Right or left handed winding?

[Herm]

A quick question for you all?

I bought (another::)) new rod the other day and got talking to the nice young fellow at The Tackle Warehouse about this very subject

I always fished with an Alvey, so always held the rod with my left hand and used my right hand for winding in, but now with the purchase of the new rod/s and spinning reels, I can see why it would make sense to cast and hold the rod with the right hand and wind with the left.

The Tackle Warehouse guy said he felt abit "unco" to start with you get used to it quick enough. So I am figuring that with my lack of success at the moment - it couldn't hurt and I am thinking about giving it a go!

Has anyone else tried changing over?

Cheers
Janine

[bassfanatic5]

Have given it a go a couple of times and like you i started on alveys as a kid, so i keep going back to the right. What i have found is that i always use two handed casts be it baitcaster or spin and i automatically change the rod to the left handed position during the cast so i am ready to wind right handed when the lure lands and when the handle is on the left it stuffs me up.

Damien

[Davemclean]

I am right handed and wind with my left, its the way I was taught, lol

[carpel]

i wish i had started with my left when i shifted off alveys .. too late now, and overheads , makes more sense to lift with your strong arm wind with the other.. but on the rare occasion a fish is getting the better of me i will just swap hands for the lift and swap back as i wind down.

[charleville]

I have seen the experts like Rex Hunt say that the left hand should be the winding hand but I struggle with the concept because lifting the rod is a far less complex activity than winding and palming and flicking bail arms over and flicking bait-runner levers etc so I remain happy to lift with my left dumb arm and do all of the clever things with my right hand.

[melb_guy]

I used to be Right handed...till i a mate....no wi am holding my rod on the Left hand and wind on the Right.
Yes it does take a while to get use to be i am all good now.
His theories was that for fighting a fish it's you need the strongest side in my case it's Right handed and for winding the reel you don't know lots of power to do so.

Cheers :)

[rob tranter]

Ambidextrous
So it doesn't matter
But normally cast left handed, and everything else falls in to place
I can cast right handed but not as good as left.
Rob8-)

[finga]

Is Pete telling you to use that goofy footed little black casting reel that he has and can't use??
I wind with righty.

[nigelr]

Originally wound with my right, a la Steelite, Alvey, then much later started getting into Mitchells and other large French reels so learned to left hand wind.
(LHW Mitchell 498s are 1/2 the price or less of the RHW 499s!;D)
Plus it's better to pull in large shovels (25kg+:-[ ) with the stronger right arm.
Strangely, I prefer to RHW when spinning, or anywhere where I need to wind very quickly, and my inshore threadies on snapper rods I prefer RHW.::)
Love the LHW for the beach at night however!
In Euro and US, LHW is more the norm I believe.
Cheers.

[snelly1971]

Right for me

[slabjig]

In the US, it's far more common for spinning reels to be set up for left hand retrieve, however baitcasting reels are more often used with right hand retrieve. I much prefer the left hand retrieve, although I'm right handed. I can start the retrieve immediately, instead of shifting the rod from right to left hand after the cast, and this has meant more fish, because often the strike comes as soon as the lure hits the water. For offshore tackle, which doesn't have a levelwind, I do use right hand retrieve, but casting just isn't much of an issue with this gear.

[webby]

The only problem is you have to cast to either the right or left side of the fish to get them to bite depending on what side you wish to retreive. ?????
regards

[revs57]

Hi Janine,

I prefer to Cast Right and wind left, saves swapping the rod and makes for quicker and less complicated transition, well does for me with spin gear. My overheads are all right handed, found Left hand wind overheads more difficult to get hold of and no one stocked them, but could order them in.

Give Pete a g'day for me

Cheers

Rhys

[Jeremy87]

This question has come up a few times before. My basic answer, while in some situations it can be better to wind with your non-dominant hand, if you mix it up a lot and do many different styles of lure casting then its best to wind with your dominant hand.

The reason behind my rational is you dominant hand is stronger and capable of faster more co-ordinated movements. I find it very seldom (never personally encountered this before) in light tackle situations that a fish will over power you non-dominant hand and consequently brick you. In the situations where this would make a difference you are normally chasing deep-water reef fish/pelagics etc where you can use both hands to pull the fish up and your stronger hand to wind as anyone who has fought a fish for more than half and hour will know it is often your winding arm that gets the biggest work out. This is the reason why a lot of large game reels only come in right hand wind because most of the population is right handed. Also when high speed spinning it pays to use your dominant hand as your can spin faster and for longer periods without fatiguing.

