Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: canucksfan233 on September 25, 2025, 09:46:41 PM
-
Well as of today, I now own a right (silex) and left hand (milner) centerpin reel.
Learned on RHR, but in my mind LHR makes more sense as a right hand dominant person. Have never used LHR pin before.
My spinning reel is left hand retrieve (which I think most people use)
What I think:
LHR - fighting the fish with your main arm, netting a fish solo
RHR - can reel a lot faster if fish is swimming at you (a lot more helpful in ocean where all the mooching reels I use a RHR tbf)
Whats your preference and why?
-
Well as of today, I now own a right (silex) and left hand (milner) centerpin reel.
Learned on RHR, but in my mind LHR makes more sense as a right hand dominant person. Have never used LHR pin before.
My spinning reel is left hand retrieve (which I think most people use)
What I think:
LHR - fighting the fish with your main arm, netting a fish solo
RHR - can reel a lot faster if fish is swimming at you (a lot more helpful in ocean where all the mooching reels I use a RHR tbf)
Whats your preference and why?
I'm not sure about the reeling faster part. At least personally. I think your dominant hand will be more comfortable and controlled to hold your rod one handed, hold it up high to keep your line off the water on those far casts, quickly lower it if the fish is running downstream or jumps. Also I swing with my right side when I cast, so that's my experience. I would say do what feels more naturally comfortable. I am right handed and do everything right handed, but when I used to play guitar I played left handed, for some reason first time I picked one up that's how I held it and it felt much better than the other way around. I wouldn't change unless you had issues with the way you're currently doing it.
-
Off hand retrieve always!, for me at least.
All the strength, touch and feel should always be on the dominant hand which holds the rod.
Now with that said, there are no hard and fast rules. If someone is comfortable with a dominant hand reel retrieve then go for it! As we say in the world of golf - " just swing your swing"
-
I spent a lot of time learning to cast my Silex. Don't want to change now.
I think the new method of mounting the reel 10" above the reel seat, and clutching rod and reel in one hand has led to the right handed clutching of the outfit. Seems a large hand is needed. Or is it to chain smoke?
-
fly or pin the old Hardys always came setup for right hand retrieve. Some could be switched. I once heard that the thinking was the spinning handles should be away from the body so for righties it was RH retrieve. For years 20+ years that was how I did it but then I developed shoulder problems and switched my reels. Doesn't really make a difference one way or the other as far as I am concerned.
-
As others have said, strictly preference and what you're comfortable with. I've seen people reeling a spinning reel "upside down" and they've caught fish.
-
Always found it odd seeing people casting w right hand, putting rod in left hand and reeling with right (Rod!) LOL not judging. To me being RH dominant i prefer to cast w RH and retrieve reeling with left. Fighting the fish with dominant hand makes so much more sense as does feathering the spool on a centerpin. If you cant manage little circles with your left hand there might be a bigger problem in the works.
-
My dominant hand is right , so I feel very comfortable casting with that hand , and retriving with my left , I also grew up that way , In Europe very few reels are right hand retrieve , for the same reason I mentioned .
I personally have a hard time to understand people who cast with their right and then switch to reel with their right .
But each to their own , do what you think is best , even tho I think you are wasting time , it don’t matter as long as you catch fish .