Ask Andy: Right and Left

 
Hi Andy,
So how hard is it to learn how cast with your other hand? I found out I had a old fracture in my shoulder that might be pinching a nerve. It doesn’t help that I have a steel plate in my hand that lets me know when the weather is changing. What can I say getting old is a bitch.
Tight lines

Good to hear from you. It is hard to learn, but not inconceivable. The main drawback will be the tremendous amount of practice involved in feeling comfortable casting again. This also means dry land practice and going fishing often(bummer huh). The muscles, the coordination, the balance all have to be developed for the other side. It is easy to give up when embarking on a non-dominant hand task but the more you stick with it the more you will you improve. I try to fish left handed a bit, each time out. Sometimes it helps in fishing situations to be able to  approach from either direction. The ability to cast with both arms really shows its benefits when casting from a boat, floating down a river. Having a strong cast to river right and river left without casting over the head of the person rowing can help ensure that there are no “hook in head” accidents.