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SD2OR with a trophy fall walleye

Topic: Which side of the kayak do you net the fish on?  (Read 1935 times)

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JasonM

  • Lingcod
  • *****
  • Location: Snohomish
  • Date Registered: Jun 2017
  • Posts: 282
I noticed today when I took one spinning reel and one baitcaster that I have my kayak set up for the spinning reel. What I mean by that is that I use my right arm to hold the rod and the left to net the fish, so I had my net in the flush mount rod holder on the left side. It's easy enough to use on the other side if I have to, but I noticed that I fish off the left side and so the fish naturally are more likely to be netted on that side. When I picked up my baitcaster, I noticed that I didn't feel as precise jigging since I was using my left hand/arm to do the jigging and only winding the reel with my right/dominant hand. Of course this made me wonder why "right-handed" spinning reels have the reel handle on the left and "right-handed" baitcasting reels have the reel handle on the right. This might actually be the real root question instead of the one in the title. As I type this out, I'm considering picking up a "left-handed" baitcasting reel just to see if I like it better when I'm controlling the rod with my right hand like I do with a spinning reel setup.


crash

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Humboldt, CA and Ashland, OR
  • Date Registered: Jan 2012
  • Posts: 812
There's a lot of us that us lefty bait casters.

I let the fish pick what side it wants to be netted on.


Clayman

  • Salmon
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  • Location: Newport, OR
  • Date Registered: Feb 2017
  • Posts: 778
There's a lot of us that us lefty bait casters.

I let the fish pick what side it wants to be netted on.
+1.  I'm right-handed and grew up fishing spinning rods.  When I started using conventionals, I went with the "left-handed" models since I was accustomed to reeling with my left hand and holding the rod with my right.  It's a perfect fit.

As for the netting of fish: when I'm trolling for salmon, I have the rod in a holder on my right but the line is trolling on my left (the rod is raised above and across my knees).  Best-case scenario is I can keep pedaling forward with the fish on, and net them on my left.  But if they're squirrely, I'll net them on any side that provides an opportunity.  Above all else, I want my net to be ready for ANY netting opportunity, especially when using barbless hooks for salmon.  When I'm jigging or mooching bait, the rod is in my right hand and I'll typically net the fish on my right.
aMayesing Bros.


JasonM

  • Lingcod
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  • Location: Snohomish
  • Date Registered: Jun 2017
  • Posts: 282
Thanks for the info, everyone. I ordered up my first left-handed baitcaster tonight since I couldn't find any that I was interested in locally. I hope to get in time to try out next weekend, but I'm guessing that the free shipping from Cabela's isn't going to be fast shipping like Amazon prime that is getting the line for it here on Tuesday. :)


Casey

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Salem Oregon
  • Date Registered: Oct 2015
  • Posts: 516
I'm no expert on which side to net salmon on in a kayak because I've only caught a couple Chinook from a kayak (a few weeks ago on the Rogue[emoji3]) and one coho (by catch on a shrimp fly). As far as being right handed and using a left hand retrieve, it seems like it's the only way to go for the same reason Clayman mentioned. Can't stand right handed reels!


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Matt M

  • Sturgeon
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  • Location: Tigard
  • Date Registered: Mar 2016
  • Posts: 1236
Count me in the "lefty reel" category. As for netting the fish it's whatever side the fish is on. Doesn't really matter a whole lot to me.
-Matt

Old Town Sportsman 120 PDL


Spot

  • Administrator
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Most people net with to the same side that they use to turn the handle on their reel.  That way, they don't have to reach across their body.

I'm a righty and prefer a right hand retrieve reel 'cause my left hand can do dumb things like lift a fishing rod but my right hand is much more talented at turning small circles and managing the intricacies of net handling.

I have both right and left hand retrieve reels but prefer the right.

