My right hand doesn't know what my left hand is doing

[EricD]

This may seem like a really silly question but it’s a puzzle to me. I am about to buy my first bait casting reel having used a spinning reel for a very long time. If one is right handed, is it best to buy a reel with the crank on the right, cast with the right and then switch hands after the cast so one can crank with the right hand? Boy, do I feel silly asking this question but I really don’t know.

[Bassman55]

I would buy one with the hand you are used to cranking with, and if that means you have to switch hands, then do it.

[fiskyknut]

Get a lefty and you'd probably be more comfortable.

[fiskyknut]

Oh oh I may of goofed. If you like to crank with your right hand get that one.

I cast right handed mostly and hold/jig with my rod in my right hand so I like a left hand cranker.

[Nick Kuhn]

I bought a left-hand retrieve baitcaster as with spinning rods I'm used to working the rod with my right hand. Switching only becomes a problem if you need to immediately begin your retrieve.

[Sandmannd]

I use left handed on my spinning rods and right handed on my baitcast.

[GRH]

I to use a my left hand on spinning and right on my casting rods. I also cast with my right hand with both. I would ask a couple buddys and see what they have, if they have both try them out quick and see what feels better. Or just go to a store and try each one to see what you like. it should come down to what you personally like to use.

[polarsusd81]

I use my left to reel with spinning gear, and my right on the bait casters. For me, it is a power/finesse kinda deal most of the time. I have been doing it that way for a long time. By the way, I cast right handed for both. The majority of my baits that are shaking or just slight twitching, I use spinning gear as I have a better feel with my right hand holding the rod. For cranking, jig-n-pig, spinnerbaits, top waters, jerk-bait, it is more of a power deal, and I feel I can get more body into a hookset with my left arm pulling while reeling with my right. Just have to figure out what works for you.

Best advice, go to the store, and try them both out to see what feels best.

[katoguy]

If you are a bass guy and flip or pitch in shallow water you definitely don't want to be switching hands after the cast. (Too great of chance that bass will hit while switching hands over.)

I am right-handed and need to cast with my right and thumb the spool with my right-hand thumb. I easily and comfortably reel with my left hand while using both spinning and baitcasting reels. I cannot cast left-handed. It just doesn't work for me. I still have a few baitcasters with right hand retrieves that I use for a few techniques (must have been great deals that I couldn't pass up). The last time I was real comfortable reeling with my right hand was probably over 30 years ago when I was using a Johnson Century. (which, BTW, you could use as either a right hand or left hand retrieve spincast over-the-rod or under-the-rod like a spinning reel)

[Eric Wettschreck]

I'm right handed. I cast my spinning gear with my right hand and reel with my left.

I cast my baitcasting gear with my right hand, then switch hands and reel with my right hand.

I understand that you may not want to switch hands. For myself, and myself only, my left hand is more sensitive and that's why I like to hold my baitcasters with my left hand and reel with the right.

Any shop worth their salt will let you mess around a bit with different rod and reel combos so you can find which is most comfortable for you. To me (once again this is just me) switching hands works best. Try different combos out as I really think comfort and ease of use is huge.

[TrophyEyes]

Now has anyone had an issue with the size of the turn the handle makes with a spinning reel compaired to a baitcaster? I use spinning gear most often, but when I use my baitcaster my hand always slips of the reel knob because I don't make tight enough circles while reeling. I think it is because I am used to spinning gear which has a bigger circle when you turn the reel arm.

I may be the only one, but it has to be a conscious effort on my part when reeling.

[jasondittrich]

it is my belief that you should have the rod in your strong hand and reel with the weaker hand. i hold rod and cast with right on both and reel with left on both. ive tried to work a jig or worm with left hand and it didnt work well.

[iffwalleyes]

 Originally Posted By: jasondittrich

it is my belief that you should have the rod in your strong hand and reel with the weaker hand. i hold rod and cast with right on both and reel with left on both. ive tried to work a jig or worm with left hand and it didnt work well.

Exactly what I do. I am left handed and always crank with my right hand if using spinning or baitcasters. I started doing that with my first Johnson reel when I was 2 or 3 and have been ever since. My dad is right handed and cranks right handed he switches hands when using them he has been doing it for better than 70 years so he has a pretty fluid switch between the hands as he sets the hook. Looks kind of strange but it works well for him.

[jwhjr]

I keep the rod in my strong hand as well and reel with the other. I haven't picked up a baitcaster yet, but I did notice it was pretty common for people to cast and switch hands to reel. I'm planning on using a reel that will allow me to reel with my left as I do with a spinning reel.

[hoggs222]

I also use left hand for spinning and right hand on casting! I also write & throw right handed, but I bat, play golf and hockey right handed.

[EricD]

Thanks for all the input. From trying them out in the store, I'm inclined to cast with my right and then switch hands to reel with my right. I think I'll mess with an old spin caster in the back yard for a few days to try different combos.

[fishguyd]

The majority of the fishing public that is right handed reels /cranks spinning tackle with their left hand but use level winds that need to be reeled with their right hand. Just my observation after thousands of trips with a wide range of ages and skill levels. clients

[delmuts]

i agree with GHR! go to a shop and try out both! i for one , just couldn't get comfortable reeling a baitcaster with my left hand, even though i do with spinning reels. i have been working at casting with both hands.( don't have to switch hands, and if one arm gets tired, you can change) del

[Newcastle]

I'm guess to avoid confusion, I always reel with my right and always cast with my left. I'm left handed, so thumbing the spool and casting accuracy is just easier with the dominate hand.

I've been told its pretty funny to watch me grab another guys rod while ice fishing and reach for the phantom handle-appearently I get a look of panic and confusion when the handle isn't on the right side like its suppose to be.

[HOGEYE]

I always cast with the right and reel with the left. I think this is most efficient. This also works well with my tiller as my left hand is on the tiller when trolling. I'll switch the rod to the left hand when netting a fish though.

I have also found it difficult to find left handed linecounter reels, but they are around.

[slipperybob]

I need my stronger right hand to hand lip a fish or reach for a net. So therefore it needs to do the cranking.

[federline]

I went through this too when I decided to start fishing baitcasters again. Turns out I've been spinning for so long, rod in right and crank with the left, I was much more comfy with a left hand crank baitcaster. As I used it more, I also came to appreciate the advantage of flipping and pitching with my stronger right hand and arm, and not switching hands. It sure slims down the baitcasters to mostly premium models when all you are looking for is a lefty - its hard to find a good in-stock selection of middle-tier models that aren't right handed.