Baitcasters
 

I am left handed and I just realized that I have been using right handed baitcasters. I bought them because they felt normal to me. Only realized right now that I am looking for another and when I typed baitcasters for left handed people, the handle was on the opposite side of my current ones.

Right now I cast and control the rod with my left and reel in with the right hand. Does everyone else cast and then switch hands?

For my small harbor baitcaster I went left-handed (I'm right-handed) because it felt more natural to me to cast with my right hand. Every other setup I have is right-handed.

It's super common for someone to cast with the dominant hand and reel with the non-dominant hand. This especially so when someone is flipping plastics and needs to engage very quickly to a reaction bite.

I am right handed, but use left handed conventional and low-casting reels. I bought the first one by mistake and liked it.
I like to cast and fight with my right hand.

Turning reel takes very little effort, so left hand is satisfactory.
Same as when I use spinning reels.

I had much discussion with anglers who use left hand for spinning, yet have a difficult time using left handed conventional.

The owners of Avet reels are left handed, so they make left handed reels.
Most reel manufactures are starting to make left handed conventional and baitcaster reels.

I read that professional bass tournament anglers started to use left handed to save time, since they make many casts. They save few seconds on each cast, which adds up at the end of the day.

Moral of story, everyone has their own way of doing things and whatever is comfortable for you, it is the best.

However, one must also be open to new ideas.

Not sure its EVERYONE, but those that tournament fish competitively or just fish in general for $$, I can only assume they do whatever is most efficient and effective.

Yep. I'm a lefty and fish exclusively with my right hand as the cranking hand (even with a spinning rig.) It's always felt more natural to me.

spinning set ups I hold rod with my right hand
baitcasting I with my right but cast with my left
its what ever feels comfortable. also casting is all muscle memory you can train yourself to use either.
I taught myself to flip and pitch with my right hand just so I don't have to switch my rod from one hand to the other

Always Reel with Left
 

Hi -

My first post here in Big Water's Edge! :)

Born with a deformed left hand I've always had the reel crank on the left and hold the rod with my right - this works for "me". Whether that's "lefty"or "righty" fishing I don't actually know (HA!) but it works. I cast, get a take, stick fish, good fight, FUN! That's what "you" need to do too...go with what "works" for you! Simple enough!

Im right handed but prefer the reel on the left and find it easier to cast with my right. Instead of switching hands every time. Also i earned to fish on a spinning setup with the reel on the left.

I'M RIGHT HANDED LIKE RIGHT HAND CONVENTIONAL REELS BUT SPINNING REELS I PERFER LEFT HANDED I EAT & WRITE RIGHT HANDED BUT THROW BALLS LEFT HANDED WIERD I KNOW

I'm left handed and use my left hand to hold the rod(lol) and my right hand to reel for both conventional and spinner reels(switch handle).

Dude - turn your hearing aid up - don't need to yell! ;)

WHAT?????? :D

I'm all messed up. Eat and write left handed. Draw and Paint with both hands. Throw a ball and shoot guns right handed. Spinning reels; hold with right, wind with left. Baitcasters and conventional; hold with left, wind with right. I cast with either hand (prefer right though), flip with left only.

I can use chopsticks with both hands and cast baitcasters, conventionals, and spinning reels with both as well. Being ambidextrous comes in handy especially if your arms are sore after a long day's fishin'!

What I take from this is that there is no right or wrong way.

At least now I know I have more options than initially thought.