Right Or Left Hand Baitcaster

[strangercreek]

I am getting back into some conventional fishing gear lately (after cutting down my fly rod quiver to just a couple of nice rigs) and thought about getting a baitcaster. Last time I owned one it was a left hand retrieve because my spinning reels, fly reels, and Zebco 11 mini reels are all set up left hand retrieve and I am right handed.

It seems really hard to find left handed baitcasters, especially the lower priced ones. Does anyone else have this issue? It seems like alot of people would like using them as left retrieve.

Is there a reason why right hand retrieve works better over handed?

[Mitch f]

No, Unless you cast left handed. Switching hands is always a wasted motion and if you can get started the right way, you can save yourself a lifetime of hassle. An example would be throwing a buzzbait and switching hands... you have a couple of seconds of lost time to get the bait on top working for you.

[Feathers and Fins]

I am right handed my spinners are set up for left hand, my fly rods for left hand and my bait casters right handed. I cast right handed two always. So it makes since to have the spinner and fly set up so I can start to retrieve instantly. Bait casting Its also a natural to cast right or double handed and then start winding right.

[Quillback]

You can get some good deals on lefty baitcasters on Ebay. Makes me wish I could use a lefthander, but I'm a righty with BC reels.

[eric1978]

I'm a lefty and reel baitcasters, spinning reels and fly reels all with my right hand. That's what feels natural and it seems goofy to do it any other way. And like Mitch said, why switch hands if you don't have to? I never understood that.

[Al Agnew]

The mystery is, why did the first baitcasters ever made have the reel handle on right side? Was the inventor left-handed? Or did it just make sense back then to cast with your right arm, switch hands, and reel with your dominant right hand?

Whatever the answer to that question is, it doesn't help your decision. Here's my take on it.

If you've always used spinning reels, and have always casted them right handed and reeled with your left hand, and you haven't spent much time using either baitcasting or spincasting tackle where you had the reel on the right side, then by all means buy a baitcaster with the reel on the left side. You'll be starting out the "right" way and it will be easy. But if, like me, you spent a whole lot of years using a baitcaster with the handle on the right, you MAY find it very difficult to get used to reeling it with your left hand and holding the rod with your right hand. I know I did. But eventually you'll probably get used to it. I didn't have to, because many, many years ago, I taught myself to cast with my left arm so I didn't have to switch hands, so I don't "need" a reel with the handle on the left side. At the same time, I have always casted a spinning rod with my right arm and reeled with my left. So since I use both spinning and baitcasting during an average day of fishing, the switching back and forth keeps my arms (and especially wrists) from getting fatigued.

You have one other good option, however, especially if you have average to large hands. And that is to cast two handed. Using a baitcasting reel with handle on the right side, you hold the rod with your left hand cradled around the reel's side plate and the reel seat of the rod, and your right hand on the rod handle with thumb on the reel spool. Make the cast with both hands like that, and as the lure hits the water you switch your right hand from the rod handle to the reel handle, while leaving your left hand to keep holding the rod and reel together. It's very efficient, and as long as your left hand is big enough and your left wrist strong enough, and as long as you are using a reel with a low profile, rounded side plate, it's a comfortable way to cast. My hands are a little too small for it to work well for me, however.

[rps]

As always Al nailed it.

If you are just getting back in to BC, Shimano, Abu Garcia, Lew's and Okuma have good reels at the $95 price point and even better offerings at $130.

[BackCastingGolfer]

All of my reels are left hand retrieve, anyhting else would just feel wierd...

[gotmuddy]

Baitcast reels are the first thing I have ever seen made to cater to lefties like me. I have always found it odd but comforting that I can always find a reel for myself wherever I go.

BTW, bass pro carries a full line of lefty reels. I am partial to the johnny morris reels(I have 8), they seem to hold up great.

[Tom Tricamo]

I came back to fishing about three years ago and was introduced to baitcasters by a good friend of mine who fishes a right-handed reel. It immediately struck me as odd that I would control my rod, feel my line, and thumb the spool with my non dominant hand (left). Thus, I purchased several Revos (S, ST, Winch) all in left hand models.