Why do you reel left and right handed?

[Allen]

I reel with the hand that's upcurrent. That way I set the hook with the rod instead of the reel handle. Saves on equipment malfunctions. I've broken a reel handle or two by yanking on it instead of the rod handle. Switching sides takes a minute or two to get used to, but in the end it's been the best way for me to maximize my hookset to catch ratio.

This is a real (reel???) problem with paddlefishing. Reel handles take a ton of abuse from people fishing the left side of the river. For those that don't already know, the "left" side of the river is determined by looking downstream.

 

[ndfinfan]

All my crank reels have handle on left side. Right handed dominant - can't imagine controlling larger fish with left hand while reeling with right...but that's just me!

 

[sweeney]

All my stuff is set up so the reel is on the front side of the rod holder, so on the port side of my boat it is all righthand crank on the starboard side it is all lefthand crank. When i am fishing 2 rods in the front i am able to go to a hip to crank up extra line in a hurry. Some people can't reel with one hand or another that is usually when my stuff gets mixed around.

 

[Sluggo]

Age old debate. I cast the rod with my right hand, then transfer it to my left hand, and crank with my right. I learned how to fish with a closed-face reel. To me, it should be illegal to have the handle on the other side.

That, and nearly all baitcaster reels have the handle on the right.

Sunday night I was fishing the tailrace, east side. Caught my line in the bail-roller, at the end of a cast. When I pulled the line out of the bail-roller, the line broke. I had to retrieve, like a neanderthal, hand over hand. midway through getting my crank back, disaster (catfish) struck.

It was a regular rodeo.

Were you using a Pflueger? I had to get rid of mine for this line pinching reason.

 

[JayKay]

Were you using a Pflueger? I had to get rid of mine for this line pinching reason.

Nope, brand new non-Pflueger. I forget. Maybe a Abu Garcia or Quantum. I've only used it twice.

 

[jtillman]

I identify as a right handed right handed reel fisherman....and have had this conversation / argument every time. It 100% makes the most sense for me to reel left handed and handle the fish with my dominate arm---however, every time I try and make an honest effort to make the change to the left side---I end up reeling the rod while holding the reel handle still with my left hand....it's embarrassing as hell so I stop trying to retrain myself.

 

[lunkerslayer]

All my crank reels have handle on left side. Right handed dominant - can't imagine controlling larger fish with left hand while reeling with right...but that's just me!

exactly, its like those die hards who are still using nanofil on all their bait casting reels

 

[JayKay]

That seems weird to me people who reel with their right hand, so I'm trying to imagine someone using their right hand to reel up their fish, when you cast is that also with the right hand, when you open your bail that is with the left hand or right. Then after you cast out throwing cranks example, do you close the bail with your left/right hand or do you switch hands when holding your the rod handle and close the bail with your right hand then start reeling in your lure with your right. That's crazy confusing to me, so for me the rod handle never leaves my right hand, reel with my left, open/close bail with my left, and use my left hand to net the fish. That to me is a lot of hand switching for using a open faced reel , even using a right handed bait casting reel would be crazy to have to switch from right to left after casting.

It sounds complicated, but no more so than anything else. I can do it in the dark, with gloves on, without a thought. Fishing in the dark, for years, has made me pretty intuitive. I cast with my right hand. While the lure or jig, or whatever offering I'm throwing, is in the air, the rod goes to the left hand. I either swipe the bail closed, or snap the rod handle forward to close the bail, about the time the lure hits the water.

I also retrieve in the dark, against the current. I rarely have my lure hit the rod tip. I can feel from the angle of the line, how far out the lure is.

This is often all while I'm standing thigh-deep in the water.

Anyways, it's not nearly as much of a mess as one would think.

 

[shorthairsrus]

Never understood reeling with left hand when you are right handed. You telling me your left hand/arm is so weak/uncoordinated it can't hold a rod? What?

IMO Spinning reels were not designed to cast. Hence the right hand which most people are (cept me) is used to fight the fish as it was deamed stronger. To be "reel" honest i cast as little as i can with spinning reel; if it will cast on a baitcaster i will tie to that that one.

