[dogger]

A little background to my question, always fished with spinning reels with a right-handed reel. I cast with my right, the switch pole to the left-hand and reel with the right.

My lighter fly outfit is a left-hand reel and I cast with my right, keep the pole in the right and strip line in with the left hand. For fighting these smaller fish- bass, beams and trout I would just strip the line in, maybe switch to reeling them in.

I am also left handed, but learned to do most things with my right other than writing.

QUESTION: I am going to be fishing much bigger fish-salmon on a larger outfit equipped with a Redington SVIII, should I switch the reel to a right-handed reel. I have not caught one of these larger fish and am looking for some input on fighting a fish this size.

Also, how do you switch it from left to right?

Any opinions would be great!

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Dogger,

This is a personal choice thing but there are some things to consider. I fished in Alaska catching big trout and Salmon reeling with my left hand and casting with my right hand. I am right hander. I think if you will be catching a lot of big fish you are better off with the rod in your strong hand and winding with the weak hand. I always play a big fish from the reel and as I got older I found that I couldn't keep up with the fish using my weak hand. So I switched to strong hand winding and weak hand on the rod. These events took place using a standard arbor reel. With a large arbor reel the weak hand can do much better winding than it could with the standard arbor. You don't include your age in your profile so I don't know if age is a problem for you. Some saltwater guides use to insist that their clients wind with their strong hand. I don't know if that is still the case with LA reels.

OK so here is a test you can try. This takes two people. One with a watch with a second hand and you casting. While your helper is holding the rod walk out holding the end of the fly line for 60 to 80 feet or so. The more line you have out the better the results. Now come back and take the rod and get ready to wind as fast as you can. When the timer says go, wind like the devil until the line it at the rod tip. The winder should holler stop at that time. Note the seconds it took to wind in the line and repeat the test several times and average the results. Then repeat the test winding with the other hand. If there is not much difference in the times just wind with the hand that is most comfortable. If there are a few seconds difference wind with the best hand. Doing the test will pretty well show you what hand is best for you even without timing it. You will feel more comfortable with one hand or the other.

Frank

[BigCliff]

Frank's right, you should set a reel up to be reeled with your fastest hand if you are going to be doing lots of reeling.

Or you can be weird like me and leave your small reels set up for left hand retrieve and big ones for right. (i'm right handed) I like to be able to reel the big critters in as fast as possible. On the lighter outfits, its nice to not have to move the rod from one hand to the other so much.

[Joe D]

dogger,

If you are right handed you will want to reel with your right hand. This will allow for more rapid line pickup. It also keeps the reel handle out of the way when shooting line.

Joe

[dogger]

I'm not old when it comes to NFL Quarterbacks, I'm only one-month older than Brett Favre -38.

Thanks for the advice, I have heard and read things about which should be the one you use, to one not to use with big fish to people breaking fingers when a huge fish runs......fishtales maybe.

How would one switch it to a right hand reel or are you stuck with what you have?

Seems the drag would be backwards if the reel were simply flipped to the right?

[Joe D]

dogger,

You can switch most reels between right and left hand. Some are very simple while others are just simple. Your best bet is to check the owners manual, or lacking that, to get in touch with the manufacturer. If the place you bought it is nearby they should be happy to switch it around for you.

Joe

[BigCliff]

converting the reel itself is generally pretty simple, but keep in mind you'll need to rewind all the backing and line onto the spool into the opposite direction. This can be fairly time consuming.

[dogger]

I turned the reel, but the drag is the problem when i reel it in, it is engaged. Must need to switch something else or I am doing something really dumb.

It could be both.

[jimw]

Did you pull all the line off and reel it on in the other direction??

[derekw68]

What kind of reel is it. Once you remove the spool you have more work to do. It is simple but need to know what reel it is.

As for me I am right handed but have always cst with my right and reel with my left. Thats the way I was taught as a kid.