attention southpaws

tim1120sm · May-12-2005, 08:57 PM

my dad is lefty and needs tackle to use most immediately in bay of LA in june. i think he needs a 40lb reel, I have picked out the Avet EX 4/01. nAny thoughts on this or other left handed reels and what kind of rod to pin them on as well. trying to stay wqith a single speed to keep costs slightly lower. thanks for any help.
-tim

Sherrita · May-12-2005, 09:55 PM

I'm left handed, always used/use standard reels.
If his left handed reel dosen't work, he can't fish anymore,
when there are other reels around ???

tim1120sm · May-12-2005, 10:16 PM

assuming the left handed reel continues to work, is the manufacturing quality of left handed reels the same as standard configuration?

**Surfdoc** · May-12-2005, 10:17 PM

Tim the EX 4/0 is way overkill IMO....

Go with the Avet LX or JX.. they both carry more then enough drag for 40#, add it to a G700H and your killin em!

Steve that's why you just drive the boat...

**Surfdoc** · May-12-2005, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tim1120sm

assuming the left handed reel continues to work, is the manufacturing quality of left handed reels the same as standard configuration?

with the Avets that I have seen yes.. but MotSR has the lefty problem also he may have some input.

**Orca** · May-12-2005, 10:19 PM

yes. you can also get Penn senators in left handed models 4/0 and 3/0

the hook · May-12-2005, 10:22 PM

It's finding left-handed rods that is tough.

**Orca** · May-13-2005, 07:47 AM

Hey Chris, chill dude.

roxfisher · May-13-2005, 07:52 AM

Some of the left handed are configured the same as the right handed, Avet does, Accurate does not (they just turn the reel over and reset the interior workings), Shimano does.

All three of these manufacturers have left handed retrieve. Jigmasters (500L) are readily available in lefty, inexpensive and you can fish several different line sizes on the thing, a true workhorse. I have not seen any senators though.
I love the little avet 2 speed, 40# test. For 20# Accurate 270, for 30 Accurate 870, for 12-15# Shimano Calcutta 400, for Trolling Avet 2 sp (EX) and I have a custom Penn 50 2 speed that was reconfigured (not a stock item).

I had a problem with the bigger Avet, but they fixed it, (Older model) and works fine. Gotta love the little Avet jx 2 speed I believe it is 3.6/6.0 ratio, but I don't have the numbers ingrained so I could be wrong I will check when I get home.
The Calcutta is a great reel, but they do not make the 700 in a lefty.
The old addage of "your stronger hand should do the pulling" doesn't make sense to me as that would tell me all you righties should be fishing left handed retrieve.
Not highly technical info, but all my gear is left handed retrieve, hope it helps.

Dos Locos · May-13-2005, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orca

Hey Chris, chill dude.

awww jeez dad, just havin a little fun............

Paul F · May-13-2005, 09:29 AM

I wrote a lot here but it comes down to those two things

Penn reels are the same frame and body for a lefty as a righty. The dogs and gears are cut in reverse. Weird having the freespool and clicker on the wrong side. People would often look at them on a party boat and say that the stupid guy put his reel on backwards. You can buy the gears and dogs to turn them around. Probably have a set of gears for a 4/0 around somewhere. Penn only makes the base models in left handed(500 but no 501) Aftermarket frames will work but you can't buy off the shelf gears to change ratios Use to be that penn charged an extra $13.50 for a left handed reel. Newest penn reel I have is at least 15 years old and all are standing up well. All have been used quite a bit except the 9/0 which has been sitting on a shelf for at least 15 years
I have in left handed the following reels:
9/0
45GLS: kinda of a lemon but I have not had an issues. not made any more
wide 4/0 after market wide body frame installed
4/0
2-501 aftermarket narrow body frame installed on them
500
I also have
Avet ST Killer reel
Plus about half a dozen smaller bait casters.

I have bought a couple Two speed reel lately. Fish right handed on them so that my son can use them too. I perfer left handed but can do it both ways.

?? fisherman · May-13-2005, 10:40 AM

I agree with Steve and know quite a few lefties who have made the switch and learned how to use the right handed reels.

As was said already if you fish leftie and decide to stay that way you will severely limit your options as well as opportunities that may come up.

For instance-

Say you are on some trip of some sort (cruise or whatever) and you end up in a place where you stumble on some great fishing or a great deal that you werent aware of and you REALLY would love to do this trip since the bite has been going off, but all of the gear you can most likely bet will be right handed gear.

Or-

You are out fishing with a few buds and someone hooks into that trully fish of a lifetime (Swordie, Huge Bigeye, whatever) and its a moster and he is a rightie and after hours of fighting he is spent and cant handle no more and needs to pass it off and it is now the lefties turn, well is is now going to feel like a complete clutz and may have a few probs fishing with the rightie..............You get the drift, not to mention all of the deals you will miss out on from time to time on when someone decides to unload that favorite reel you have been wanting for a pretty smokin deal.

If I had a young kid that was a leftie I would work on them to fish and develop their skills by fishing a right handed reel, JMO

The trully funny thing is that on freshwater spinning gear a right handed reel is designed for us righties to reel with the left hand and I would pretty much bet that nearly all of us can fish the Spinning gear that way without feeling wierd or awkward at all, as its just what you get used to doing.

Myself and Chuck fish together on occasion and he is a leftie and we had discussions about this before but he is pretty adament about staying a leftie since he said he just felt to wierd when he tried fishing rightie, so the switch may not be for all but I do know of a few guys who decided to make the switch and it really didnt take long for them to finally feel completely comfortable fishing the right handed reels and to be honest they are pretty stoked now as there is a whole new world out there for them now when it comes to purchasing reels.

The unknown fisherman :p