The only advantage that can be gained from using you non-dominant hand for winding comes from casting spin reels. It enables you to quickly make the transition from casting to winding, as only your bottom hand needs to move to reach the handle. The same advantage is not as prevalent in bait casters as you need to move you top hand anyway to go from a casting grip to palming grip. Though I can comfortably switch right to left hand winding within about 15-20mintues of fishing I find this confusion does not out way the benefits of having the repetitive reflex action of winding with you dominant hand.

I feel that the answer of the question is also closely intertwined with your casting style. There is something you can do to improve your ability to make quick or difficult casts while still having the benefit of the short transition from casting to winding while using spinning reels. This is learning to use your non-dominant hand as your main casting arm. I am right handed and my dad is left handed, so through imitation I learnt to cast with my left hand on top, while I cast a slug further with my right hand on top when bashing around snags I predominantly seem to go back to left hand on top for the same reason that people use a non dominant hand to wind i.e. faster casting quicker transition. This also has the added advantage of making more casting angles available to you by simply swapping hand position and making casting in a boat full of people easier.

In the end what is important is that the feel comfortable when you are fishing, don’t be afraid to try new things but just because rexy is doing it doesn’t mean that it’s the only way. My casting style has taken about 5 years to develop through imitation of other better casters and I now regard myself as about average with a baitcaster and better than most with a spinning reel in terms of accuracy.

[Fafnir]

Left hand wind for me, on light gear using soft plastics. Right hand wind on pretty much everything else. Don't have much trouble switching between, but overall preference is to use my more dominant right hand.

[theoldlegend]

I'm with you Webby.

This whole question conjures up some mind boggling scenarios. What if you had a broken arm? What would you do? Depends which arm was broken I suppose.


TOL

[Why-ting]

Im all over the shop, I wind left on my spin rods, wind right on my baitcasters and wind right when high speed spinning.

[Great White]

I went either or, but I do favour the right hand to use on spin reel, and alvey reels :) but when it comes to bait casters and rods with pistol grip rods I use the left to wind.

I guess thats whet you get a left handed bait caster given to you as a kid from your folks as a kid ;D

Good poll dear ;)

Webby you lost me at "The" :P :P :P

[skeeter]

For me, it depends, I am right handed, so with an baitcaster and alvey I retrieve right handed but with a spinning reel i wind left handed. Can't really remember when I changed but it just feels right to me.

My fishing mates give me a bit of stick about it still though.

Peter

[Noelm]

there is always theories about casting and changing hands/arms to fish and the possibility of getting "hit" when in the middle of changing (possible) and then the stronger arm being better for the rod, lots of "possibles" what it all comes down to is do what feels right for you, not what some TV "celebrity" says you must do, other wise we will all be using only berkely gulps, on a Berkely rod, with berkely line and wear a Berkely shirt (like that boofhead on fishin trip) "if it feels good, do it"!!

[Herm]

Thanks everyone for your replies and opinions:)


......, lots of "possibles" what it all comes down to is do what feels right for you, not what some TV "celebrity" says you must do, other wise we will all be using only berkely gulps, on a Berkely rod, with berkely line and wear a Berkely shirt (like that boofhead on fishin trip) "if it feels good, do it"!!

Noelm - I am certainly not considering it "because a celebrity...." I asked about it because with the little spinning reel on my SP rod, I can see how winding with my left hand would make sense.

Your comment did make me think about what brand I spend my money on and I seem to spread my dollars out a bit with alot of brands - rod - G.Loomis, reel - Daiwa, line - Fireline, leader - yamatoya, and various brands of jigheads and SP's and not to forget my favourite Alvey Cap!

Looking forward to reading more comments!

Cheers
Janine

[szopen]

I have grown up in Europe and there almost everybody uses right hand for casting, controlling the rod, feeling the bites, fighting fish and the left hand for winding.

So that's the way I do.

That is one of the reasons why overhead reels never got a large share of the market there until left hand retrive versions shown up.

I agree with doing what feels right theory.
It does look strange when I see people with spinning gear changing hands every cast.

But if most of the people in the world use left hand for winding there might be a reason there.

