Crank Handles

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Stunt Fisher
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Crank Handles

Post by Stunt Fisher »

A few questions about crank handles. My casual observation tells me that the crank handles on most bait casting reels is on the right side of the reel, while most spinning reels have the handle on the left side. Why is that? If the fishing world wants us to crank reels that hang under the rod from the left, why does it seem that most fly-fishing reels have the crank on the right? I know that handles can be changed from left to right and it all comes down to personal preference. This isn’t about how to overcome an issue; this is more about why. Of course, my casual observation may be too limited and not a valid sampling, but that’s how it looks to me.

Also, while on the subject of crank handles, early on they started putting counterweights on crank handles of bait casters. Do (did) counter balanced handles really make any difference? If they do, why don’t spinning reels have counter balanced cranks?

Just wunderin’
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kyreels
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Re: Crank Handles

Post by kyreels »

The subject of counter-balanced versus unbalanced handles has been pretty well-discussed here. Here is a quote from Steve Vernon:
The big argument during the 19th century was over counterbalanced vs. unbalanced cranks. Counterbalances were considered by many as just additional line tanglers. Dual grasps during the 19th century were used mostly on narrow-spool single-action reels. It was later that mfrs. decided that dual grasps would be handy on baitcasters.
un

The mechanics boil down to the efficiency of rotating spools in casting without backlash. The retrieval part of reels favored balanced handles, but the casting part early on favored unbalanced for less backlash. However, as casting and anti-backlash and light weight spools became prevalent, balanced handles prevailed. This does not apply to spinning (fixed spool) reels, which dont depend in any way on the handle to cast. There are many fixed spool reels with balanced handles though. I would agree that most fixed spool handles are unbalanced.

As to the subject of left-hand versus right hand retrieve, and what that means for each type of fishing whether above the rod or below, there are also previous discussions on this board for reference. I grew up with spin casting retrieving from the left hand, so it always seemed less efficient when retrieving fly and bait casting from the right and also having to switch the rod between hands. You did not mention saltwater retrieval, which in my opinion favors the (assumedly) strong right hand retrieval for large fish. I have never used a left hand retrieval bait caster, but would like to try it.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Crank Handles

Post by Ron Mc »

The OP question is easy to answer. Basic conventional multiplier has been around 3 centuries. Production reels and most benchmade reels were made with right-hand crank. Casting wasn't that big a deal in the 19th century, but cranking with your right hand was. Rods started out all wood and 16' long. But if you did cast, the logic was cast right, swap hands, and crank right.

The spinning reel is a blue-collar-market invention, produced en masse since WWII. The logic was easy casting with you right hand, and don't change hands to crank.
Last edited by Ron Mc on Thu Jan 27, 2022 2:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Stunt Fisher
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Re: Crank Handles

Post by Stunt Fisher »

Thanks to Matt and Ron. Believe it or not, I did search before I posted but I my search returned 260 some odd entries for "left hand". Admittedly, I didn't read all of the posts, but the many I did read had nothing to do with my questions. The next obvious statement will be I "should have looked longer." Thanks to both for addressing my questions. I have several friends who fish "right handed" with a bait caster and "left handed" with a spinning reel. I've never fly fished, so my observations were mostly what I saw on TV or from a distance. I've asked my friends why they change hands to fish with a spinning reel and they simply said, "That's the way you're supposed to do it." I haven't done enough salt water fishing to have noticed a pattern. Personally, I fish right handed with whatever reel I'm using. When I borrow a spinning reel from somebody I make sure it's set up for right hand crank.
Thanks again guys!
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john elder
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Re: Crank Handles

Post by john elder »

Being A reel collecting board, our thoughts mainly go to the reel and how it is influenced by which hand is used to crank. In point of fact, the hand that handles the rod is the most important thing in a fish fight. The real doesn’t do the work, the Rod does. So for instance I am left-handed and I want that rod in my left hand regardless of the reel that I’m using, so the right handedness of casting reels has never been an issue for me…that’s what I want to do with my right hand. likewise with spinning reels I want that crank to be on the right side and I’ll cast with my left because that’s what gives me the most accuracy and strength in my casting. One of the few advantages of left-handedness… i never have to change hands between cast and retrieve.

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Specializing in saltwater reels...and fly reels...and oh, yeah, kentucky style reels.....and those tiny little RP reels.....oh, heck...i collect fishing reels!...and fly rods....and lures
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Steve
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Re: Crank Handles

Post by Steve »

The earliest rod-mounted reels in the English-speaking world were single-action, and they normally were mounted under the rod. Rods were very long, and lines weren't much longer. Usually, the best you could hope for by "casting" was getting your bait a couple of rod lengths away. And sure, you cranked the line in with your left hand if you were holding the rod in your right. Multipliers started showing up in the late 18th-century, but they weren't very popular, and they weren't used widely for "casting" as we know it. They still were used under the rod, as shown in this 1841 pic:

More modern casting from the reel didn't start growing in popularity until the reels, like the Kentucky reels, improved. Then anglers started arguing over whether the casting reel should be above or below the rod. AND they argued about whether or not to use a balanced crank.

Well, if you're casting a multiplier, and you need to control the cast with your thumb, having the reel under the rod means you have to rotate the rod to control the cast, rotate it back to retrieve. Anglers, basically lazy (and argumentative), somehow decided it would be easier to cast right-handed, switch rod hands, and retrieve right-handed than to keep rotating the rod in the right hand. Not all 19-century anglers agreed on this approach at the same time, so what's a confused reel manufacturer to do? Just pick a side.

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Ron Mc
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Re: Crank Handles

Post by Ron Mc »

Doc Henshall takes credit for bringing casting forward by making the first bass rod under 12' - the 8'3" Henshall rod.
He discussed all the reel position options, and didn't care whether the reel was in front or back of the grip, but he promoted casting with the reel on top, and winding with the reel beneath.

c. 1910 Chubb Henshall with Bluegrass 33 - this is a hoot to cast, and will slow-lob 3/8 oz to 150'
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Steve
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Re: Crank Handles

Post by Steve »

Doc Henshall takes credit...
Doc was chock full of opinions:
“In [multiplying reels] the adjustable click answers also all the purposes of a ‘drag,’ rendering the latter superfluous.”

“The balance-handle is a delusion and a snare.”

“…there have been several devices invented whereby the handle, wheel and pinion of the reel are thrown out of gear to allow greater freedom to the revolving spool in casting…All such devices have now been abandoned as utterly futile.”

Steve Vernon
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Book: ANTIQUE FISHING REELS, 2nd Ed.
Websites:
Antique Fishing Reels
Kopf reels
Hendrick reels

"Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose."
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Ron Mc
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Re: Crank Handles

Post by Ron Mc »

though well-published and respected for a half-century.

My favorite reference in his book is dog-walking plugs, which he calls "The Bob", and notes they were fished in Florida for bass 100 years before he wrote about them.
The term dog-walking originated with Paw-Paw Lure Co., c. 1918.

Regarding his reel notes, it took another 100 years of refinement for freespool devices to become the norm.
The Bluegrass 33 I show above - it is precisely wobble from handle imbalance that gives it a measure of backlash prevention.

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