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Posts: 48
| I'm right handed and use "lefty" baitcasters because I want the rod to be in my dominant hand for setting the hook and working swim baits, not to mention I cast with my right hand and don't want to switch hands after the cast.
So tell me, fellow righties, why do you hold the rod with your left hand? |
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Posts: 58
| im a righty and use left crank |
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| I cast with my left arm, no need to switch hands. BR |
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Posts: 415
| Honestly, just because that's the way I started doing it as a kid. Most or all baitcasters I have ever used have been "right handed" so even though it may be opposite of the spinning rods I use, it's just the way I've always done it. |
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Posts: 306
| I do, because I started out bass fishing and that seemed to be the "norm". But, after buying a left-hand crank Curado 300 (because it was on clearance), I see the benefit of having everything in my dominant hand. Still can't run swim baits with it very well, though. I used a right-hand crank (the "norm") for that, but will switch hands for figure 8 and to cast (if time allows!).
So, I roll with both hands and a nice side-effect of that is being able to rest one arm from time-to-time. |
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Posts: 48
| See... Everything i've always heard is that the person who made baitcasters popular was a lefty.. and thats why the crank is on the left.
Someone needs to tell the reel makers that righties like left hand cranks!!
reason i say this... i want a left handed Tranx, dangit!  |
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Posts: 624
Location: S.W. WI | I am Right Handed and I use both. However; I have way more power when holding foregrip with left hand and cranking w/right hand.
When palming a reel- I need to have LH reel so my right hand can palm.
----just how I roll.
-Jon |
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Posts: 311
Location: Lake St.Clair | Im right handed and have to crank left. It doesnt feel right not having the rod
In my power arm and casting and switching hands just is a hassle for me. |
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Posts: 150
Location: Appleton, WI | i think if you can cast left handed then use a "right handed" bait caster. I think for most new musky fisherman who are not use to baitcasters that setting them up with a right handed baitcaster is foolish. They will get more casts in using a left handed. |
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Posts: 2894
Location: Yahara River Chain | Funny thing is that most left handed anglers do not buy left handed reels. They buy right handed reels.
And the major reason they started making the cranks on the right side of the baitcasters, is due to the threading of the nuts. Using that right hand thread on a left side crank will cause the nut on the crank to walk off. Now with the machining to make left hand thread that doesn't happen. |
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Posts: 750
Location: Minneapolis, MN | It feels more natural and I have better control with the crank on the right. Plus, I pull across my body to the right so having the crank on the right gives me more power and a better grip. |
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Posts: 548
Location: MN | Cast with right hand, using left reels no need to switch hands. I'm right handed but shoot gun and bow left hand. (left eye dominant) Then again have always used left handed reels.
Nick
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Posts: 167
Location: Tomahawk, WI | I'm afraid of change. |
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Posts: 10
| I'm righthanded and have almost always used righthanded baitcasters. Once I had a Calcutta 201 and fished one season with it and have really problems with my back and right shoulder, which disappered when I go back to my righthanded reel. My opinion is it's because (when using lefthanded reels) I use the right arm for casting, holding the rod, working the lure and last (but not least) fighting the fish with the same arm, but when using right handed reels I change these betweens both arms and have no problems with back and shoulder anymore |
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Posts: 1360
Location: Lake "y" cause lake"x" got over fished | I use both, But I do prefer to spin with the left hand and have the rod in the right. There are certain techniques my left arm is incapable of, one being gliders. Just cant seem to get my left arm to do what it needs to do. But then prefer tossing bucktails while spinning in the right hand. So it all just depends. But more often then not, I prefer to spin lefty |
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Posts: 138
Location: Aurora IL | Im right handed and use right crank reels. to me it is more comfortable to palm with my left hand. I dont believe its quicker using the leftys because you still have to switch hand position to palming or front grip unless you cast that way (some do). 40 years of doing it one way is tough to change also. Bill |
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Posts: 132
Location: Missouri | Im a fellow righty and I crank with my left hand and hold the rod in my right. |
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Posts: 32880
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Spinning reels, right side of reel, left handed person. Baitcasters are backwards. No idea why. |
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| In all honesty lefty's are blessed with natural skills casting is only one of them. Could never understand why righty's use a right handed reel and then cast from their dominant shoulder. All kidding aside it seems the prejudice's that lefty's get created the most natural and efficient casting form and with limited amount of left hand reels has caused righties to do the cast and switch. |
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Posts: 2024
| I can see the reasoning behind setting with your dominant arm. However, isn't a proper hookset going to be across your body? If reeling right handed you will be using the dominant side of your body to set the hook, not just your dominant arm. However, if your left arm is weak enough to matter when setting the hook you should think about taking up weightlifting in the off-season...