 

[deleted member]

other than a couple of really young years with zebco push buttons, i grew up with a spinning rod and reel in my hand. cast right, hold rod right, even had those spinning reels with that little bail opener thingy to open the bail with my right hand index finger. rod never left the right hand. the only time the left hand touches it is to reel. seems efficient to me. i can't imagine casting with my left hand. so, if i had a right handed reel, there would definitely need to be some switching of the rod from the right hand to the left hand after i casted with the right hand in order to then reel with the right hand as well. i can only assume that's most are set up that way.

at this point in life, when i end up in a guides boat with bait casting trolling rods, i feel like an uncoordinated idiot when i have to reel with my right hand and control the rod with my left. last time i was in the guides boat i says, "sure would be nice to have a left hand reeling spinning rod for as to run this bottom bouncer." he reaches down in the rod locker and says, "here ya go, joe". totally made my day.

 

[lunkerslayer]

other than a couple of really young years with zebco push buttons, i grew up with a spinning rod and reel in my hand. cast right, hold rod right, even had those spinning reels with that little bail opener thingy to open the bail with my right hand index finger. rod never left the right hand. the only time the left hand touches it is to reel. seems efficient to me. i can't imagine casting with my left hand. so, if i had a right handed reel, there would definitely need to be some switching of the rod from the right hand to the left hand after i casted with the right hand in order to then reel with the right hand as well. i can only assume that's most are set up that way.

or you could lol hold the reel upside so you can reel with your right

 

[riverview]

i reel with my right and cast with my right hand

 

[Grizzly Adams]

I reel with my right hand because I am right handed

 

[johnr]

spinning rods left, bait rods right.
I can drink out of either hand, and do frequently.

 

[huntinforfish]

This is a great topic and one that would come up in my boat all the time as I have reels with both. Spinning, always left-hand reel. Why, probably because that is how I learned and makes sense for how I manage the reel and line. My first bait caster was a Christmas gift and was right hand reel. So again, I learned that way. Now, most of my bait casters are right hand but I have a couple lefts as well that I used exclusively for trolling while driving a tiller. I can use anything, but prefer spinning left, casting right. For me, I am a "stronger" retriever with a bait caster when reeling right-handed. I notice it easily when using someone else's left handled reel for bass or musky. It is odd though as I would argue the opposite if it was a spinning reel. To each their own, I guess.

 

[deleted member]

i would prefer baitcasters with left hand reels as well. it just makes sense in my mind. cast, control the line, control the rod, etc... all with the same right hand and the left is there just to reel.

 

[Walleye_Chaser]

I too am one of those special people who casts with the right hand, switch rod to left hand, and reel with right. No idea why. Then with ice rods I have no problem hold rod with right hand and reeling with left. Beats me!

 

[svnmag]

This is a great topic and one that would come up in my boat all the time as I have reels with both. Spinning, always left-hand reel. Why, probably because that is how I learned and makes sense for how I manage the reel and line. My first bait caster was a Christmas gift and was right hand reel. So again, I learned that way. Now, most of my bait casters are right hand but I have a couple lefts as well that I used exclusively for trolling while driving a tiller. I can use anything, but prefer spinning left, casting right. For me, I am a "stronger" retriever with a bait caster when reeling right-handed. I notice it easily when using someone else's left handled reel for bass or musky. It is odd though as I would argue the opposite if it was a spinning reel. To each their own, I guess.

That's "curious". Gravity and magnetism are "odd". If you apply "why" to these principles you'll begin to feel a lagbolt in your brain. I don't buy time and energy coalescing to form matter before the "Big Expansion/Bang". IMHO there cannot be energy or time without matter. Time for another Clydesdale Piss.

That is all.

 

[NodakBob]

I graduated from a righty Zebco 202 to fly and spin fishing in grade school...the fly rod had a lefty handle reel, so everything from then on was lefty to match. I am right eye and right handed, but everything has to have the left hand out forward, including a hockey stick.

 

[svnmag]

I graduated from a righty Zebco 202 to fly and spin fishing in grade school...the fly rod had a lefty handle reel, so everything from then on was lefty to match. I am right eye and right handed, but everything has to have the left hand out forward, including a hockey stick.

Hell yes. Here is a tune for you with an amazing shred on a Strat by a senior citizen: