Does anyone run a spinning reel the wrong way?

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by HuyFishin

everytime I see people holding the reel upside down I always have this itch to walk over and educate them on how to use it properly lol

I recently developed a glitch in my right elbow, likely from beating the crap out of stuff with a 4lb one handed sledge on a regular basis. When my right elbow starts bothering me when I'm fishing I will often switch to casting and reeling with my left hand, the most easy way is to flip the rod over and use it "wrong" like all the ingrates I used to silently judge

[fishinisgood]

Originally Posted by Moosetalker

Not meaning to denigrate anyone's gear preference or usage of such either.

First fishing kit I was gifted with at 8 yrs of age was a fine octagonal 9 foot split bamboo spinning rod and reel loaded with a bail full of robust 3lb test mono, huge size 16 and 18 snelled hooks with 1 lb test leaders destined to fool the wiliest Tench, Bream, and once in a while a German Brown trout from the local pay by hour marked on the bank numbered fishing spot.

Gave me many faithful years of service till at the ripe old age of 12 we emigrated from ye ol Blighty to this fantastic paradise for a budding outdoors-man such as myself called Alberta. This was my sole limited of one item that I was allowed to bring aboard the plane. Every other non clothing toy/keepsake collectable item was left/donated to cousins/family back there.

Once here It was as such demonstrated as being far too light for such huge North American species.
As upon our first family excursion in mid June 1969 Whitemud Park, once the North Sask river became fish able.
Having zero experience we managed to get hooked up to some leviathan of the deep, Perhaps even a sturgeon as it were no pike glimpsed from above as my Father and I chased it downstream.

Later that summer 1/2 cent per flyer cash from delivery of same bolstered by a bit extra from aiding the local milkman on his rounds.

I visited the awe inspiring sportsman's boutique known locally as the Whyte avenue Army and Navy. There I purchased a modern wonder a 6 ft unnamed Fiberglas Rod with a closed face spinning reel and 12lb test line veritable marvel. being as I had always been a right hand cast, reel left the set up was On sale as it was counter to the current populations cast left reel right.

This propitious saving allowed me the bonus upon recommendation of a friendly knowledgeable saleslady purchase of 6 Len Thompson spoons 2 Red devils 2 five of Diamonds both yellow and reds 2 Green frog patterns 2 bright Orange and Silver Hammered finish Wonderlures and a selection of wire leaders and a plastic flat tray box.

With this set up for the following 2 seasons. I did terrorize the resident population of Pike and even a few Whitefish and Goldeye from below the U.o.A campus to the old low level bridge.

Once my the family expanded its horizons and were able to trek to Jasper and many weekend trips to Northern lakes up Athabasca way with that rod I even caught my personal Best Northern pike coming in at over 26 lbs on a rusty scale that would read 7.5 lb with a 10 lb bag of potatoes hung on it on the evening of my 16th birthday in May of 1973.

Vivid in my mind is holding that fish by the gills with both hands its jaw level with my own and its tail flat on the ground at 16 I was exactly 1 inch shorter than my mothers 5'7" . I still remember the scream of profanity from my Dads friend when I broke a full bottle of beer {His Last in the boat I think} over its head so it wouldn't jump out of the boat.

Sadly that rod ended up broken in the spokes of my Bike that same summer once as we we moved to the north Side and I then needed a bike to access the river.

Fantastic

[cranky]

Originally Posted by fishinisgood

Fantastic

Yep what ^^^ he said ^^^ Awssome story by moonstalker for sure.
Really enjoyed that. Could read about that kinda story all day long.