[ozvettec1]

SZOPEN, has a good point. After thinking about it my English fishing mate winds with the left and can't seem to get the hang of a RH wind. He tells me he was taught from scratch to do this, as is everyone over there, but being raised the opposite it feels too different to make the change for the sake of it because I don't think I would be a better fisherman if I changed. Just the hassle of buying left handed overheads is enough to put me off.

[DR]

i cast with right & retrieve with right. Have been given all the reasons for casting right , retrieving left.. what if fish hits as soon as lure hits the water, never had it happen in almost 50 years. need stronger ( right) arm to control fish, are peoples left arms so pissweak they need to do this?? mine isn't, might be a tiny bit weaker but not enough that i can't fish with it..
over the years my casting style has developed (in critical areas where you may get an instant hit) into casting, & while lure is traveling to it's destination i gently lay the rod onto my left hand, when it hits i turn the handle (instantly if required) with my right hand, same result as winding with left.
to me it's just a case of having a reason to do something, but that there is no true correct way, only what works for you personally.

[Flex]

Jeremy has it spot on. The dominant hand holding the rod idea is total crap.

both arms are pretty much just as strong as one another(unless your a tennis player etc). so that theory is crap
and everyone can build up the co-ordination to wind any arm they wish over time. so do what ever you have done since your a kid.

How many people out there can honestly say they have lost a fish when changing hands after casting? 15y fishing for me and i have never lost 1.

and even if you do get a hit whilst changing hands, you can change a rod from 1 hand to another in about .2 of a second.

[ckool_77]

I am right handed and wind with my left,just the way i was brought up since i was a kid,if i had a choice i would prefer to wind on my right... now im so used to winding with my left and can't change the habit and i am so limited to what reels i can use :(

[oldboot]

there seems that there is an asumption that you are either right or left handed. ( or ambudexterous)
But it isn't always that simple.
If you are right handed that doesn't automaticaly make the left arm weaker.
It depends on how you use you arms day to day.
Like I can swing a hammer just fine in the left... not as well as the right but ok.
It can vary from one to the other the differing capabilities of each hand/arm.

some brickeis for instance are stronger in the left because thats the hand they lift the bricks with.... strong in the left skill in the right.

I recon this is one of those things there is no right and wrong..... its what works for you and what you can get your brain to tell you hands to do.

Me I'm an alvey man....... no problems;D

cheers

[NAGG]

Interesting Topic ..... specially the poll result for right handers winding with their right .... I would have bet that most would cast with their dominant hand & naturally wind with the opposite (sure some might be strong in both arms ... but unless your ambidextrous ... you still have a dominant arm that will control the rod better)
Me ... I'm left handed (cast with left & wind with right) ...... In fact I'm very much left side orientated (nothing to do with my political veiws or sexuality :laugh: ) Im left , handed , footed & my gun eye is the left .......... BUT I swing a golf club & cricket / baseball bats & an axe right handed::) & could not do it left handed to save my life:( ...... So that does give some cred to how you have been brought up using a rod & reel ..... Nagg

[Tropicaltrout]

always wind left and I am right handed, the rod is a extention of my arm and thats the way I was tought so I struggle to wind right now. I know a few fellas and they wind right and are right handed and they seem fine so not really a big thing just do whats comfortable.

TT

[Luc]

I'm an ambidextrous leftie & cast with my right and wind left.

Most of my reels (including alveys) are left crankers. Still, I have a couple of baitcasters that are right crankers so with those I cast right and then hold the rod in my left hand.

If necessary, I can cast fairly accurately with my left. More practice would improve my LH casting but as most of my reels are left crankers I don't bother.

Ultimately, it's what you prefer. If you have a need to change, you'll do so relatively easily.

Luc

PS other than writing, I prefer to use my left hand as the "skilled" hand.

[Mattg68]

the main consensus seems to be (with right handers anyway) to use your strongest arm to pump the rod & wind with your left hand. it seems to me that it would be easier to build up your strength in your left arm & then not have to worry about changing habits (if this indeed is the only reason). or you could just purchase one of those electric reels & not have to worry about any hard work. the bonus with that is you could utilise the spare time you'll have rubbing moisturiser into your hands & elbows. hehe.

Matt

P.S. I've just noticed on the poll that there's no lefties that wind with there left hands........interesting.

[wheelerdog]

i think its a crock of........use what ever hand you feel comfortable with. most of us will probably use which ever side you started with as a kid.


