Left hand

[Gumboot]

I'm right handed.  Why do I reel with my left hand with spinning gear and right hand with baitcaster?  Try as I might, can't get used to left handed baitcast reels.  I like the idea of not changing hands, but it's not working for me.  Any tips?

Might have a barely used left handed Lews baitcaster for sale or trade...

[Dutch]

I am in the same boat as you.  I could never get used to a lefty bc reel. I’m better at casting left handed than reeling a bc with it.

[MOPanfisher]

Several years back after a bad bout of tennis elbow I learned to use lefty bait casters and since have changed all mine to lefty except for maybe one old ambassadeur 4600CB that I keep around.  I now prefer it, of course recent developments may make me change back but I use bait casters so seldom anymore I would be better off simply giving most of them away.  Gave away a Shimano Curado 201 (dark green ones) and decent rod to a friends kid after he was talking about teaching him to use one, was VERY specific that it was for his son not him!  LoL.  

[snagged in outlet 3]

1 hour ago, Gumboot said:

I'm right handed.  Why do I reel with my left hand with spinning gear and right hand with baitcaster?  Try as I might, can't get used to left handed baitcast reels.  I like the idea of not changing hands, but it's not working for me.  Any tips?

Might have a barely used left handed Lews baitcaster for sale or trade...

I grew up fly fishing so I always reeled left handed.  When I finally got a spinner it was natural to reel left handed.  Bait caster a little while after that and went left handed again.  Although I can reel right handed but I don't see where switching hands is good.  Plus I like my dominate hand working the rod.  That's weird that you're good to go with spinners but not baitcast.

[fishinwrench]

I reel with the same hand whether bait casting, spinning, or fly.  Right hand reels.  With baitcasters I cast right handed and switch, but pitch/flip with the left hand so the reel can be engaged as soon as the bait hits the water.

I never understood how/why anybody else does it differently, but most guys I know do.  

[laker67]

I am lefty on the spinner but always right hand on the fly reel. Bait caster I never got the hang of. I am right handed 

[Flysmallie]

2 hours ago, Gumboot said:

Any tips?

 

Don't worry about it. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

24 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

but pitch/flip with the left hand so the reel can be engaged as soon as the bait hits the water.

Same for buzzbaits

[MrGiggles]

I seldom use a casting reel, but the one I have is a lefty. The whole cast and switch hands thing just seemed clumsy to me. Cast with the right, reel with the left. 

It takes a lot of practice to get right. You can't whip it like a spinning rod, takes more of a quick consistent sweep. I had the most trouble with mid-air backlashes from trying to whip it. 

Before you hit the water, try tossing a 1/4-1/2 oz weight around the yard. Watch the power lines.

[snagged in outlet 3]

1 hour ago, MrGiggles said:

 

I seldom use a casting reel, but the one I have is a lefty. The whole cast and switch hands thing just seemed clumsy to me. Cast with the right, reel with the left. 

 

Exactly.  Makes no sense.