I'm sure with this topic that I'm going to open one heck of a can of worms. When a friend of first got me stated fishing, to be honest, I was as green as they came. He got me outfitted with a C5500 reel and Berkley Air IM7 Med-Hvy combo, about as standard as you get. At that time, I didn't know any better or have any reason to question my set up. Well, a few years have passed since then, and quite a few rods and reels too, and I've always ended up getting a right handed retrieve reel. I guess it's because that's what I learned with, and never had the inkling to change that. Kind of the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality. I'm right handed, so I've always made the right handed cast, made the switch over to the left hand at the end of the drift, and retrieved with my right. On the other hand (literally), another buddy of mine started out with the same set up, but with a C5501 reel, a left handed retrieve. The reel was given to him, and that's what he has learned with and always used. When fishing, sometimes we swap set ups and it drives him nuts to use a right handed retrieve, having to switch hands all the time. At the same time, using a left handed retrieve doesn't seem all that akward to me. Now that I'm getting into the finer points of steelheading, I am starting to question my own set up. I'm an engineer, so I admit up front here that maybe I'm a little (okay, maybe a lot) anal and tend to over analyze everthing. But, at the same time, I think that if there is any possibility that will give you the upper hand on these metalheads, it's worth exploring. Being able to cast with one hand and keep the rod in that hand the whole time without having to switch hands to retrieve, definately has it's advantages. I could see how it could reduce the chances of missing a hit when you're switching hands, something that has happened to me more times then I'd like to admit. Or, if you ever want to get into flyfishing (I'm still trying to master drift and float fishing right now, but will eventually add fly fishing to my arsenal), I could see how it could be advantageous to strip and retrieve with the opposite hand that you cast with.
Now that I've got several rods with right handed retrieves, and my boys are getting to the age where I would like to start teaching them how to fish, the question that I am asking myself and anyone else out there is, "What type of set up should I get them started out on, Right or Left?" They are both right handed, but I believe (correct me if I'm wrong), that shouldn't matter. I think it's more important to get used to a certain set up when you're getting started. I don't want my kids asking themselves later on in life "Why did Dad ever get us started out with that kind of setup?" whether it be left or right. What do you folks think? Right or Left? Left or Right? C5500 or C5501?

P.S. Sorry for being so long winded.

[This message has been edited by SPOON (edited 05-09-2000).]

[This message has been edited by SPOON (edited 05-09-2000).]