Which Side To Have Reel Handle ?

[stylo]

Hi guys, which side do you guys have your rod handle ?

I am right handed, but I can't seem to find a side that I prefer to reel in with ... I am sure that if you are right handed, it does not necessarily mean handle on right side .. ?

What are the factors that decide which side the reel handle is on ?

comfort ?

right/left handed ?

I feel that I prefer to have it on the left because after casting with me right hand on the rod, I can reel it in with my left hand and go from there ... with my right hand kept on the rod and finger on line .. or am I talking rubbish ?

[Guest IFishSick.]

It comes to your preference. But I do notice that the vast majority of fisherman on TV use their left hand to reel with because they know the right hand on the rod is best.

So i'm sure there is a good reason for using the right hand to hold the rod with.

[Luringbream]

I'm right handed and cast with my right then i swap and put rod in left and reel with my right.

To me it comes down to comfort..

Some claim that if your right handed then you should hold the rod and cast with your right hand and then use your left hand for turning the reel so you can quickly close the bail arm, to keep slack to a minimal or in scenarios such as tournament fishing where you may get instant hookups the moment the lure touches the water where you need to be as quick as possible close the bail arm and set the hook.

You may be able to steer the fish better if you hold the rod in your preferred hand but i like to steer the fish with my other/left so i have my right/preffered hand for turning the reel and keep it free if any problems arise(such as forgetting to have a landing net!!!) so i can grab the fish with my right/preffered hand. (i'd have bucklys trying to stick my left hand in a kingies gills at boat side)

Then again if you can, practice on both, it makes everything a whole lot easier. A good way to practice is on salmon when they are in a feeding frenzy. Get the lightest rod possible with the lightest line and the lightest jig and once you've hookd up to a salmon youll be forced to take the fish slow and youll have him on for a long time. In this time experiment with one hand and use it the whole way until the fish is landed then swap the reel handle for the next fish. And so on, after 10 or so fish you should start to be confident using either hand.

Hope it helps..(and makes sense)

DAN

[Guest johblow]

Hmmm interesting... im right handed, but i hold the rod in my left hand and reel with my right. But i cast with my right hand normally, and then swap. I can cast with both though. Beach fishing i hold the rod in both hands during casting, but get the power from the push of my right arm.

Not sure why, it just feels comfortable for me. Its handy that i feel more comfortable holding a landing net in my right hand :-) though i havnt troubled the landing net for a while now...!

So id just do what feels comfortable :-)

[Penguin]

Im right handed and hold the rod in my right hand

and wind with the left.

penguin

[Davemmm]

When I fish with lures I have the handle in the left hand and when I fish with bait I have the handle on the right.

This came about through accident and I find it normal now. More so now I am using these fancy sp's more often.

[kenmare]

Hi guys,

I can wind the reel with either hand. Does that make me ambidextrous? Actually, I'm right handed for most purpose.

So which side I have my reel handle on, and which hand I wind with, depends entirely on the outfit I'm using at the time.

For one-handed rods (light spin rods) I always hold the rod in my right hand (my strongest), use a reel with the handle on the left side, and wind with my left hand. I find this way I don't have to keep switching the rod from hand-to-hand, after casting and retrieving line, before I can make another cast. I also wind my fly reels with my left hand.

But when I use heavier two-handed outfits (for beach, rock and luderick fishing), I hold the rod in my left hand, use a reel with the handle on the right side, and wind with my right hand. As I have to move my hands around on the rod before and after making the cast anyway, I find there is no advantage doing it any other way. Plus, when fishing with heavy lures and rigs, and fighting solid fish from the rocks and the beaches on heavy tackle, it's easier to wind with your strongest hand.

Make sense?

Regards,

Bob

[stylo]

All your responses make good sense ! I think I will have it on my left for now as it is only a light spinning outfit, and I believe I have better feel with my right.

Will experiment with it by transferring the handle to the right right occasionally and see what difference if any it makes to my fishing.

EDIT

found this --> http://www.fishraider.com.au/Invision/inde...l=overhead+reel

Edited January 4, 2007 by stylo