I'm right handed, do everyhting rh, (except for a dominent left eye). Every fly or spinning setup up I have is LH retrieve because I prefer to cast the rod and fight a fish with my right hand.

But it seems the majority of casting reels are set up RH and usually come with a
double-knob handle which I hate. Is the casting reel industry trying to tell me I SHOULD retrieve a casting reel with my right hand? I really hate having to switch in order to get a particular size and model reel. Thanks.

Tim,

Most population studies report only 13% of the population is left handed. My guess would be that the casting reel manufacturers see this as a simple supply vs. demand issue and elect to cater to the 87% of the population that is right handed and retrieve line with there dominant right hand.

Although I could be wrong.............

A fair question because most right handed folks learned to reel left handed as spinning reels became popular and many carried that ability or preference over to fly reel cranking. No one notices it when I use my left hand with my fly or spinning reel but many think it odd that I use a casting reel with a left hand crank.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

The preference for right handed spinning reels was addressed way back in the 1970's with most reels switching to a "convertible" system where the user could swap the handle around for use either right or left handed. So most all reels end up being retrieved in right handed fashion.

..................

Just about every major reel manufacturer makes left hand crank reels.To name a few are Shimano, Daiwa, Quantum, Garcia, etc. Now that doesn't mean every retailer will carry every model of left hand reel available. I had a retail store for 12 years and carried every reel that was available in left handed models but would only stock one left handed model to every three right handed reels in that particuler brand. It get mighty expensive to stock several reels of each left and right hand model. Take Shimano for instance. They have the Curado, Calcutta, Chronarch, Citica, Calais. and several other styles all available in right and left hand models. For a retailer to carry one of each of those models in left hand crank would cost him an extra 1200.00 to 1500.00 dollars and that's just Shimano. Now stock a left hand reel in all those other models and see how much extra money is tied up iventory. A retailer has to stock what sells the most and right handed reels are more popular.

It's a history lesson, when the fist bait casting reels came out after the Civil War they were little more than an upside down fly reel, no multiplier, no drag. The right handed angler could spin the right handed little handles faster with their powerhand than with the left hand due to dominance, dexterity, etc. Somewhere around 6% faster or so I'm told. When reels improved and got multipiers they were still slow, still small handled, etc. so the reasons were still there along with now a trained population in what looked and was the correct configuration of a casting reel. Now we have high speed reels, bigger/longer handles on the small reels, etc. but the old what my grandpa used history is still there. We still had the non -free wheeling knuckle buster reels into the 50's, couldn't have a longer handle smacking you as it spun around neer your hand as you cast. Very few left handed anglers I've met use left handed reels, it's us right handers that have changed or never liked the right handed handles.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/03/2007 11:01AM by Spencer Phipps.

I reel left-handed on both casting and spinning. Most of the lighter casting reels are available in LH models however much of the heavier SW stuff isn't. Most of my SW stuff is Accurate just because they will convert any reel to LH for free as well as laser engrave your name. Try finding a heavy LH trolling reel other than Accurate...

I am right handed and reel with my left hand. I haven't seen any right handed people swithch their spinning reel handles to the right side. As far as casting reels go, I always purchaes left handed models. I think that it's a pain and inefficient to have to swithch hands to reel. Maybe it has something to do with what you learned on and are used to. I guess if you started fishing with a casting reel, you would be used to cranking from the roght side and if you learned with a spinning reel, the right. I guess it boils down to what you're comfortablw with

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Most bait casting reels are right hand drive because that is what most people buy - both are available for stocking.

Casting Reels only comment not spinning reels in any way. One of the ways to improve fishing performance in the bass fishing world at present involves the crank on the left side of a baitcasting reel and rod handling technique. Rich Forhan and a number of other top fishermen make a very strong case for a left hand crank on a right handed persons baitcasting reels. It finally comes down to whether you use the trigger type reel seat as designed or use the "palming the reel" method which requires changing hands. I listened to two of the opposing views back and forth for about two hours - it ended up with the left hand cranker winning due to the number of presentations per hour when pitching. Take a look at the text in Rich's Powerhand Bait Casting book and all this is very clearly explained. The spiral left and right also comes into conversation and does have an impact. Anyone with the interest in these areas is a prime cantidate for a custom rod with cut down seat, no foregrip, correct technique blank and spiral wrap. If they understand the difference they will pay the cost for a top knotch rod that will improve their techniques. A custom builder can take advantage of these concepts to increase business by being able to discuss the differences with a customer.

