rod in my right hand and strip line with my left.

I can't figure out a way I'd be comfortable switching hands fly fishing.

scaleface reply :

My dad uses spincasters [ Zebco ] only . When he tries using my left handed spinning equipment , he holds it upside down and reels backwards . LOL So , its my job to replace his reels and keep fresh line on them just so he can fish competently .

Bluebasser86 reply :

Spinning-rod in the right hand, reel left handed

Casting-rod in left hand, reel right handed

These 2 CANNOT be interchanged.

I have practiced and practiced and now am fairly proficient casting left handed with casting gear, especially if I'm making short pitches or roll cast, so the whole switching hands argument doesn't apply there.

Further North reply :

There's a really good chance most fishermen overthink this...

Do what works for you, don't criticize how others do it.

Bassnatcher reply :

We cast the rod with the right arm on both right and left handed baitcasters so theres nothing to adapt to there. I use LH bcasters only and im right handed. The whole designation is backwards. LH reels should actually be called RH. If a RH person makes the switch to LH they will realize this. I picked up my buddys RH reel and tried to cast. I noticed the star drag gear box and handle were hitting my knuckles on my right hand making it annoying to try and thumb the spool on a cast. A LH reel gives your fingers all the room in the world. I also noticed its not easy to convince someone to switch to LH reels. Im ambidextrous so i do everything with both hands except writing. Try this. Take your spinning reel. Switch the handle to the right side. Now go fishing. It'll take 2 casts before you realize how ridiculous it is to switch the rod from hand to hand each time you cast. Think about it....

CTBassin860 reply :

On 3/2/2017 at 9:17 AM, Bassnatcher said:

We cast the rod with the right arm on both right and left handed baitcasters so theres nothing to adapt to there. I use LH bcasters only and im right handed. The whole designation is backwards. LH reels should actually be called RH. If a RH person makes the switch to LH they will realize this. I picked up my buddys RH reel and tried to cast. I noticed the star drag gear box and handle were hitting my knuckles on my right hand making it annoying to try and thumb the spool on a cast. A LH reel gives your fingers all the room in the world. I also noticed its not easy to convince someone to switch to LH reels. Im ambidextrous so i do everything with both hands except writing. Try this. Take your spinning reel. Switch the handle to the right side. Now go fishing. It'll take 2 casts before you realize how ridiculous it is to switch the rod from hand to hand each time you cast. Think about it....

Swapping hands takes a nanosecond.Its all preference.What's ridiculous is that someone cares how others prefer to reel.

BassWhole! reply :

On 1/16/2017 at 10:27 PM, fissure_man said:

When you fight a fish or reel in a pile of slop with a baitcaster do you hold the rod steady and just 'winch' it in?  I reel in a fish the same way whether using spinning or baitcasting tackle, yet my spinners are LH and most of my casters are RH.

To me it makes sense to switch because I like to palm a casting reel, but I can't easily operate the thumb bar and feather the spool from that position. So even if I was casting right and reeling left, I'd have to move my hand from casting position to retrieving position, which is actually more awkward for me (trying to move my right hand when the left hand is only holding the reel handle). With a spinning rod I cast with my right hand, and that hand never moves because I use the same grip for casting and retrieving.

With a casting reel the switch is seamless for a two-handed cast:

- right hand on trigger, left hand at end of rod handle, start the cast

- mid-cast, bring left up to palm the reel

- end of cast, start reeling with right hand

Easy to forget that you have to switch your hands back at the end of the cast, which is actually the most awkward and potentially time consuming IMO.   For cast and retrieve lures it's no problem and happens during the back-swing, but it can be tedious for rapid-fire pitching/flipping.

For those rods I've been trying LH reels, but still have the issue of hand position being a compromise between palming and casting grip.  If anyone's trying to do the same - I found that using a small reel like a Daiwa Alphas/Sol and fitting it with a large handle makes it easier.  The small frame reel is easier to operate from a compromised grip, and the longer handle seems to be easier to use with my uncoordinated left hand (which has no problem with spinning reels, somehow).

Ok, can we archive this response, it's perfect (or more accurately variations from specs are indiscernible by test equipment). With the caveat of "use whatever works for YOU". Most folks cast and fish with the same hand position with spinning, and shift from casting to palming with bait casting, making each respectively more efficient.

RB 77 reply :

Baitcasters right handed, spinning gear left. Its just how I have always done it and any other way feels weird. I feel the reasons stated in RW's posts play into this, although I can fish either way in a pinch.

offsidewing reply :

What ever feels best to you. I'm right-handed and all my reels are righty. From age 4 to 13 I fished a Zebco 33. I learned the fundamentals of all basic presentations and retrieves using my left hand to control the rod thanks to the right-hand retreive of the Zebco. Casting with my non-dominant hand is almost as ugly looking as trying a finesse presentation with my dominant hand. I'm right handed and trying to shakey head with my right arm is tougher than brushing my teeth with my left hand hand! Go figure!

Now, if you want a real debate, ask me how to hold a knife and fork!

Catt reply :

Make absolutely no difference what hand ya use!

I cast with my right hand & before the lure touches down the switch to my left hand has been accomplished.

Flipping, pitching, or punching I may or may not switch hands.

Casting, pitching, flipping, & punching I set hook with both hands!

If all ya got to beat me at fishing is ya don't change hands...ya in trouble!

bigfruits reply :

like mentioned several times it doesnt matter.

i switched to left handed reels several years ago. not so much because switching hands was a pain but because i have better feel and control working baits (bottom contact, jerkbaits, topwater) with my dominant right hand on the rod. ive also never felt my left hand lacking when reeling in a fish. because i was used to fishing spinning combos with my right hand on the rod, it took about 2 casts to realize i made the right decision (for me).

its going to be different for everyone. i know people that are right handed that skateboard/snowboard with their right foot forward and lefties that do the opposite.

