My Toro 50 handled up albacore just fine, along with all the steelhead I've caught on them over the past two years...no explanation for your fuckup, might be a lemon?

Casting rods: Right hand retrieve...it's all they had when I learned to cast them, and that's what I'll do forever at this point.

Spinning reels: Always left hand retrieve. Always done it that way.

Fly Reels: Left or Right (It's well known that flyguys go both ways)...but I prefer the crank on the right.

Center Pins: Either way, prefer the right, though, by a good margin.

Fish on...

Todd