# Cast and Reel with same hand?



## nightowl (Apr 10, 2004)

As a kid bobber fishing my grandparents pond with a zebco 33 I always casted with my right hand, I am right handed, then set the pole down until I got a fish, grab with my left hand and reel with my right. As I got older and fished out of a boat we just trolled most of the time so I let line out and held pole with my left hand and reeled with right. So I have always casted with my right, switched pole to left and reeled. I went on a trip last month pike fishing where I was casting all day, only then did I notice that switching pole to my left hand was getting old. I was using a spinning reel, so I switched the handle and tried to crank with my left. I couldn't get used to it so I switched back. At 50 years old I don't think I can change now, just feels awkward.
Anyone else cast and reel with the same hand?


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## RJohnson442 (May 14, 2013)

I used too, then switched to reeling with my left. Just got easier casting all the time. Took about a day of dishing to get use to it. Every once and a while ill still go to grab with the wrong hand.


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## nightowl (Apr 10, 2004)

RJohnson442 said:


> I used too, then switched to reeling with my left. Just got easier casting all the time. Took about a day of dishing to get use to it. Every once and a while ill still go to grab with the wrong hand.


I'll have to give it a try again. Would be nice to be comfortable casting with right and reeling with left.


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## kayak1979 (Jul 13, 2014)

nightowl said:


> As a kid bobber fishing my grandparents pond with a zebco 33 I always casted with my right hand, I am right handed, then set the pole down until I got a fish, grab with my left hand and reel with my right. As I got older and fished out of a boat we just trolled most of the time so I let line out and held pole with my left hand and reeled with right. So I have always casted with my right, switched pole to left and reeled. I went on a trip last month pike fishing where I was casting all day, only then did I notice that switching pole to my left hand was getting old. I was using a spinning reel, so I switched the handle and tried to crank with my left. I couldn't get used to it so I switched back. At 50 years old I don't think I can change now, just feels awkward.
> Anyone else cast and reel with the same hand?


My dad fishes the exact same way because he was self taught as a kid. He is 68 years old has fished that way his entire life.


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## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

With baitcasters I use the same hand. Growing up they didn't have left hand models to my knowledge. Something I've always done and I've tried left handed models later on and just couldn't get used to it. But with spinning gear I've always used the left hand retrieve. And that feels normal to me. Tried switching over but just doesn't feel right. Strange how that works sometimes! Lol!


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## Whaler (Nov 16, 2004)

I always casted a spinning rod with my right hand and then reeled with my left. When I started doing a lot of casting with a bait casting rod and reel I always bought reels with the handle on the left so I could cast with my right hand and reel with my left. To me it is ridiculous to cast with the right hand and switch hands and crank with the right hand especially if the right hand is the dominant hand.


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## Cajunsaugeye (Apr 9, 2013)

I'm a lefty,but all my bait casting gear is righty.I reel "opposite" of righties w/my spinning gear though.What it equals,for me,is always casting and controlling w/left hand(dominate) and reeling w/right hand,no matter spinning or bait casting.I always quietly wondered to myself why righties reeled w/their left hand w/spinning but w/right hand w/baitcasters.Then I figured out it was because they aren't as bright as us lefties


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

Cajunsaugeye said:


> I'm a lefty,but all my bait casting gear is righty.I reel "opposite" of righties w/my spinning gear though.What it equals,for me,is always casting and controlling w/left hand(dominate) and reeling w/right hand,no matter spinning or bait casting.I always quietly wondered to myself why righties reeled w/their left hand w/spinning but w/right hand w/baitcasters.Then I figured out it was because they aren't as bright as us lefties


I'll agree but don't u be lumping all us "righties" together now! Some of us are doing it right!! haha


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## derekdiruz (May 27, 2015)

I reel my baitcaster with my right hand and cast right handed, but all my other rods and reels are spinning. The baitcaster gets old somewhat but eh, i get over it. I love having that thing on me though, it makes casting a breeze.


