Barbelon a pin

[Neil Smart]

The joys of using a centre pin if that is the right word joy is only a part of the whole experience of trotting a float through a stream. I am of the age when this was the only fishing I did, or really tried to understand as a kid. So it is of no surprise to me that those that have not had this in their angling lives should embrace the Centre Pin as a window to another angling place where bolt rigs and buzzers are to fishing as Communism is to Democracy.
But of course the real joy of this type of fishing is not the reel or even the rod (the rod however is to me a more vital component than the choice of reel) but the ability to second guess where the fish will 'bite' how much feed to introduce, what float and what shotting pattern to use. and of course bait/hook size. To me this is Angling at it's very best and for me gives immense satisfaction, still to this day.
Yesterday evening I had 18 or so good fish all about a pound,except one a bit bigger trotting my local stream and I was like a kid again Oh I love my barbel fishing too, but it is only too easy to forget your 'roots'

 

[Chris Jones]

Neil,
you seem to be making the assumption that most folks barbel fishing revolves round bite alarms and baitrunners. I've had far more fun this summer trotting for them. I've only had four specific barbel sessions. Two were almost exclusively trotting, one about fifty/fifty, the other staring skywards and getting a stiff neck. I've had several more river trotting sessions where I was looking for bites from anything with fins while hoping a barbel might gatecrash the party. I did the pin thing once just to see for myself, caught a barbel but didn't think much to it. I've enjoyed myself thoroughly but it's nowhere near as relaxing as parking your bum behind a rod when legering.

 

[Paul Boote]

The Chairman on Wednesday in The Backpeddling Idiot (a Beecham Group Entertainments Members Only establishment)


Just wondering. Are we seeing a "Hello sky, hello trees, hello History and Heritage, fancy a fishy hug" moment here now?


As ever,

B.B.

 

[Neil Smart]

Neil,
you seem to be making the assumption that most folks barbel fishing revolves round bite alarms and baitrunners. I've had far more fun this summer trotting for them. I've only had four specific barbel sessions. Two were almost exclusively trotting, one about fifty/fifty, the other staring skywards and getting a stiff neck. I've had several more river trotting sessions where I was looking for bites from anything with fins while hoping a barbel might gatecrash the party. I did the pin thing just to see for myself. I've enjoyed myself thoroughly but it's nowhere near as relaxing as parking your bum behind a rod when legering.

Me assume that on here!! Never I value my life what's left...
I think we are agreed that 'balance' is the keyword here, but parking ones bum behind a rod is hardly fishing old chap.
Oh Dear her I go again, perhaps if I stop now perhaps the Chairman might spare me another cryptic memo.

Aggghhh too late

 

[Chris Jones]

Me assume that on here!! Never I value my life what's left...
I think we are agreed that 'balance' is the keyword here, but parking ones bum behind a rod is hardly fishing old chap.
Oh Dear her I go again, perhaps if I stop now perhaps the Chairman might spare me another cryptic memo.

Aggghhh too late

I guess that the chairman was taking a dig which is why I had to edit the post just to clarify. No backpeddling from me, despite whatever he, or his alter-ego, thinks. I took the pin with me on one of the trips where I expected to get into a few fish. I used it after I'd had a few on the fixed spool reel. Took me a little while to get one on the pin, as soon as I did I put it away again. It's not been out of the house since.

 

[Neil Smart]

Get your point, but the memo was for me anyway, but I have never backpeddled I can assure you I may be an Idiot but I would never sell myself

Yep this whole pin vs fixed spool thing...I am old enough to remember how liberated as a youth I was when those first new fangled fixed spools came into being and we could actually cast

 

[Mark Anderson]

Hi men ,

Neil , when will we see you again on our bit of heaven?. When we last met , me and Sue were feeding fish , watching them go about their lives , feeding . In one swim sue got the kettle on , and we had a fantastic half hour just watching . The outcome on that day was such, that it mattered not what tackle we had in our hands , it was angling .

Hatter

 

[Paul Boote]

Just Angling. Something that a few here and elsewhere have always done, without even a thought about profile, profit or sticking one on a fellow fisher.

So quaint.

 

[Steve Sorrell]

Yeah right. Probably why, for thirty-odd years, I have had a huge and highly disapproving "fanclub" among misty-eyed centrepin zealots on account of my relentless mickey-taking about them and their distressed finishes, nickel-silver spokes, Kelly kettles and split-cane Y-fronts.

Yeah Paul,
reminds me of the 'stamped into the mud' comment......priceless.

Steve

 

[Neil Smart]

Hi men ,

Neil , when will we see you again on our bit of heaven?. When we last met , me and Sue were feeding fish , watching them go about their lives , feeding . In one swim sue got the kettle on , and we had a fantastic half hour just watching . The outcome on that day was such, that it mattered not what tackle we had in our hands , it was angling .

Hatter

Been holding off Mark when hopefully there will be more water and less bodies around. Agreed it matters not one bit what we use I guess, but I admit I was a bit surprised that you are not a dyed in the wool 'pin man as I recall that such a contraption was attached to the rod that supported by the Balsam that you cut a swathe from to get to the River But on reflection it was Sue's rod I think.
Trying to get up there this weekend, great if you three will be there

 

[George Maltby]

I have always used a pin to float fish...standard practice. But am never one that placed the centrepin on a pedestal.
However, I have recently learnt to wallis cast...I couldn't believe all the fuss thats chatted about it, one hour and it felt like second nature, achieving some good distances.
However, what really amazed me about the cast...really really amazed me...jaw droppingly so, was just how easy it is to be rediculously accurate, hitting the same spot again and again, seemingly without even having to think about it. A little underarm flick of the tip and a well timed tug sends the little lead hurtling...but dead straight, and distance is then simply controlled with the thumb...you can literally guide the lead onto its target, and then, with the thumb control you can almost place it down on the water, with virtually no splash, almost as if it had been lowered in...and it doesn't matter how overgrown the swim is, as the cast requires no room whatsoever, almost no rod movement involved...these are the best kept secrets of the centrepin angler.
I always found the underarm flick can be a bit hit and miss with my shimmys, especially with light leads, some going a bit low and overshooting a touch, others going a bit too high and falling an irritating yard short...especially when there's tons of vegetation about.
There is also no question in my mind that if i need to fish at distance (25yrds plus probably) the baitrunners are coming straight back out the bag.
But for close to medium range fishing on medium or small rivers......sorry lads i am converted...its the pin and wallis everytime...i still dont put the pin on a pedestal...i just think its the best tool for the job.

 

[Colin Bridger]

George, I would agree with every word. There is no mystique about the Wallis cast, just google it and you will find plenty of good advice, like you I was self taught in under an hour. It is so quick, and as you say delivers with a gentle plop, and not a big splash.