# Right Handed People and Spinning Reels



## xmytruck (Jul 23, 2009)

Ok in short what hand to you use to crank the reel? I was at a local bait store the other day and my buddy was showing me his penn greenie and the handle was on the left side so I asked him your left handed? Nope right handed ( Note greenie handle can note be switched).. So he has a few Van Staals and all of the right handed models have the crank on the left side.. This so does not makes sense to me, If buy a right handed baitcaster the crank is on the right side and if I buy a right handed spinning reel the crank is on left :!: #-o .. That makes no sense to me why this is the way it is..


So what hand do you use to crank your spinning reel with???

thX
X


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## Waterwings (Jul 23, 2009)

I only use spinning reels, and I'm right handed and crank with my right hand. I recently used a left-handed spinning rod (didn't have my gear with me) and it felt real awkward cranking with the left.

here's a topic from last year concerning cranking hand: https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4386&hilit=reel+with+right+or+left+hand?


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## WhiteMoose (Jul 23, 2009)

I want my strong hand hanging on to the rod! This is why I don't like bait casters. 
Everyone in my family is right handed and cranks with their left hand, but I think we are in the minority.


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## Jim (Jul 23, 2009)

Same here, everythying needs to be on the right. I have tried lefty many times, I just cant get used to it. I find myself moving the rod in a circular motion with my right hand to compensate. :LOL2:


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## Loggerhead Mike (Jul 23, 2009)

im right handed and crank on the left


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## natetrack (Jul 23, 2009)

I am right handed, and crank with the left. I do it this way because I cast with my right hand, so it doesn't make sense to me to switch the rod to my left and crank with my right, I'd rather just cast and start cranking with my left. Always done it this way.


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## russ010 (Jul 23, 2009)

I'm right handed... and I use right handed bait casters, and left cranking spinning reels. I have a lot better control with a left cranking spinning rod, but only because that's what I grew up on. I do have a few reels where I can change it from a left to right or vice versa crank


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## cyberflexx (Jul 23, 2009)

I'm a lefty.. I cast with my left and crank with my right. Spinning reel, baitcaster, spincast, anything. I can cast a baitcaster with my right hand and to the hand swap before lure smacks water trick as well.. I prefer to cast with my left though..


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## ACarbone624 (Jul 23, 2009)

I am right-handed. I use my right hand to hold the rod and left hand to crank with. This applies to both spinning and bait-caster reels.


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## Nickk (Jul 23, 2009)

I'm righty and crank with my left but have been considering a right wind baitcaster for crankbaits so I could switch off and give the other side a rest.


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## poolie (Jul 23, 2009)

I can reel a left-handed reel about as well as I can throw a baseball left-handed... not very well. For some reason the idea of casting a baitcaster with my right hand then switching it to my left hand so I can reel seems natural. Doing the same thing with a spinning rod feels weird. So I don't own any spinning equipment.


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## G3_Guy (Jul 23, 2009)

I'm right handed and crank with my left when using a spinning reels. I use both right and left hand retrieves when using bait casters.


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## MikeA57 (Jul 23, 2009)

It doesn't matter to me. If the handle is on the left I'll cast with the right. If it's on the right I'll cast with the left.


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## Quackrstackr (Jul 23, 2009)

Right handed.. spinning reel handle on the left.


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## DocWatson (Jul 23, 2009)

Using a spinning reel, whose handle is not reversable, to crank with your right hand is kinda like walking around all day like this.....


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## alumacraftjoe (Jul 23, 2009)

Crank with my left hand on spinning reels and my right hand on baitcaster.... just grew up that way.


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## DocWatson (Jul 23, 2009)

An endless debate, but from Yahoo Answers.....

"Spinning Reels are made to be used with the reel down..... Most like to put 2 fingers on each side of the base for balance and ease of opening the bail and casting. Most of the time when you see someone using a spinning reel upside down they are in a commercial and probably down't even fish. The anti-reverse is not used for reeling when the reel is upside down it is used for fighting big fish."


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## Specknreds (Jul 23, 2009)

russ010 said:


> I'm right handed... and I use right handed bait casters, and left cranking spinning reels. I have a lot better control with a left cranking spinning rod, but only because that's what I grew up on. I do have a few reels where I can change it from a left to right or vice versa crank



Me 2. I have tried using left handed baitcasters so I wouldn't need to switch hands when casting. I didn't like it, felt weird.


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## xmytruck (Jul 23, 2009)

DocWatson said:


> Using a spinning reel, whose handle is not reversable, to crank with your right hand is kinda like walking around all day like this.....


Well I have been walking like that since I was six, my first reel was a zebco 33 and I cranked with my right. When I got older and moved to a spinning reel same deal crank on the right. Now that I am thirty three I don't think I am going to switch hands now.. I understand that the power hand makes the cast and then you just start reeling with your left. But I have always switched hands mid cast and started to reel with the right.. Not sure if this old dog is going to learn new tricks..


