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NEWS
Ambidextrous Fishing
A handy tip from IFISH TV about the right and left way to crankAt the age of 12, after catching my first fish, I was hooked, spending as much time as I could with a rod in my hand, mainly casting lures for trout. I even arranged my University timetable so I could leave early, giving me enough time to flick a lure before tea. It was here I learnt my craft and with which hand to wind the reel. It was an interesting progression...
You may notice that when I’m lure casting, particularly for trout, I will cast and then retrieve (wind) with my left (non-preferred) hand. I learnt very early that this was the most effective method.
When fishing trout streams it’s best to fish upstream so the fish don’t see you approaching. If you’re casting then retrieving with your preferred hand, the lure will float back in the current missing the strike zone because of the time it takes to swap hands to crank the reel. This is the main reason you should teach yourself to wind with your non-preferred hand if trout [and other light tackle) spinning. It will result in more fishing success and an advantage that cannot be overlooked.
When general fishing like catching snapper, sailfish or bait fishing, I like to wind with my right (preferred) hand. This type of fishing utilises different techniques where an immediate wind is generally not necessary. I find using my right hand to wind in these conditions is also a comfortable alternative. There is no added advantage to using one hand over the other, so I enjoy using my right hand.
When fishing this way some people are quick to tell me that this is wrong. Well, there are no rules in fishing and my advice is to wind with the hand that is most comfortable, unless you have an advantage in winding with your non-preferred hand, as with trout spinning above. Eventually both hands will become as fluent as each other and, with easy change handle systems on reels, you can swap and choose at will.
So the moral of this story is simple: just do what is most comfortable and what works best for you, and don’t let anybody tell you that you are doing it wrong. At the end of the day, it’s all about having a good time as well as catching a fish. In saying that, I am so happy I have learnt to be ambidextrous because I know it has made me a better angler.
Yours in Fishing,
Paul Worsteling
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Written byBoatsales Staff
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
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