Right or Left Handed Baitcaster

Brentwood Bob · Post by **Brentwood Bob** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 1:03 pm

My question is about baitcasting reels. I have always used spinning reels and thought I would give a baitcaster a try. I'm right handed and was wondering why most that are right handed reel with their left hand when using a spinning reel but they reel with their right hand with a baitcaster. Which means they switch the rod to the other hand each time they cast. It seems to me you would want the rod in your strong hand, but maybe that's not the case. I recently bought a baitcast set up with a right hand retrieve and have been practicing in the backyard. It is different reeling on that side but not that bad. I don't have a setup that reels on the left side so I can't compare. Any advice would be appreciated.

tankyota · Post by **tankyota** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 2:55 pm

It's all personal preference. I too am right handed, and reel everything with my left hand. I never understood why people work a spinning reel with one hand, and a bait caster with the other. Like you said, I want the rod in my dominant hand, and don't want to have to switch hands after casting. But that's just me.

Brentwood Bob · Post by **Brentwood Bob** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 3:32 pm

tankyota wrote:It's all personal preference. I too am right handed, and reel everything with my left hand. I never understood why people work a spinning reel with one hand, and a bait caster with the other. Like you said, I want the rod in my dominant hand, and don't want to have to switch hands after casting. But that's just me.

I agree. I think I'm going to get a left hand retrieving reel and see if that's any different.

mark poulson · Post by **mark poulson** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 4:32 pm

i think it's because, originally, freshwater baitcasters were scaled down versions of salt water reels, where power cranking is the key. Since four out of five people, including fishermen, are right handed, and their strongest hand is the right, it made sense to make salt water reels right handed, and the first freshwater baitcasters followed suit.
I am right handed.
I have both left hand and right hand reels, and I'll say you can do well with either, if you fish enough.
Repetitive motions create muscle memory, so the act of switching hands after casting becomes unconscious.
As I said, I have both, due to an injury which forced a temporary switch to lefties, but I fish mostly right handed reels now.
But, if I were just starting out, I'd probably use only left handed reels, because the logic of having the reel ready to set the hook without switching hands is pretty stout.

Brentwood Bob · Post by **Brentwood Bob** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 4:36 pm

mark poulson wrote:i think it's because, originally, freshwater baitcasters were scaled down versions of salt water reels, where power cranking is the key. Since four out of five people, including fishermen, are right handed, and their strongest hand is the right, it made sense to make salt water reels right handed, and the first freshwater baitcasters followed suit.
I am right handed.
I have both left hand and right hand reels, and I'll say you can do well with either, if you fish enough.
Repetitive motions create muscle memory, so the act of switching hands after casting becomes unconscious.
As I said, I have both, due to an injury which forced a temporary switch to lefties, but I fish mostly right handed reels now.
But, if I were just starting out, I'd probably use only left handed reels, because the logic of having the reel ready to set the hook without switching hands is pretty stout.

Thanks Mark

Bassinlee · Post by **Bassinlee** » Mon Oct 05, 2015 12:50 am

I started out with right hand cranking baitcasters as well until I tried using my buddy's left hand model. That day, he had quite the attitude because I wouldn't give it back to him. Weeks later, I'd bought all left handed Curados and Team Daiwa reels. Haven't looked back since.
It's just so much faster when firing off hundreds of casts in a day. Plus when you're casting into water with weed growth just below the surface, that extra delay can give your reaction bait just enough time to sink into the weeds and foul your hooks. Plus, sometimes you'll get hit the second your bait hits the water. You need to set the hook RIGHT NOW.
Nowadays on the infrequent occasion when I use one of my right-hand reels, it feels clunky and wrong. Count me among the converted.
-Bassinlee

Brentwood Bob · Post by **Brentwood Bob** » Mon Oct 05, 2015 7:00 am

Bassinlee wrote:I started out with right hand cranking baitcasters as well until I tried using my buddy's left hand model. That day, he had quite the attitude because I wouldn't give it back to him. Weeks later, I'd bought all left handed Curados and Team Daiwa reels. Haven't looked back since.
It's just so much faster when firing off hundreds of casts in a day. Plus when you're casting into water with weed growth just below the surface, that extra delay can give your reaction bait just enough time to sink into the weeds and foul your hooks. Plus, sometimes you'll get hit the second your bait hits the water. You need to set the hook RIGHT NOW.
Nowadays on the infrequent occasion when I use one of my right-hand reels, it feels clunky and wrong. Count me among the converted.
-Bassinlee

I'm ordering a left hand retrieving reel today. After 50 years of reeling a spinner with the left hand I think this may be the way to go. Thanks.

elfish16 · Post by **elfish16** » Mon Oct 05, 2015 9:03 am

I used to cast right handed and switch the rod over each cast but as I've evolved as an angler I have taught myself to cast lefty and keep my retrieve with the right hand. do as you feel is comfortable... easiest thing. there is NO Right or wrong way... all what you like.

Brentwood Bob · Post by **Brentwood Bob** » Mon Oct 05, 2015 10:07 am

elfish16 wrote:I used to cast right handed and switch the rod over each cast but as I've evolved as an angler I have taught myself to cast lefty and keep my retrieve with the right hand. do as you feel is comfortable... easiest thing. there is NO Right or wrong way... all what you like.

Thanks Eric