NHBull reply :

I can crank both left and right, but setting the hook is more natural with my right arm, so I crank left

Outdoors reply :

I'm right handed. Use right handed baitcasters and left handed spinning reels. A lot of my fishing gear used to come from walmart and kmart when I was a kid, and those stores (least where I live) mostly had their spinning reels with the reel on the left side, so it pretty much grew on me. And before ever buying a spinning reel of my own, the only one ones I used were left handed... Kinda felt as if that's how they're meant to be.

IndianaFinesse reply :

On 3/4/2017 at 9:47 AM, Outdoors said:

I'm right handed. Use right handed baitcasters and left handed spinning reels. A lot of my fishing gear used to come from walmart and kmart when I was a kid, and those stores (least where I live) mostly had their spinning reels with the reel on the left side, so it pretty much grew on me. And before ever buying a spinning reel of my own, the only one ones I used were left handed... Kinda felt as if that's how they're meant to be.

You know you can switch a spinning reel's handle to either side if you want to. I never have, I prefer to have my right hand on the rod for both casting and spinning (with the exception of cranking, or other baits typically moved with the reel), but if you want to switch you can simply unscrew the handle and the cap on the opposite side and screw the handle back on.

Lyman X reply :

I think the guy that invented the casting reel put the crank on the wrong side. When we evolved sufficiently we moved it to the left side. I cannot see any reason to cast and then change hands to reel.

Outdoors reply :

On 3/4/2017 at 10:26 AM, IndianaFinesse said:

You know you can switch a spinning reel's handle to either side if you want to. I never have, I prefer to have my right hand on the rod for both casting and spinning (with the exception of cranking, or other baits typically moved with the reel), but if you want to switch you can simply unscrew the handle and the cap on the opposite side and screw the handle back on.

Didn't matter, though. It felt awkward after using a left handed spinning reel for so long.

BaitFinesse reply :

On 3/4/2017 at 10:27 AM, Lyman X said:

I think the guy that invented the casting reel put the crank on the wrong side. When we evolved sufficiently we moved it to the left side. I cannot see any reason to cast and then change hands to reel.

If your right hand dominate then chances are you want to both cast and retrieve with you dominate hand. I can't swing a rod worth a darn left handed and sure as heck can't make sustained small circles of the hand with it. Casting and palming right handed still requires you change grip position to transition from casting into palming. You still have to change the position of your hand placement no matter which side you prefer the handle on. It's the same.

david in va reply :

If I can get him to bite , you can bet I will hook him with either hand if needed and I reel with my right hand. The left one is just for looks, you know hold the bread against the food so the right one can scoop it up with the spoon

Oh and the left one will hold a can OK for the right one to open it, then passed back to the right to drink it

Gooldy reply :

I am very right handed (my left is about as coordinated as a flipper), and I use fly, spinning, and casting gear all the same. Cast right, reel left. To me swapping hands seems completely silly.

Casting any of the above with my left hand feels about the same as trying to swing a bat or golf club left handed, i.e. completely and totally wrong. Reeling is by far the easier of the two tasks between controlling the bait and turning a handle, so I don't understand the argument of "you want your dominant hand to be controlling the fish," since that is what the rod does in all three cases. Feeling a finesse bait on the bottom, throwing mends with a fly rod gently, setting the hook... these are all things I want my good hand taking care of.

BaitFinesse reply :

On 3/4/2017 at 12:26 PM, Gooldy said:

I am very right handed (my left is about as coordinated as a flipper), and I use fly, spinning, and casting gear all the same. Cast right, reel left. To me swapping hands seems completely silly.

Casting any of the above with my left hand feels about the same as trying to swing a bat or golf club left handed, i.e. completely and totally wrong. Reeling is by far the easier of the two tasks between controlling the bait and turning a handle, so I don't understand the argument of "you want your dominant hand to be controlling the fish," since that is what the rod does in all three cases. Feeling a finesse bait on the bottom, throwing mends with a fly rod gently, setting the hook... these are all things I want my good hand taking care of.

If you can turn a baitcasters handle with you left hand then you're not as right handed as you think. Congratulations you're at least somewhat ambedexterious.

Many of us rightys simply do not posess the fine motor skills in our left hands to make sustained small circles of the hand neccesary to use a left handed baitcasting reel. When I try to reel left handed by making small circles with my left hand it quickly breaks down into a flattened oval shaped motion that makes for a stop/start jerky retrieve. Grasping for the knobs is about as fumbly and awkward as can be too. With spinning reels I use left hand retrieve but mostly use the rod to move the bait and I often throw the handle to alow it to spin to pick up slack line between lifts of the rod. When I need winch in a fish with spinning tackle I turn the handle by rotating my forearm in small circles because the ergonomics of spining tackle allow it.

Fun4Me reply :

Those of us that can reel with both our right and left hands are just better than those of you that can't. (just kidding)

For me personally, I like to palm the reel on baitcasters. In order to do that I have to change my hand position no matter what side the handle is on. So, for me, casting with my right hand is more comfortable and accurate. Casting right hand and reeling left hand would still require me to change the position of my right hand on the reel. I would have to throw the bait out, grab the handle, or something with my left hand, then reposition my right hand in the palming position. It would be a fairly awkward thing when my entire reel and rod is supported by just my left hand on one paddle of a handle.

Now, when I use a right hand retrieve, I cast out with my right hand, then grab the reel in the position I want with my left hand producing a hand to hand transfer and not a hand to handle transfer, which is much more secure for me.

With spinning gear, I don't need to palm the reel, so I cast with my right and reel with my left. I've never had any problem setting hooks with either hand on the rod, but I prefer casting everything with my right hand.

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