# Which hand do you reel with?



## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

I always get comments when I ask about switching my reels over to right hand retrieve. I grew up fishing a lot of bait casting reels so it seems completely normal to me.

Obviously there is no right or wrong answer here, but curious to see what everyone else does.


----------



## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

I'm right-handed but reel with my left because I learned that you should primarily fight the fish with your dominant arm. I've contemplated switching to reel with my right but haven't done it.


----------



## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

I am right handed and naturally cast better with my right and reel with my left. My dad got injured years ago and would get really sore if he used only one arm to cast all day, so he learned to use his other arm half the time. Both my brother and I learned to cast baitcasters with both arms also. I have both right hand and left hand retrieve baitcaster reels as a result. I don't think it gives me any real advantage, but if I were to get injured, I can roll with it. It was surprisingly easy to learn; you just have a good arm and a stupid arm for awhile.

Nate


----------



## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

I'm right handed so everything is just a bit more coordinated on that side. Biggest problem reeling left handed for me is when I have to reel in when a fish is running at me. At that point I'm not able to reel quick enough with my left hand.

I was looking at reels and that led to my question. All of the tibors and I believe abel's as well are shipped from the factory right handed unless specified otherwise.


----------



## rjackh90 (Jun 4, 2012)

Right handed. I can't cast or fight a fish with my left, so I reel left handed. Makes no sense to me to cast with one hand then switch the rod to the other hand to work the fly, reel, fight fish, etc.


----------



## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

rjackh90 said:


> Right handed. I can't cast or fight a fish with my left, so I reel left handed. Makes no sense to me to cast with one hand then switch the rod to the other hand to work the fly, reel, fight fish, etc.


I've seen a lot of guys cast with their right, keep the rod in their right while stripping with the left, and when they get bit they clear the line and switch hands once the fish is on the reel.


----------



## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Finn Maccumhail said:


> I've seen a lot of guys cast with their right, keep the rod in their right while stripping with the left, and when they get bit they clear the line and switch hands once the fish is on the reel.


That is exactly what I do.


----------



## backbone (Jan 4, 2016)

Finn Maccumhail said:


> I've seen a lot of guys cast with their right, keep the rod in their right while stripping with the left, and when they get bit they clear the line and switch hands once the fish is on the reel.


This is what works for me. 
I can reel much faster with my dominant (right) hand. 
And another thing is that my left arm is fresh to fight the fish.


----------



## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Like many that began fly stuff years and years ago.... I was taught to wind with my dominant hand (I'm right handed so that's my.... right hand). In recent years, though, I've had so many anglers show up that wind with their weak hand that I've undertaken to double my reels so that every rod (from a 7wt up to a 12wt) now has two reels -one left handed, and one right handed all loaded with backing and lines so that I can swap to whatever my angler needs.... I still have two reels to go to have the project completed.


----------



## WillW (Dec 6, 2012)

Right handed person but retrieve left hand in fly & gear


----------



## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

Funny thing is that on the rare occasions I chunk gear anymore I cast with my right and then switch the rod to my left to reel with my right and work the lure with the rod in my left hand. Feels really funky otherwise. 

But I've tried holding the fly rod in my left and stripping with my right and it just feels wrong.


----------



## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

I'm right-handed; I was weaned on gear so it feels natural to cast with right, retrieve with left and wind with left. I do have 2 RH retrieve reels and they feel awkward. I don't have any large arbor reels, so I can strip retrieve faster than I can wind as the need arises. And finally, I have limited use of my right shoulder from a motorcycle accident, so it all works out for the better now.

This discussion has come up before; I think most purists will say to wind with you dominant hand...


----------



## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

As I think about it adjusting the drag while fighting a fish seems a lot easier when reeling right handed. Glad to hear I'm not the only wierd one here lol. 

I cast right handed, strip with the left, set the hook with the left hand strip, rod in right hand still and only transition the rod when the reel becomes involved. If the fish never makes it to the reel the rod still stays in my right hand.


----------



## jonrconner (May 20, 2015)

Reeling with the dominant hand was standard procedure until relatively recently, so, like Bob LeMay and others, it's how I've done it since my first fly rod was given to me, set up that way, when I was 12.
JC


----------



## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

I've tried both - I can reel just as fast with my left as I can my right, which is my dominant hand. Don't know if this has anything to do with it, but I've played guitar since I was 13. Maybe that coordination helps. I'd rather use the finesse with my dominant hand and arm to fight the fish.

But hey, whatever works! I might try a trip for reds this year reeling with my left and see how it goes. If I lose a fish because of it, it will be a short lived experiment.


----------



## westsidefly (Aug 15, 2014)

LH retrieve. Like a lot of anglers, I started with spin gear so it felt natural when I made the switch.


----------



## RunningOnEmpty (Jun 20, 2015)

I cast with my right and use my left for everything else. I also strip retrieve most of my fish because it's fast and I like a full contact fight.


