Single or Double Handle

[Eddie Bray]

I bought some new reels and they come with both single and double handles.

Single handles are slightly longer and a little more beefy than the double handle.

What are the benefits of each?

 

[Alex Dalton]

Both have their own merits ,some reel handles can work loose at the pin ball joint happened to me on two single handled reels that broke off , prefer the shimano double handles have had the single ones work loose, I think a lot depends on work load , numerous recasting heavy loads on a large river to a very small weight on a much smaller river . Never really been a tackle tart tend to use the same reels most of the time , double and single handled.

 

[Terry Simner]

Personal preference IMO. Larger single handles are better for 'cranking', but if you're reeling in a heavy lump (of lead, fish, and dead branch etc) you should be pumping it in, not cranking against the weight. I prefer single handles, especially if I'm fishing with the rod at very close quarters (touch ledgering/freelining/trundling etc). The old chestnut of 2 handles providing more "balance" is a LOB ... IMO

 

[Eddie Bray]

Thanks both for your replies.

 

[Richard Isaacs]

As Terry rightly said a single handle will allow more leverage on the reel so the reel would feel more powerful. The actual handle grip is generally bigger too and you can get a proper hold of it rather than a finger and thumb job usually associated with doubles.
Doubles really only offer a better balance on the handle and I believe a double handle will be better from a wear point as the weight distribution from both sides of the handle would be transferred through the whole reel. When you spin them up you can see this as a double will always spin up balanced a single won’t.
I don’t really care about either to be honest as they both seem to do the job and not cause any issues in use.

 

[Andy Bebbington]

single handle for me even though i own a few reels with double handles, think they just get in the way personally.
Andy

 

[Eddie Bray]

I just wondered what the idea was, I prefer the single handle and as I use the rod to bring the fish in it doesn't really get cranked just a means of retrieving line. I do find that the 'larger' single handle seems to close down smaller than the double handle does.

Just seems a bit of a waste knowing that there will always be one that doesn't get used.

 

[Mark Anderson]

Hi men ,

Might just be my style , or the tight swims we like , but the double handles used to snag the line on difficult underarm flicks , where as I used to have the single version pointing backwards away from the spool

Hatter

 

[Richard Isaacs]

Hi men ,

Might just be my style , or the tight swims we like , but the double handles used to snag the line on difficult underarm flicks , where as I used to have the single version pointing backwards away from the spool

Hatter

Your not using them for dry fly fishing are you Mark

 

[Bob Gill]

Prefer single handles and despite having reservations about this handle, I really like it.- the so called egg shape.

 

[Terry Simner]

Your not using them for dry fly fishing are you Mark

Nothing wrong with using a fixed-spool for dry fly fishing Rich, as long as you cast your fly upstream... obviously (otherwise you're a cad)

 

[Ben Marr]

Personal preference IMO. Larger single handles are better for 'cranking', but if you're reeling in a heavy lump (of lead, fish, and dead branch etc) you should be pumping it in, not cranking against the weight. I prefer single handles, especially if I'm fishing with the rod at very close quarters (touch ledgering/freelining/trundling etc). The old chestnut of 2 handles providing more "balance" is a LOB ... IMO

I don't think it makes much difference on a rod, which after all is what matters, but try holding a reel and spinning the handle with both types.

 

[Jon Young]

Much prefer single handles. Iv got quite big hands so double handles can get in the way at times