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## PolymerStew (Feb 17, 2009)

Up until this year all my baitcasters were right handed. I bought a few left handed models to try out this season so I wouldn't have to switch hands after casting. It felt really odd retrieving at first; like I didn't have good leverage on the rod handle. What I realized is that when casting I keep 1 finger in front of the trigger and 3 behind, to have my thumb in the optimal position for braking the spool. But, normally when I retrieve, I put 2 fingers in front of the trigger, and 2 behind so I can palm the reel and brace the rod butt against my forearm. When I was first using the left hand reels I had been keeping the 1/3 position from the cast and trying to retrieve like that was not working well. With right hand reels I was adjusting my hand position to 2/2 without realizing it when switching the rod between hands. Once I figured that out and would move my hand position post cast, it felt a little more comfortable. Still isn't as natural as right hand retrieve, but it'll seem more normal with practice. My spinning rigs have always been left hand retrieve.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

yeah like you polymerstew i made the switch to left handed baitcaster this year. It was wierd and i had real trouble when i hooked a fish feeling like i was not in control. I also had a blow up when I had a fish hit the bait and I pushed the thumb bar when i set the hook! Big mess and lost fish. Now that i have forced myself to work through the awkwardness Im loving it. I Just remebered last time out "oh yeah remember how i used to have to switch hands". Now its second nature and im fishing way more efficiently. The main reason I made the switch is I feel like I can work and feel baits better with my right hand.


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## nightowl (Apr 10, 2004)

Whaler said:


> To me it is ridiculous to cast with the right hand and switch hands and crank with the right hand especially if the right hand is the dominant hand.


Yes it does seem ridiculous, but that was the way I was taught 40 years ago. Habits are hard to break. Even though I am right handed. It feels awkward to control the fish with my right. I am going fishing next week,I'll try switching again.


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## HamiltonKdog (Oct 15, 2014)

nightowl said:


> As a kid bobber fishing my grandparents pond with a zebco 33 I always casted with my right hand, I am right handed, then set the pole down until I got a fish, grab with my left hand and reel with my right. As I got older and fished out of a boat we just trolled most of the time so I let line out and held pole with my left hand and reeled with right. So I have always casted with my right, switched pole to left and reeled. I went on a trip last month pike fishing where I was casting all day, only then did I notice that switching pole to my left hand was getting old. I was using a spinning reel, so I switched the handle and tried to crank with my left. I couldn't get used to it so I switched back. At 50 years old I don't think I can change now, just feels awkward.
> Anyone else cast and reel with the same hand?


Not when I have a choice. I started using a spinning reel cast right, reel left in my teens. I even special ordered Baitcasters because I was uncomfortable casting and reeling with same hand. Now 40 years later its a good thing as my left wrist has lots of damage and although I could fight a fish that way, catching a fish would cut my day short.


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## Fishingisfun (Jul 19, 2012)

It does seem like most of us learned with the Zebco spincast and that training carried into our later fishing. I picked up a Abu 170 and switched to the left hand retrieve long ago as a teen but I remember it taking some time to become familiar with the different feel. I picked up a left handed spinning reel next and it was easy after the left hand retrieve on the 170. I watched professional bass fishing shows so I wanted to try baitcasters just have not invested the time with my left handed baitcaster to be comfortable using it. My thumb is not educated enough due to lack of patience.
Something I noticed awhile back on a program KVD who is an efficent fisherman I believe was casting right handed and switching hands to reel right handed. If trying to switch I might try to make it easy as possible and use a spin-cast first. You pass it on to someone else once you move on the the next step. Unlearning something takes time.


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## -C-IMP (Apr 25, 2008)

Power Hand Baitcasting (book) by Richard Forhan
Is a good read on the subject. Got me to change.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

This is a topic that comes up pretty much every year. I hope this one stays on the light side and doesn't devolve into an "I'm right, you're wrong" argument, as they have in the past.

I'm right handed and when using bait casting gear, I reel with my right hand. Whether or not I cast with my right hand depends on what type of "casting" I'm doing. 

If I'm actually making casts, I cast with my right hand and switch the rod to my left hand either during the cast, or after the cast is made. It's completely natural, and requires no thought.

If I'm pitching or flipping I hold the rod in my left hand, and reel with my right. 

If I'm using spinning gear, I cast with my right hand and retrieve with my left. 

In the end there is no right and wrong.


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

Just keep working at it. Yes it takes time to break old habits. Think about the wasted fishing time playing hot potato all day. Then multiply that out for the course of the season. Its way easier to learn how to simply drop your hand and reel. Old timers struggle because baitcasters just were not made with a left hand crank back then. 

