Drifting Left or Right?

[Short Hop]

This little idea came to me last night and I wanted to see what you guys thought about it. Ok here goes.
Would you rather drift fish from right to left or left to right? Do you think you catch more fish one way over another? I personally like to drift from right to left but it doesn't effect my fish catching I just like it better. What about you guys? [img]graemlins/stupid.gif[/img]

[ZaQ]

I am a left to right kinda guy. It feels more natural to cast that way for me. In my experience, it does not decrease or increase the catch ratio. Interesting question......... :grin:

[Mad Mikey]

Left bank fisherman here. Go ask this question on the FF'ing board and you'll get a lot of interesting replies.
Zaq, are you right or left handed?
I know that swinging flies is more pleasant for me fishing off the left banks and seems drift fishing too.
Maybe add to this: IF you had to deal with WIND, which direction would you prefer it?
Heh, heh. NOW it gets even more complicated...

[cully]

it makes absoultly no differnce to me. Fly,floats, drift, eggs, corkies, yarn, spin n glows, hochies, prawns , troll, plunk and on and on. I want to learn as much as I can because it all applies some where sometime. Now just to figure out how to retire to spend more time learning how to apply these methods

[Fshklr]

Short Hop,
No difference for me. Can cast either way and hook ups are more apt to location than direction. Being able to read the water from either side is still under the learning curve as for the wind... with the flow of water please :grin: . (downstream direction)

[Mrdorkfish]

I think "access" or if you are in a drift boat you can easily make that decision for you... certain water will give you a better drift from a certain side... If you're like me you take what you are given....if you are fishing the upper Nestucca you are fishing from left to right...and unless you know some back roads you are fishing the Wilson from right to left... back in the olden..golden days of my upper Nestucca stalkings...i would (in summer) get to whatever side it took to get the best presentation of my offering :grin:

MrDorkfish [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]

Louis

[SHOUGALNITE]

I'm left to right, but you have to switch once in a while.

[steelheadslayer]

I prefer right to left, don't know why, it just feels better. I've caught fish either way, so I guess it matters whether or not you're there at the right time.

[FishinMission]

What's "Drift Fishin'??"..He he...just kidding.
My answer to the question would be...."Doesn't matter, as long as the reel handle is on the left....." :grin:

Mark

[Holehog]

I find that which ever way you perfer to drift, it is very important to cross the river frequenty in order to remove the line twists that occur when drifting for prolonged periods in one direction.

[Corkie Monster]

Right to Left :grin:

CM

[salmurai]

Depends on what outfit I have in my hands, what technique I'm using and how the hole is layed out.

[Fishfeet]

Left to right, current from the left. Fishbob

[Grandpa Lynn]

I prefer left to right, probally because I'm right handed and use both spinning and level wind reels with handle on left hand side. Generally don't have a choice! Have to fish the rivers from whatever side you have access..

[FishingNewbie]

i'm right handed, and a really bad caster, so i prefer left to right.

[Dakotan]

I'm just as good at not catching fish from both sides.....seriously though, I like fishing on the right side.

[skrimmy]

Depends on which side of the river you're standing on! :grin: Doesn't matter to me either way.

[blacktail]

I heard Zaq "drifts both ways".

[back bouncer]

OH, thanks for the info.

[ZaQ]

I am right handed left handed reeler. I do drift both ways, who has been talking?

[spinner53]

Using a casting set-up, I can only cast with rod in right hand, so in the DB, I'll have to anchor on the left side o the river ( looking downstream ) and cast over the stern.
Either that or the front seater just has to go ..
Reckon I can have a spinning set-up for the other side ...

[Ty]

Doesn't matter the side, depends on how the drift feels to me!!!

[fishnpray]

I must admit, though I like it not, that I drift both ways. :grin: . It is easier to manage this from a single bank side on a windier river, and I have actually had the experience of drifting right to left when the current was runnign the opposite direction. Not really drifting...my lead more skated along the surface...decided to go home then... :blush:

[jokester]

I agree with the ones who say it doesn't matter. I've drifted both and it doesn't seem to make a difference, because I can't catch fish either way anyway :grin:

-jokester

[Quasimodo the fish killer]

I dont have a preference I have always switched sides of the river so that Iam positioned so that my bait will flow with the flow of the current if that makes any sense.

if the river has a slight bend to the north then I fish from the north bank if it has a slight bend to the south I fish from the south bank.

I feel by doing this you present a more natural drift. I cant really say if it works any better or not because thats the way I always fish.

I can fish from either direction.


Quasi

[Siwash]

I agree that it doesn't really matter; if I can, I'll cross to whichever side I think will make for a better presentation. Just in terms of personal feel though, I guess I prefer left to right for my usual spinning/drifting, but for whatever reason I like right to left better for swinging flies.

[ORoutdoorsman]

I prefer left to right. Once I am in t he water it makes no difference, but you can stand straight being right handed and cast to the left, I have to turn my body completely to the side to cast to the right side, which on slick icy rocks isnt something I enjoy doing.