Ambidextrous casting

[pillcaster]

I received a newsletter from Capt Chris Newsome (http://www.bayflyfishing.com/) extolling the virtues of being able to cast with either hand/arm. He mentions how advantageous this would be and suggests that this ability would put one in an elite class of FF. Now, I know of no other group of more elite FF than on this site, so I ask,
How many of you can cast proficiently from either side? I have never tried, but I am sure the learning curve would be steep for me......

[Rick Z]

James Castwell got me to casting with my left hand. Not as good as with my right, but lets me cast to many places that I would not be able to cast to with my right hand.
Does take some practice to get used to doing it.

Rick

[Chuck441]

I don't know if I'd call myself proficient from my other side (right side4, in my case), but I do switch hands from time to time on the stream, It's partly to give my left hand and arm a rest, but it also makes some mends and other casts more effective under some conditions. I can reach farther on a reach cast on my right side, for example, if I use my right hand and arm.

Chuck

[John_N]

For those of you casting with both hands, I'm curious: How much more flexibility have you found that gives you vs. simply casting over your off shoulder? I frequently cast right handed over my left side to facilitate certain angles, but am genuinely curious how much more I could do if I was doing it left handed.

[whatfly]

Want to cast from your left? Turnaround.

Perhaps throwing your backcast will not get you in the ranks of the 'elite' (whatever the heck that is supposed to me) but it will get the job done.

[Bluegill Budd]

In New England where I learned to FF casting with your off hand is almost a necessity. Small streams with limited access, too deep or fast to wade and overhanging trees made being able to cast with (in my case) my left hand an advantageous ability. I am proficient left hand casting but not nearly as good with my right hand. I have never attempted a double-haul left handed, but on the small creeks and rivers I fished it was never needed.

[Tig]

I can cast almost as well with either hand but I doubt very much that puts me any 'elite' class of fly fisher. Just happens that's the way I am geared. I write with my left hand , throw with my right, shoot a gun left handed and shoot a bow right handed. No special talent - just wired wierd Oh yeah - it does have it's advantages in some situations where you might be dealing with wind or angles. Also gives one arm a break when using the 9wt for pike.

[Ed_D]

I cast equally badly with either hand. As to turning around or casting over one's shoulder being the same, they are not. Consider a side-arm cast. If I am facing a bank which I'm fishing from mid-stream I use different hands for different effects. Let's I am facing the bank and water is flowing from my right. There are trees hanging out 15-20 feet from the bank and they are hanging fairly low. A sidearm cast is called for. If I use my left hand, I'll line and potentially spook the fish. So I use my right hand. At the end of the cast, the tippet and lead whip around and precede the rest of the leader and the line. (Or end up in a tree, but that's another story...) This gives me a better drift and a bit of protection from drag. Then I come to a bit of snag and brush protruding from the bank into the water. I now switch to my left hand and make the same cast. The tippet and fly whip up, low and behind the snag. It is the only way for me to fish these places. Of course, when I turn around to fish the opposite bank, the situations are reversed. Being able to cast with either hand is a very real advantage. Castwell taught me to use my off hand in about 5 minutes during a demo at a MiFi several years ago. I am thankful for that.

Regards,
Ed

[James Smith]

I also started casting with both hands a number of years ago, but I wouldn't say that I am nearly as proficient casting with my left hand. I find that it is very helpful when I have limited back casting room over my right shoulder or if there is a strong breeze coming from my right when casting with my left hand keeps me from getting smacked with the fly; especially when I'm using flies with dumb bell eyes (ouch!!!).

Jim Smith

[redietz]

I can cast with both hands, but for some reason have trouble handling line when I'm casting left handed (and I'm not very good at double hauling in that case either.) Other than that, learning to cast with my left hand has opened a lot of possibilities that aren't there casting off the shoulder. It's definitely worth the time it takes to learn (and it's not really that hard to learn.)