Northwest Fishing Reports

has anybody used this reel? i got one for christmas and it looks and feels great.

SCORE!!!

You'll love it. It's my one of the best!

Yep they are a good deal for baitcasters....You can never go wrong with shimano..

I got a Cardiff reel to sit on a Clarus 9' medium action rod for some salmon out in the salt for xmas this year....

I'm planning on taking advantage of the rebate and buying the left handed Citica here shortly. I just can't decide if I want to get it with the Fish Eagle II from Cabelas or the Extreme XPS rod from Bass Pro Shops.

I'm curious as to why so many people up here like to use left-handed baitcasting reels. I personally don't like the out-of-balance feel I get from them. Probably because I learned on a standard cranking reel and developed my own tastes, but it's interesting that only 10-15% of baitcasters sold in America are left-handed, except in the Northwest where it's about 50-50.

i have a right and a left handed baitcasting reel, the right handed one is the cititca and i have a pinnacle left handed real and i think the overall feel of the right handed reel is better (i am right handed). for some people it is easier to reel with there dominant hand and some like to cast with there dominant hand. its just a personal prefference

I like to cast with my right and reel with my left just like with my spinning reels. I don't have to switch anything when I cast and I can be ready for a strike before the lure hits the water.

How's a left handed reel out of balance?

huh? i might be confused. does a right handed baitcasting reel have the crank on the right or left side. i like to have baitcasters that have the crank on the left side so i can cast with my right hand.

A right handed baitcaster has the crank on the right side. Left handed has left hand retrieve.

okay thanks for the clarifacation on that one.....so to make it clear i prefer the left handed baitcasting reels

I cast with my right hand and switch the rod to my left to reel. It's such a fluid transition that I never notice it. I am so used to doing it that way that it feels funny using a left-handed reel. It's just about doing what you are comfortable with.

I still find it curious that Northwest fishermen are predominantly favorable to left-handed reels, while the rest of the nation uses right-handed reels. Probably due to the strong influence of steelheaders up here.

yea that could be right. i guess i like left handed reels because it closely resembles the feel of a spinning rod.

cavdad45 wrote:I'm curious as to why so many people up here like to use left-handed baitcasting reels. I personally don't like the out-of-balance feel I get from them. Probably because I learned on a standard cranking reel and developed my own tastes, but it's interesting that only 10-15% of baitcasters sold in America are left-handed, except in the Northwest where it's about 50-50.

I use a lefty on my Curado. I grew up using my dad's righty, but it makes no sense if you are right handed and cast right handed. The whole switching hands thing is a old timers thing for the most part, it's how they learned. Our younger generation likes to make things easier, thus no hand switching.

Im with Killer fish on this one cavdad .. I perfer using a left hand reteive myself , and your right it's all about the anglers comfort level .. I do now notice a few guys on the tour using more left handed baitcast and also more spinning reels in there arsonal these days .. I will say the by "chosing" not to learn with a standard right hand retrieve angler are some times not left with many choices at the bait store ... I just picked up a a new Quantum PT in the left hand retreive and they only had one in stock... I have been having this same aurgument for years with so many anglers , and this is my point .. Show me proof were any bass pro or bass book says in detail that says a right handed person using a left hand retreive is using there real incorrectly .. The only disadvantage as i stated before is availabilty , but over the past five years that is slowly changing .. As far as the "citica" good reel but since shimano is offering the $50.00 rebate good till april 2008, i would suggest you taking the reel back to the store and upgrade to the currodo for 50.00 more and mail in you rebate .. that way for the same amont of money spent you getting a even better reel .. hmmmm!!!

FISHKILLER wrote:

cavdad45 wrote:I'm curious as to why so many people up here like to use left-handed baitcasting reels. I personally don't like the out-of-balance feel I get from them. Probably because I learned on a standard cranking reel and developed my own tastes, but it's interesting that only 10-15% of baitcasters sold in America are left-handed, except in the Northwest where it's about 50-50.

I use a lefty on my Curado. I grew up using my dad's righty, but it makes no sense if you are right handed and cast right handed. The whole switching hands thing is a old timers thing for the most part, it's how they learned. Our younger generation likes to make things easier, thus no hand switching.

"Back in the day" more people were right handed than left handed just like today. I dont think the younger generation is starting to change because it makes things easier. I think some people just arent trying it out first.

You still have to do some hand switching or "moving around". Baitcaster are meant to be palmed and you cant palm it correctly and push the button with your thumb and also thumb the spool at the same time while you cast.

No matter what hand you use everyone has to cast the same then situated your hands to the proper positions. Switching hands takes the same amount of time as whatever way others do it.

It has a lot to do with what you fish for also... Bass fishing requires more than just casting..certain techniques are easier with the right hand retrieve. Not to mention, if you are new to baitcasters than its a learning experience either way so why not just go with the right hand retrieve and have the luxury of getting what ever you want at the store?

And by the way DEZ the citica has a $30 rebate so its only $70 half the price of the curado after its rebate

I plum forgot about the rebates they were offering this year. I think I will pick up another pair of Citicas in the next couple weeks. I do love that reel. Hope they last as long as my old Black Magnums from the early 80's and 70's-era Bantams. I still use those.

I bought a Citica (my 2nd) for $70, and a new Curado for $130 during Christmas.
I use a left handed retrieve. My theory why most "old-timers" use a right hand retrieve is because thats what they used to make back then, I don't know when the first left hand retrieve came out, but I'm sure it hadn't been made 50 yrs ago.
When I started to learn a baitcast, I tryed a righty and hated switching hands. More importantly, I had NO hooksetting power with my left hand. My left hand doesn't have the dexterity to do anything :pale: Thererfore a left hand retrieve was perfect for me. No switching hands, and nothing different when I reeling a spinning with the left.
Can you make a righty thats been doing it for years change, I don't think so.

Thumbs up on the Citica though. I've heard people say they like them better than Green Curado super free's. I don't but there is nothing wrong with Citicas

dilbert wrote:I'm planning on taking advantage of the rebate and buying the left handed Citica here shortly. I just can't decide if I want to get it with the Fish Eagle II from Cabelas or the Extreme XPS rod from Bass Pro Shops.

Are you buying the combo, or the reels seperate?? I would buy them seperate and match it to a better quality rod.

danielt wrote: Baitcaster are meant to be palmed and you cant palm it correctly and push the button with your thumb and also thumb the spool at the same time while you cast.

What did you mean by this?

I am looking into buying a baitcasting outfit for salmon and steelhead and I am worried about my ability to use it. I know that the new reels are better than they were in my youth but I am still concerned.