Left handed casting

[MikieFinn]

It looks like I've messed up my right forearm while fixing the car. It's badly pulled muscle I think. Pain is getting worse from day to day. I'm going to see the doctor this Friday but since some of my regular meds interfere with healing of my body I might not be all fixed before season. Bummer. I need to consider the worse case scenario and prep for it.

How difficult it would be to learn casting with my left arm? I know some people have done it. What about fly tying?

Any advice? I might have to start learning now or miss the spring season!!!

I was right handed all my life and it took very very long time for me to learn typing with both hands - the slow learning curve I guess...

[Rick Z]

It will take a little time but I can get about 30 feet of line out with bathtub accuracy.

Rick

[waynep]

I spent an hour one day trying it. After the hour, I was able to carry 30 ft of line and shoot to 40 ft like said above, hit a bathtub size target. Give it a shot. It's useful on the stream in given situations.

-wayne

[Sagittarius62]

Do it. I cast southpaw all the time, but then again I am left handed. I practice semi regularly with my right, and can do pretty well up to about 35 feet or so.

[gzacckey]

I cast with both hands due to back issues. In the beginning you'll need to think about correct line pickup and stroke mechanics. You just need to do it for a while and will become second nature. Obviously, start with short casts and build from there.

One nice side effect is once your right arm heals you'll still be able to use either hand for casting. This has been beneficial on windy days and for changing casting angles in tricky situations without the need to reposition yourself in the stream.

The biggest problem I had with casting left handed is line control with my right hand. Also, I still cannot double haul left handed.

[raw69]

Start with the lightest rod you have. I am pretty good with my 3 wt and am getting better with my 5 wt. Take your time and only practice for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. The one thing I found helpful was that my left hand didn't have to unlearn the muscle memory of bait casting. Also, do some light lifting of free weights with your left.

[flybop]

Being able to cast decently with your off hand is a very good trick to have up your sleeve. As someone else said, often it is far easier to get a cast by switching casting arms than throwing your back cast into some brush.

A couple summers ago I had a husband and wife in my boat. The wife never held a fly rod before that day. With a few minutes of basic instruction she was actually casting well enough to start the float. (Women often learn faster.) She was in the front of the boat so I was on the left bank to make casting easier for her. Her casting was pretty darn good for a first timer. After a while we had to switch banks. As we approached the bank she put the rod in her left hand, and without missing a beat began to cast just as well left handed. When her husband and I expressed some surprise at how easily she switched hands she just looked at us and said, "I just thought that was what you were supposed to do.)

Rmeinds me of the old saying, "I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous."

[nighthawk]

You will be fine. A few years back J.C. encouraged me to learn the Off Hand cast when I broke a bone in the pinkie finger of my casting hand. That's when I learned to heed his advice as he kept me on the water that year during healing and recovery/rehab. As mentioned this is another weapon to add to your arsenal of fishing choices. I now practice my off hand casting every time I am out on the water.

Start out nice and easy. Short casts of up to 20 feet until you get the rod control and timing down. Then I would work for accuracy. This can be done well within the first day. After you have become comfortable with that then go for distance and accuracy.

Keep us posted. Good luck.

[Lake Erie High Ball]

Mikie,

I am left handed and not too long ago I broke it really bad with nerve damage and a year in therapy to get use back. You will be surprised at how fast you will adapt to using your weak hand for things like fishing, what pocket you put your wallet in, driving, eating, horse shoes, et al.

Two things I know for sure are if you know the basics and stick to them you will master them and develop muscle memory. Be strict in the basics; discipline yourself to do it perfect. If you fall short of perfect you will be as good as the rest of us lefties. Two, dexterity takes time and you will probably be better before you develop it but don?t let that stop you from trying. I still have a heck of a time tying flies on to tippets.

If you need flies let me know what you need and I will see if I can tie some for you.

Respectfully,
Sean

P.S. I have an extra left handed fly rod I could rent to you cheap.

[J Castwell]

"Piece of cake!" Nothing to it! Easy,,, except for; ya gotta use the other side of your brain, your master eye is on the wrong side now and you automatically cast two feet to the side of your target, the muscles in your off hand are wimpy and have no idea what co-ordination means and you will feel badly that your casting sucks so badly. Oh yes,,, the double-haul,,, ah, that is a fun one.