Confused right handed casters?

[Warren Platt]

Being a left handed caster, I've always wondered why right handed casters can't figure out which hand they want to crank the reel with. We lefties cast with our left hand and crank the grasp with our right hand, revolving spool or spinning reels - simple. Right handed casters cast with their right hand and reel with their right hand while using a revolving spool casting reel, but switch to their left hand to crank in the spinning reel. WHY? Sorry for this question, but it's a rainey day here in MO, and I'm not smart enough to ask an intelligent question.

[Jack S]

We right-handers like to show off our ambidexterity (something you lefties seem to be short of). Seriously though, I never could understand the logic of right-handed bait casting either, so when I took it up I bought a left-handed reel and have been casting backwards for some 20 years. I'll never go back to the "correct" way, but I'd be interested in knowing how it got started!

[Jean-Paul]

I can only speak for myself but for me the only way is to hold
the rod/reel with my strongest hand/arm, being righthanded, that's right...
Leaving the other hand to turn the handle. I have tried it otherwise but that just didn't feel correct, not giving me enough control and precision while casting or -playing the fish. No need to switch hands after the cast.

How comes in Europe 99% of the right-handed fisherman use left-hand-winding reels ? Using their "strongest" arm to cast and hold the rod (like myself). While in the US it quite opposite it seems ? Or not ?
Historical ? Left-handed inventors ? How do they use a fly-fishing rod ?
---------------------
Jean-Paul

[Harvey]

Warren, That is a good question. I seem to use both hands. When using a spinning reel, I tend to cast left handed unless I want pin point cast and then I use my right hand kinda underhanded. My favorite way is a side arm backhand, (End of pole on my right) I use the left to throw sidearm on both sides. If I cast for distance and do it overhead. I use my right hand. I never thought about why except if just feels easier to cast left and have your hand on the reel when the bait hits the water while if you throw the bait a longer distance, using my strongest arm seems right as Jean-Paul suggested, That give you a lot more tine to reverse hands and grab the reel handle. If I bait cast, I strickly use my right hand. I have enough birdnests as it is and I don't need any more confusion going on. As for Fly fishing, the only fly fishing I do is when I go to the bathroon and it depends on which hand I use as to how big of a hurry I am in.
"H"

[drexelantiques]

Well I cast, and reel, with either hand. Mostly short casts with my left hand, but I reel equally well with either on light tackle. Now when I go to heavy saltwater stuff, I always use my right hand to reel as it has more staying power.

On a bait cast reel for bass fishing I really could care less which side the handle is on. I usually have a few left handed reels on my boat.

[Reel Geezer]

I'd guess that you can blame it on the time period bait fishermen began casting from the reel. It was easier to thumb the reel with it on top of the rod, rather than under, as it had been used up to that time. When they turned their rods over the crank was on the right side, so they just started using it that way.

I'd also guess that within 10 years the majority of baitcasters sold to fishermen in this country will have the crank on the left side. It's getting closer all the time now. I believe that this is due, in part, to the return to Henshall rods (7-8' long, straight grip, all as prescribed by James Henshall in the 1880s). Switching hands is more difficult since the handle has to stick out on one side or the other of your body.

I purchased three used "left hand" modern casting reels off eBay to try them out. After 60 years of casting as I learned to do it in the books and magazines of the 1940s it is hard to change. However, I am now planning on buying a quality LH casting reel for pitching. I find it easier to pitch with a LH reel, and the rod butt extending past my right hip.

[Brian F.]

Thought I'd wait a little untill after my first attempts at using a baitcasting reel before making any comments on this. Never used a baitcaster before and, since I'm learning with the intent to participate in the this year's National contests, these are just my observations. Seems to me like you get used to whatever you start out with.

The first cast I ever made was with a spinning reel/left hand retrieve and several years later then learned to cast a conventional surf reel. Both seemed "natural" to me because I've never done anything like it before.

One handed baitcasting on the other hand, definitely feels more comfortable with my right (predominant) hand since it's stronger. I can't imagine casting it with my left hand. I also have a concern about holding a rod / reel to fight a fish ( I may need some pointers here but I've seen most people place their hand to hold both).

I suppose cranking with my left hand and holding the rod with my right when surfcasting would offer the same benefit as when using a spinner. Using my stronger arm to support the rod would put it where there is the most strain. At this point, I wouldn't change since I'm comfortable and comfort helps me enjoy fishing!

In most cases, I'm always moving the placement of my hands after casting anyway so switching is not a big deal. The exception is when using a spinning reel, where my right hand stays in place after releasing the line.

