I'm right handed and always cranked lefty with spinners so that my stronger right arm could handle the rod during a hookup and fight.

For revolvers, if there's a level wind I want the handle on the left and let the reel lay down the line, same as with a spinner.

If there's no level wind, it just feels best for me to lay down the line with the left hand and crank with the right.

There is no right or wrong for which side the crank is on, it only matters what feels best for .... you.

 

I'm not sure it will matter much for casting, unless you are trying to switch up your casting side too. I'm also right handed, and have always had casting reels, where I had to reel with my right, so that meant switching hands for fishing. I got used to doing that, so not a big deal, but this year I picked up some lefty casting reels.

I agree, it's different and again something I had to adjust to doing, but wasn't a big adjustment since I have all my spinning reels set up the same way. My biggest issue has been just thinking about it as I fish with multiple outfits sometimes, and I have to think about which one I'm picking up, right or left crank. At first, I still switched hands a few times and realized I had to switch back with the left hand crank. If you fish long enough, it gets habitual how you crank a reel and you don't even think about it, but change it and then you're breaking your own habits, and that's not always easily done.

I hate to admit this too, but most of my casting reels are the round ABU's with thumb release, (4600, 5600, 6600) but I have a few with the spool release on the frame (5500 & 6500). I trip up sometimes with them too. I haven't yet messed up to the point of doing damage, but have had to pick out a few backlashes because I wasn't paying attention to which reel I had on the rod I was casting.

 

I'm right handed and prefer left handed reel ...my Father bought me a open faced spinner at a very young age so when I went to a right handed baitcaster, I hated it. Then I read an article by a bass pro saying if you're rt handed and a left hand feels better, do it .... so I did and been doin it for 45 yrs .... its so nice that lt handed reels are so much easier to find now, it use to be tough ....

 

I am predominantly left handed …and cast lefty but use and prefer right handed reels both spinners and conventionals.

 

I am left handed but cast mostly right handed with casting rods and heavers.

I cast fly rods left handed with the rod in my left hand strip-haul with my right hand,

I am right footed which is why I cast heavers right handed. I do not have any left handed casting reels.

I can cast a heaver left handed but it feels awkward. Back in the day RedHeaded fella said I had better form casting a heaver left hand, but I did not think so. I can cast low reel position left handed easier than right handed though.

Left eye dominant.

Shot rifles and shotguns for years left handed but then got a cataract in left eye. This caused me to switch to right hand and I found out that I can hold a righthand hold with a rock solid check weld mount and stay on target right handed with a sling. I likely will never go back to left hand rifles because the right hand hold is so steady.

Before most of my life since a teenager I would wobble a bit aiming a rifle standing up without a rest left hand.

I was real good with swinging a shotgun and staying on target left hand left eye dominant, not as good right handed not enough practice.

I write left handed and perform most things left handed.

My mind works left handed but when typing this both hands and fingers are equal.

If I turn a spinning reel upside down and reel in with left hand, people tend to point fingers and laugh at me. I am not an influencer but had been around Hotties who influenced me.

 

It's all what you get used to doing and easier the younger you get started. I tie flies & jigs left handed, in that I wrap threads with my left hand. That's opposite of how many right handed folks tie and I've had a difficult time teaching tying to others who are right handed. They watch me and tend to wrap threads & materials "backwards" until I get them headed in the "right" direction.

When I started as an 11 year old kid, I didn't have a tying vise, so held the hooks in my right fingers, and wrapped threads and other materials with my left. Of course I also had to switch hands sometimes for applying some materials which was awkward at first, but I got pretty good at it in time. I've been tying now that way for over 56 years. I can turn a vise around and tie right handed, but no where as well as I do left handed.

I've shot rifles & shotguns left & right handed, but am a lot more comfortable & steady right handed.

 

Just think …if we were all influencers there would be way more time to fish

 

Having the handle on the left side for right-handed anglers actually makes more sense… unless you’re making in-flight adjustments to the magnet or spool tensioner.

 

I agree with all the above. I just was curious how many others don''t go strictly with the traditional approach w/r/t left /right handed reel scenarios. I does take a little getting used to, but it's not horrible. For me, it takes a little adjustment when I fish 2 different bait cast reels ( left and right handed) on the same outing which I do sometimes.

Good stuff !!

 

I have a friend who is in his mid 70's and is a good caster. He uses 2 rods when bait casting and his wrists get sore when he reels in (checking bait). He uses one left hand bait caster and one right hand bait caster to relieve the stress on his wrists.