I can say that in all my years of fishing i have never lost a fish because of what hand i wind them in with

[Louis]

I've probably casted a fishing rod about a million times or so in my life.

I think I'll be sticking with what has surved me well during this time and how I was taught as a kid.



Louis

[4x4frog]

I have seen the experts like Rex Hunt say that the left hand should be the winding hand but I struggle with the concept because lifting the rod is a far less complex activity than winding and palming and flicking bail arms over and flicking bait-runner levers etc so I remain happy to lift with my left dumb arm and do all of the clever things with my right hand.
That's exactly the way I see it too Charlie'. I was brought up on Alveys like the majority of guys here 35+ would have been I am sure.
I too have tried to wind left handed but it feels awkward and I am out there to fish, bait and retie the kids lines & try to have a good time and don't think it's worth the extra effort to be trying to read the water, conditions and try a new foreign skill all at the same time. I might give it a go down the river a couple of times in the near future as I am getting a new b/c rod soon and will take it out to test cast it. While I am there I might give the l/h wind a try while I am only casting ;D

[bugman]

It all depends on the reel - really;)

My Tiagra 80ws don't really come in left hand wind all that much. Same as a lot of the bigger offshore reels - even the good old TLD 25s.

But when it comes to finesse with trout spinners and the new fly reel then I cast with the right and wind with the left.

I've also got Alveys which I wind with the right and an Abu 6500c that winds on the right.

When fast speed spinning for tuna and macks I'll switch the handle over from right to left and left to right once each arm/hand gets tired.

I'd prefer just to call myself talented;D

Brett

[fish_on]

i was taught to wind on the left hand side. im right handed i cast right handed but wind left. all my baitcasters and spinning reels are left but i have to get used to the overhead types when fishing outside

[Elimbah 44]

I have seen the experts like Rex Hunt say that the left hand should be the winding hand but I struggle with the concept because lifting the rod is a far less complex activity than winding and palming and flicking bail arms over and flicking bait-runner levers etc so I remain happy to lift with my left dumb arm and do all of the clever things with my right hand. Rex Hunt is an expert? At what? (Besides a loud mouthed clown)..

[oldboot]

Now I've just baught my first decent egg beater and a flick strick to go with it.
I've been stricly alvey till now.

I wholey expected to cast with the left and wind with the right....... I had a fiddle and decided evn though it is a bit weird to me.... it is more satisfactory to cast with the right and wind with the left.

I took it out for a spinn;D this afternoon......... didn't hook anything but certainly with this style rig I'll be winding with the left.

Now would I wind with the left on a bigger egg beater rig..... a two hander...... I don't know.


cheers

[Willow1]

oldboot, I am in the same situation, being right handed i have always wound with the right hand but having seriously moved into flicking soft plastics things have changed. It makes sense if you are predominately right handed that this is the hand/arm i will use for accuracy when casting . Makeing a cast then changing to the left hand so i could wind with the right didn't make sense. Takes some getting used to but definately worth it. If I am out the front chasing spaniards and GT's I still wind with the right hand . Regards Shane

[GazzaB]

i put it dose'nt bother me as i have and still do fish both ways, if i could only have it one way i would prefer it to be left hand winding keeps my strong hand free to hold the weight of the fish on the rod!

[reidy]

Good day
I think its a Aussie thing (right handed winding if right handed).I think in the US they tend to wind with the left if right handed(but they are yanks hay).Im a swapper right cast in most situations right hand wind always.After 30 odd years i know no better.
Cheers
Reidy

[Flattie Assassin]

Jeremy has it spot on. The dominant hand holding the rod idea is total crap.

both arms are pretty much just as strong as one another

I doubt you would be saying that after 5 hours of tossing plastics.

[Jeremy87]

I doubt you would be saying that after 5 hours of tossing plastics.

Which species are you basing this on? If its flathead you need to harden up a bit cause i'd barely describe flicking rubbers or bream tackle as fatiguing. I haven't done much deep water jigging but that is the pinnicle of fatuiging luring, i wonder which hand fishers use for that. I do however do a sh!t load of high speed spinning for mackeral and tuna and i can tell you that when your fishing light tackle and have to play a longy for 45minutes that your rod arm is the one that aches but its the winding hand that gets the work out (your ability to gain line on a fish is dependant on how fast you wind, slower winding = longer fight time). Remember that you can pull up with both hands but you can only wind with one.

