Switching casting arms

[Delta456]

What do you do when your casting arm wears out. Forty years of learning to cast with right hand and now elbow won't let me cast. Any tips on switching to other arm? It is not totally hopeless, just clumsy and frustrating.

[BobVP]

Ouch...I have not had to deal with this yet but a buddy of mine went through this about four years ago. He was, and IS, right handed but his elbow "gave out" after a bike accident and age. He started to cast again, taking lessons as a beginner and he is about as good as ever! It was not a tough call for him to go through this as he loves to fish and he seems very happy.
We fished Carbon Flats one day and another fellow was watching him tie on a leader then a fly and then cast! He had to come and ask if he was ambidextrous since he tied everything up right and cast left. My friend was amazed that this fellow, there taking photos, was so observant.
Hang in there. I will bet you can do it.

[Larry S]

Delta,
Have you considered spey/switching casting? Also, Jeff Putnam has several great videos
including one that deals with spey casts using a SH rod. You might want to consider a session
with a good casting instructor. Several at the Kiene shop. I'm sure they've helped others
with similar problems.
Best to you,
Larry S

[Dan LeCount]

When I was a kid I learned to cast a spinning rod left handed, side arm, etc. I grew up fishing really brushy little bass ponds and casting versatility gave me access to a lot of water I couldn't cast to with a standard cast with my right hand. I was still pretty young when I started fly fishing and that mindset carried over. Nowadays I fish a lot with my left hand, especially when nymphing. I'd recommend learning to fish and cast left handed(or right handed for lefties) to everyone, not just people with injuries. It really is a huge asset to any fisherman, and isn't as hard to pick up as it seems. You just have to get out and do it, the body adapts.

[Darian]

Gotta agree with Dan. Everyone should learn and be able to cast from either side. I'm not ambidextrous but can cast with either hand. Just not very good at it. The key for me and the rest of us is PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!!

[flyfshrmn]

About ten years ago I had a bad bout of epicondlylitis, also called tennis elbow, and casting just made things worse, so I learned to cast left handed. took about two days to get proficient and about two weeks to get as good as right handed. I fished that way from mid summer to the end of the year. My elbow finally healed during the winter months and I was able to go back to my strong side but I still switch hands when it facilitates casting. The spirit of full disclosure requires that I state that no one is going to confuse my casting with that of a tournament caster, whether right or left handed.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Lots of older worn out anglers are going to two handed fly rods for some of it.

[Delta456]

Thanks for the advice. I just need to quit whining and practice.