Greetings- I'm planning a casting rod for a friend who is left handed. Would there be advantages to a counter-clockwise spiral or does it matter at all?

Thanks for any advice.

Pete Kornegay
Camden, NC

It does matter a bit, for when you put the rod down on a boat deck or elsewhere. Place the transition guides on the same side as where the reel handle is. Then the other side is "clean", and is the side touching the deck. Else those transition guides can get stressed.

Other than the reasons that Tom gave, it makes no difference which side.

Thanks guys! I didn't think it made any difference as to which hand was used in casting but needed to hear it from someone experienced.
Pete K.

Setting up spirals for task specific bass fishing techniques such as specific hand flipping (can, may, should, have to be, sometimes, ortta, always) consider other things going on in the anglers hand while the rod is being fished and not simply what happens when the thing is laying on the deck. Think about what happens if a guy "flippin" is holding the rod in his right hand, fishing from the bow of a bass boat, flippin underhand to the left. If he pulls out an arms length of line to full extension what happens to the line and how does it pass over the blank? Why does the guru Rich Forhan spiral both ways on different technique rods? Remember this post is in the form of a question and not an answer!! Put you answer in the form of a Jeopardy Response please!

Gon Fishn

If one is using a non level-wind reel it is easier to push the line to lay it evenly across the spool than to pull it. As a lefty I reel with my left hand. If using a non-level wind reel I want the bumper or spiral guides on the right side of the rod for this reason even though the reel handle is on the left. Frankly I would avoid laying this rod down or at least wrap a towel over the reel and lay it on the handle side.

For a rod with a level-wind reel I prefer having the reel handle and bumper guide on the same side as the line will be automatically wound evenly. If the same rod was to be used with both types of reels I would have to put the bumper on the right side. In practice I would use the constraints to build a separate rod for each type of reel.
Dave

I'd vote for keeping the line closer to the thumb that's needed to push it evenly on the reel. I don't lay my rods down on a boat deck. Is this what freshwater bass guys do?

Bass fisherman are known to have many rods out on the front deck of their bass boat in a day of fishing. Most of my rods made are for bass fishermen and I spiral them to the handle side. Alot of bass fishermen are hard on their rods and anything I can do to keep the rods in good shape helps. With the guides going to the handle side, the rod itself will lie better on the front deck with the guides pointed up. If you have it the other way, and the rod is stepped on, it put pressure on the guides. If they are on top the whole rod is supported by the deck. Only problem is they can still step on the rod, right on one of the guides and then it doesn't matter much then, the guide will be messed up and then I see the rod for repairs.

I am left handed, and have used/biult spiral wrap rods for twenty years. I build my first eyelet is top dead center. If you are flipping you are grabing the line bewteen the reel and the first eyelet so it does not matter which way I wrap. Have seen no advantage one way or the other. The one thing you might want to do is ask your client is if he grabs line between fisrt and second eyelet?
That night make a differenceas to which way you wrap.

Also some guys cast with one hand and then switch to the other hand to play the fish.

Back in the 80's Rodcrafter's had someone placing the stripper guide 90 degrees to the left or right depending on which hand the person used and all the other guides in line under the blank. It worked fine but looked terrible. Jesse

Tape some guides to a blank rotated in either direction. If you are a "flipper" take the thing out in the yard and simulate your action for flippin or pitchin with the bait of choice. Strip the line with the other hand and pull the same length of line you do while working the bait. Watch the line as you are doing this and you will see which direction the rotation needs to be for your method. If it is rotated the "wrong" way the line will drag across the top of the blank while you are "pulling" free line. You want to set the rod up so that the line stays free. With baitcasting reels with a level wind casting distance is not the issue when this technique is employed. Line off of the blank and no hanging up on the tip with good load distribution highlights the advantages of this set up for flippin. Right direction or wrong direction can never be set up in a can with fixed rules for always and in all cases. For careless bass fishermen with 10 rods laying on the front of a bass boat with them jumping and showing off for the camera guide orientation can play a part in increased breakage. That is why we all do custom rods! No offence intended for the designation "flipper".

Most guys I have built for, after evaluating the guide position, prior to final build have chosen the "left bumper" - these guys fish with the low profile level wind reel palmed in their right hand - flip underhand - and strip and pull with left hand.. I have watched them and most will cock the reel so that the crank is tilted to 45 degrees or greater toward the vertical. With this set up the line will not drag on the blank during the entire motion of hook set.

The "new", to me, bumper system has greatly simplified the set up for the flipping rod and the guys that have one are impressed with the functionality. The top and bottom position with a smaller "bumper" may help out in the breakage aspect.

Gon Fishn

Bill, I did as you suggested on the E-Mail address. Jesse

Thanks again guys- hopefully all of these viewpoints and experience will reside in the searchable archives of the board. This is all good info.

Pete Kornegay