By Vance McCullough – AC Insider

Being able to cast with either the left or right hand is a huge advantage for any angler, especially for shallow water anglers and even more especially kayak anglers.

Boat positioning is more difficult from a kayak that it is from a bass boat with a foot-controlled trolling motor. The ability to switch hands and gain a 180-degree different angle while, say, combing a dock with a Thunder Cricket, elevates your game to a whole new level.

Also, if bass are super aggressive and eating your lure before it falls a foot in the water column, you may not be in a position to set the hook if you are passing the reel from your right hand to the left when they strike. Being able to cast and retrieve with the same hand keeps you in a constant position of readiness.

This is why hardcore flippers have long since sought left-handed reels or simply learned to flip left-handed, so their right hand is at the ready for those windows of opportunity when bass eat a lure as soon as it breaks through the cover or falls beside the target.

The mention of flippin’ brings up the subject of alternate casting techniques such as pitching and backhanding a lure into tight spots. Skipping too. Take advantage of the position – right at water level – that a kayak affords and get that sidearm skipping motion going.

With a little practice you can pitch, skip and otherwise shimmy a lure further back into cover than you probably think you can.

Paddle, pedal or power, the more casts you can make from different angles before needing to reposition your ‘yak, the more casts you can make in a day and, ostensibly, the more fish you are going to catch.

Spend some time on your next fun fishing trip developing your left hand, right hand and backhand casts.