Why??? Reel question

This may sound silly but I am really curious why this is. When using a spinning reel we cast with our right hand and reel with our left hand. But with a casting reel we cast with our right hand, switch hands and reel with our right hand. Or vise versa if your left handed. Anybody have any actual factual information about why this is? I use casting reels for vertical jigging but never casting. Was thinking about learning to cast these but was just thinking about buying a left handed reel even though I’m right handed and using it the same way I use a spinning reel (cast right, reel left). Is there actual data to prove one way is better? You would think the reel companies would have some sort of research on this.

I reel left handed with spinning reel and casting. Cast using right with each. I don’t understand reeling righty with a casting. Not sure where I heard it but they said it makes more sense to use the right (or vice verse with other dominant hand) to handle the rod and I think that makes more sense.

I cast with my right hand and reel (retrieve) with my left hand with both styles of reels. Same with a fly rod expect I am working the line with my left hand during both the cast and retrieve.

The rod is always in my right hand for several reasons. One reason being I run my tiller motor with my left hand, which means I can still hold my rod with the right hand.

Occasionally I’ll cast with my left hand/arm to get at a target from a bad angle or under branches.

I’m right handed, I cast with my right and reel with my right. You lefty reelers are weird. Ha. I’ve tried doing it like the majority but it feels very awkward. There is no right way it’s what’s comfortable for each individual. If I hold the rod in my right hand after the cast sensitivity goes out the window for me. My protege cw does it the same way. I taught him well.

I went thru the same thing years ago ……
got couple left handed bait casters, was a BIG mistake for me and I sold them.

I watch the Pro’s on TV shows, and all them run right handed stuff.
You can only get a few models and sizes in left-handed and everybody has right-handed ones in all sizes and speeds.
that’s just me…

NO need for research. It is all personal preference. As you can see, there are plenty that buck the system.

I’m one of those thatvreel left on a spinning reel and right on a baitcaster. With a baitcaster, I very often am able to pull on the reel handle while reeling with my dominant hand giving myself extra leverage. I am right handed so that works for me.

I am pretty sure I could easily learn to use a baitcaster either way. Spinning reel? No way. Unless I had to.

I reel everything with my right hand.

Ice fishing panfish and walleye, I reel left handed, ice fishing pike I reel right handed, open water always right handed

Being married I like to switch up either hand on the rod otherwise one would get sore after awhile

traumatized wrote:

This may sound silly but I am really curious why this is. When using a spinning reel we cast with our right hand and reel with our left hand. But with a casting reel we cast with our right hand, switch hands and reel with our right hand. Or vise versa if your left handed. Anybody have any actual factual information about why this is? I use casting reels for vertical jigging but never casting. Was thinking about learning to cast these but was just thinking about buying a left handed reel even though I’m right handed and using it the same way I use a spinning reel (cast right, reel left). Is there actual data to prove one way is better? You would think the reel companies would have some sort of research on this.

It’s so for a brief period of time you can feel what it’s like to be the superior handed species (coffee guy if I knew how to)

I only use spinning gear, the short time I had a casting rod I did have a right handed one as being a lefty I cast left/reel right hand. Nice part of it is I dont have to worry about anyone ever using my poles.

Ah-so, Grasshopper !

Don’t know if I would say it is factual, but it sort of makes some sense… if you have ever seen real old casting reels…those small silver ones that show up on occasion at antique auctions or in grandpa’s treasure trove of old fishing gear. The real old reels did not have line guides like the newer models of casting reels have….thus you cast with your right hand, switched the rod to your left and palmed the reel in your left hand, using your thumb and forefinger to guide the line across the spool evenly while you cranked with the right hand.
bestfishes – jim

Craig Sery wrote:

Ice fishing panfish and walleye, I reel left handed, ice fishing pike I reel right handed, open water always right handed

So…do you ever think you have a pike on the line and reel right handed but then realize it’s not a pike and have to switch hands?

Ron wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Craig Sery wrote:</div>
Ice fishing panfish and walleye, I reel left handed, ice fishing pike I reel right handed, open water always right handed

So…do you ever think you have a <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>pike on the line and reel right handed but then realize it’s not a <em class=”ido-tag-em”>pike and have to switch hands?

^^^haha, thats funny right there^^^
I grew up using zebco closed reels. The only things my dad would buy. I cant even imagine reeling with my left. All reels righty for me.

Interesting thread. I am right handed and always cast with my right and only reel left handed with spinning reels. Was brought up on spin cast and early casting reels that were cranked on the right so most of my modern bait casters reel on the right. I did buy a nice Shimano Chronach left handed bait casting reel. I love it for trolling shad raps however one thing that I noticed which makes it awkward, when reeling a spinning reel the diameter of the handle rotation is maybe 6 inches but a casting reel is only about 3 inches and I have trouble making the tighter circles with my left hand. It could be in my head but it is uncomfortable to reel the casting reel with the tighter circles.

