TexasKayakFisherman.com est. 2000

[Ken S]

How many here use a bait caster that casts and then reels with the opposite hand. In other words do you cast with your right and reel with the left,, not counting spinning reels. I've always cast with right and set hook with the left. I find after putting a plate in my left wrist, I don't have as much control setting the hook with it, but can reel fairly good with it. Anybody?

[Neumie]

No*

Baitcaster and Spinning I cast right and reel right. Fly Fishing I cast right and reel with my left.

[Kirk B.]

Once reels became easy to get with the handles on the left, that is all I use. I've had too many occasions where fish blew up on the lure when it landed to do it any other way.
Before left hand reels became common, I taught myself to cast with my left hand. I do not want to swap hands after a cast.


Kirk B.

[sanantonioyak]

both fly and spinning, I cast right and reel with my left. no changing hands.

[imaoldmanyoungsalt]

yes and no

If the reel is under the rod (spinning/fly) then I cast right, reel left. If the reel is on top of the rod (baitcast/spincast) then I cast right, reel right. When I started fishing spinning reels as a kid, they were all left retrieve and not reversible so I learned to do it that way and it feels awkward to reel them right handed. When I started fly fishing I had that same awkward feeling since the reel hung under the rod. Baitcast and spincast sat above the rod and were almost always right retrieve back then so I learned to use them that way. Switching either way just feels awkward to me now

[JW FunGuy]

This is interesting. I always wondered what was with all the left handed bait casters in the stores. Way back when I started fishing bass tournaments and throwing a bait caster I was thought to get on the crank as fast as possible and switching took too much time so I learned to do it that way.
So now I guess everything fly, spin and bait is cast right reel left.

[impulse]

Cast and retrieve with the rod in my strong hand and the crank in my weak hand. That way, I don't have to switch hands when the bait hits the water. For me, that means left hand retrieve on all my rods- fly, spinning, casting and trolling.

I didn't enjoy using baitcasters until Shimano Bantams came with LH retrieve. Ambassadeurs always had a LH option (that I remember), but they're a lot heavier duty and clunkier than the Bantams. I still have some mid '80s vintage BMP251SG reels in immaculate condition.

I even have line counter trolling reels with LH retrieve nowadays. And if Penn (or another reputable company) ever offers a huge Senator with LH, I'll buy one for sharking at the beach. So far, their biggest LH Senator is the 4/0.

[Ron Mc]

My daughter changes hands to both cast and wind with right hand on all tackle.
Have to keep her spinning reels set up for RHW.
(she's all grown now and wrestling for Lady Aggies)

I was writing with both hands in 1st grade, and the teacher rubber-banded the pencil to my right. There's no rhyme or reason to my preferences and muscle memory, throw left, bat right, etc. Like most south paws, don't really have a dominant hand.
So I grew up using all tackle the way it came off the shelf, casting and winding with either arm/hand.

What most people don't get with fly casting until they begin using haul, is that your line hand is more important than you rod hand, because that's where you feel the rod load through the line, and where you modulate timing and power. Night fishing, vertical back-cast, change-direction cast - all need haul, and it should become natural in all casts.
I did notice catching 30+" Kenai rainbows with guide's rod, I can't wind as fast with LH as RH.
In general, my left arm is power, and my right hand is finesse.

[CopanoCruisin]

No

[shoffer]

No.
Cast one-handed with the right arm, put the butt of rod in the left hand, and reel with the right hand.

[bigred90gt]

I am very much left handed. I cast and control the rod with my left hand, and I crank with my right hand, regardless of the type of reel it is. I grew up fishing with a spinning reel and my dad always had it set up that way. Anything else feels unnatural to me. When I got my first bait caster, I had seen where people would use them opposite of how they set up spinners, and it never made sense. I messed around with a left hand retrieve bait caster in the store for about 5 seconds, then bought a right hand retrieve. I honestly am not sure I could even make a decent cast with my right hand, and switching back and forth between casting and reeling just seems like a cumbersome and unnecessary step.

[David0408]

Yes, I cast with my right and reel with my left. And I’m left handed!


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[super8mm]

Yes, I am right handed and I cast with my right but reel with my left. I do this with bait casting, spinning and fly rod