My bait casters are all right handed crank and my spin casters are all left handed crank. I cast both with my right hand, I switch with my baitcasters back to my left hand after I cast. I don't know if it would make any difference to you, but if you plan on flipping and pitching, I would learn on a left hand retreive so you don't ever have to left go of the rod to engage the reel. I read that somewhere. If you get a bite immeadiately when the bait hits the water, you are less likely to lose the fish.

P.S. I will admit it was harder to learn to fish a spook with a right hand retreive baitcaster, but go to Nolin this summer, you'll learn that quickly!!