Ron wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Craig Sery wrote:</div>
Ice fishing panfish and walleye, I reel left handed, ice fishing pike I reel right handed, open water always right handed

So…do you ever think you have a <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>pike on the line and reel right handed but then realize it’s not a <em class=”ido-tag-em”>pike and have to switch hands?

What if it’s not a panfish walleye or pike do you just freak out and throw your rod and spontaneously combust?

David Anderson wrote:

Interesting thread. I am right handed and always cast with my right and only reel left handed with spinning reels. Was brought up on spin cast and early casting reels that were cranked on the right so most of my modern bait casters reel on the right. I did buy a nice Shimano Chronach left handed bait casting reel. I love it for trolling shad raps however one thing that I noticed which makes it awkward, when reeling a spinning reel the diameter of the handle rotation is maybe 6 inches but a casting reel is only about 3 inches and I have trouble making the tighter circles with my left hand. It could be in my head but it is uncomfortable to reel the casting reel with the tighter circles.

Very well put —- said better then I could !!!

I use both right and left handed casting reels. I do most things right handed, but don’t have a dominant Left/right like most people.

I am right handed. It always seems like I can’t feel as much with my left hand. Therefore any type of fishing that I need sensitivity I hold the rod with my right hand. Ice fishing, jig fishing or rigging always reel left. Any form of continuous casting i cast with my right, switch hands and reel with right. I is awkward for my to reel that much with my left (retarded left hand). Just reeling up to check a bait or fighting a fish dosent bother me as much. Now piching jigs kinda poses another problem but hey can’t have everything, right?

I’m right handed and reel with my right hand for both style reels. When I’d fish with my Bros and borrow their spinning combos it feels very weird so I’d have to switch the handle.

My take is I feel like controlling the rod doesn’t require a lot of dexterity while there is a lot of motion and muscles involved in reeling. And by muscles, I don’t mean strength, I mean the number of muscles.

I read some bass pro who bucked the trend and holds both spin and casting in his right hand… because a family friend/doctor said your less dominant hand is on average 81% as strong and dexterous and your dominant hand. So he switched everything to holding with his right hand now and says it’s overall better.

The old days, baitcasters were big and awkward… cranking was much more difficult so that became the dominant hand. With today’s low profile user friendly reels it’s really not necessary anymore. But I think a lot of people want to look like the pros they see on TV.

I reel everything with my right hand, but I’m also left handed. I always got a kick out of the guy making fun of me for switching the handle on a spinning reel, yet they have an entire rod locker full of right hand retrieve casting and trolling reels…

I hear ya!

FryDog62 wrote:

I read some bass pro who bucked the trend and holds both spin and casting in his right hand… because a family friend/doctor said your less dominant hand is on average 81% as strong and dexterous and your dominant hand. So he switched everything to holding with his right hand now and says it’s overall better.

These guys must catch giant fish! I don’t get the holding the rod in your strong hand, it’s not like you are weight lifting when fishing and like I said before, reeling seems to require more dexterity.

Then again I am a righty who in hockey shoots right handed which apparently is not the norm.

I’ve tried the other way with both and it doesn’t feel right. I guess that is the litmus test for all, whatever feels right.

I get asked this question a lot, so here’s me response.

First off, you can use any hand you’d like but here is why most avid anglers do what they do.

Your dominate hand is stronger and “smarter” than your non-dominate hand. Sometimes you need it too be strong and other times you need it to be “smart” or sensitive.

For example I need it to be strong when casting Muskie baits and reeling them in all day. So being right handed I cast and reel with my right on large bait casters. When I’m fishing walleye, bass or panfish I use my right “smart” hand to hold the rod and reel with my left “dumb” hand. A spinning reel just happens to be my reel of choice when fishing these species.

My 2 cents, Most bait casting reels are used for Bass, Pike, Musky fishing where you are doing a lot of long casts and cranking the lure to the boat. The dominant action is the reeling, and you use your dominant hand for that. Most spinning applications a slower and shorter. You use the rod to give a lot of the action and you wind on the reel less. The dominant action is the rod movement and you use your dominant hand to do that.

I am left handed, spinning I have my rods set up to reel with my right hand. But I fish with enough people and share equipment so I have learned to use either hand. If they want to swap one of my reels or have me hold their rod, no big deal, I will still be fine.

I’m left-handed. Since it’s my stronger hand, I used it to do the most work, which is casting/holding the rod. I reel with my right. Try to keep it pretty simple.

Left hand spinning reels and right hand baitcast reels here. I’m 100% okay with changing hands after a cast. Takes all of a half second and it’s what feels comfortable. But then again I can cast almost equally as accurate with either arm so that doesn’t really matter. Just do what feels comfortable and go fishing. Who honestly cares how anyone else casts or retrieves

Interesting responses here – and yes I agree, do what feels most natural. The only thing I’ll add is that I wish you could switch the handle of a baitcaster like you can a spinning reel…

I think the one thing we can agree on is you cast with the dominant hand.