I’ve never been the type of angler to tweak and modify my bass fishing reels. I know a bunch of people who change every bearing, lubricate them with whale tears—or whatever—and spend a a lot of money trying to make their reels perform the best they possibly can. Heck, it’s a rare sight to see me even clean one of my reels. To each their own, but personally, I’d rather just go fishing.
I will say, however, that I recently discovered the Lew’s Double Power Handle and have absolutely loved it for flipping and pitching. It’s basically a beefed-up, aftermarket handle that replaces the original handles to offer more leverage and better control of the fish. After using it for several fishing trips, I’m already making plans to order six or seven more.
Here’s what I like most about it:
- They give me more control
- Easy to install
- Reasonably priced
They have made a difference in my hookup ratio
I’ve briefly discussed the concept and viability of oversized reel handles in the past and was graced with some “colorful†emails and comments. Some said I wasn’t a “real†fisherman if I couldn’t grip a regular reel handle while others seemed to believe I had weak, childlike gripping strength. Lovely.
But here are some common issues the Lew’s Double Power Handle has fixed for me.
- Rain and wet hands— Wet hands can be a major issue when you’re setting the hook, especially with bottom-contact techniques that require an aggressive hookset. This handle features two really big EVA grips that don’t allow my hands to slip whatsoever. Plastic, rubber and cork grips tend to cause my hand to slip off the grip and bust my knuckles on the drag star, so I’m a huge fan of these foam grips. Whether it’s raining or I’m handling a bunch of fish, it’s made a noticeable difference
- Leverage— This handle is a bit longer than the original handle that came on my Speed Spool LFS Series Casting Reel, which gives me a more leverage when I’m wrenching on a fish in thick cover. I’m not a math or science guy, so I can’t exactly quantify how much it helps, so I am strictly speaking from my personal experience. I’ve caught bass up to 6 pounds with this handle so far and I’ve felt very “in control†with each fish catch.
- Bulldog ‘em— I don’t mess around with hooksets when I’m flipping and pitching because I’m trying to get the fish away from any obstructions as quickly as possible. The giant grips on this handle allow me to use my entire right hand—if necessary—to yank a big bass over the cross beam of a dock, a big grass mat or a thick laydown.
- I can find the grips— This is another thing that happens to everyone, regardless of your skill level. You’re dragging a jig, you feel a big thump and for some reason you fumble for a split-second when “finding†your handles before setting the hook. By the time you catch up to the fish, she’s either swimming directly at you or tangled up in cover. These extended handle and large grips, however, have made it easier to set the hook firmly at a second’s notice.
Easy to install
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again— sometimes I just want to go fishing. If given a choice between tinkering with a reel for an hour or going fishing, I’m headed to the lake. So when I first found out about the Lew’s Double Power Handle, I was curious as to whether it’d be too much of a headache to deal with.
I actually timed my installation of this handle and it took a grand total of 4 minutes. It comes with all of the parts you’ll need including the handle washer, handle nut, handle nut retainer and handle nut retainer screw. All you’ll need is a small flat-head screwdriver and a 10-millimeter wrench. For your reference, I numbered the simple process in the photo above.
Once installed, it fits excellently and you won’t notice any “play†in the reel. I’ve made hundreds of pitches and flips along with several hooksets and it performs wonderfully.
I think it’s reasonably priced
I totally understand that “reasonable†is a relative term but I think $39.99 is an awesome deal for this handle. I’ve really started gravitating towards large, oversized handles for all of my bottom-contact techniques lately and for the advantages this handle gives me, I’ll pay this price all day long. When you pair this handle with a $99 Lew’s Speed Spool LFS Series Casting Reel, it’s hard to find a better or more affordable flipping and pitching setup.
I don’t get caught up in the aesthetics of bass fishing, but for what it’s worth, everyone loves the look of these handles. I’ll have all the fancy electronics and gear in my boat and what do people ask me about more than anything? The big handles on my reels.
It’ll take some getting used to
In my experience with the Double Power Handle, most people either love it or hate it— there doesn’t seem to be much in-between. When I first started using oversized handles, it felt very different than what I was used to, but I fell in love after the first hookset. Now I have a hard time using anything else. So give it a chance and I truly believe it will make a big difference in your power fishing game.
If you like to drag worms or pitch and flip shallow cover, I consider the Lew’s Double Power Handle a very worthy investment. It’s well-priced, hassle-free and gives you a lot of control when you’re fighting big fish.
The Lew’s Double Power Handle is available at TackleWarehouse.com.
