im looking to buy a new reel online for the fisrt time. i might be thinking about this too much but i have a question about the type of retrieve. when they say a left handed retrieve, do they mean you are a left handed fly fisherman operating the actual reel with your right hand? and vise versa.

I think "Left Hand Retrieve" means the reel is configured (line guide and drag plates) so that you hold the rod in your right hand and wind with your left as you would with a spinning reel. This is actually offhand from the "standard" right hand retrieve for fly reels, but it makes more sense to me. I'm right handed and prefer to not only cast but also fight a fish using my dominant (right) hand.
Just to make it confusing, "left handed" spinning reels have the crank on the right hand side....and left handed baitcasting reels have the crank on the left hand side!

Most reels you can flip the discs and convert from right or left.

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True-Dat. I have a Pleuger Medalist 1495DA that I reversed.

Lefthand retrieve means you retrieve with your left hand. Righthand retrive means you retrieve with your right hand

Hopefully the reel that you purchase will tell you this option is available in the instructions. Not all reels are universal, I have 2 real cheap reels that you don't have this option. If you purchase on line you can always call the shop and they should be able to tell you it's options.

thanks alot guys. im almost certain you can reverse the retrieve pretty easily on the particular reel im looking at. its a Greys GX700. never the less now i know wich retrieve to purchase anyway, so hopfully no need.

Most reversable reels come set up for Left Hand Retrieve.

If you are a Lefty, like me, and you purchase from a fly shop, most will switch it for you if you ask.

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If you can't flip the drag disk over, sometimes you can carefully remove the retaining clip on the inside of the spool and flip the shaft bearing over (particularly on some of the Flea Bay reels..)

Careful with the retaining clip. I've found they can fly pretty far...

This is a good subject. I could never understand why a right handed caster would want the reel set up to be operated from the right hand side , but LOTS of folks do it that way. For myself having it set up on the left eliminates the need to change hands with the rod in order to get the line and fish on the reel and let the reel and drag do its job. Can any of you folks explain why so many anglers do it that way?

Since the opposite hand will be holding the rod, I prefer to operate the reel with my non-dominant (left) hand. I don't think there is a big deal switching the rod after the cast, but that would leave control of the rod in the non-casting arm, which seems to be an absurd handicap.

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Traditional, right hand retrieve, is more aptly described as "strong hand retrieve."

It was set this way exactly because of what you said, "let the reel and drag do its job." The drag was your hand, the checks were there only to prevent overrun or playing out line in casting.

You have far more dexterity in your strong hand than your off hand, you could wind quicker, longer, with your strong hand than your off hand as well as apply resistance to line or spool.

If you're winding 100 yards of backing onto a reel, you don't flip it over and wind with your strong hand? Of course you do. Everyone does.

That's why.

I think it matters to a degree what you're used to and what you learned on. I'm right handed, and cast right handed, but I've only ever reeled with my left hand. Spinning, baitcaster, fly reel...whatever. My Dad (right handed) casts right and reels left on spinning reels, but casts right and reels right handed while FFing...because he learned on a right hand retrieve fly reel.

I don't do anything else very well left handed, but muscle memory or whatever makes reeling feel much more natural with my left hand because it's all I've ever done. I'm certain I could reel more quickly and efficiently with my left hand at this point than my right, even when reeling on backing. FWIW.

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I don't do that.

It's awkward to reel a left handed reel with your right hand as you then have to crank "towards" you negating all that wonderful strength and muscle memory.

I'm gonna start using an automatic!