----------



## 321nole (Jan 11, 2016)

LH retrieve on all my setups (spin, baitcaster, fly) though I am right hand dominant..I have actually started fooling around with casting my 5wt fly rod in my left hand just to see if I could do it


----------



## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

Lefty checking in. Cast left handed, reel right handed. I can cast with either hand but it feels weird to try and reel with my left hand.


----------



## jsnipes (May 1, 2011)

Left handed, cast left and reel with my right. I grew up fishing offshore a lot so cranking big conventional reels with my right hand was standard and reeling right feels more comfortable (although I can reel left hand retrieve just fine).

One interesting argument I have heard for switching is with big game (tarpon +) and falls into "one of those good problems to have" -- where you want to switch so you aren't wearing out your casting arm fighting the fish. But, ya happy to have that problem to deal with any day...


----------



## NoeSmyrnaBch (Aug 19, 2013)

I had never even imagined a right handed angler would reel with their right hand until out on a guide buddy's boat. He's right handed but I noticed he was using his right hand to reel. Asked and he said what many here have said....he was told by the person that taught him that its better to reel with the dominant hand since you can wind faster if a fish is coming at you.

Personally, i fished spin gear like a lot of others, so reeling with the right would result in a lot of missed fish for me at this point. I'm a cast right, strip left, reel left, fight right kinda guy myself.


----------



## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

As a kid first thing I would do with new spinning reels was switch them to right hand. Cast right, reel right on spinning gear.


----------



## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

Right hand caster, left hand reel. As already said you use what works for you. But I have never understood the "logic" of the side that says reel with your dominant hand. Perhaps a person can reel faster with their dominant hand which could help in not loosing a fish that runs right at you. But at the same time you would also end up fighting the fish with your "weak" arm. To me that is back ass wards.

Reality of this is that it probably depends more on the fish you are targeting. Short fight (redfish, trout) then perhaps reeling with your dominant hand may be a slight advantage, Longer fight (tarpon, jacks, cobia) then fighting the fish with your stronger arm probably is an advantage.


----------



## pt448 (Mar 22, 2014)

I always reel with my left hand because I don't like switching hands to reel. I cast with my right, reel with my left. I make sure to get left handed versions of baitcasters and fly reels. Spinning reels usually come lefty, but are also easily adjustable. I've got a buddy who's a righty and when we fish on his boat I only bring one or two rods because he keeps a ton on his boat. He got a little annoyed with me cuz I switch some of his spinning reels on the water and then he's gotta switch em back. 
I just don't understand casting and reeling with the same hand. I want the rod in my right hand the whole time.


----------



## Ron_D (May 5, 2013)

el9surf said:


> I always get comments when I ask about switching my reels over to right hand retrieve. I grew up fishing a lot of bait casting reels so it seems completely normal to me.
> 
> Obviously there is no right or wrong answer here, but curious to see what everyone else does.


Reeling with your dominant hand was common for saltwater before the large arbor reel was introduced. I reel with my right(dominant hand) and switch the rod to my left when I get an eat and the line clears. I was taught that way by the saltwater old timers over 20 years ago and it is second nature. I would rather have more dexterity on the reel end of things. I also started before LA reels came about. Try both and do what works for you, there is no "right" answer.


----------



## TheFrequentFlier (Feb 17, 2016)

The idea of casting with your right hand / with a right hand retrieve fly reel comes from the following: after a long day of casting with your right hand, for bonefish for example, you don't necessarily want to fight the fish with the same hand you've been casting with for the past 3 hours. I guess the dexterity thing can be an issue for folks. The other thing I've noticed is it's a bit easier to clear the fly line after a strike. I.e. since I've been stripping with my left hand, most fly line is still on the left side of my body; the knob for the reel is on the opposite side, so I have noticed it's less prone to getting a snag or catching a loop. 

I cast with my right, strip with my left hand, and then when I fish hits I set/clear line with my left. Once the fish is on the reel/drag I swap the rod over to my left hand. 

That said, I still have a few reels that are left hand retrieve, and fish them accordingly.


----------



## kenb (Aug 21, 2015)

el9surf said:


> I always get comments when I ask about switching my reels over to right hand retrieve. I grew up fishing a lot of bait casting reels so it seems completely normal to me.
> 
> Obviously there is no right or wrong answer here, but curious to see what everyone else does.


I grew up in NJ, righty, fished the sweetwaters, Pequest down to the Manasquan from age 10 with a Mitchell 300 and 308...in the Monmouth and Ocean County surf with a 302.Guess I 
Just got so used to that setup, working the rods with my right arm and cranking with the left, just felt good.
I still reel with my left. Only exceptions are when using offshore conventional or using a buddy's fly tackle ( he reels with right).


