Got me puzzled!

[silverside]

This is in MY experience. If you are right handed, a left handed baitcaster seems awkward to reel. On the other hand a spinning reel with the handle on the left seems natural. Why?

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[Fish on Line]

My guess is with the spinning the rod is more balanced and sometimes even the forearm is in use. With Baitcasting the Grip us on the lower handle, That places the weight Forward and does not feel as natural -- Hence it does not feel as natural. When turning the handle on spinning the left hand is in a centerline with the Body... Baitcasting, the hand on the handle is off center one to Two inches as well as further forward ---

[wvfishing]

I use all my baitcasters left hand reel. A little awkward at first but you quickly get used to it. It made the shift from casting hand to reeling hand unnecessary and more efficient.

[Yaker]

I never understood the cast and change hands to reel thing,feels awkward to me.Im right handed,cast with my right hand and reel with my left.

[CrappiePappy]

I never understood the cast and change hands to reel thing,feels awkward to me.Im right handed,cast with my right hand and reel with my left.

I'll tell ya why I do it : 'cause that's the way I learned how to do it. Seriously though, I was taught to do it that way as a kid/teen, and many years of only having cheap spincast reels to fish with (which also had right side reel handles). Ponied up $50 of my hard earned money and bought me a Abu Garcia 5500C baitcast reel. But, I was taught not to "cast and change hands" ... but, more precisely, to cast my reel INTO my left hand. Then it's only a matter of moving my right hand a couple of inches over to the reel handle ... and on real long casts, I can perform the hand switch and engage the reel BEFORE the bait hits the water.
I've had occasions where all three types of reels were being used (spincast, spinning, baitcast) and I have no problems switching from one to the other.

My fishing partner is a Lefty ... and when I pick up his spinning outfit (handle on right side), it feels awkward (backwards) to me after so many years of casting spinning tackle with my right arm & reeling with my left hand. I just have it in my mind (and muscle memory) that casts should be done with the right arm ... regardless of where the reel handle is located. I'd hate to see where my baits would end up if I tried casting with my left arm.

[PawPaw Gene]

I use left handed casting reels and spinning reels. I use mostly spinning tackle but for the times when I use a bait caster it just feels awkward in my left hand. I cannot impart the correct movement to the bait with the rod in my left hand. Too old to change now.
"gene"