Parker brought up an interesting debate thats seems to plague all fishing circles:

Right versus Left handed retrieve!

Just for fun and sake of curiosity, lets generate some statistics (you know engineers love numbers?):

Which do you prefer, right or left?

I am a lefty all the way, I tried the right and found out that it was WRONG (at least for me anyway). My first baitcaster was a righty and the day I switched, my catch ratio improved immediately and dramatically!

I saw a guy this weekend with a spinning rod that could have the handle on either side and he was casting with one hand and switching hands to reel!

Thomas

You're gonna love this...
Baitcasters - right hand crank, I feel like a drunk monkey with a lefty in my hands.

Spinning/Fly reels - left hand crank - I have no good reason why.

I know, I know, my buddy Steve just shakes his head at me in disbelief....

Kev

I'm left handed.

Baitcasters - right hand crank. This allows me to hold the rod in my strong arm (left) at all times.

Spinning reels - Like Kev, I can't use a spinng rod in my left hand. Dunno why. Left hand crank for spinning reels.

Fly reels - right hand crank.

[ 04-03-2001: Message edited by: parker ]

I cast either handed and retrieve with either hand with a baitcaster, but with a spinning reel I can only reel with my left. go figure that one???

Your topic + moniker startled me for a sec MB. ... I am right handed, and while I can use a right hand casting reel, I strongly prefer the left hand crank. When I'm driftfishing or floatfishing from a driftboat or the bank I will have the rod in my right hand at all times, and it has slightly better co-ordination and quicker reflexes while allowing instant reel adjustments with the left hand. I also like the left crank when backtrolling or backbouncing because I have my left hand on the OB tiller. - RT

I can use either way, but I'm much more proficient left handed. I still have some of my old Abu's that are rightys, but I never use them. It's straight lefty on fly, bait, and spin for me.

I am ambidex.... two-handed, I throw with my right and bowl with my left, bat left or right, but have to cast with my right and reel with my left. (both spinning and bait casters)

Hope September comes soon......

Good luck

Doubletake

I am left handed. But, I retrieve w/the left side. But I bowl, bat, throw a ball, cast and such right handed. I tried throwing and batting left handed and looked like a leper in heat! Not a pretty sight

Lefty


I have tried and tried to hold my rod with my left hand and reel with my right, as I am a lefty but the feel of it is just way too goofy. I do manage to do okay reeling with my right hand when playing a fish, this is a must sometimes because all my freinds and every guide I have ever been with only uses right hand plugging reels.

When I am fishing the bugrod I do change hands though. My reels are set up for left hand retrieve but I cast with left and hold my rod with my left hand, so when I am playing a fish on the reel I must switch hands to my right to be able to reel.

[ 04-03-2001: Message edited by: RPetzold ]

Left hand retrieve on all my reels(fly, spin, bait cast) except for my large reels for sturgeon and halibut/lingcod which are right hand retrieve, cause it is hard to find left hand retrieve big reels.

I'm left-handed.

I like to hold my rod in my left hand... more sensitivity.

As a guide once told me, "Which hand would you use to take a splinter out of your daughter's eye? Then that's the one you should hold your rod in."

Still, when I spincast (rare), I still cast and retrieve with might right hand... must be left over from childhood.

-Norm.

I'm the same as Kev. And I'll cracker off any fish if I try using the opposite hand.

Ever see a guy reeling backwards on a spinning reel he's holding upside-down..........now THAT'S funny.

Fish on........

I'm right handed, but use only left hand retrieve reels. right hand retrieve just feels wrong.

Righty, Righty, Righty ... if I didn't need two hands for rowing and tying knots, I may have well been born w/o a left hand, it's basically useless anyhow ... I did learn to play hockey lefty though ... go figure?

All my casting reels are lefty's. You don''t lose time switching hands and you won't miss that bite while your changing hands. Bought a right hander to start with but traded it right away about 25 years ago.

Casting reel: Right handed, I cast with my right then swithch and hold the rod in my left. I just cant reel a left handed casting reel.

Spinning Reel: I reel with either side.

I am right handed but ever since I was a kid I taught myself to cast with the left hand and reel with my right hand. I always thought to myself when I was younger....what if a fish grabs my bait when I am changing hands to reel (after casting with the right hand)? I can't stand it when my buddies are constantly casting and changing hands. I do cast with my right hand and reel with my left when I am using a spinning reel though.

Left hand - Spinning Reel

Left Hand - Fly Reel

Right Hand - Baitcaster

I feel better now. Thought I was all horsed up because my mom is a full blooded coonass (cajun). Either some of you are form thesame bloodlines, or I'm not so wierd after all! Whoooooda Thunk it :p :p

I cast with my left and crank right, bait, spin, or fly.

Wow, some of you guys are really weird.

Baitcaster - Right
Spinning & Fly - Left
Baiting my HOOK - Right