Left Or Right Hand-Please Explain!

[spaners]

Evening all.

Look,im right handed.My right arm,wrist and hand is the strongest ?,so thats the hand that holds the rod,fights the fish and does all the hard work.The left hand is for turning the handle only.So why do most people who are right handed fight a fish with the rod in the left hand.I tried to fish that way the other day and it was a right pain[cast-change hands-wind-changehands-cast-change hands-wind-strike-fight fish-change hands] you get the picture.

So can somebody 'Please explain' why the majority of people do it left handed.

Regards Stuart.

[Hodgey]

You've described me to a tee, but I don't find it a pain at all

For me it's all about dexterity ... I simply don't have any in my left hand. It's hardly an inconvenience; cast with right arm, transfer rod to left hand while lure is in flight, click bail arm over and fight with left hand. If I am fishing by myself, it is much easier to hold a rod in my left hand and net it with my natural right hand. (again, it is dexterity that is required, not strength). At the end of the day it's horses for courses. I don't get hung up on the 'right' way to do it, I just do what's right for me

Cheers

Hodgey

[johnv]

lol i agree with Hodgey ... but do all this with both hands

cheers john

[bluebottle18]

I catch more fish that way. (if I catch a fish)

Seriously I think we taught our selves bad habits when young and were not the wiser.

I also think our tutors did not want to complicate the matter.

After using an oyster bottle for a handline until I was 18 I taught myself. It felt more comfortable

A good question.

[Maiders]

I'm glad someone brought this up - its really been making me laugh that every fishing back to front here! Having said that everyone else will think that I am back to front now I guess?!?!?!

The handle on all egg beaters should be able to be switched over by unscrewing the pin that holds the handle on. So its easy to fish however you like... I don't think there is a wrong or right way, it is how your comfortable fishing. I find netting fishing easier with having the rod in my stronger arm for more rod control but guess its horses for courses really.

Edited October 19, 2010 by Maiders

[FiftyCal]

I have fished with the handle on the left since I was young. My friends give me crap for it, and ask me if its another thing I learned from the forums while they roll their eyes.

I prefer my strong arm on the rod for more control and because more strength lets me fish longer without getting as tired.

I still use an overhead with a right hand handle, so I have no problem winding with the right, but I prefer using lures and casting with my right arm on the rod.

[luvbigfish]

i agree with hodgey (horses for coarses) im right handed and feel more comfortable holding the rod in my left , ive tried swapping but it just felt unco to me !

cheers paul.

[Ray R]

Good topic mate, I myself use both, when I an casting and retrieving for flatties I use a left hand retrieve cause I twitch with right hand, but for rock spinning at a hundred miles an hour I use a right hand retrieve, I guess ya just use what is comfortable for each person..

[Alastair]

To a large extent, if you grew up in the era when principally overhead reels were used, like me, they only came in RH wind.

A