On my trout-sized rigs, where I often will strip the fish in, I reel left.
On the larger rigs, where the fish will (hopefully and likely) be taking out
lots of lines, and will get themselves on the reel, I reel right-handed.
Some folks think that it can get confusing, be it really doesn't. If a
person is angling for fish that take our 25, 50, or triple digit yards of
line, there is plenty of time to switch over.
Richard
----- Original Message -----
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Friday, May 31, 2002 5:02 PM
Subject: Re: left or right hand reel?
> Speaking of reeling left or right handed......I used to be convinced that
casting right and reeling left was the only way to go. I still fish this way
for trout and other species that are mostly played by hand, or occasionally
take me onto the reel. If I present the fly right handed switching hands and
gathering up slack line onto the reel while maintaining pressure by
stripping (with which hand? eek!) is too many balls in the air for me. I
would end up with a big cluster...... to often, so I stick to cast right,
strip left, reel left.
>
> However, after getting into fishing for bigger game like steelhead,
salmon, and saltwater species, I changed all of my bigger reels back to
reeling right handed. These species almost always take up the slack line on
the first run and then it's easy to switch hands. Also, casting the bigger
rod all day and then fighting the fish with the same arm causes a lot of
fatigue. Fighting left and reeling right in this situation gives my right
arm a rest.
>
