Baitcasting reels, lefty or righty?

[Guest]

I recently purchased an Abu Garcia C3 5500 baitcasting reel. I am right handed and I usually use my left hand for my spinning reels. I bought the baitcasting reel in the right hand model. Should I stay righty or switch to lefty?

[Dennis]

It all depends on what your intended use is . I am right handed also and all my spinning are left hand crank. I also use several bait casters, my flipping and topwater reels are left handed, the crank bait reels are right handed. It may take a while to get used to the left handed bait caster but it eliminates changing hands with the rod when you cast.

[Guest]

I recently purchased an Abu Garcia C3 5500 baitcasting reel. I am right handed and I usually use my left hand for my spinning reels. I bought the baitcasting reel in the right hand model. Should I stay righty or switch to lefty?

[Fathead]

Hello AJ,

I seem to buck the usual trend here. I am right handed, and have always used a lefthand retrieve for spinning reels. However, I also go lefty on casting reels as well. I tried right handed casting reels, but could never get used to them. I went to lefties last year, and feel more comfortable with them. I believe it all comes down to what you prefer yourself. I run a tiller and fish off the Portside. I hold the tiller with my left arm and the rod with my right. When I hookset, I sweep with the right hand and switch my left hand from the tiller to the reel. I believe it is a smoother transition as opposed to switching the rod from my right to my left hand and retrieve from the right hand.

[Sarge]

I had be wondering the same thing myself awhile ago. I decided to go ahead and get the Abu 6501. It made sense to me, why switch hands? Why not have my dominate arm controlling the rod? Being that I am used to reeling with my left hand with my spinning reel, I felt it would feel more "natural" to try this than try to get used to the other.

I have not actually fished it yet, but when I do I'll report my findings.

[Guest]

I am righty but I was raised by a family of lefties. All my spinning reels were handed down to me and set up for me with reel on the right. It seems natural for me to use a right reel baitcaster. I find it very advantageous when fighting bigger fish. My left hand is not ambidextrious (sp) so all I need it to do is set the hook and hold on. I let my right hand reel, tweek drag, move beer, steer/stop motor, grab net, dip net, lift net!

[SuddenlySummer]

I think that it boils down to the cast which is the most important part. Put the bait where you want it. The reeling is secondary. I am right handed so I use my right hand to cast. When I throw a baseball with my left hand, no matter how hard I try, I still look like a girl. Use your main arm to get the bait where you want it. I can pick up the sensitive bites easier as well. You can always flip flop but if your fishing all day, that can get old.

[musky hunter]

Most right handed people use the right hand for cranking bait casting reels, and the left hand on spinning reels. This is my preference as well. But, I know one prominent pro angler that prefers to crank with the left. Start off with what you have and refine later.

[Guest]

I am one of those weird ones! I reel everything with my Left hand, I just feel comfortable that way. I should add that I am right handed. The problem comes when you are looking for Line Counter reels. They don't make a good left handed one, that I know of. If anyone can tell me different I would appreciate it.ScottS

[Guest]

Homer Circle ("Uncle Homer") contends you will catch more fish if you learn to cast with either hand. For example, when using a right crank casting reel, cast left handed.
That way, he states, you do not waste time changing from one hand to the other -- thus giving you more casts per hour of fishing.

I'm not about to learn left handed casting at my age, but at least it's something to consider if you want to cover more area and deliver more casts. I'm less competitive.

[rascalP]

I have never understood the logic of using left hand crank for spinning and right crank for baitcasters. More power to ya if you can fight a fish equally with right or left, but I feel like Jerry Lewis (sorry Jerry) trying to control a jig or worm and fighting a fish with my left hand. My first baitcaster was a "leftie" as will be my last one. My dad is just the opposite. If he can't switch the crank on one of my spinning reels to the right, he'll flip it over with the reel on top