Cast right-handed? Psst...You can use right hand retrieve It's OK

For fly gear, I don’t think it makes a bit of difference. I reel left, because it is what my dad did, and now I have a chronic shoulder condition, so I couldn’t switch even if I wanted to.

The only place I think it actually is important is jigging with conventional gear. Everyone chooses to jig with the rod in their dominant hand, so if you don’t have the reel set up to reel with the non-dominant hand, you can’t instantly start reeling when a fish hits. That will certainly lose fish, especially in puget sound barbless hook land.
 
I am 100% in agreement that you should do what works for you…there is no “right way”…as long as you don’t use your spinning reel upside down and therefore reel backwards😂.

I am right handed but I do all sorts of weird things. Fly rods I mostly use my left hand to control line or reel. Bait casters I will switch hands after the cast. I don’t switch hand on a spinning rod/reel. I don’t have a great reason other than it feels right.
 
I was speaking with a Burkheimer employee on the phone about my reel and he gave me a kind tongue lashing for wanting a LH retrieve on my two hander because that was my setup on my single handers. Apparently, the reel I chose (new Hardy Perfect) could supposedly come apart if a huge fish were to grab it. How huge are we talking? Idk, but I listened to him FWIW and now I use RH retrieve on my two handers I guess.
 
If you are speed jigging for massive Dogtooth Tuna, then having your dominant hand on the reel might matter. Otherwise it is totally arbitrary. We have the ability to train our muscle coordination to use either hand for any activity. Right hand casters use the left hand for double hauling, stripping the line, and hook sets. So why not use the left hand for the simple task of reeling? The bigger question is why don't we all train ourselves to cast with our non-dominant hand? Casting in the wind would be so much better if you are an ambidextrous caster.
 
clarkman said:
I grew up with spinning reels and then fly reels reeling left and casting with my right hand....so that's the right way to do it. Ain't no one gonna change my mind.
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Bingo!!! I'll bet that's behind most (if not all) of us that cast R and reel L. No????
 
I cast with my dominant hand. Power, accuracy, finesse etc that is not possible with my non dominate hand. I hold the rod in my dominate hand while retrieving because of the dexterity when using the rod tip to enact "motion" on the fly or lure. I prefer to have the rod in my dominate hand when fighting a fish, especially large, powerful ones. I have always strived to perfect "economy of motion" when fishing and, IMHO, switching hands may be an unfavorable habit for some anglers.
 
Cast right, reel left

Most of the time

Everyone likes 'the stranger' once and a while

😁
 
jeradjames said:
I was speaking with a Burkheimer employee on the phone about my reel and he gave me a kind tongue lashing for wanting a LH retrieve on my two hander because that was my setup on my single handers. Apparently, the reel I chose (new Hardy Perfect) could supposedly come apart if a huge fish were to grab it. How huge are we talking? Idk, but I listened to him FWIW and now I use RH retrieve on my two handers I guess.
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That seems jacked up to me. I seriously would've laughed out loud at that.

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It would've gone something like "You mean I'm gonna pay $900 for a Hardy reel that can be setup LH retrieve, but it might come apart on a huge fish? Does Hardy know this?" :ROFLMAO:
 
_WW_ said:
My dad told me to wind the reel with the same hand as I hold my pecker with...and not to mix the two up.
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And there it is! I've been waiting for this comment!
I heard it around the campfire when I was 14. My buddies step-dad took us camping and fishing on the Deschutes with a bunch of Portland Fly Club dry fly snobs. That was about the only "wisdom" I heard all weekend. :ROFLMAO:
 
DimeBrite said:
If you are speed jigging for massive Dogtooth Tuna, then having your dominant hand on the reel might matter. Otherwise it is totally arbitrary. We have the ability to train our muscle coordination to use either hand for any activity. Right hand casters use the left hand for double hauling, stripping the line, and hook sets. So why not use the left hand for the simple task of reeling? The bigger question is why don't we all train ourselves to cast with our non-dominant hand? Casting in the wind would be so much better if you are an ambidextrous caster.
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This summer I have spent a decent amount of time casting with my left hand. I doubt I’ll ever be as comfortable with my left as my right but being so-so has already paid off in a tight spot where the left hand had a better angle.
 
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