Who Can Fish Left Handed ???

[1lastcast]

Hi all just wondering how many ausfishers can use a reel with the handle on the left side .

I have tried to use my left hand to wind the reel but find it very hard and uncomfortable and usually swap it back to the right even though i feel more comefortable having the rod in my right hand.

When i am fishing with soft plastics i get a far better action flicking the rod using my right hand and sometimes find myself swapping the rod to my left to wind then swapping back to flick the rod to get a better action out of my plastic

Also wondering if you wind with your left hand have you always done it or is it a case of you swapped from right to left at some stage and stayed .

CHEERS MONOSTRETCHO

[wags on the water]

I think Revs57 holds the rod in the wrong hand....;D ;D ;D
I do agree that casting with the right hand and winding with the left would be the easier option, but it doesn't work for me. I cast with the right then swap hands and wind with my right.

Cheers,
Wags

[Outsider1]

I am naturally left handed, so I do the opposite, I hold the rod with my left hand and wind with my right.

I have always worked a rod this way, probably because I was the only left hander in a fishing family and that was the way all the reels were set up.

Cheers

Dave

[Atriplex]

My dad prefers the left hand. I just use the right because that's what I used when I was learning how to fish. But I'm slowly getting used to winding with my left as it is probably good to be able to do both.

To help me get better at winding with the left I practice while watching television or day dreaming.

[MYS013]

I am a right hander but I cast with my right and wind with my left.

[Noelm]

there is all sorts of theories about the predominant arm/hand and the "right" way to Fish, I reckon that you use what feels best for you, don't see too many left hand wind Game Reels do you? it is just one of those silly things you see on TV shows and the like, if it feels good, then do it! left or right.

[Whitto]

I cast lures hour after hour....I cast with my R/hnd and retrieve with my L/hnd....my power arm is my L/arm with a small amount of assistance from my R/arm.......works for me.......Whitto

[Spaniard_King]

I struggle enough to catch fish with me right hand.. no chance with my left hand :(

[Jeremy87]

here we go again. I am always right hand wind, since i need to wind dominant hand for some of my fishing (high speed spinning) i find it to unco having to swap all of the time. i can however cast a spin rod with equal compitance with either hand though i tend to snag bash with my left hand and distance cast with my right. baitcaster is always right hand cast right hand wind.

[splashy]

I cast with my right and retrieve with my left. I didn't always do it, but for a period I did nothing but flyfishing and so now I always cast with right and wind with left. There's been a few surface bass sessions where this has been a distinct advantage.....

[Keechie]

i can, no matter if its a baitcaster or spin reel i can do them noth

regards,
keechie

[yellahunter]

each to their own,

i was once a right hand wind, but about 2 years ago when i got serious about plastics i decided to start left. At the beginning it was soo uncomfortable and felt horrible, now i would never go back!!!!!!

the main reason i changed is because im right handed i have a better feel of the rod and making twitches etc for the plastics, its made a big improvement on my fishing believe me.!!!

I reccommend it hey,
the key is to stick with it,
I [promise you it wont feel right for ages, but you have to look at the bigger picture, after your accustomed to using the left its normal and you have heaps better control on the rod (which is very important with any lure fishing, particularly softies).

Good luck with it ,

Cheers

Ben

[Hot_Snappa]

I can hold my rod both hands and with either!;D

[NAGG]

NOT A PROBLEM! .... PIECE OF P_SS ::) It does help when you are a natural kacky hander;D

Nagg

[Morston]

I have always cast with my right hand and used the reel handle in my left.

I am from the Uk and virtually everybody fishes with the reel handle to the left.

It seems illogical to me to cast with the right hand and then change hands to retrieve.........I suppose it depends on what you are used to.

[FISHOLOT]

Cast with right, wind with left for all forms of fishing. It just feels right to me so each to their own i suppose. If it feels good do it :)

[Goodoochaser]

G'day Ausfishers,

I think we had this thread once before, anyway many years ago when my father first taught me to fish he had me changing hands when casting to avoid trees and bushes behind me on the bank.

My prefered way to fish and what I do now is, spin reels I hold and cast with my right hand and wind with my left.

Baitcasters I hold and cast with my right hand then change to my left hand and wind with my right, but I can cast with my left hand then I don't have to change hands the only noticable difference for me is casting left handed I carn't cast as far.

I never have to think about it, all ways seem natural to me, then again I was also taught again by my father to play snooker either hands, realy handy depending on which side of the table you need to take the shot. I prefer to shoot left handed, I use a shovel in either hand but can only write right handed. My father was the same but I'm not sure whether in my case this is inherent or taught.

Cheers Howard

[Mrs Ronnie H]

Hi All

I am left handed but use my rod as a right handed person. Also bat right handed.

Does it really make a difference what hand you use???? as long as it works????

Ronnie

[For Steve]

When I started soft plastics fishing I taught myself to wind left handed. I found that I had more control over the rod with my right hand and it streamlined the casting process. It felt a bit strange at first but I figured it was easier than learning how to do all the retrieves with the rod in my left hand. Plus it saves swapping hands to cast as I'm hopeless casting with my left hand.

It just feels normal now. Not that it's done me any good lately - I need to make an appointment with a fish whisperer.

[revs57]

Yep, as Wags said earlier, i'm a right hand cast, left hand wind, I am ambidextrous in this regard, but that's the way I prefer it. Bit of a bugger if someone else (Swano) grabs the rod if it happens to have a fish on and the skp is busy, or he winds it in...nothing but a winger, actually turns the rod upside down and winds backwards!!!!

[wags on the water]

Damn Rhys, I was trying to get a bite.:( I haven't fished all week.;D

[jacobvz]

I hold the rod in my right and wnd with left, this seems to be the normal way of doing it in Holland where I grew up. SOfar only Oz seems determined to wind and cast with right.

On a side note, when fighting that 90cm + jew or king or whatever you want the rod in your strongest arm don't you?

Jack

[MeePee_99]

I cast with my right and wind with my left, you got so much more control over the rod doing it this way.

[WyldFisher]

I cast with my right and I retrieve my right but when I cast with my left or retrieve with my left I look very unco...

[skeeter]

I am a rightie, cast right, fish right but wind left handed with a spin outfit.

I am all right handed on a baitcaster/overhead setup.

I changed my spin configuration about 5 or 6 years ago when I started predominately casting lures. Seemed to make sense to cast and fish with my right hand and wind with my left hand. Initially it took a bit to get use to, but now it feels natural.

My mates still think I am crazy. At least they don't want to use my gear. :)

Peter

[Stumpy-USA]

I can use either hand. I started out as a right handed caster and was that way until I broke my arm in a football game, then I switched to my left hand and have been that way ever since. I've actually found it much easier for me to use my left hand when I have another person in my boat, it keeps us from having any casting problems.

The broken arm also changed the hand I write with, from right to left, but I can still write fairly well with my right hand if I need too.

[bennofish]

I'm right handed and used to cast with the right arm then switch hands and reel with my right. Also wasn't until i got into soft plastics that i started casting with my right arm and reeling with my left hand. Felt so weird at first and did swap back a couple times but now i consider myself ambidextrous. I'd have to say the best switch i've done. Makes it so much better for plastics to.. Just gotta hang in there...