[cws/carl schultz]

when i was fishing alot of tournaments there were times switching from bait cast to spin and back again just to rest that arm casting for eight hr
can really tire you out and if its all the same arm i would need a sling

[SWIM JIG]

Ok , you people, I aws taught to cast underhand when in close places, you hold the outfit pointing to your target generaly the water thats suposed to hold some fish, then take hold of the lure or sinker and bring it to you thus bending the rod like a archey bow, when you have the rod loaded release the lure or bait and out it goes to the HOPFULY THE FISH! no one either side or behind you gets caught or hit with the sinker! When no one is around I use the overhand method, being right handed cast with that hand and arm , when lure or sinkers is in the water (not a tree) I switch the outfit to my left hand and reel in! Carl you need one of those self propeld rods called a target Or the arrow cast from casting rods inc 6737 Brentwood Stair Road suite 230 Fort Worth Texas 76112 yes EZ action products made the lures for them! that way you SHOOT the lure OUT! All foolisnes aside , What ever works for you is the best WAY! Col. M. lorens aka SWIM JIG in OHIO

[Len Sawisch]

Could be physics? I believe as reel collectors we should all know the correct answer to this one!

I believe the anglers who baitcast with their left hand should switch the outfit to their right hand after the cast - if they are casting "correctly". A correct cast is accomplished by having the handle side up during the cast so the spool has weight on only the most unencumbered bearing, and the handle plus gears have the least impact on the cast. This also minimizes line slap against the rod during the cast - and ultimately reduces backlash.

Think about using a hammer and the most "natural" way to use it is also the best way to hold your wrist during overhand casting. (Try hammering the same way you baitcast and see if you are maximizing your body mechanics!)

Bottom line - if you are baitcasting with the reel handles pointed in any direction other than up, you are loosing efficiency in the cast itself and increasing ware on internal parts. Having said that, I believe the research I have heard about suggests that most American anglers baitcast with the spool "level" and so it probably doesn't matter!

Just my thoughts - I may be wrong!

Len "I Mostly Just Cane Poll Anyway" Sawisch

[qwapaw]

I'll hold the rod any way you tell me too if I can just catch a fish now and then. I'm the king of birds nests with any level wind reel so I mostly use spinning reels so I'm not embarrassed. Thanks, Dan U

[gadabout]

I suspect the real reason has nothing to do with any of the above. Manufacturers of baitcasting reels preferred not to make both left-handed and right-handed versions of reels. The majority were made for right handers. Some models were available both ways but the left-handed versions cost extra. Furthermore, entry-level models usually did not come in left-handed versions. Most people probably learned to cast on an entry-level reel

For whatever reason, right-handed baitcasting reels were standardized as having the handles on the right. I think there is no question that most people want to cast the rod with whatever their dominant hand is. For reeling in, the choice may not be as clear. With the standard configuration, a right-handed caster could cast with his dominant hand and also reel with his dominant hand. With this same configuration, a left-handed caster could still cast with his dominant hand and reel with the other hand. Perhaps not ideal but probably not too bad.

It is interesting to note that most fly reels can be made such that both left-handed and right-handed reeling can be accomodated in the same reel model. This eliminates the need for manufacturers and dealers to stock two different models of the same basic reel. With this source of manufacturer influence eliminated, fly fishermen have gravitated to whatever method of reeling they feel most comfortable with.

[Warren Platt]

Reply to posts by Len Sawisch and Gadabout

Len - Since Wild Bill Sonic tells me that you are smarter than the average bear up there in the North woods I looked closely at your post. You are surley correct when you talk about friction on the spool while casting with the handle of the reel turned down, which is where it is when I cast. Thus, when I get a vintage reel to fish with I always spin the spool backwards to see the difference in friction with the handle up and then with it down. Almost always much less friction with the handle up! Sometimes I can correct it some by adjusting the spool as far to the left as I dare, but it doesn't eliminate it altogether. I believe this applies only to non free spool reels. Am I correct in believing that during a free spool cast the normal gear and handle friction is negated and therefore no difference?

Gadabout - I hadn't really thought about it in the turms you talk about, but it sure makes good sense. We learned to use what was available and I sure don't remember any of the cheap reels that I used as a kid ever having handles on the left side of the reel, thus we didn't have a choice!

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts on this subject.

[Len Sawisch]

Warren,

So that's why Wild Bill calls me BooBoo and wants me to take him to Jellystone Park!

I agree with all those who say mostly right handed reels were produced because most anglers are right-handed. What is interesting is why we define the baitcaster with the handle on the starboard side as the "right-handed reel" and the spinning reel with the handle on the port side as the "right-handed reel" (although newer spinning reels are typically ACDC). - clearly the designation is NOT related to the side of the reel on which we find the handle. I believe it is related to the dominant hand theory.

As for the freespool question, I do believe it depends on how much of the gear train is still in contact with the spool journal when the reel is in free spool, and also the relative length of the spool journal on each end.

The reason a baitcaster runs best on end has to do with weight bearing AND with the natural tendency of spinning bodies to "orient" to the axis of spin. The shorter the weight bearing journal extends beyond the center of rotation, the more stable the entire body in motion will be. Think about those gyroscopes (tops) we use to play with as kids - the longer the "point" the faster the top had to spin to stay up-right. No big deal for the average cast but it could be critical for distance casting.

Thanks for posing and posting such an interesting question!

Len