Switching From Right Handed to Left Handed Reels

[Mr. Bassin II]

Last year I had an unfortunate incident that resulted in a compound displaced humeral  fracture at the left elbow (broke my upper arm right above the elbow joint and dislocated the elbow as well).  The bone has finally healed after nine months but the elbow is in a condition that makes holding a rod in my left hand painful and difficult.  I could only imagine what setting the hook and fighting a fish would feel like.

 

Instead of giving up my passion for fishing, I have decided it is necessary for me to re-learn casting by switching to left handed reels and keeping the rod in my right hand at all times.  If anybody has made this switch I'm curious to know, how long did it take to adjust before you felt confident, or did it actually improve your casting and presentations?

 

I never realized how much I enjoy being on the water and chasing fish until I could not do it.  Thankfully I can resume my passion and it is one of the many things I do that I will never take for granted again. 

[Scott F]

You don’t say if you are talking about spinning or casting gear. I made the switch from right to left hand casting gear instantly. I was already using my right hand to cast both bait casting and spinning rods, and was cranking my spinning reels with my left hand, so to me, reeling the bait caster with my left hand was not the least bit awkward. 

[Mr. Bassin II]

Definitely a baitcaster.

[JustJames]

I alway cast with right both spinning and caster but reel with right on caster, left on spinning. So it is not a lot of problem for me to set hook or fighting with either hand. The only problem is casting with left, I can do but accuracy and distance is far worst. I can’t even do over head cast with left just side arm and back hand. I do have both left and right hand bait casters

and I use both. I even thinking about getting more left hand reels. 

It will take time but eventually you will get it. Now I can back hand cast with my left pretty accuracy. As for reeling different hand, I changed my caster to longer handle and that help a lot(my shimano 71 is 84mm so I changed to 90mm, I believe)

 

[Tennessee Boy]

I made the switch in the early nineties because it is a superior way to fish.  It allows me to use my dominant hand to impart action on the lure and to detect a strike.  It took a few months to get used to.  The only real downside was buying new reels.  For fast retrieve baits like crankbaits,  I still use right hand reels because cranking fast is the most skilled aspect of this type of fishing and I want to use my dominant hand to do it.

[WRB]

2 hours ago, Mr. Bassin II said:

Definitely a baitcaster.

You might want to consider adding spinning tackle, cast and retrieve right handed operating the reel left handed.

It takes some time practicing to get the eye hand coordination down, natural casting motion for right handed people.

Hope everything heals well.  It can take a year or so for severe injuries like yours to recover.

Tom

[Todd2]

I switched to left handed about 10 - 15 years ago...I stuck with it for one full day at the lake and by day's end it felt normal. 

[islandbass]

If you are already right hand dominant, the transition should be fairly quick. Even if it isn’t, it honestly shouldn’t take very long, especially if you practice in the yard. If you have at least one spinning outfit, switch the handle and see how it feels. This is one feature of a spinning reel I WISH casting reels had, lol. 

[MickD]

Been there done that.  I bought a leftie to favor my bad left shoulder when jerking.  Then my bad shoulder became my good shoulder.  Stuff happens.  Took me a number of days fishing to get to feel normal, but now I fish baitcasting both ways, putting one rod down and picking another of the other side.  Just stick with it, just fish, and you'll get it down fine.

 

I always have cast with the right, still do.  If you have to switch casting arms I expect that can be much more difficult.  But I expect time and practice will get you there.

[Mr. Bassin II]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

 

Hope everything heals well.  It can take a year or so for severe injuries like yours to recover.

Tom

Thank you.  It's been a tough injury but it gets a little better everyday,