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[canucksfan233]

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?

[Darko]

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.

[John Revolver]

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"

[jim]

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?

[RalphH]

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.

[Fish Assassin]

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.

[dave c]

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.

[ribolovac02]

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 .

[adriaticum]

This is not a preference.
It's not a preference what hand you write with, what eye you shoot with.
And what reel you reel with.

You have to determine this for your self.
Not by polling consensus.

Some people who are ambidextrous (like me), could do it both ways, but only one way feels right.

Maybe that's why I'm seeing so many lefties on the river this year. Someone is teaching them that handedness is a preference.
You have one arm that is stronger,  one arm that can perform more fine motor movements than the other.
If you are lucky they will both be the same arm.
You have to figure this out.

[adriaticum]

I personally have a hard time to understand people who cast with their right and then switch to reel with their right .

This is exactly the outcome of someone teaching people that handedness is a preference.
If you want to fish all day without feeling any strain on your arms, learn it the right way.

[clarki]

If you want to fish all day without feeling any strain on your arms, learn it the right way.

Or the left way!

[GordJ]

This is exactly the outcome of someone teaching people that handedness is a preference.
If you want to fish all day without feeling any strain on your arms, learn it the right way.

Obviously, the proper way to fish all day without strain one would cast with the right hand and fight the fish with the rod in the left hand. That way you split the arm strain. Personally, I cast right and retrieve with the fly line in my left hand because I am very right hand dominate and once the fish is on the reel I will reel with the right hand because I reel better right handed and have more control palming the reel with the right. Same with mooching reels and level winds and I think that is because I can thumb the spool better with my right but, surprisingly,  with spinning reels I reel left.
 TLDR? To each their own.

[adriaticum]

Obviously, the proper way to fish all day without strain one would cast with the right hand and fight the fish with the rod in the left hand. That way you split the arm strain. Personally, I cast right and retrieve with the fly line in my left hand because I am very right hand dominate and once the fish is on the reel I will reel with the right hand because I reel better right handed and have more control palming the reel with the right. Same with mooching reels and level winds and I think that is because I can thumb the spool better with my right but, surprisingly,  with spinning reels I reel left.
 TLDR? To each their own.

Yah, to each their own, but everyone is different and they have to understand what feels right for them.
I hold all rods in my right hand and reel with left hand. Centerpin, spinning, casting and fly.
This year I saw one person with a spinning reel above the rod struggling to reel in the smallest trout.
With a little bit of info and swapping of the handle on the spinning reel they were on their way.
Newbs do the craziest things.

[Spawn Sack]

Personally, I much prefer to have my dominant hand (right) as my casting and hook setting hand. And my left to reel.
HOWEVER, I have found when you go on a guides boat (esp for sturgeon) often all reel are right handed. Have run into this many times ocean fishing as well. All righties. Sometimes I'll bring my own rod/reel if I have an appropriate set up for the fishery. Over the years I've gotten comfortable reeling right handed as well as left, as long as it in a boat (no casting).
I absolutely can not cast with my left and reel with my right (center pin or whatever).

Whatever you do, do not be one of those knobs reeling his spinning reel in backwards/upside down (!)   

[Roderick]

I think it's whatever your Dad put into your hand when you were a kid.  Kids can easily learn it either way, or both.