Should I wrap the giudes toward or away from the reel handle?

I think this is a personal preference thing. I like to spiral them away from the reel handle. I think this may offset any tendency of the rod to want to turn toward the first guide. I have NO proof that this "works" at all. Other people like to put them on the same side as they believe that will protect the first guide from damage if the rod/reel is placed on a casting platform.

Depends what reel you're using. Non-levelwinds "have to" go opposite the handle so it's easier to lay line on the spool. Levelwinds, I haven't noticed a difference either way.

Yeah --- what Billy said. Much easier to guide the line back onto a non-level wind with the guides opposite the handle. Duh-Oh!

As a bass fisherman (this probably doesn't appyly in the large game fishing arena as rods are in rod holders) I go the same side as the reel handle so that when you lay a rod down on the deck of your boat, there is a side that lays flat. If you have the reel handle on one side and guides on the other, it will never lay flat.

Billy Vivona - For the record, Do you tuck the butt of a conventional rod under your right arm, or under your left arm? I'm assuming that you are right-handed and that your reels have the crank on the right side of the spool, like Penns.

I ask because I'm curious if anglers who tuck the rod butt under their LEFT arm, have as strong a preference for placing the transition guides opposite the reel handle on a non-level wind (on the LEFT side), as those who tuck the rod under their RIGHT arm.

When I was learning to use & cast my first conventional reel (a Penn 155 Beach Master), I soon switched from an under-the-right-arm retrieve, to tucking the rod butt under my left arm. This was after reading Capt. John DeMaio's series of articles on bucktailing for Striped Bass in Jamaica Bay in the LONG ISLAND FISHERMAN (NY), circa 1978.

With the rod tucked under my left arm, it seems to make less of a difference which side the transition guides are on. And as Capt. DeMaio described it, it gave the left and right arms a better balance of tasks & power. IMO. -Cliff Hall, Gainesville, FL-

As Billy states, if using a non-level wind, I always go away from the handle. That way you just push (thumb) the line towards the handle and it will automaticly wind back when you let go. Just keeps you from having to work the line both ways back on the spool.

my $0.02

Cliff - I tuck it under my left arm, and I reel with my right hand. I got away from holding the conventional rod like a Spinning rod after catching a couple of nice Bass and had all sorts of trouble controlling the fish & turning the handle.

The only reason I say the side the spiral goes to is the first rod I built made the guides go the "right" way (towards teh right) for no other reason than it was "right". Well, after I stopped using a CAlcutta levelwind & switched over to a Newell, I found I had to grab teh line and drag it across teh spool to get teh line to stop piling up on one side. I also foud out that wet braided line, 30 degrees, & reeling up all day, day after day - really chew up your thumb pretty good. I was at teh point where I had to put a bandage (tape) over my thumb because the skin was so raw.

Did you Blackfish when you lived up here? THat's mostly what I do, tat and Fluking. I dont chase Stripers much, if at all.

PS - AFter 2 days of Florida Tortuga's fishing, I realized that no matter which side I put the rod on, I need to hit the weights as I got a tail whipping from some of those Southern bottom fish - and they weren't even all that big.

Thanks, Billy. It sure sounds like that, for a non-level-wind reel, the transition guides belong on the LEFT side of the rod (that is, opposite the right-sided crank found on most conventional / revolving spool reels). I never lay a boat rod on the deck, so I ain't worried about how it lays. Yet I am worried about laying the line on the reel evenly so it casts well and so the line doesn't bury into itself when the drag is working. And I am worried about over-working the fingers & wrist when guiding the line onto the reel, and rubbing them raw from too much pressure from the line. ... And as far as under which arm to tuck the butt of a boat rod while bottom fishing or live-bait fishing or casting, thank you for telling how tucking the rod butt under your LEFT ARM improved your control of the rod & power over the fish. I see about half the people struggling with it under the right arm with a bigger than usual fish, and then it's a little late to suddenly learn to use the left-arm tuck. When selling to a new customer, that's a good time to ask how they fish, and to spread the word about the benefits of left-arm tucking.

Blackfishing? - not enough. A few trips on the Pilot (Sheepshead Bay). Always wanted to hit the spring run from shore at the City Island Bridge (the Bronx), but didn't have a car then. Same with Kismet Reef and Orient Point. Only small fish around Jamaica Bay NCB. Floyd Bennett Field has bigger fish, but I never could get out in a boat. Marine Parkway, too.

Out of Ft. Myers, FL, there is a head boat, the Miss Barnegat, that makes the 5 hour run to Dry Tortugas. One friend here made the trip and hopes to do it again. It's still on my "one-of-these-days" list.

Happy New Year, Billy and all Y'all. -Cliff Hall, Gainesville, FL-

I can't figure out how guys can keep the rod under their right arm, and crank with the right hand? Unless you're really strong (not me) - I need to use all teh strength of one arm to turn the handle, the strength of the other arm to hold the rod - no way I could do both with one arm.

Regarding the Pilot - I've never fished with them, but they still sail daily. I fish a few docks down on the Ocean Eagle (they've been there for 14 years). Small world. There are small fish around almost all teh bridges on teh South Shore, they usually are there until Mid-October then move off to teh reefs. Orient Point is a great location for Blackfish, teh quality & quantity is unmatched. I recently caught my personal best Tog @ 14#'s, which was a doubleheader with an 8#. My next cast, I caght a 12# Tog. IT was a good day to say the least.

The Miss Barnegat is from NJ. The Yankee Capts is from Glouster, MA (I think) and they head down to KEy WEst each year for the Tortuga's fishing. That fishign isn't for everyone, some guys prefer Snook./Tarpon/Redfish, which I compare to Stripers/Blues/Weakfish p here. While others prefer Bottomfishing. I'm in category #2, I much rather catch a 15# Mutton than a 100# Tarpon.

Happy New Year to you as well. If you'd like, I'll send you a few inches of Snow from my "lawn" so you can remember the "good old days" - LOL!!!!

Ifn it is for a basser "pitchin &/or flippin" who holds the rod in the right hand and strips line with the left you ain't got no choice to keep down line dragging over the top of the blank. Set up and take a look and you will see which is the better. let me know what you figur out!

Gon Fisn