-Mark-
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Trident 13

  • Salmon
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  • Location: Kent
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I'm right handed.  I have a left handing spinning reel and right handed bait reel.
Outside of my wife asking me "WTH are you doing" last night as I fantasized pulling in a big king, this is a good question. 
I jig mostly with the casting reel /pole to the left and place my spinning pole for trolling to the left side.  My downrigger hangs to the left so it's easy to crank up with my right.  (I suffer the same left hand coordination as Spot.)
 I turn the spinning reel in the scotty elevated holder so the handle is up, allowing me to tighten it if needed.  I mostly jig with the casting reel/shorter pole.  I have the net on the right behind-the-seat flush mount and the shorter casting pole reel in the left BTS mount when not used so I can reach over it with the longer spinning reel combo.  I think I like the downrigger on the left for right handed retrieval, but also so if I can't retrieve and need to lean away, I'm not leaning toward the same side as the cannon ball is hanging. 

All that is standard until I hook up and then it's on-the-fly decisions, I'm ambinetrious to switch side I actually net, but I net most fish on the left. 

That was hard, I wish I could have a beer after doing that in "reel" life on the water!


JasonM

  • Lingcod
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  • Location: Snohomish
  • Date Registered: Jun 2017
  • Posts: 282
Thanks for all the great feedback so far. I decided to cancel the Cabela's order for the left-handed Revo S (on sale for $59.99 instead of $129.99, as gen 3 is being continued) since I noticed that it didn't have the magnetic spool braking system that I prefer. I ordered a left-handed Pro Max instead, which should be here Friday. I hope I can find time to get out and test it this weekend.


bpm2000

  • Rockfish
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  • Location: Shoreline
  • Date Registered: Jul 2017
  • Posts: 100
Those gen 1-3 revos had so many problems its likely a good thing you cancelled it.  I had a whole load of SX and STX reels and swapped to Daiwas after that run.
formerly known as smokeondawater


craig

  • Sturgeon
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  • Location: Tualatin, OR
  • Date Registered: Jul 2008
  • Posts: 3814

I'm a righty and prefer a right hand retrieve reel 'cause my left hand can do dumb things like lift a fishing rod but my right hand is much more talented at turning small circles and managing the intricacies of net handling.

I have both right and left hand retrieve reels but prefer the right.

-Mark-


Same here. However, I net with my left hand.  I reel until the fish is tired beside the yak, then I put the rod in my right hand and net with the left.  Simple. I don't evern realize I do it. I used a lefty reel last Thursday for shits and giggles and to see if I could.  I felt really uncoordinated reeling left-handed and was worried my hand would slip off and smack me in the face. Luckily, they were only coho so I landed them.   As for spinning rods, I cast with my right and reel with my right.  The switch is made while the lure is flying through the air and I do not even realize I do it. It lands where I want it to, so I do not plan to change anytime soon...or ever.  I had a left-handed older brother that got me into fishing so I had to use his stuff.


gnomodom

  • Lingcod
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  • Location: Seattle, WA
  • Date Registered: Sep 2015
  • Posts: 211
I like rolling a light drag. With that said, I net the fish on whatever side it decides is best for it to be captured in. Since I like using a light drag, I don't worry too much about liftting too much or breaking the rod. I also use left hand retrieve on spinning and right on conventional. I just make sure that whatever side the fish is on, I net with that hand, and hold the rod with the other. I don't seem to have much of an issue with passing the rod between hands too.

If it is too tough to net the fish, you might be using an undersized net. Also, you may be trying too soon and they have too much spunk still.


JasonM

  • Lingcod
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  • Location: Snohomish
  • Date Registered: Jun 2017
  • Posts: 282
I did indeed get the left-handed Pro Max baitcaster last Friday and tried it out last weekend. The rod handling with the right hand was much better, as I expected. The reeling a baitcaster with my left hand was awkward at first, also as I expected. I did get better after doing it for a while, but when I picked the reel up again today it felt awkward again, but slightly less than the time before. I'm reasonably happy with it for now, but I'll have to use it for a while before making a decision to switch all my baitcasters to left hand.


albertan-yaker

  • Herring
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  • Location: Edmonton, AB
  • Date Registered: Dec 2014
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opposite side of my fish finder.
Hobie Outback 2014
Feelfree Lure 11.5