Right Hand - Left Hand; Reel Configuration

[LakersFan]

I'm just curious, I have been fishing all of my life and have always wondered about the right hand vs. left hand reel configurations.

I am right handed and believe I use the typical configurations for a right hander. With a spinner, I crank the reel using the left hand. With a conventional, I crank using the right hand.

This seems natural but my guess is only because that is what I am used to. Are there any logical reasons for the typical configurations? Or are these not "typical"?

[Dave Legacy]

Personal preference. I've heard some argument when it comes to flipping/pitching for bass that one should cast with the dominant hand and retrieve with the weak hand for the sake of quickness; switching hands from dominant to weak to crank could result in a missed reaction bite.

[Harry Hill]

Originally Posted by LakersFan

I'm just curious, I have been fishing all of my life and have always wondered about the right hand vs. left hand reel configurations.

I am right handed and believe I use the typical configurations for a right hander. With a spinner, I crank the reel using the left hand. With a conventional, I crank using the right hand.

This seems natural but my guess is only because that is what I am used to. Are there any logical reasons for the typical configurations? Or are these not "typical"?

I've seen more than one newcomer turn their spinning reel over so they could reel with their right hand. I've seen some right handers cast conventional reels with their left hand but I cast both with my right hand.

[HobieScot]

With a spinning reel you can just switch the crank to whichever side you prefer

I'm left handed so my reel is always in my left hand and I reel with my right which is most comfortable for me

I cast with my left so it works out perfect

I haven't used a spinning reel in probably 20 years. But when I used to use them I would always take the crank out and switch it to the right hand side

So no matter what type of reel I used the crank was always on the right


Sent from my two thumbs using Tapatalk

[MrPatrick]

I use conventional reels in right or left. On spinning,left crank only. Right handed spinning seems uncomfortable.

[taggermike]

That's the same with me. Left hand wind with a spinner n right with a conventional. I don't bass fish much but got a left handed flipping reel and I found it was better for me than a righty. I picked up another Lefty bait caster and after a little practice I found I liked it better also.

This isnt quite the same but shows how learning to switch hand can be helpful. Long rod surface iron fishing is my fav fishing technique. The casting motion unormally goes strait over the shoulder, from 6:00 o'clock. But having the rods right behind me makes me cast from 4:00 o'clock towards 9-12. I found cast toward 1 to 4 about impossible with out turning the kayak. Can't say I've mastered it, but Im working on casting Lefty from 7 to 8 out 1 to 4. Try it. Mike.

[ROSSOLY]

Im right handed and use both right and left handed bait casters. I prefer using the left handed reel since I don't have to transfer the rod from my right to left hand after casting.

[tamddo714]

im right handed and i fish spinner reels with my left hand. i fish bait casters and conventional with my left hand. i shoot pool left handed. weird world

[buddha]

I am right handed and from the East Coast where most people just use spinning gear with their left hand.

I use conventional reeling in with my left hand because it feels more comfortable and not switching hands and also because of old injuries.

[Lipripper92592]

Right handed but fish lefty. Just feels right!

[Mahigeer]

Originally Posted by Lipripper92592

Right handed but fish lefty. Just feels right!

I am right handed who also uses lefty conventional reels. It was a pure luck that my first Abu Garcia conventional was a lefty. Never went back to righty.


If I had a nickel for every time that I discussed this issue with other anglers, I would be a slightly richer person.

It is a matter of personal preference. All the old timers use righty, because there were not too many if any lefties around. I have a Penn squider which is a lefty!

The old timers showed others to use righty. Thus, it is more common.

However, as manufacturers like Avet (which the two brothers who own the Co. are left handed) make more left handed conventional reels, I am sure more people will like them.

For now we can get a better price for used lefty reels, due its "unpopularity".

[Lipripper92592]

Originally Posted by Mahigeer

I am right handed who also uses lefty conventional reels. It was a pure luck that my first Abu Garcia conventional was a lefty. Never went back to righty.


If I had a nickel for every time that I discussed this issue with other anglers, I would be a slightly richer person.

It is a matter of personal preference. All the old timers use righty, because there were not too many if any lefties around. I have a Penn squider which is a lefty!

The old timers showed others to use righty. Thus, it is more common.

However, as manufacturers like Avet (which the two brothers who own the Co. are left handed) make more left handed conventional reels, I am sure more people will like them.

For now we can get a better price for used lefty reels, due its "unpopularity".

When searching for used reels, the term lefty......weeds out a lot o"Junk"