Great input from all of you ! I can see how it doesn't really make a difference for me its just comfortable not to switch hands.

I don’t see lefty reels as “over sold” just a preference of many myself included. There’s no right or wrong. 

51 minutes ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

I don’t see lefty reels as “over sold” just a preference of many myself included. There’s no right or wrong. 

 

I'm not speaking for @Team9nine but for me what's being "over sold" is that I'm somehow at a disadvantage because I switch hands.

 

10 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

I'm not speaking for @Team9nine but for me what's being "over sold" is that I'm somehow at a disadvantage because I switch hands.

 

Catt, most guys do. It's your style. I've flipped right hand and switched hands since I started flipping. I've never owned a left hand casting reel!

How often are you sitting at home, with nothing to do but watch TV? Take that time to practice in the back yard. I still pitch better with my right hand than I do my left, but you’ll see me in the back yard a few times a week, 20 minutes or so, pitching into some cups or trying to land a (hookless) lure on the dogs back. 

16 hours ago, WRB said:

Try watching a few videos by Dee Thomas and Gary Klein

Tom

 

 

 

I just can't get my left hand to cooperate. It's stronger than my right due to years of clicking a mouse for a living. But it's plain dumb. I can't cast or pitch with it, but it's also not very good at reeling. I'm a tad handicapped with a spinning rod as well, but I force my hand, literally.

16 hours ago, Catt said:

 

I'm not speaking for @Team9nine but for me what's being "over sold" is that I'm somehow at a disadvantage because I switch hands.

 

That’s right. Whatever works for you is the way to go. I’ve seen ball players whose hitting stance and swing were all wrong by conventional wisdom, but they crush that ball!

The simple fact is bait casting reels were not available in left hand models for decades for a reason, very few anglers wanted them! If you started bass fishing using a bait casting reel before 30 years ago finding a left hand reel was difficult.

Spinning reels on the other hand started with left hand models from France and it wasn't until about 30 years ago when spinning reels were available as convertible left or right handed models. 

Switching hands during the cast is seamless for a practiced angler.  Gary Klein comes from our generation of anglers who cast right handed and switch the rod to the left hand while flipping. Does anyone think Gary would have been more successful using a left handed baitcasting reel? If Gary thought it was an advantage he would have changed!

Tom

I fished for a long time switching the rod between my hands until I forced my self to cast with my right and reel with my left. So much easier.

I only have 1-2 years on a baitcasting setup but I can cast, flip, long short whatever no problem. HOWEVER, with my spinning reels, I cant reel with my left hand to save my life. Ive tried several times walleye jigging, and it feels super awkward, like throwing a ball with the wrong hand.

On 2/27/2019 at 4:12 PM, WRB said:

The simple fact is bait casting reels were not available in left hand models for decades for a reason, very few anglers wanted them! If you started bass fishing using a bait casting reel before 30 years ago finding a left hand reel was difficult.

Spinning reels on the other hand started with left hand models from France and it wasn't until about 30 years ago when spinning reels were available as convertible left or right handed models. 

Switching hands during the cast is seamless for a practiced angler.  Gary Klein comes from our generation of anglers who cast right handed and switch the rod to the left hand while flipping. Does anyone think Gary would have been more successful using a left handed baitcasting reel? If Gary thought it was an advantage he would have changed!

Tom

^^I agree with this. I did this at a  young age so it was just part of learning the fluid motions.

I taught myself to pitch holding rod in left hand.  Sometimes i get a better angle or need to get jig back in quick...or sometimes even just to give my right arm a break.

 

The advantage of switching hands, IMO, is that is slows me down giving the bass a little longer to get the jig in their crushers.

4 minutes ago, BaitFinesse said:

but they are wierdos.

Call me a weirdo then.

 

I've never palmed my BC. My hand grips the rod behind the reel, forefinger in front of the trigger.

 

This evolved from the way I hold my spinners - forefinger in front of the support arm, rest of the hand gripping the rod behind it.

 

I've fished this way for almost 50 years with spinners, half that for BCs...never had a problem casting, hooking, retrieving, whatever.

On 2/26/2019 at 1:49 PM, WRB said:

Try watching a few videos by Dee Thomas and Gary Klein

Tom

 

I don't believe a right handed angler flipping with a left handed reel is a big advantage. I hold the rod with my right hand and check the bait without switching hands on every drop.  If I detect a fish, I set the hook by bringing the rod up.  This works because there is so little line out.  I only switch hands after the fish is hooked. When you have a green ten pound bass on three feet of line, it's awesome.

 

What does save time is using a reel with a flipping feature.  I use a Shamano Castaic with a flipping lever.  Mine is so beat up the paint is wore off it and it still works like new.