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Posts: 32880
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | A proper hook set uses all the possible energy in the rod blank, transferring it through the line to the hook point. Wrist snap does the best job properly flexing the rod. Moving the rod handle left, right, up, or down at all reduces the hook set. |
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Posts: 296
| I am right handed and have always used right hand crank reels was pretty tough to find baitcasters in left hand when I started using them. Spinning reels are left hand crank..... I don't know why but reeling those with my right hand feels completely awkward.
Last year I bought 2 left hand crank reels for musky fishing. Wanted to be able to switch hands throughout the day to reduce fatigue. I cast both left and right handed based on casting angles, which way the boat is going, or whatever I am feeling at the moment. Worked great for most of the season. Then I ended my right elbow acting up with tendonitis for the 1st time in about a decade so I sold them. That was the only thing that changed and my elbow is better this year. Never felt like a got a better hookset holding the rod in my dominant hand. With long handled musky rods they are tucked in so you can kind of use your whole body to load the rod up after a quick snap.
These days about the only thing you can't get in right or left retrieve is a tranx type reel. So use what works for you. |
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Posts: 1247
Location: E. Tenn | Ja Rule - 7/15/2013 12:37 PM
Honestly, just because that's the way I started doing it as a kid. Most or all baitcasters I have ever used have been "right handed" so even though it may be opposite of the spinning rods I use, it's just the way I've always done it.
+1
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Posts: 537
Location: Gilberts IL/Rhinelander WI | I use both, also cast with both. I learned to do it to give the other side of my body a break. I also switch hands after a cast sometimes, which has no disadvantage to not switching over. If you are not coordinated enough to have the rod/reel in the correct position before the lure hits the water, you have other issues. |
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Posts: 2894
Location: Yahara River Chain | Ah yes, switch before the lure hits the water. I watched plenty of muskies anglers over the years and some say that, but when you actually watch them, they use their right thumb on the spool to stop the lure and then switch hands. I've seen only very few that actually switch hand thumbing with their left thumb to stop the lure and ready to reel. Bit not that's its bad or good - just an observation. |
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| I just figured most of my fishing buddies were left handed because they hold the rod with their left hand and reel with their right. I'm right handed so I hold the rod and cast with my dominant right hand and reel with my left.  |
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Posts: 173
| I'm old enough to remember the non freespool reels being the standard and been fortunate to have fished with many of the great muskie fisherman over the years. This topic always amuses me because none of those guys crank with the left ,other than the natural left handers. I never noticed a lack of efficiency or disadvantage for any of them. For the younger crowd just check out the authors and TV fishing personalities you like and see if the right handers use the left side cranking reels. |
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Location: Grand Rapids, MI | Why right? It's just logical. If your dominant hand is right it will have better coordination and should be the hand you use to spin the handle because it can do it faster. Some old fly guy taught me this years ago, funny... his name is Lefty. |
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Posts: 1168
| Will Schultz - 7/16/2013 9:57 AM
Why right? It's just logical. If your dominant hand is right it will have better coordination and should be the hand you use to spin the handle because it can do it faster. Some old fly guy taught me this years ago, funny... his name is Lefty.
Counterpoint....
My dominant hand is the right. More power on hooksets and using your coordination example, better coordination for finessing baits around cover or at boatside. When I use a right cranking reel (cranking with dominant hand) it's incredibly awkward. Simply saying "it's just logical" is flawed.
The head scratcher is the guy who uses a spinning reel cranking with the left but feels awkward if you switch the handle to the right. Then picks up a baitcaster with a left crank on it and feels awkward cranking with that but is very comfortable with a right crank model.
First spinning reel I ever used had the crank on the left. I got so used to it being on that side that when I purchased my first baitcaster the crank had to be on the left after trying to use one with the crank on the right. The added bonus of casting and holding the rod with my right hand is that it keeps that arm and wrist in shape for bowling season. |
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Posts: 2894
Location: Yahara River Chain | Once I messed with a kid at Gander Mountain at the reel counter. I asked to see a spinning and told him I was right handed. So he gives me a left side crank spinning reel (yes I know I can switch sides on the reel), then I asked to grab me a baitcaster and told again reminded him that I'm right handed. So with both reels on the counter I asked him to tell me why the cranks were on the opposite side? He was dumbfounded. I didn't let him think about it too much and told him I was messing with him. |
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