----------



## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

There was a time that I would have agreed with most all of the reasoning behind why right handers would reel with there left hand, and I don't recall seeing my my favorite of not having the reel handle poke you in the ribs when you put the rod under your arm to strip hand-over-hand.

But now that I've had the painful pleasure of pulling on some larger tarpon with a 12 wt fly rod all those reasons are nothing when compared to how more important it is to PULL HARD in order to win the fight without losing to leader abrasion or the sharks.


----------



## backbone (Jan 4, 2016)

If your only using your arms to fight a large fish, your doing it wrong.
Lower body is way more important with Tarpon.
Cast a 12wt all day with your dominant arm and then test the strength of it verses your non-dominant arm in an half hour struggle. 
I bet you would be surprised of the outcome.


----------



## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

backbone said:


> If your only using your arms to fight a large fish, your doing it wrong.
> Lower body is way more important with Tarpon.
> Cast a 12wt all day with your dominant arm and then test the strength of it verses your non-dominant arm in an half hour struggle.
> I bet you would be surprised of the outcome.


That might be true but "cast a 12 wt all day" is really how many casts???? I doubt I have ever made enough casts in a day tarpon fishing where casting fatigue was any factor at all.


----------



## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

I don't know about you guys but I pull on big fish with both arms. I don't feel like I'm at a disadvantage having my non dominant (left) hand on the rod at all times. I will take my right hand off the reel and partially overlap it on my left hand, pull, and then quickly move my right hand back to the reel when needed.


----------



## backbone (Jan 4, 2016)

el9surf said:


> I don't know about you guys but I pull on big fish with both arms. I don't feel like I'm at a disadvantage having my non dominant (left) hand on the rod at all times. I will take my right hand off the reel and partially overlap it on my left hand, pull and then quickly reel.



Yep


----------



## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

WillW said:


> Right handed person but retrieve left hand in fly & gear


This. Never understood if you were fighting a big fish why one would want to make the weaker arm and hand do all or most of the lifting.

If you entered an arm wrestling contest would you wrestle with your non-dominant hand? No.

I'm right, everyone else is wrong. Carry on.


----------



## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

If you reel with your non-dominant hand, is that kind of like "a stranger" ?


----------



## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

Whiskey Angler said:


> If you reel with your non-dominant hand, is that kind of like "a stranger" ?


Exactly


----------



## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Both of my arms were tired Sunday after pushing skiffs and fighting redfish. Left handed and right handed. 8 wts and 6 wts. It is much easier to fight the fish with the 8 wt. First decent sight casting Texas weather day in four weeks.


----------



## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

sjrobin said:


> Both of my arms were tired Sunday after pushing skiffs and fighting redfish. Left handed and right handed. 8wts and 6 wts. It is much easier to fight the fish with the 8 wt.


If you are looking for sympathy, SJ, you will get none from me! Glad you wore 'em out...or they wore you out!


----------



## MSAdmin (Jan 29, 2016)

I'm a leftie who reels right handed. That's how I was taught. I cast left handed.


----------



## Snooknut (Jan 22, 2013)

I'm right handed but, I reel with my left. I even buy my casting reels left handed if available. When I would fish offshore I would put the rod under my right arm and reel with my right hand Always had a hard time holding the rod with my left.


----------



## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I am left handed and cast with my left and reel with my right. All my fly reels wind on the right as all my other reels spin or bait cast


----------



## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

Two of my reels (Nautilus XM 6/9 & Nautilus NV G5) are right hand retrieve. In that case, I cast with my right arm, strip with my left, once I set the hook, I switch over and reel with my right, go back and forth from hand to hand if needed as I am much more comfortable for fighting a fish with the rod in my stronger more dominant arm. The rest of my reels (about 7 others) are all left hand retrieve and I just cast right, strip and wind with left hand. I can tell you this, I wind much faster with my left hand than I do my right hand. I have a much more rhythmic circular wind using my left hand than my right. 

I used to play drums growing up, so I am used to using all my limbs for different tasks simultaneously. And when I started painting big boats, the spray gun would get heavy with all the paint in it that I would swap from hand to hand and never thought much about it. Until one day I had a few painters at the shop look at me weird for doing so, as apparently it's not common for painters to be able to paint good using either hand. 

I did find it strange when I used to bass fish with a bait caster. Cast right, jig right, switch up to reel with my right hand, got really annoying. Spinning setups were much more comfortable with the handle on the left side.


----------



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

It doesn't matter much with inshore fish but long runners like tarpon, bonefish, tarpon and 10wt fish, reeling with your dominate hand is key to dexterity for applying more spool pressure, letting go of it quickly without getting your knuckles getting busted up by the handle, reeling fast and longer and overall reeling endurance. I'm right handed, so that means I reel with my right hand with those rods I use for the brutes and speed runners. Stu Apte taught me personally that many many moons ago.

Ted Haas


----------

