How To Change A Fishing Reel From Right To Left-Handed?

You might be new to fishing, and it might not be very clear for you when you realize that most fishing reels are exclusively for a single hand.

If you accidentally bought a right-hand reel but are a lefty (someone who uses the left hand primarily). Then it might be difficult for you to fish with that reel. However, the good thing about fishing reels is that their direction can be changed.

But, you will have to follow a few simple steps to change the handle and controlling of the reel from right to left hand. The process of changing the direction of the reel does not impact its performance and can be used anywhere.

But, of course, the best way to save yourself from all the hassle is to ask the shopkeeper for the reel you want, be it right or left side.

Right Or Left-Handed Fishing Reel?

With age, we find out which of our hands are the dominant ones. If it is our right hand, we use it for almost everything, and the same goes for the left hand. Fishing is all about hand-to-mind coordination.

So, you must know which your dominant hand is. While fishing, you have to hold the rod in one hand and the reel in another. So, the question that you need to ask yourself in which hand do I need the reel?

If your right hand is dominant, then you should hold the rod in your left hand and hold the reel in your right hand. But, once you get an expert in fishing, you can switch between hands, and it will become your second nature.

I have rods with reels on both sides so that I can fish with whichever reel I feel comfortable with, according to the situation. But, the most important thing to remember while buying a rod is to buy a rod and a reel that is opposite to the dominant hand.

How To Switch Reels: From Right To Left Hand

If you don’t have much experience in fishing, then as soon as you buy a rod with the fishing reel on the wrong side, you might ask yourself how to change the fishing reel from right to left-handed or vice versa?

It might also seem like a tedious and challenging task. But, in reality, it is very easy to change the direction of the reel. So, let me guide you through the easy reel-changing process.

Steps To Change The Direction Of Fishing Reel:

I am now going to mention four easy steps to change the reel direction from right to left-hand side.

1. Find the dust cap on the top right side of the fishing reel and unscrew its cork until it is removable.
2. Then unscrew the handle of the reel on the left side. You can only unscrew it by rotating it clockwise –otherwise, it will only become tighter.
   
3. Now, insert the reel arm in the location from where the dust cap was removed and then tighten it by screwing the reel clockwise.
4. Finally, take the dust cap, put it on the left side of the reel, tighten it in the space, and screw it up.

These were the four simple steps to changing the direction of the fishing reel from the right to the left-hand side.

Now, you no longer would have to be worried about the question of how to change the fishing reel from right to left-handed because now you know the answer.

However, I usually lubricate my reel arm and dust cap before I screw them on the fishing rod. Doing this improves the performance of my fishing reel, and it also helps in maintaining it. My reel runs smoothly for a long time after lubricating it.

How To Confirm That Everything Is Connected Perfectly?

So, now that you have changed the direction of the reel from the right to the left-hand side, you may wonder whether or not you have connected the reel perfectly and whether or not it will work perfectly. But, there is a way to check the reel.

The easiest way is to spin the reel and see if it is lagging or swinging and not tight near the screw. Another way is to hook a small weight on the hook and try to roll in the reel and see if the reel responds to the motion you are performing.

If the reel has a problem with either of these things, I suggest that you unscrew the dust cap and the reel handle and screw them again to ensure that the rod works perfectly.

Can You Switch The Handle On A Baitcaster?

No, we cannot change the direction of the handle of a baitcasting rod. This is because a baitcasting reel is very different from a spinning reel, and it doesn’t have its handle connected from outside like in sinning real. Instead, it is connected to the whole mechanism of the reel from inside.

So, if you are a lefty (dominant hand is left) and if you want to buy a baitcasting rod, you should buy the rod that has the handle on the left side. This is the only way of using a baitcasting rod for your dominant hand.

Besides, it is way better than getting the handle changed because if you get your reel opened once, it won’t work in the same way or smoothly as when it does originally.

I suggest that you don’t try to open the reel up or change the direction of its handle because it can make the brake of reeling dysfunction not properly closed up.

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