Northwest Fishing Reports

Just wondering if someone could enlighten me as why its a fact the world is predominently right handed wich would leave a fisherman wanting left hand retrieve on a reel, why is it that all the baitcasters in abundance are right hand retrieve?

I have a different question. Why is it that the stores present spinning reels as left hand retrieve when almost all the baitcasters are right hand retrieve.

I ask because I was buying 2 spinning reels and the sales person took the reels out of the box, never bothers to ask left or right (not that it mattered because it was reversible - but it became one more annoying step for me).

I was told the problem isn't that the manufacturers don't make left hand it is the fact that many stores don't carry both due to space limitations when they decide to carry a lot of models. Noticed the same thing when on a charter boat... all the reels are right hand (which doesn't bug me as I'm more ambidextrous anyways but prefer right over left on reels)

Signed the confused as heck right handed person

aguynamedmike wrote:Just wondering if someone could enlighten me as why its a fact the world is predominently right handed wich would leave a fisherman wanting left hand retrieve on a reel, why is it that all the baitcasters in abundance are right hand retrieve?

Why - good question. I can't imagine casting right handed with a right hand reel and having to switch hands over every time to reel in. It would drive me nuts. For trolling, I don't care, I can use right or left, although I agree, it makes more sense ergonomically to be using your dominate arm to pump the rod.

My guess - manufacturers got it wrong to begin with and never bothered to ask anglers until it became an entrenched thing.

Like most things, whatever feels most comfortable works for me.

i'm ambisinister !!!! .... O - :

For myself, I am right handed, but I have always had a heck of a time reeling with my left hand. The motor skills are just not as good. Even just sitting here if I pretent to reel with both hands, the right is smooth, the left looks like a very unbalanced wheel and every once in awhile it spazzes out and starts going backwards. I remember when I got my 1st spinning reel, I didn't know you could change the handle over so I fished it upside down so I could reel right handed.

Since I have been doing it all my life, the switch from right to left after the cast is quick, natural and automatic. Not a hinderance at all.

My 2 cents worth says the original baitcasters were made with a right hand retrieve because most people are right handed and can more easily turn the crank with their right hand. I used them for over 20 years before I got my first left hand retrieve model. I was uncoordinated at working the rod with my left hand when throwing jerk baits or working soft plastics so I finally decided to try a left hand retrieve to free up my right hand to operate the rod. At first I hated it and thought I had wasted my money. After a couple of trips on the water, it became easier. Then I went out and got a couple of Curados in the left hand retrieve and I love them. I can't believe I waited all those years to switch over. I use both now.

I reel wrong handed, and avoided bait casters for the longest time because of it. I'm right handed, and use the finesse and strength available to my right arm to cast and fish with. My wife can't do it that way. She has to reel right handed, even though she's right handed. I think it's because it take more coordination to reel than to hold the rod.

I am left handed and I reel with my bait caster right handed and spinning left handed.

natetreat wrote:I reel wrong handed, and avoided bait casters for the longest time because of it. I'm right handed, and use the finesse and strength available to my right arm to cast and fish with. My wife can't do it that way. She has to reel right handed, even though she's right handed. I think it's because it take more coordination to reel than to hold the rod.

It just occured to me when I was reading your post - playing guitar right-handed means your left fingers are used to form chords and play scales, while your right hand strums. I think the dexterity issue goes away for me because my left hand is used to moving and bending strings, forming chords, etc. Again, just goes to show it's all what your body gets used to for muscle memory.

I played rugby in the position of tight head prop for 25 years so my right arm was always been the strongest one, i really struggle with a right hand baitcaster especially if there is a salmon on that line but I really noticed it last year fishing for cod. After that weekend was up i went and bought a Abu Garcia 7001i 7001 RED Lefty reel which is superb.
I feel better when my strongest arm is holding the rod and my weaker one is reeling it in. I have two Takota that get no use simply because of the right hand retrive. Bit of a shame really.

sickbayer wrote: I have two Takota that get no use simply because of the right hand retrive. Bit of a shame really.

Any interest in selling them or trading them for something??

Wouldnt it be a nice Idea if they had a {Gear Swap} section on here where righties and lefties can trade up on better suited reels?

I've done that using the classifieds. :-)

Mike Carey wrote:

natetreat wrote:I reel wrong handed, and avoided bait casters for the longest time because of it. I'm right handed, and use the finesse and strength available to my right arm to cast and fish with. My wife can't do it that way. She has to reel right handed, even though she's right handed. I think it's because it take more coordination to reel than to hold the rod.

It just occured to me when I was reading your post - playing guitar right-handed means your left fingers are used to form chords and play scales, while your right hand strums. I think the dexterity issue goes away for me because my left hand is used to moving and bending strings, forming chords, etc. Again, just goes to show it's all what your body gets used to for muscle memory.

made me think of my 'ol buddy .. who's passed now .. but he grew up a lefty in a family of rightys ... could pick a 12 string that'd make ya cry ... up side down 'n backwards !! .... couldnt fish worth spit with either hand tho .... lololol ..DOG

I'm right handed but grew up on spinning reals that were reeled with my left hand.
I will admit I can't do much left handed but all of my baitcasters are left hand retrieve.
And all this time I thought I was different than everyone else.
It just seems more natural to me.

my first baitcaster set up was the abu garcia revo (rh retrieve) then my Wonderful wife bought a new rod and reel for fathers day shimano canean and a shimano rod,which was LH retrieve, what a difference that made for me since I reel everything else lefty. needless to say I went out the next day and bought another LH retrieve reel :-)

I am right handed but all 4 of my baitcasters I use for trolling are left hand retrieve, I dont know why it just feels better.

I have both types of baitcasters . I prefer left reel and Im right handed. I usually set the hook with my right arm but reel in from the left. When iI use the Right handed reel its usually cuz my right arm is sore.

I tried my left handed friends spinning combo and it just felt wierd reeling in right handed. Im use to reeling in left handed and it feels natural. Got my first baitcaster left handed and it feels great. I cast right handed on it. Then I hold the baitcaster where it sits in the rod with my right hand, then reel with my left hand. With that being said, I will never buy a right handed baitcaster ever.

Yeah I recently switched to all left handed baitcasters and love it. I also use left handed spinners. If im in the salt though I use right handed trolling reels and halibut reels, go figure