[www.revolverrod.com]



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/04/2007 02:56PM by Bill Stevens.

Unfortunately, I learned to cast RH on both spinning and casting reel types and find it very awkward to switch. I've been trying to 're-teach' myself to cast LH since early last year, with little progress. Time will tell I suppose.

Steve, when you say you learned to cast RH, does this mean you retrieve with your left hand? Thanks.

The main reason there is so many right-handed reels! It has been a hidden secret for all these years. All reels were invented by left-handed inventors. It was their way to get even with the majority (right-handed fishermen/women). The lefty Pro. Bass fishermen/women needed an edge when fishing tournaments. The right-handed reels gave them an edge. They did not have to change hands during a cast and that saves time when casting and reeling. LOL I hope you enjoyed my little guess work
Good Wraps Bob

Love it, Bob!!! Makes sense to me!

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

I am old enough to remember when all you could get was a right handed casting reel and if you wanted a good one they only came in red. That is how many of us old guys learned to do it and it is a somewhat difficult process to change. However a small problem I had with a pinched nerve forced me to do just that in 2004. Still a little bit of a problem when I want to really crank one in but it can be done. What I discovered is that there are a great number of fine reels now in left hand retrieve and most mirror the right had retrieve models. My only problem now is "converting" all my rods to spiral to the other side. I admit that I have used that as an excuse to build another rod ...or two!! There used to be one grip handles with a counter balance weight on the other end but I guess they just did not sell enough. I have one on an old red reel!

sorry Tim...no, I meant I retreive RH but have been trying to reteach myself LH.... with a lot of neurological resistance...

When I started fishing as a kid my dad bought me a Heddon outfit that came with a casting rod and a push button spin cast reel. The reel was adjustable and the first thing my young hands did with it was put the handle on the side that made sense, the OTHER side. I was right handed after all, why would I want to change hands to turn the crank when I could just as easy(easier?!)hold the rod with my right hand and turn the crank with my left the way nature intended me to? When my great uncle died and I inherited his tackle, I was surprized by his 2 or 3 tackle boxes full of high end and obviously well made bait casting reels that were of no use to me at all because the crank was stuck over there where it made no sense to be. I think there might have been one LHR Shakespeare open face with no level wind that required a much better thumb ansd superb eye-hand coordination to use than I had, most amazing birds'-nests I ever saw. What I think that reel was trying to tell me was that it took the best your best hand had to give to make it work on both the cast and the retrieve. Reels have changed considerably since, but old habits die hard
john

i guess most ppl will use their dominant hand to hold the rod and fight the fish.. and the weaker hand to reel..

always been wondering why and who came up with right handed casting reels..

-
Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day..
Teach a man to fish, he'll be broke!

I only use the right handed reels for flipping. The selection of left handed quality reels with flipping switches was pretty low when I bought my reel and I also spend a little less time untangling the free line from around the handle, which I do from time to time with a lefty due to my poor presentation habits as I use flipping rarely in the areas I fish due to clear/shallow water conditions in most lakes in my area.

I'm left handed. In addition I am somewhat ambidextrous; eg. I hit a baseball from the right handed stance. In general I find reeling with my left hand to be the most comfortable position. It's just a more natural action than with my right hand and I can turn the handle much faster. For fly fishing I like casting with my right hand and winding with my left. Same with surf casting. This makes a left handed reel ideal for me.

When I started salt water fishing from a boat as a kid I recall the initial discomfort having to wind the reel with my right hand. Whether or not the reel had a line winder or not I was able to adjust. This was for bottom fishing so casting was not a factor.

Fortunately now there are enough lefty conventional and casting reels to meet my needs. My personal favorites are the Shimano Conquests and the Accurate Boss Magnums. Strong, lightweight, high quality construction and materials and good customer service are my criteria for reel selection.

Quantum offers well made conventional reels in left handed versions at lower cost but at considerably greater weight than the higher end brands.

Left handed winding works best for me so I stick with it across the board.

Where do you guys find the LH reels? I would love to have some for surf fishing but I have never see any in that size that are LH.