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I started fishing with spinning equipment, and as a right hander, I hold the rod with my strong arm and crank with my left hand. When I switched to bait casters, bought left-handed reels so I didn't have to switch hands. I still hold the rod in my right and crank with the left. Anyone else buy left-handed reels for this reason?
Anyway, in my quest for trolling reels, I saw the new Abu-Garcia Big Game Series reels they came out with this year (gold color). They brought out a 7000 in a left-handed version! I think I am going to replace the Penn 321's on my jigging rods. The new reels are pretty sweet.
I am right handed and will never buy another right handed reel. It makes all the sense in the world to have your dominant arm holding the pole. I also want to be ready when that big old Steelie slams my spinner.
I tried using left-hand casting reel for that very reason but could not get the hang of it even though I crank a spinning rod with my left hand. I tried cranking a spinning rod with my right hand and had an even worse time. I tried a fly reel set up for the left hand and had a horrible time of it after 50 years of using one with my right hand. I doesn't make one bit of sense but that is the way it works for me. I suppose I could have gotten used to left-handed casting reels if I had given it some more time.
Dan
I prefer the left handers too. The only problem is you are pretty much limited to Abu, as most other companies don't make left handed models.
I don't have any complaints about my Abu's, but if you think you might want line counters or any other options then you end up with a mix of left and right handle models.
I am left handed and feel it is awkward to use a right handed baitcasting reeel. Oddly though, it feels ok to use a right handed big game reel, although I would prefer left handed. Makes no sense to me that you would hold the rod in your weaker hand for big game...
I think that your strong hand is generally also your better coordinated hand. You cast and manipulate the reel better with that hand. Holding a big game rod needs little more than a solid grip that requires minimum coordination. Reeling requires the greater coordination. The nature of an open faced spinning reel makes it very difficult to change hands between the cast and retrieve so it is generally cast with the strong hand and cranked with the weak hand. Other types of rods are generally cast and cranked with the strong hand.
Hey Dan!
Your story is similar to mine. I got used to using spinnig stuff and I fish enough to want to be comfortable but I'm lefty anyway. I own a couple of penn 321 and an abu 6501. The level winds on both 321 needed work but was a cheep fix. The abu has been flawless with 30# power pro although the handle could be bigger. I also own but have not used a Penn Senator 4/0 (113lh)
Checkout www.tackledirect.com!
Ron
If you're right handed, you want a conventional casting reel: ie, right-side crank.
This way you hold the rod in your left hand, which is controlled by the right side of the brain -- the "artistic side" -- which helps jigging and bumping artificial lures, immensely.
But seriously. I'm now selling the few left-hand reels I have. Buy my Shimano Curado, in fact -- reel on ebay
It's not because it doesn't make sense -- it's because the REST of my reels are all right-hand crank (conventional), and it f*cking drove me crazy picking up a rod, and having it backwards, some of the time. The star drag was especially problematic.
So, for me, it was either all or nothing, 'cause both left AND right-hand casting reels was killing me. Since I already had a healthy investment in right-hand reels, it was an easy choice.
Left Handed Reels? 
! I think I am going to replace the Penn 321's on my jigging rods. The new reels are pretty sweet. 
