Left or Right hand multiplying reels

[Old fisher]

Hi All.
I no longer go sea fishing but I used to own my own boat. I have as a matter of interest, been looking at new multiplying reels. What I have noticed is that these reels are quoted as left or right handed reels. Now. A left handed angler should usually hold the rod in their left hand, and a right handed angler hold the rod in their right hand.
Well that's the way it used to be. Now looking at new multiplying reels for sale. manufacturers are classing Left hand wind as left hand reels and right hand wind as right hand reels. When did manufacturers start to do this ? Just to prove my point. The old Mitchell 300 fixed spool reels were left hand wind and other old style reels that were not ambidextrous, were also at that time. left hand wind as most anglers at the time were thought to be Right handed and held the rod in their (supposedly) strongest hand/arm. Have other anglers had their own thoughts about this ?

 

[mikench]

I don’t why . I am right handed and hold my rods in my right hand predominantly but reel in with my left hand. Most fs reels are ambidextrous ie the handle can be placed one either side. Not so with multipliers big and small ie baitcasters.

 

[@Clive]

I'm a bit confused at what you are saying. Mitchell 300 were left hand wind, holding the rod in your right hand. The 301 was right hand wind, holding the rod in your left hand. Multipliers are sold similarly as left hand wind for those who hold the rod in their right hand.

Traditionally many if not most centrepins and multipliers were designed to be wound with the right hand. The angler would cast with the rod in his or her right hand then switch it to the left hand for playing a fish or retrieving a lure or bait. You will find older multipliers such as the Hardy Elarex and Shimano Bantam only in right hand wind. Many old centrepins have their line guards situated to facilitate winding with the right hand. It is really only from the 1970s that reels designed to be wound with the left hand came to the fore. Just before that time ambidexterous reels were offered.

 

[Kevin Perkins]

As a 'leftie' I've had no trouble with the rod right/reel left scenario, but when sea boat/beach fishing I can't stand right hand multipliers and switching hands every time you cast. Something I think the late Barrie Rickards referred to as the 'Cross hands boogie!' Seems a ridiculous situation to me and not sure why anglers put up with it.

I do use a multiplier when lure fishing and it's a left-Handed ABU 5001c

 

[@Clive]

I too write left handed. But I bat, swing a golf club (badly) and cast a rod right handed. I have two vintage rhw multipliers and can fish them OK, but my bait casters are lhw as God herself intended.

 

[symonh2000]

I am right handed and struggled for ages boat fishing with a right hand wind multiplier. I needed to buy a new reel and tried a left hander in the shop before purchased.

What a revelation, it feels so much more natural and I don't know why I let myself struggle for so long. I no longer need to swap hands after dropping the bait down and as I am used to LHW fixed spool reels it just feels so much more intuitive for me to use.

I would never go back.

 

[Keith M]

I’m right handed and I always hold the ‘rod’ in my ‘right‘ hand; and wind with my ‘left’ hand regardless of whether the reel is mounted on the top or the bottom.

’Holding the rod in your right hand‘ and ‘turning the reel handle with your left hand’ is quite normal for a right handed person? Isn’t it?

Keith

 

[symonh2000]

I’m right handed and I always hold the ‘rod’ in my ‘right‘ hand; and wind with my ‘left’ hand regardless of whether the reel is mounted on the top or the bottom.

’Holding the rod in your right hand‘ and ‘turning the reel handle with your left hand’ is quite normal for a right handed person? Isn’t it?

Keith

It works for me.

I know of someone who is right handed and he uses a righthand wind multiplier on the bottom of the rod and winds backwards.

Right hand wind for right handed anglers might be convention where it comes to multipliers, but it is wrong for me and probably lots of others.