I�m sure this has been gone over many times but was wondering. Why do the majority of people, including my right-handed self, use left handed retrieve on spinning and right handed retrieve on baitcasting reels? Seems like a left handed retrieve on baitcasting would be more intuitive but I�ve never even held one in my hands. Is it just tradition and �that�s the way it�s always done� or is there s legitimate reason? Just curious...

There have been some long posts about it. One over on Tackletour.com has an ongoing poll with results from what hands people use for each type of equipment.

I believe the common sentiment expressed is that some popular early spincast reels were almost always right handed reels, like Zebco reels many of us began on, then some of the older more expensive models, too, from way back.

I am a lefty, and many of us are a bit ambidextrous and I feel so happy that I cast both rods, spinning and bait caster rods, with my left dominant hand/arm, then reel with my off hand. I'm like you: I don't get the swapping of hands.

Brad

I would surmise most fishermen listen to pro fishermen who tell themselves, and anyone who will listen, that no matter left or right-handed, a fisherman should cast with one hand and retrieve with the other simply for speed.

Although that seems true, I still cast and retrieve right-handed.
I can't imagine I'm missing that many fish because I'm slowing myself down.

As to why men swap the process from spinning to baitcaster, I'm not sure. I think they simply train the weak hand and arm to get better.

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I use left handed retried on both spinning and baitcast reels. My right hand is much more coordinated for casting and stronger for setting the hook. It just feels natural to me to use left handed retrieve. Now I'm not sure why others only use left handed retrieve only on spinning reels. My wife uses my spinning reel and likes the left handed retrieve.

I am right handed..but I naturally want to reel left handed..Started to go the Lefty route then figured out real quick that some of my favorite reels are hard to find in lefty and some rods go on sale and you guessed it..Righty only! So I just stayed with the right handed models. More selection.

I switched to left handed baitcasters about 5 years ago. It took a little while to get used
to it but now using a right handed baitcaster is as weird as the left was back in the day.

Seems stupid now that I used right handed winding baitcasters at all. But that was the tradition that was handed down to me.

BTW I'm right handed... I cast with my right hand ...

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I am left handed, and use reels with handles only on the right. I don't like switching hands. I cat with the left and reel with the right.

Ditto. fished with a guide in Cocca Fl a few years ago. had my SIL and GS with me ( all 3 left handed and reel right handed)the guide had all his egg beaters rigged to reel left handed. we asked him if we could switch em to reel right side and he couldn't believe we were all lefties. said that was the first time it ever happened to him. we switched em all over.

Sure to our personal choices, that we sort of go with the flow.

If it hasn't been mentioned, "technically," one should hold a spinning rod (whatever hand you use) with fingers split (one or two forward of the reel arm) and that hand should never move. For most shorter and medium distance casts, you don't need to use your off hand to assist in casting, but if you want to make a long cast, you'd hold down near the butt end of the rod and pull it toward you as you snap your top hand forward. The bail is opened and closed with the reeling hand. If you want to feather the line to control distance, you can either press your index finger against the line as it comes off or bring your reeling hand forward to do the same.

I see lots of anglers drop their hands down to below the reel arm, make a cast, them move back up and split the fingers and get a grip with either the casting hand or the off-hand. Some of them do really good with that but for shorter casting targets, you generally want to make a cast and be ready to close the bail in a matter of split seconds.

Here is an old video of an angler and the video title says "good technique." It works but it isn't good technique as you will note that the angler is using a right handed reel set up, but he drops his right hand on the rod to make his casts, then reshuffles his hands to hold it in his left . . . and to reel right handed, too.

Brad

It works, but it isn't optimal: casting with spinning tackle.

I�m right handed, cast right handed, and absolutely hate spinning reels. I bought a left handed baitcast reel several months ago (because it was soooo cheap) and will force myself into liking it. One rod all day, so we will see!

I switched.

I had rh retrieve casting like everyone and now that Im 46 and have had multiple hand and arm surgeries I switched to left hand retrieve to save myself some motions switching hands.

It was easy to switch, Im glad I did it has to save me hundreds of motions a day while fishing.

I grew up using right hand retrieve casting reels with crank baits and left hand retrieve for worms and jigs. That's what my dad did and he was my hero for fishing. Love it and I would fish all left handed if I didn't already have some right handed reels. I'm considering getting another left handed reel for jerkbaits.

I'm right handed. Cast with the left hand, reel with the right. I'm one of the lucky guys that doesn't have to switch!

Believe it or not, I actually thought for a long time that the way I casted/reeled was the normal thing.. One time I took a friend of mine fishing, and I noticed him cast with his right, switch the rod to his left, then start reeling. I was dogging him all day (in a joking matter) making fun on how he did his deal. Then, comes to find out, that's actually how most people cast/reel!

But anyway, as far as spinning, I'm the same way. I have to have a right handed spin reel as well as right handed bait caster

I'm right handed. Cast with the left hand, reel with the right. I'm one of the lucky guys that doesn't have to switch!

Believe it or not, I actually thought for a long time that the way I casted/reeled was the normal thing.. One time I took a friend of mine fishing, and I noticed him cast with his right, switch the rod to his left, then start reeling. I was dogging him all day (in a joking matter) making fun on how he did his deal. Then, comes to find out, that's actually how most people cast/reel!

But anyway, as far as spinning, I'm the same way. I have to have a right handed spin reel as well as right handed bait caster

I exclusively fished spinning reels, backwards, for years. I would cast right handed, switch hands, and reel with my right hand.

A devastating shoulder injury changed all that. For months my left arm was useless for anything but reeling. I had to keep the pole in my right hand at all times.

Now that I'm all healed up, I can't switch back. I'm even using a left hand baitcaster.