Right or Left Hand Reel?

[HarryJ]

I just bought a new top water rod to use for top water and jerk baits.  I don't have a reel on it yet.  All of my bait casting rods have right hand reels, so I have been using a right hand reel when top water and jerk bait fishing.  Just twitching the new rod, it feels better in my right hand than my left. Do you guys use your right or left hand for top water and jerk baits?  Should I get a left hand reel to try on the new rod? 

[Al Agnew]

My experience might not be too helpful to you...I have been using baitcasters for 60 years, and when I started, all baitcasters had the reel handle on the right side.  So, being right-handed, I started out casting with my right hand and then switching hands to reel.  But by the time I was a teenager, I'd realized that wasn't the most efficient way of doing things, so one spring I just decided to see if I could teach myself to cast left-handed.  It took about four trips or so of using just my left arm to cast, but by that time I'd mastered it, and never looked back.  So all my baitcasting is done with a reel with the handle on the right.

However, there are a couple points I'd like to make with this story.  One, you can probably get used to using your left arm to twitch these baits even though right now your right arm feels better doing so, and it might be less expensive to use a right hand reel that you already own.  But two, unless you usually cast using your left arm instead of casting with your right arm and switching hands to retrieve, you're still not going to be as efficient as you would using a reel with handle on the left.  On the other, other hand...I've messed around a lot with reels with the handle on the left; I can still cast perfectly well with my right arm, but reeling with my left hand feels awkward for some reason.

I guess you won't know until you try it.

[Dutch]

Since you live in Branson, why not talk to the guys at Bass Pro.  They might let you buy a reel, spool it up with line, and let you go out and make some casts, and let you swap it if is doesn’t feel right.   Just a thought.

[snagged in outlet 3]

I grew up fly fishing and always casted with my right hand and managed line with my left.   Then I used spinning reels with left hand reel and now use left hand reel bait cast.  It seems intuitive to me that your dominant hand should do the casting, holding and manipulating the rod.   Reeling is a one motion.  Just reeling.  I can use right hand reels if I have too.  

[snagged in outlet 3]

1 hour ago, Dutch said:

Since you live in Branson, why not talk to the guys at Bass Pro.  They might let you buy a reel, spool it up with line, and let you go out and make some casts, and let you swap it if is doesn’t feel right.   Just a thought.

It’s trade in days at bass pro.   I bet they have a left hand reel in the barrel to get a feel for it.  

[waterpossum]

I have recently been using a left hand reel for throwing jerk baits after a lifetime of using a right hand reel. I am now equally adept at backlashes with both hands.

[Quillback]

I use about the same casting technique with both types of reels.  Left hand near the butt of the rod, right hand at the reel.  After making hundreds of thousands of casts with both types of tackle, it's all automatic.  But I do hold the BC rod in my left hand, and the spinner in my right when reeling.  If I started using a left handed BC reel, I'd have to untrain myself from doing what I do now.

I do flip with my right arm, so have to switch the rod over to my left arm after making the flip, but again it is pretty automatic, don't flip much anymore these days anyway.  Gives me tennis elbow if I do it all day.

 

[MOPanfisher]

I am similar to what AL said, but more with spinning reels, left hand was the only option and I still use them left handed, I did expirament with the handle on the right shortly after having my shoulder replaced, I am sure a video of that would leave us all laughing.  I also switched baitcastersnto left handed many years ago, but honestly I can switch back and forth with no issues.  Go buy a very cheap left hand BC and try it for a while, if it doesn't click for ya, then you aren't out much.  I have certainly spent more for less of a good reason..

[cheesemaster]

I am a very right handed dominant person - with that being said I throw all twitching - walking type baits with a left hand BC reel and all other lures with a right handed BC reel. It took some time getting the hang of it but it was sure worth it in the long run. 

I don’t if you ever fish around Cape Fair - but I will let you use one of my setups to try if you would like to.

[dan hufferd]

22 hours ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

I grew up fly fishing and always casted with my right hand and managed line with my left.   Then I used spinning reels with left hand reel and now use left hand reel bait cast.  It seems intuitive to me that your dominant hand should do the casting, holding and manipulating the rod.   Reeling is a one motion.  Just reeling.  I can use right hand reels if I have too.  

Agree, grew up with spinning tackle, went to baitcasters late in life, I'm righthanded, cast with my right,  reel with my left, I never have to switch hands to reel, it seems right to me.