Quinte Fishing

Happy New Year All,
My son recently started using a bait casting outfit for bass fishing. He mentioned that he didn't like casting with his right hand and them switching the rod to his left to retrieve. Something I've always done.
Is there a reason why most right handed people retrieve with their left hand while using spinning gear and use their right hand when using bait casting reels?
Is it a mechanical issue with bait casting reels?

Just curious,
Brian

Does he retrieve with his left hand with a spinning reel? If so, you can get left hand retrieve baitcasters. I am right handed, and I use left handed reels for both spinning and baitcaster reels.

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I am one who always uses bait casters bass fishing or trolling for walleye. If I am drop shooting or jigging I use a spinning. And my casters are a right hand retrieve and spinning is left hand retrieve. Call me weird but I can't real with my left hand while using my bait casters. But as soon as its spinning reel I have to use my left to retrieve my right is awkward.

I bat right, golf right, shoot right but all my reels....spinning, casting, and especially fly are left hand retrieve...tried right-handed retrieve and that was just plain awkward

For a long time you could not get left hand retrieve casting reels,The whole switching hands thing was always a mystery to me. I would think you would always want to hold your rod in your strong arm right? All my casting reels (inc spinning ) are left hand retrieve. Now my trolling outfits are all right hand retrieve but that's no issue as they are usually in rod holders

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left handed reels are now more popular than right handed reels.

See a very long and complete vote here:

http://forums.tackletour.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=29932

756 votes over five years.

57% of anglers use left handed baitcasters.

I vaguely recall (years ago) that the handle of a bait caster was suppose to point upwards when casting. Not sure if this was a bearing issue. Looks like I'll be purchasing a left handed bait casting reel.

Its not weird to switch hands on a baitcaster but not on a spinning reel. I think this is what was intended. I broke down and bought a Curado a few years ago with left hand reel. It went back after a week and got the right handed, its just too awkward. I couldn't explain it, but i thought it might have something to do with the center of the weight where you hold it (behind the reel vs centered to the reel with spinning). I found this which really explains it from another post from someone named "Santa":


"OK folks, please read. I have taught baitcasting since 1974. When you do it correctly, you actually have to change hands. Let me first state that you hold a spinning rig somewhere around the center of the of the weight of the reel with the stem of the reel foot between your fingers. This is natural and necessary to cast. This is also the best position to hold the rod while fishing. There is no need to move your hands to change from casting position to fishing position.

BUT with a baitcast reel, you hold the rod behind the reel so that you can "thumb" the spool. This puts your hand behind the center of the weight of the reel and in a very awkard place to work the lure and fight the fish. Your best position for working the rod is by palming the reel. I palm the reel and wrap one finger around to the front so I can feel the line. If you do not change hands and use a left hand reel, you will probably find yourself moving your hand from a casting position to a fishing position anyway.

Now for the proper method to cast. Think of sitting with a baseball glove on your left hand and just pitching a ball from your right hand to it. The motion is a smooth one where the ball just ends up in the palm of your left hand. Now take and hold a reel on a handle and try a casting motion with the left hand just comjng up and ending catching the reel in the palm. You have changed hands with one continuous smooth motion. The reel was cast with the right hand and and ended up in the palm of your left hand. Done correctly there is a moment when both hands are in contact with the reel. This comes at the end of the cast when you should be taking your thumb from the spool. You move your right hand to the crank as you release it from the handle. No motion is lost or wasted. No stopping and then changing hands.

As a bass fisherman fishing in the seventies with Lew Childre (inventor and father of the first completely disengaging levelwind Speed Spool reel) I had a counter mounted on my wrist and recorded over 2,000 casts in just one long day of fishing. I have studied video's for hours and have done a lot of research about baitcasting and the reels involved. I have used left hand and right hand reels and I can cast both left handed and right handed.

In conclusion, You are the fisherman and you can do what feels best to you, but the most efficient and proper way to baitcast for right handed people is with a right hand reel and left hand reel for left handed porple."

B

My two cents here.
The majority of the work is done casting jerking directing and pulling on the rod. The reel is in a simple circular motion that doesn't require a lot of effort nor a lot of dexterity to master. Just reel in the circular motion. I do envy those who have mastered the back reeling technique. As for setting up new anglers , as I've done many times with the school fishing club, combine the dominant hand with the component that requires strength finess and movement. That is to match the rod with the dominant hand and let the other hand work the simpler reeling end of the combo. This way I can have rookies working the jigs cranks and jerkbaits in no time. As the dominant arm is stronger and use to work the fatigue factor is less of an issue. Secondly the angler does not have to switch hands when casting, the rod is always in the dominant hand. If you ever find this point of view conflicting with yours I suggest that you try deep sea fishing. Your right hand is on the reel while the non dominate left arm is burning trying to pull on the rod. I would paid for a left hand reel on a few occasions.

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