[cammac]

Hi,

I am right handed and learnt as a kid to cast right handed and wind right handed as that is how my mitchel reel was set up {non changeable}
but these days i mainly do light lure tosing and i thought it made sense to wind left handed and not have to change hands to start winding also feel like im in control bit better retrieving with my dominant hand.
I didnt find it difficult to learn to wind left handed - casting left handed now thats a different story!!
Anyway its the way i now fish except with the heavier overheads and i cant see myself going back to right hand winding. im converted.

[barrafever]

Right handed but wind with left hand for me. Just the way i was brought up. Seems most comfortable to me now but at times it can be a burden. Am looking for a new overhead reel for impoundment barra and am finding that the range has been dramatically reduced due to particular reels not coming in left hand wind!

[ezza600]

Mmmmmmmm. Looks as if im the only left hander thats winds with the left hand! Have often been told i'm one of a kind (in various ways!). It works for me and as far as i can see, its me that's doing the winding when i'm fishing. Each to his/her own!
;-)

[Captain Jack Zero]

right rod left wind its all about control with lite gear.

[oldboot]

Have just been reading an old John Turnbull book and he gives another good reason to left wind.

in this book it recomends casting an egg beater using the index finger on the edge of the spool rather than on the rod to hold & release the line.

aparantly this allows far greater controll and the ability to stop or feather cast as it is flying.

because of the direction that the spool is wound, this is only practical with a right hand cast.

Now I had a go at this today.... & I can certainly sse the point.
Certainly requires more practice and stronger fingure presure...... and longer fingers than mine.

just a thaught.
cheers

[PumpyChowdown]

I cast right handed and wind left. Makes sense not having to swap and also using your dominant side to angle the fish with. I was taught this as a kid and I find it almost impossible to wind right handed!!!

[tunaticer]

I can't see that my left arm is any weaker than my right even though I am right handed. Coordination of my left for some practices is a struggle but then again the right has problems doing some things the left arm finds easy and normal. I can easily write left or right handed with a slight preference to right handedness.

I find that different situations will predict what is needed left or right.

Winding with the right is a pain tho.

Do what is comfortable as there is definitely no sound reasoning to doing things uncomfortably. There are no benefits in torment.

Jack.

[63eh]

right handed, left hand cast , right hand retrieve

[Feral]

Cast with either wind with either, but if I cast with right arm, wind with left and visa versa although I have tennis elbow in my my left arm at the moment, (7 months so far!) so am tending to cast with right arm, wind with left.

When having a big casting session, I'll often have two rods, one set left handed, one right and swap them around so I dont get to sore.

[oldboot]

Just a few more observations.

the custom if you are right handed is to
wind right handed for an alvey or other centre pin unless its a fly reel

wind left handed on a fly reel

wind right handed on a bait caster or other overhead

wind left handed on a threadline or egg beater

wind right handed or two handed on a deck winch


Now it occurs to me that there is more to it than the reel.
A lot of it seems to be the way the rods are set up & handled and the way the particular outfit is generaly fished.

The high end blokes who cast bait casters dont seem to think its a problem changing hands... it just seems a part of the rythum.

Bu i can see that changing hands on a threadline would be less convienient because of the way the rod is held

Casting an alvey is ( at least for me) a two handed affair and the cast repitition issue dosn't arrise......even on an alvey ther is quite some disagreement on which hand goes where when casting

cheers

[Bubba Gump]

Right handed, cast right and wind left. I first learnt to fish with a fly rod so it feels more natural this way.

[crabbie]

I purchasd one of the first threadline reels into australia back in the mid 1950"s from the "Hi ho" sports store in Sydney owned by Jack Davey.This small threadline was a Mitchell Cap..From memory it was only available in left hand wind and I was instructed to cast with the right hand. I have followed this policy on all rods that can be cast one handed for over 50 years.Any rod requiring a two handed cast I wind right handed and I'm right handed in everything else

[TheRealAndy]

I tend to mainly cast with right hand and wind with the left, makes it heaps easier when using lures as it means i dont have to swap back and forth when casting and retreiving. Took me a bit to get used to but now I swear by it. Mind you, when using bait casters i can easily move back to a right hand retreive.

[markallwood]

I'm another one brought up in the UK. When I first experienced the Ozzie reels, I was confused and thought that perhaps I had picked up a left-handed one by mistake. When I realised that this is just the way you guys do it...well, I became even more confused !!