If you want a challenge of awkward try switching from shooting a compound bow from right to left handed then bow hunting. Deer comes in you reach for the bow out of the hanger with the wrong hand. Then try to connect the release to the loop and just can't find it. Finally hook up then try to draw. Then get the bow back and have to force yourself to keep both eyes open. Pick a spot on the deer while thinking about bending at the waist while pulling through the shot. Makes the thought of just dropping your off hand to reel seam pretty easy now don't it?


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## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

Whaler said:


> To me it is ridiculous to cast with the right hand and switch hands and crank with the right hand especially if the right hand is the dominant hand.


Why is it ridiculous? Years ago you didn't have a choice. All the baitcasters and spin casters were right hand retrieve. Ever seen a Zebco33 with left hand retrieve? It's something everyone grew up with and its second nature to me now. It's never caused me to miss a hit while fishing. I did however buy the Shimano Castaic for pitching and flipping because you can engage the spool with your right thumb before switching hands, in case you get an immediate strike, you can set the hook.


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## grub_man (Feb 28, 2005)

-C-IMP said:


> Power Hand Baitcasting (book) by Richard Forhan
> Is a good read on the subject. Got me to change.


I hope to come across a copy of Rich's book someday. The bits of info I've learned about him and his rod building techniques have had a huge impact on the way I approach rod building.

I've always been weird in that I throw a ball with my right hand but cast and write left handed. I'm glad that reversible handles on spinning reels were standard by the time I started fishing. The rod is always in my left hand which is best with fine motor skills, and I reel with the right. In addition, I've always been a two-handed caster allowing the right hand to load the rod, unless I'm pitching lures under-hand.

I would hate to learn to reel with my left hand. The muscle memory is tough to overcome. Anytime I pick up someone else's spinning rod, I feel completely out of place. It would be a tough adjustment, and I praise righties who have had the patience to switch.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

polebender said:


> Why is it ridiculous? Years ago you didn't have a choice. All the baitcasters and spin casters were right hand retrieve. Ever seen a Zebco33 with left hand retrieve? It's something everyone grew up with and its second nature to me now. It's never caused me to miss a hit while fishing. I did however buy the Shimano Castaic for pitching and flipping because you can engage the spool with your right thumb before switching hands, in case you get an immediate strike, you can set the hook.


Polebender, I couldn't agree more about the Shimano Castaic reel. I have 5 of them. IMO to date, there has never been a better reel made for flipping and pitching.


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## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

Bassbeme, wanna start this up again? LOL

I was either lucky or unlucky as all my rods and reels growing up were set up to cast with the right hand and reel with the left. However, I never used a baitcaster, hated them actually, until I forced myself to use one several years back. 

Now I use baitcasters 99% of the time. I also use Lefty's. I cannot buy some reels because they don't come in a LH model, but it hasn't really hurt me any. I have re ently had the need to use a right handed baitcaster. Awkward? Yes. I believe I looked like a 6yo girl shot putting a bowling ball when I was casting. I'm stuck with lefty's I guess.....


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## Flannel_Carp (Apr 7, 2014)

I cast a spinning setup with with my right hand and reel with my left, but I cast a casting setup with my right hand and then switch it to my left hand to reel with my right!


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## ReconRat (Mar 21, 2015)

I chose to try a right hand bait caster first. I'm left handed but ambidextrous and couldn't go along with switching hands. I can crank with the off hand ok. Aim and distance seem to be better with the dominant hand, of course.


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## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

Bassbme said:


> Polebender, I couldn't agree more about the Shimano Castaic reel. I have 5 of them. IMO to date, there has never been a better reel made for flipping and pitching.


I agree 100% on the Castaic!


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Since most of my fishing is for bass using baitcasters, it's right, right.


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## EcoAngler (Mar 31, 2011)

I grew up the same way with the push button spincast. Moved to spinning for years. Added bait casting and now cast with the right and reel bait casting with the left. Got my hand trained like I'm using spinning, cast with right, reel with left. That's how I do it.


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## hatteras1 (Jan 18, 2011)

I've changed over to left hand retrieve on everything i own. I picture myself doing the Gilligan hookset and the rod flys out of my hand and over my head...I always hated changing hands.


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