# Right or left handed? Dumb question.



## sccamper (Aug 11, 2008)

Ive always fished with spinning reels or spin cast. I got a baitcast as hand me down and never got to liking it. Resently a coworker took me bass fishing and showed me a few things about bait casters and Im getting better. But which side should the crank be on if I cast with right hand? All my spinning reels have crank on left but zebcos are on right. The bait caster I have has the crank on right side, same as casting hand. What do yall prefer?


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## Jim (Aug 11, 2008)

Its all preference, whatever you feep most comfortable with. Personally I like righty.


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## Nickk (Aug 11, 2008)

I like a left retrieve, I can't cast with my left hand so I think it's more efficient to wind with my left hand. My spinning, baitcasting, and fly reels are all left retrieve. I'm sure I could wind faster with my right hand but that's not typically an issue, I know I can set better with my right so I keep the rod there.


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## FishingBuds (Aug 11, 2008)

I have both, left on spinning and right on baitcasters


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## Mattman (Aug 12, 2008)

It is a preference thing.

Personally...the handle has to be on the left. Just like my spinning reels.

I can't see why anyone would want to cast the rod with their right hand, then switch hands to reel with their right. It makes absolutely no sense to me.

Additionally...I want the rod in my dominant hand. Both for manipulating the bait and for powering fish.


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## G3_Guy (Aug 12, 2008)

As others have said... It's a preference thing.

I generally used all left-hand retrieves on my spinning reels and I use both left & right handed retreives on my baitcasters. A lot of the decision there, goes into what I am throwing.


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## Waterwings (Aug 12, 2008)

Mattman said:


> ...I can't see why anyone would want to cast the rod with their right hand, then switch hands to reel with their right. It makes absolutely no sense to me...




Right-hand spinning reels for me.  

I cast with both hands on the rod, right hand is forward near the reel; once the casting is completed, the right hand automatically moves fwd, flips the bail closed with my right hand, then moves to the handle knob ready to retrieve.


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## sccamper (Aug 12, 2008)

Ive been in the yard, working on my cast. Ever since I can remember, non spinning reels where RH. My next baitcaster will be LH. Just seams like one less motion or action. Of course Im practicing with the reel I got Monday afternoon, thats what got me thinking about it to post my original ques. Thought I was being dumb for getting a second baitcaster with the crank on the wrong side. Little late to ask after I allready purchased.


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## bAcKpAiN (Aug 13, 2008)

I have to have spinning reel handles on the left, and casting reels on the right. I don't hold the rod when I cast the same way as I do when I retrieve it, so I am moving my hands either way. Switching the caster from the right to the left is more simple asn clean feeling to me than holding the rod and creeping my hand up into position. I have used both, but this way just feels better. I would find what is most comfortable and stick with it until it is second nature.


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## SlimeTime (Aug 14, 2008)

I'm right handed, and baitcasters are right-hand crank, spinning reels are left-hand. Reason being you're powering in larger fish with a baitcasting reel and you need your strong arm for that, smaller fish (spinning) are easier to control by the rod, not by the winch mounted on the rod.

ST


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## willfishforfood (Sep 1, 2008)

Lefty's on spinning and casting right for boat rods.
WFFF


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## daltonmcgill (Sep 26, 2008)

i like spinnig left hand and baitcasters right


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## ShadowWalker (Oct 4, 2008)

I crank on the left. I am fishing retarded when it comes to this. I have a few Baitcasters from when my grandpa passed away and one he gave me a few years back, and they are all Garcia's that would make some nice catfish reels, and I can't use them. I just can't crank on the right. I have to have the rod in my right hand.


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## Popeye (Oct 5, 2008)

The reels I use trolling for salmon are what I call conventional reels. They look like bait casters and I guess you could cast with them. Those all have the crank on the right. My spinning reels all have the crank on the left, which funny as it sounds make them righty's. Used to be they were made right hand and left hand (not swappable like today’s) and a righty had the crank on the left because you used your right hand to cat and fight the fish. I’ve been practicing with the Revo I won and it doesn’t seem un-natural to cast with the right hand and hand it off to the left to crank to me. As soon as the Rage Tails from the photo contest get here I’ll be out working them with it.


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## bassboy1 (Oct 12, 2008)

All lefty for me. I grew up on spinning reels, then it became natural to cast and not have to swap hands, so I started getting lefty baitcasters. Now that I am into trolling for stripers, I have found a problem, as there are VERY FEW lefty trolling reels, especially those with line counters. I wanted the Diawa Accudepth 57lcs for umbrella rig trolling, but had to settle for an Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 6501 which doesn't have a line counter. I will probably get a 7001 for my second trolling reel, as it has even more line capacity, and then mark my line every 10 feet or so.


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## Popeye (Oct 12, 2008)

I use the Accudepth 47lc's for Salmon and got a 57lc for Christmas. I ended up taking it back because unlike the 47's it will not re-engage the spool when you crank it. With the 47 when you flip the spool release, it free spools out and give the handle a crank it flips the lever back and engages the spool. Small issue but I didn't like it.


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## Salmon_Slayer_2008_Lund (Oct 15, 2008)

flounderhead59 said:


> I use the Accudepth 47lc's for Salmon and got a 57lc for Christmas. I ended up taking it back because unlike the 47's it will not re-engage the spool when you crank it. With the 47 when you flip the spool release, it free spools out and give the handle a crank it flips the lever back and engages the spool. Small issue but I didn't like it.



Thats like my Shimano Tekota 600's to the 700's. The 600's re-engage but the 700's you have to do it manually. It doesn't really bother me.