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## xmytruck (Jul 23, 2009)

Jim said:


> Same here, everythying needs to be on the right. I have tried lefty many times, I just cant get used to it. I find myself moving the rod in a circular motion with my right hand to compensate. :LOL2:



Thats right jim I think me and U learned how to fish together, I fished onced on the left down at key west and it felt werid every time I caught fish would reel instead of pulling back on anti-revrese.

thx
x


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## DocWatson (Jul 23, 2009)

xmytruck said:


> DocWatson said:
> 
> 
> > Using a spinning reel, whose handle is not reversable, to crank with your right hand is kinda like walking around all day like this.....
> ...


Are you fishing with the reel and the guides facing up ?? Are you using an OPEN Face spinning reel ??

I can't picture in my mind how you would have the reel and guides facing up, cast with your right hand, swithch the rod to your left hand and begin reeling with your right and find it easier than learning to reel with your left hand. But I guess that's why there's chocolate and vanilla. :wink:


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## Brine (Jul 23, 2009)

A guide I've fished with posted this as a response on another site I frequent. Makes since to me...

The reason why is because spinning reels are just susposed to be used to take up line after you use the rod to do the pulling of the fish, bait, etc. The handle on the left enables right handed people to use their stronger hand and arm on the rod for more power. A baitcaster is more of a winch and the reel is used often to move the fish, bait, etc. instead of the rod. The handle being on the right lets right handed people to use their stronger hand to crank on the reel. Personally I use all my handles on the right but I have stripped a lot of gears on my spinning reels using them as a winch.


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## Andy (Jul 23, 2009)

I'm right handed, left hand retreive on spinning gear, right hand retreive on baitcasting gear. My next baitcasting reel will be a left hand retreive model. I just can't seem to get the action I want out of the rod when holding the rod with my left hand. That's why for now I use my baitcaster for spinnerbaits and live bait fishing for catfish.


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## jkbirocz (Jul 23, 2009)

I am right handed, I use right handed spinning and baitcasting reels. So with spinning reels I work the rod with my right hand and reel with my left; with baitcasters I work the rod with my laft hand and reel with my right. I have been using spinning reels my whole life, and baitcaster since I was 11 or 12, and that is just what I got used to. I have tried left handed baitcasters, and it just doesn't feel right to me :|


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## bassboy1 (Jul 24, 2009)

I am a righty, and grew up on spinning reels. If you look at older spinning reels, the handle is _always_ on the left. Just the way it is supposed to be (unless you are a lefty, but y'all are used to all things with the exception of tape measures being backwards :lol: ). 

Because I started with spinning gear at such a young age, I got accustomed to working the bait with my dominant hand. Thus, when I started buying baitcasters, I bought lefty models, for two reasons. First of all, the idea of switching hands after a cast doesn't make sense. Secondly, I cannot effectively work a bait with my left hand. I have much better feel and dexterity with my right, so my left is just used for cranking.


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## Waterwings (Jul 24, 2009)

Adding more to the topic: I cast with both hands on the rod, right hand is forward near the reel, and the left hand is on the handle behind the reel; once the casting is completed, the right hand automatically moves fwd and flips the bail closed in one smooth motion, then moves to the handle knob ready to retrieve. Piece of cake!




:lol


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## Hanr3 (Jul 24, 2009)

I am left handed and cast with my left hand. 
I hold the rod with the spinning reel and guides on the bottom of the rod. 
I crank with my right hand. 

If I use a closed faced reel, like the Zebco Rhino 33 I hold the reel and guides above the rod so I can crank with my right hand.


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## S&amp;MFISH (Jul 25, 2009)

I ,like bassboy1,am RIGHT handed.I cast and work the rod with my right hand,reel with my left.
Using spinning reels is no problem,since most are reversible.I only buy LEFT handed baitcasters,which limits my options.Most models don't come Left handed.My first baitcaster was a righty,I missed a lot of bites while I was changing hands.So left handed reels ever since.
That's my story.


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## dougdad (Jul 25, 2009)

I AM RIGHT HANDED, HOLD THE ROD AND CAST RIGHT HANDED AND CRANK WITH THE LEFT. IF I PICK UP A RT. CRANK REEL I FEEL LIKE A CLUTZ. LOL


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## wasilvers (Jul 25, 2009)

Had a professional fishermen comment once before a tournament...

"How would you like to give me 50-60 casts into my favorite fishing holes before you even get a chance to fish it once? That's what you're doing in tournament if you cast, switch, and reel."

Of course I already was casting right and reeling left. My great grandma gave me my first spinning reel, and to use it, I had to reel lefty. Never looked back.

Will


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## Waterwings (Jul 25, 2009)

wasilvers said:


> ...That's what you're doing in tournament if you cast, switch, and reel."...
> Will




It's a good thing I only fish for pleasure, lol.


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## jkbirocz (Jul 26, 2009)

I switch hands while the bait is still in the air with a baitcaster. I can cast with my left hand also, just not too well. I do, however, pitch with my left hand.


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