As has been said before, we are taught that the rod is an extension of your arm, thus it is controlled by your dominant side.

Jeremy87 argues that strength is required in the hand that does the reeling in - I don't believe this is the case. Pumping the rod whilst reeling in means that minimal physical effort goes into reeling in line.

I would urge people who haven't tried it, to give it a go with an open mind. It might feel strange at first, but the benefits of using your dominant arm to control the rod, plus not having to change hands all the time, will make it worth it.

[garret]

i am with markallwood on this, being born in the uk and always casting right winding left it surprised the hell out of me to use an aussie set up rod, i use spinners b/cs and alveys and all are set up for left crank, i just cant get used to right hand crank and i cant cast for s#*t with my left hand

[oldboot]

As I mentioned earlier, there is more to it what strength is needed for.

Different reels are handled and mounted on the rod differently.

I am very comfortable casting right & winding left with an egg beater, but it just feels wrong to handle an alvey that way.

Wth an alvey the left hand does more than heave on the rod and the right does more than wind.

Working an alvey is a far more intimate operation. Many view the reel as being crude..........the reel in use is is far from crude.
Almost without exception other reels the emphasis is on casting and retreeving.
With an alvey the empasis is in fishing and staying in contact with the line particularly in smaller sizes.
When it comes to a brut strength contest you dont have to pump and wind to save your gearing ( you still pump and wind)even on a small alvey, You can safely apply more force line with an alvey than any other reel type of an equavalent line class and you have direct feel of line tension.
If working without a drag the right hand regulates line tension on the pump and can then keep more preasuer on during the wind.
there are very good reasons to right wind an alvey.

cheers

[oldboot]

Ahh but you dont have to cast an alvey with the left.

It is rare to cast an alvey single hand.

The text book casting position for both an alvey and a two handed egg beater realy arent that different.

right hand up the rod and left hand near the but....the reel just happens to be in a different place and a different hand releases the line.

I mostly cast my alvey's the other way round.... right hand on the reel.

cheers

[tunaticer]

How many people have had an occurence that the fish has struck and you have been alert to the strike but have been changing hands and actually missed the fish after a cast?? In my 35+ yrs of fishing and in some of the hottest bites anyone has seen I am yet to miss that fish due to a changeover. I think not being alert to a strike or bite happening is the number 1 reason why we miss them. This crap about those microseconds is rediculous, fish how you feel comfortable not how anyone else says is better.

Jack.

[oldboot]

Was just watching a spinning video and a thaught came to me.

If you were using an egg beater for spinning........ not fiddling about serious wind like b&$@#Y spinning.

Regardless of how you fish otherwise would you be better off winding with your dominant hand? seeing as how the winding as fast as you cant is the main game.

I'm still thinking about it.

With my level of fitness If I went out for a serious days spinning I wold problay have to change over half way thru the day to give the other arm a go.

Cheers

[johnnyb]

I Bought a left handed TLD15 Shimano.

It wasnt till i took out on my boat and had the first hook up( fish that is) that i realised i needed a left handed one.

called around and only a couple of comnpanies
make left handed reels( not cheap either)

so stuck woith this reel for the time being

[shaunl]

::) I have just recently changed over from right to left hand wind. I went out all yesterday retrieving with my left. Initially, it felt extremely unusual and awkward, but after 7 hours of flicking soft plastics, it began to feel second nature. I found that I was able to cast so many more times as I didn't have to waste time changing hands after the cast.

I must admit though, I still will cast with my right and retrieve with my right as I have a whole heap of baitcast gear that is all right hand retrieve, and it is even more difficult to cast with my left hand.

But in terms of flicking lures with spinning gear - i say cast with your right and retrieve with your left.

I still cast with my right and retrieve with right if I fish bait casters.

[aadam]

im left handed and cast spinning rods with my left hand and swap over to wind with my left hand after the cast. however i cast with my left hand on a baitcaster and then can begin retrieval immediatly because the baitcast reel is right hand wind. i feel that i can cast much better using my left arm however winding doesnt worry me either way

[Poodroo]

I wind on the right as well. I guess it wouldn't matter really though. Just used to it after all these years.