Casting reels I crank with the right hand, and spinning I crank with my left. Its all personal preference.


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## Popeye (Oct 15, 2008)

Salmon_Slayer_2008_Lund said:


> flounderhead59 said:
> 
> 
> > I use the Accudepth 47lc's for Salmon and got a 57lc for Christmas. I ended up taking it back because unlike the 47's it will not re-engage the spool when you crank it. With the 47 when you flip the spool release, it free spools out and give the handle a crank it flips the lever back and engages the spool. Small issue but I didn't like it.
> ...



It doesn't really bother me except I wanted consistancy. I was used to the 47's where all I had to do was give the handle a quick crank. I started out with the 47's and just go tused to them. Tried the 57 and would over shoot my depth because I would forget and turn the crank when I wanted to stop but it wouldn't.


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## bhos (Oct 15, 2008)

Mattman said:


> It is a preference thing.
> I can't see why anyone would want to cast the rod with their right hand, then switch hands to reel with their right. It makes absolutely no sense to me.



Agreed. Right-handed with lefty-bait casters here. Exception: my catfish rods do have right-retrieve, but those don't switch hands like a bass rod, cast > go in the rod holder > fish on! > out of the rod holder, so really no wasted motions like switching hands when bass fishing.


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## bassboy1 (Oct 20, 2008)

bhos said:


> Mattman said:
> 
> 
> > It is a preference thing.
> ...


I am glad you said that. I am thinking that I am still going to want a Linecounter reel for trolling, and lefty ones are next to impossible to find. I am hoping I can have the same experience as far as rods that drop in the rod holders go.


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## shootisttx (Oct 29, 2008)

Definitely not a dumb question. I started on spinning reels too, and have gotten used to holding the rod in my dominate hand. Never understood the switching hands after casting either. In short, all my reels crank on the left. Seems that this is becoming more popular all the time, as left-cranking reels are in most baitcast lineups now, far more than in the past.


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## ho_shi (Nov 1, 2008)

i have a lefty pinacle solene for pitchin n flippin

lefty phuleger i workin with for practice throwin with rest all right's untill i get more comportable with leftys


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## Salmon_Slayer_2008_Lund (Nov 1, 2008)

As I said before... Spinning lefty and baitcasters are a righty.


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## mtnman (Nov 8, 2008)

im a righty!!!!!


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## baptistpreach (Nov 12, 2008)

Alright a lefty is gonna give you his take on it....

I am left handed, and whenever I fished with spinning reels, I always have switched the handle to the right. My dominant hand has always held the rod, and the right hand has reeled. Fortunately for me, the Zebco's came that way already. Now why on earth do "lefty" baitcasters come with the handle on the left when most fishermen I know use their dominant hand to hold the rod? I don't think its cause you need power when reeling when you're using a casting reel (unless you're on a deep sea trip in Florida with a demented captain and first mate that insist on you using your reel, not your ROD to lift up big grouper from the rocks - the result? Grown men who look like they're having seizures and convulsions trying to reel up a grouper, that most often, schooled them and went back in the rocks, however, I digress....) What was I talking about again? Oh, right, I think the reason is because of tradition. For some reason (maybe bc they followed the pattern of big trolling reels when they started making regular casting reels) they've always been making them this way, and guys have learned to use them this way. I buy "righty" casting reels, and they're perfect, I thumb the spool with the left hand, and then the lure hits the water, I'm ready to roll. 

So for once in the right handed world, we lefty's have gotten a break, and finally the right handed people have gotten their recognition, too bad they just don't know it!!

Have a great day


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## piedmontNC (Sep 8, 2010)

Left-side crank all the way here. I tried right-hand crank baitcasters (in fact I have 3 sitting around useless now) but could never get the rod action correct for jigs and worms.

The biggest problem is the selection of left-hand crank models is crap. You can either get a real cheap piece of crap, or a super expensive reel, very few in the mid-price range with left-cranks.

If all these right-crank people would know what's best for them there'd be more demand and we'd have a bigger selection.


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## Popeye (Sep 8, 2010)

piedmontNC said:


> If all these right-crank people would know what's best for them there'd be more demand and we'd have a bigger selection.



Funny, I thought I knew what was best for _me_


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## piedmontNC (Sep 8, 2010)

Popeye said:


> piedmontNC said:
> 
> 
> > If all these right-crank people would know what's best for them there'd be more demand and we'd have a bigger selection.
> ...



I figure most go with the right crank as a matter of convention and limited selection. I stii can't see why a right-handed person would want to crank with their strong and agile/coordinated arm.


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## BaitCaster (Sep 8, 2010)

I cast with my right hand and crank with my left - all my reels are left-hand crank.


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## fender66 (Sep 8, 2010)

Mattman said:


> It is a preference thing.
> 
> Personally...the handle has to be on the left. Just like my spinning reels.
> I can't see why anyone would want to cast the rod with their right hand, then switch hands to reel with their right. It makes absolutely no sense to me.
> Additionally...I want the rod in my dominant hand. Both for manipulating the bait and for powering fish.




+1


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## Popeye (Sep 8, 2010)

My Salmon reels are of the "conventional" style and when fighting a 15 lb+ king, determined to not come quietly, I'm glad my strong hand is on the crank.

As far as a bait caster (and after 40+ years of fishing, have only one) I can easily cast and transfer the rod smoothly and then have my strong hand ready to crank. 

I generally use a spinning rod and have no issues with them either. I have never used a left hand crank baitcaster and who knows, I might like it... naw I doubt it. Don't really care for baitcasters enough to buy another.


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