Which hand should you use to reel line on a fly reel? This is a question that fly angler have been asking since the dawn of the fly reel. There are two schools of thought, with one being much more popular than the other.
The first school of thought says that you should hold your rod in your dominant hand and reel with your non-dominant hand. In other words, if you are right handed and therefore cast with your right hand, you would reel with your left hand. This is by far the most popular way of setting up a fly rod, and what many people are taught is “correct.” This setup is extremely popular because the angler never has to switch which is holding the rod.
A second school of thought is gaining popularity, especially amongst expert anglers and saltwater fly fishermen. This school of thought says you should reel with your dominant hand. Proponents of the school of thought say that when speed matters, you are able to pick up line much faster by using your dominant hand. This is especially important in saltwater situations where fish can be faster and go on more aggressive runs. However, this setup requires an angler to pass the rod to their non-dominant hand when they hook up with a want to start fighting from the reel, some awkward and tough to get used to.
Do you use your dominant or non-dominant hand to reel?