Poodroo

[ol'ebloke]

How many people have had an occurence that the fish has struck and you have been alert to the strike but have been changing hands and actually missed the fish after a cast?? In my 35+ yrs of fishing and in some of the hottest bites anyone has seen I am yet to miss that fish due to a changeover. I think not being alert to a strike or bite happening is the number 1 reason why we miss them. This crap about those microseconds is rediculous, fish how you feel comfortable not how anyone else says is better.

Jack.
If it feels right do it anything else is a handycap;D

[matt w]

i am right handed and wind with my left leaving my strongest arm to work the rod

[Shagga]

Right hand for me. Like others started on alvey and still can't think of a good reason to change.

[Tetsuo]

I like having the rod in my right and winding left. I think the technique of subtle twiches is best done with the dominant hand, let alone the casting ease....BUT if you are used to winding right, your left hand can be just as subtle.

I'll go left, you do what you like;D

[MudRiverDan]

How many people have had an occurence that the fish has struck and you have been alert to the strike but have been changing hands and actually missed the fish after a cast?? In my 35+ yrs of fishing and in some of the hottest bites anyone has seen I am yet to miss that fish due to a changeover. I think not being alert to a strike or bite happening is the number 1 reason why we miss them. This crap about those microseconds is rediculous, fish how you feel comfortable not how anyone else says is better.

Jack.

I prefer left handed when on the beach or rocks, as the rods are often too bulky to change over.

As far as light graphite's go, never had an issue changing hands... where is this "hot bite!" you speak of?

Cheers

Dan

[moater]

need stronger ( right) arm to control fish, are peoples left arms so pissweak they need to do this?? mine isn't, might be a tiny bit weaker but not enough that i can't fish with it..

Spot on.When people say "make the rod an extension of your arm" my thoughts are..well I DO have 2 arms and my left arm is not that weak that I can't put some hurt on.I have changed sometimes to left hand winding, for example when bait fishing for finicky fish and wanting the 'instant' contact with the line without changing hands as I find my right arm to be more responsive and 'handier', pardon the pun.I prefer to wind fast with my right arm.

Darren

[Mike Delisser]

I once tried changing over to left hand wind to improve my light lure bream fishing. Most of my mates fish that way now but I just can't seem to master it, I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.

[oldboot]

People have a different level of dominance in their hands......there are those who realy show no hand dominance appart from habit all the way to those who are simply useless with the non dominant hand for just about anything.

I am fortunate, althong definitely right handed, I can swing a hammer and use many other tools fairly well left handed.

cheers

[Junk Hard]

I'm right handed and used to wind right handed until I changed to lures a few years back and found myself constantly changing hands to jig with my right hand and change back so I thought I'd give left hand a try. It took a few hours to get used to it but now winding right handed feels strange.
Even with overheads offshore I have switched to left hand wind now because I am so used to it and I like to use my strong arm to lift and my weak to wind (with the butt of the rod under my right armpit). My father in-law is right handed also uses light gear left handed but when it comes to overheads he goes back to right handed. I wish I didn't change now because left handed reels are not available in a wide range.
I think it just comes down to how comfortable you feel in different fishing situations. Give the opposite a go for a day - if it feels more comfortable and catches more fish the decision on what hand to use will speak for itself.

[Portacol]

"I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous" Mike Delisser, you are a very funny man.

[Bronson]

Im right handed and have always casted with my right hand and you dont even realise that you switch hands mid flight its just something ive allways done.I did switch my reel handle to the other side the other day actually so i can cast with my right and reel with my left but i found i cant get the rod twitching just right with my right hand cos im so used to useing my left. And also i couldn't stop reeling with my left hand exactly before i twitch with my right. So much easier reeling with my right hand and twitching the rod with my left. I have had times where ive needed to palm the spool to slow a fish down so it doesnt spool me and also with the right hand free and being the hand that isn't unco for me its alot easier to put the amount of pressure you need/want on the spool.

Thanks
Bron

[MudRiverDan]

Left handed winding will come easy with time if your right handed and get a left handed reel, however, if it is a bigger set up watch out for "right handed pulling", pulled a shoulder blade today. Leaning back on my left is natural to me when fishing, but leaning back on my right and lifting a rod with my right is a bit awkward.



Dan

[Madai]

This is very easy, I grew up in England, where , ALL new reels in their boxes came with the winding handle on the left, although I am right handed I grew up using this method and it feels completely normal , I researched this years ago and found the same for all countries, it depends how they are fitted Left or right and presented in the takle shops.