......do you have the reel handle?

As for myself being right handed, I grew up with the rod in my right hand and winding with my left. My right hand is my best hand so to speak and the simple task of winding can easily be achieved with my left hand.

But what of you?

I have heard it said by a few top class fly fishers that it's best to have the reel handle pointed to the right, and then the handle is out of the way of the loop of line that is being shot. The only problem I have here is that you have to perform the hand changing shuffle when you hit a big fish.

I take it that having the reel handle on the right hand side might be better when using a double handed rod, but I have virtually zero experience with a double handed rod and have never had a problem with line catching the reel handles using the single handed rod.

But what are your thoughts on this?

I agree with you. I've always had the rod in my right hand, reel handle to the left. Anything else just doesn't make sense to me.

I've always wondered why right handed sea anglers always wind with their right hand. Wouldn't you have thought that it would be best to use your stronger arm on the rod when trying to haul 80lb of conger up off the sea bed?!

Matt

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Across the fields of hoar. And the river steamed -
Flint-olive.


http://northcountryangler.blogspot.com

Because nearly all multiplier reels only come in right hand wind.

To answer the original query does it really matter? Use whichever method suits you and don't worry what other people do.

Paul

I know that. But why?

M

__________________
The sun pushed dark spokes of melt and sparkle
Across the fields of hoar. And the river steamed -
Flint-olive.


http://northcountryangler.blogspot.com

In centuries past there was a belief that there was something wrong with using the left hand for anything. The work sinister is derived from the Latin or Greek for Left. For example left handed children were forced to write with the right hand.

From what I have read about fishing there was a belief that it would be imposible to train the left hand to have the finesse required to play a fish on the reel. Therefore the line would be cast and the fish would caught with the rod in the right hand. The fisherman would then put the rod in their left hand to allow the operation of the reel with the right hand.

Personally I think its a load of tosh, but then I am left handed. That being said I fish right handed and reel left handed. I never could find a left handed fishing rod!

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Caught it on a Big Green Hairy Thing!

I am left handed when it comes to writing , yet i fish right handed ( rod in right hand and reel in with left ) I also play snooker right handed yet throw darts with my left

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Your fish ----> ><((((º> My fish ----> ><(((((((((º>
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Cheers Danny

Co-Founder of S.S.F.D 2010

Interesting comments Andrew.

It gets even more interesting when one travels to the Southern Hemisphere. There it is virtually impossible to find a right handed person who can do anything with their left hands. Presumably it is like water that goes the other way down the plughole of a bath.

Many Americans are now finding out that reeling with the left hand is more logical. But since the majority of Americans are not particularly logical at all, and insist of driving on the wrong side of the road for example, it's not likely to catch on with many.

I thought I was unique! Left handed to write, but I do everything else with my right (including a slight bias toward my right foot on the football pitch), apart from darts (LH) and playing snooker shots off the rest (LH). The latter has actually landed me in a bit of bother once or twice when I have been accused of unsporting behaviour by an opponent who saw me swap hands to play a rest shot and thought I was being cocky!!

M

__________________
The sun pushed dark spokes of melt and sparkle
Across the fields of hoar. And the river steamed -
Flint-olive.


http://northcountryangler.blogspot.com

Andrew is right. The belief is (in the salty fraternity in the USA anyway) that there is barely any difference in the strength of both arms in terms of hanging off the rod playing a big fish so no issues with using the left arm. However, if you are right handed, the theory goes that your right hand and arm will tire less quickly than your left and you will therefore be able to maintain co-ordination for reel winding longer with the dominant right hand, hence right hand wind for a right handed fisherman (counter-intuitive for most), ergo more chance of landing the fish. That's according to some bloke called Lefty Kreh anyway

I fish double handers and single handers for fresh and salt species, and all my reels are set up for left hand wind. It really would be a pain in the a r s e to swap a 15ft spey rod from hand to hand during the fight, because of the long lower handle.

Most of my reels are set up Left hand wind ,some of my antique type reels are right hand wind ,not a great problem fight ing fish either way ,Then I dont do a lot of heavy heaving with my fish,

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Andy Wren
Winter grayling taking a year off !
Claret not just a great dubbing colour!