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[therise]

My entire life I have always used a bait casting reel and have used a right hand retrieve (I am right handed). I thought it would be the same for the pin, but after a couple of outings, it feels like it should be otherwise. I control my rod with my right hand. For you who have fished with both reel styles, am I crazy?  Should I spool it the opposite way or is this just part of the learning curve?

Thanks for the advice.

[DionJL]

Do what ever feels natural. I'm right handed, so I cast and battle fish with my right hand and reel with my left on baitcasting, spinning, fly, sturgeon, etc. However, with my centerpins I am reverse (cast left, reel right).

[BNF861]

I am right handed and prefer to cast and control the rod with my right hand, reel with my left. I do this for all types of reels.

I do have a couple friends though that reel with their right when using a levelwind but reel with their left when using a centerpin. What centerpin do you have? Some can be used either way, just depends how the line is spooled. If you don't have any fishing partners that have a left handed cpin that you could try, you could always try respooling the opposite direction if you can, and give it a whirl.

[HOOK]

here is my break down, im a right handed person but can do alot of things left handed as well.


levelwind and center pin - cast with left, reel with right
spin caster - cast right, reel left
single hand fly rod - cast right, reel left
spey rod - cast two handed but off right shoulder, reel left. I can cast off my left if i switch my hands but not as easily. still learning how to cast Kackhanded   

my dad does everything with his right and reels with his left.

[Bently]

Maybe it's just me, but if your right handed, you should hold the rod in your right hand, and reel with your left. I see guys that cast with their right hand with a fly for example, but when it comes time to reel time , they have to switch the rod over to their left hand, as the reel they have is done on the right. I don't see the point of having to switch any rod into the other hand at all, it doesn't make sense. The hand you cast the rod with should never change, it's a move that isn't necessary to me anyways.  my 0.02 worth

[BNF861]

Yes, I see the arm switch a lot, especially a lot of people when using level winds. Doesn't make sence to me. 

[lapa]

Yes, I see the arm switch a lot, especially a lot of people when using level winds. Doesn't make sence to me. 

I'm doing this too as almost all my friends.

[therise]

I am very surprised at the different responses. I guess there is no clear cut answer. I too am guilty of the "arm switch". Common sense would dictate that if you control the rod with the right, you should reel with the left and vice-versa. Ultimately, if I could work up a good muscle memory to reeling with my left, that would be ideal as I would not have a need for the "arm switch". Would this make me a better fisherman overall? Who knows....

[bbronswyk2000]

I do the arm switch, always have. Doesnt seem to bother me. Whats the big deal? I find it awkward to reel with my left hand. I am right handed but play most sports left handed. I hold my hockey stick left handed, I swing a bat left handed.

It is what it is.........

[Fish Assassin]

No such thing as the "correct" way. Go with what you feel most comfortable with.

[Brian]

I am very surprised at the different responses. I guess there is no clear cut answer. I too am guilty of the "arm switch". Common sense would dictate that if you control the rod with the right, you should reel with the left and vice-versa. Ultimately, if I could work up a good muscle memory to reeling with my left, that would be ideal as I would not have a need for the "arm switch". Would this make me a better fisherman overall? Who knows....

When I started flyfishing, I found it easier to NOT switch hands.  I'm right handed, reel with the left when flycasting. Flyfishing is a two handed affair where each hand does different jobs.  I spoze you could switch hands for reeling, but IMO that's just a waste of motion when there's a BIG fish on.

My spincaster is left retrieve.  The baitcaster is right retrieve.  I can retrieve either hand with these types of reels, but this is my preference.

My pin rod is set up with right hand retrieve.  I cast with the left hand, then fish with the left, spool with the right.  On my islander reel, it's not possible to cast with the right hand, because my pinkie has to control the spool when casting & drifting.  Again, a two-handed affair, and you'll have to find which hand does each job best.

I think my 'pin preference is from using mooching reels, which are mostly set up with right hand retrieve.  I've played with my friends pin rods before, and it only takes a few casts to get the knack down for casting and retrieving with the other hand.

[work2fish]

I'm right handed as well, and prefer to reel left, though if the rod is a already setup on the right I will reel it that way (esp. when on someone else's boat, or when fishing with people that reel right and might hand the rod off to them.) I just cast right then switch to reel.

I find it's easier to use my dominant hand to control the rod, hook set, casting etc. and never been a fan of switching hands back and forth for casting. I've noticed a lot of people from eastern canada that are right handed tend to reel left as well, and only noticed this many people that are right handed reeling right on the west coast.

My father in-law is a lefty and was the opposite, he would reel left after casting with his left hand, so when I started him off bait casting, I got him to cast with his left hand as that always felt the best and reel right.  He found it felt more natural that the old switching method and is thinking of switching over his other rods the same way.

Personally I'd recommend casting with whatever hand is your dominant hand, and learning to reel with your opposite.  You won't be wasting time switching hands and fumbling with the rod when you might have a potential bite.  With the centerpin I use my right hand to cast and my pinkie and ring fingers as the drag (on an islander- not sure how that's not possible for others?) With the amount of control you need to cast a cp properly it would be like learning to write with my left hand.

Lots of great fishermen out there that do the switch, for some it's just "what they do".