Left Handed reels

Greetings everyone, I am new to the area and new to kayak fishing, but not new to fishing.  I have a question for the left handed folks out there.  Can anyone recommend a good left handed reel for light salt water?  I have used spinning reels forever, and every time I go to look for a lefty bait caster  I never find one.  Any recommendations?

Thanks

Abu 6501 pimped out Tani style.

-Brian G

Brian's suggestion is one I agree with.

you actually have a lot of good choices but you have to mostly go online to get them.

Two left handed reels I used this summer that worked well for me. although I am actually right handed. I just prefer to reel lefty.

1. an abu garcia 5501 C3 with 30lb braid. $40 used on ebay. but with level wind removed and some other enhancements that are not really necessary but nice to have like a powerhandle. new they are about $80 from cabelas. you might run into a fish too big for these reels but it take some real luck for that to happen. it would have to be a very big sturgeon or something. maybe a huge salmon.

2. a newell L-220 with 30lb braid. bought used on ebay for $75 (very hard to find there tho). (but you can get them new from www.charkbait.com for $130). this is mostly overkill for our waters. you pretty much will not meet a fish on a kayak that you cannot handle with 300yard of 30lb braid on a reel with stainless steel gears and a dog instead of an anti-reverse roller bearing which is what even the smallest of newell reels provides.

both benefit from having all the screw holes greased (cal's grease from www.smoothdrag.com), the bearings packed with grease and the drags replaced with greased carbon fiber drag washers (www.smoothdrag.com). just in case you should dunk them, this will keep the salt water mostly out of the bearings and drag, and allow you to rinse them aggressively even when you did not dunk them.

These are both retro reels with not a lot of bearings to fail, or clean, or replace. they are easy to maintain.

they are also real lightweight weighing in at less than 13.5oz for the newell and even less for the ambassadeurs.

If you like high tech reels, you can go with the avet sx or shimano reels but I think those are overly complicated myself, generally more bearings to corrode. they are also heavier. and more expensive.

the penn 321 GTI is an option. again, you can remove the level wind if you want.

try ebay, search on Left* or LH, it will turn up a lot of left handed reels.

Thanks for the local support guys.
Try Fisherman's Warehouse, Hi's, or any other local tackle shop
and you'll find more than your share of quality left handed reels.
I also use the 5501C3 ($69.99 at Fisherman's) and haven't had any problems.
Whichever you choose please buy it from a local retailer, one who has supported the
local fishing for many years and will know more about the products than just the
page it's on and the price it's on sale for.
Eric

I've got an Avet SX and a daiwa luna 301 that i love.  Personally, for all around i'd go with the Avet-- lever drags are my fav

I definitely agree with the Abu 6501 suggestion. I also have a Penn 321 GTi, Avet SX, and a Revo Inshore. I almost never use the 321 GTi anymore but it was a good entry level priced reel for me. I love the Revo if I'm doing a lot of cast and retrieve, but I don't use it as much as I thought I would. The Avet is awesome and I use it mainly in situations where I need a lot of power, like rock fishing.

Still, the reel I use more than any other is my Abu 6501 C3. It's great for live bait for halibut and striper and it's easy to maintain.

hey-- i almost forgot about my Penn 321! 


i'm using my Avet and Daiwa Luna primarily

Abu, Penn, Okuma and Newell all have good left hand reels. I have all four.

Just get a right handed reel and hold the rod upside down.     

Okay, I'm kidding.

Just get a right handed reel and hold the rod upside down.     

Okay, I'm kidding.

I have tried that once; it was a terrible failure.  I grew up on the East Coast, and lived in Florida for a while and it seemed everywhere you went you saw the big ole Gold Penn reels for any type of bait casting reels.  I have never owned one, but I used to go out with my grandfather hyad much older Penn's, and come to think of it that was pretty much what he ever used.  But for kayak fishing I am thinking that those honker Penn's would be over kill?     

Thanks for the local support guys.
Try Fisherman's Warehouse, Hi's, or any other local tackle shop
and you'll find more than your share of quality left handed reels.
I also use the 5501C3 ($69.99 at Fisherman's) and haven't had any problems.
Whichever you choose please buy it from a local retailer, one who has supported the
local fishing for many years and will know more about the products than just the
page it's on and the price it's on sale for.
Eric

I have no problem with that.  What about Okuma, to be honest I have never really heard of them till I moved out here. 

Kevin

Kevin,
Okuma has been making reels for other company's for many years and has only in the past few years started putting their label on them. When they first hit the market they had a few set backs, however the more recent product has proven to be a great product. They even have one of the very few spinning reels on the market that actually has the ability to apply 90 lbs. of drag pressure and still cost under $150.00.
Stop by Fisherman's Warehouse in San Jose and talk with Glen, He is a great guy and will be glad to show you all the left hand models from several different manufactures
Good luck,
Eric

Thanks for the local support guys.
Try Fisherman's Warehouse, Hi's, or any other local tackle shop
and you'll find more than your share of quality left handed reels.
I also use the 5501C3 ($69.99 at Fisherman's) and haven't had any problems.
Whichever you choose please buy it from a local retailer, one who has supported the
local fishing for many years and will know more about the products than just the
page it's on and the price it's on sale for.
Eric

Thanks Yakhoper,

I try to support the local's.  My Dad is mechanic back east with a two man shop.  So I know what it is like for him being the small guy.

Stormy

Thanks for the local support guys.
Try Fisherman's Warehouse, Hi's, or any other local tackle shop
and you'll find more than your share of quality left handed reels.
I also use the 5501C3 ($69.99 at Fisherman's) and haven't had any problems.
Whichever you choose please buy it from a local retailer, one who has supported the
local fishing for many years and will know more about the products than just the
page it's on and the price it's on sale for.
Eric

Thanks Yakhoper,

I try to support the local's.  My Dad is mechanic back east with a two man shop.  So I know what it is like for him being the small guy.

Stormy

I went by HI's new store, unfortunately it hasn't opened yet.  I did get to talk to one of the guys there setting up the store and they said they hope to be open in October.  I haven't been down to San Jose in a while but should be down in that area some time soon.  I also went by and the Kayak shop in Redwood city across the street from REI.  They had a new OK Trident 15 in there, nice boat!

I am leaning towards the Penn 321 GTi, I am getting back into saltwater fishing after a long break.  Ocean kayaking is new to me, and I think getting used to surf, big waves and the like are also new so, I would hate it if I lost one of those expensive rod and reel set ups.  Thanks for everyone's help! 

IMHO, for around here that reel is a lot bigger than it needs to be.  If your pockets are deep I would get either a Revo Inshore in lefty of a Curado 301 DSV...small and SAWHEET.  I love my inshore and have caught many rockies, lings, steelies and butts on it.

Not as deep??? a lefty Abu record...even less deep??? a red Abu 5001.  I have no affiliation with Abu, but their light salt stuff rules...I have red Abus that have been thrashed and they are still sweet.  The thumb bar is also handy for dropping jigs all day.