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Centerpin for newbie

J

Jonathan Jones

Senior Member
Its time to bring up that" Whot centerpin is Best" Question again :rolleyes:

im looking at buying my 1st centerpin as would like to do a lot more trotting on the severn this summer!

whots best for me as never used pin before! Guard or no Guard?
Also would like to use in winter for smaller fish like roach/grayling"

and does the price make a Big difference in the smooth spin of pin?

used or new?
 
thanks guys"

just looked on ebay and only 2 for sale and in states! The few shops that have it listed in uk" are out of stock!

Is a BB pin better than the say" jw young sons pins whot don't have BB s

And good price pin at around £140
 
Fishing with a pin is very different. Whilst I doubt you will dislike it many an angler used to a fixed spoil reel has given up on the first outing with a pin. After the fifth time the line has wrapped round or the wind has driven you nuts, frustration takes over. I do enjoy mine but I use it for close in margin work for Chub, trotting small rivers or for still water Tench fishing etc. For those situations it's great.
Now bear in mind your talking about spending two nights out with the Mrs or two tanks of fuel however you want to look at it, maybe it would be worth finding out if you like them first. Dragoncarp do one for a measely £23. Me and the father in law got one each (he accidentally brought two), we've both been pleasantly surprised.
http://www.dragoncarpdirect.com/avanti-marco-cortesi-centrepin-reel-943142
So maybe try one see if it floats your boat, then spend the wonga if you get hooked? Just a suggestion.
 
Wise words from Stephen. It's incredibly easy to get put off them with some early bad experiences. For trotting I have tended to work within the limits of my casting ability which means on larger rivers such as the Wye, I am looking for swims where my feeble casting ability wont be cruelly exposed. However in the right conditions you simply can't beat wading into the river because this gives you so many more trotting options and can often mean you hardly need to cast at all. This greatly reduces opportunities for tangles and can provide you with greater float control. This can then lead to actual fish catching which is a total joy and gives your confidence an almighty boost. You can then build from there.

It's certainly a fantastic way to fish and great to have as part of your armoury of techniques. If I'm doing some still water fishing in the close season I will use the pin a great deal fishing for carp in the margins- enormous fun.

As Stephen suggests, going for a low cost option to begin with makes perfect sense because if you do get the bug, there will be plenty of time and opportunity to empty your bank account on pins.
 
I'd avoid a cheap pin and go for the best quality you can afford - buy a used Okuma on eBay and if you don't get on with it you can get most of your money back. Okumas are always in demand

I started with a Marco Cortesi, but I got frustrated with it and bought an aventa from the classifieds here. It makes trotting easier and more enjoyable, they're quality bits of kit, the Marco cortesi was a bit cheap and nasty, even after I sent my first one back via it didn't spin well and then replaced the bearings.
 
Stephen Crowhurst said:
Fishing with a pin is very different. Whilst I doubt you will dislike it many an angler used to a fixed spoil reel has given up on the first outing with a pin. After the fifth time the line has wrapped round or the wind has driven you nuts, frustration takes over. I do enjoy mine but I use it for close in margin work for Chub, trotting small rivers or for still water Tench fishing etc. For those situations it's great.
Now bear in mind your talking about spending two nights out with the Mrs or two tanks of fuel however you want to look at it, maybe it would be worth finding out if you like them first. Dragoncarp do one for a measely £23. Me and the father in law got one each (he accidentally brought two), we've both been pleasantly surprised.
http://www.dragoncarpdirect.com/avanti-marco-cortesi-centrepin-reel-943142
So maybe try one see if it floats your boat, then spend the wonga if you get hooked? Just a suggestion.
Click to expand...

The Cortessi reel is great for the price and is ok for trotting or ledgering. Just don't do what I did and loose the part known as the pawl, which engages the ratchet. The newer version may have been improved on as there were so many complaints to Dragon Carp of the pawl falling out.
 
One thing I have realised in the short time I have used pins is that it doesn't matter how long they spin for. It's more to do with how light the drum is which means less flow is needed to start the drum moving, and less shot down the line.
 
I rarely fish with anything other than centerpins, mostly trotting, and use Okumas, the Sheffield or Aventa, they are excellent.
Back in the summer I had the opportunity to have a look at a TFG Classic that a fellow club member was using. I couldn't see or feel much difference in the quality between it or my Okumas, except it was much lighter! I was so impressed I got one for my son for Christmas. For £50 it's an absolute bargain, I'm sorely tempted to get one for myself.
With regard to line guards I'd say don't bother, fish with the line off the top and the rod and your fingers form a natural guard and batting back and playing fish is so much more natural.
Winding 'backwards' does take some getting used to, so perhaps try off the bottom with a guard to start with if it all feels too alien.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/122039910132?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2648&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
 
There is a nice Mordex Merlin on E bay at the moment , essentially a UK made Aerial copy , good robust reels and if you don't get on with it you will have no problem selling it , it comes with an interchangeable line guard and case . Re the Cortesi reels they look OK but are poorly engineered , one particularly niggle with them is that the gap between the backplate and the spool is too wide and the line can easily find it's way in there especially if it's windy , result chewed line and much cursing . Another good vintage reel is the Speedia , downside, they currently are fetching pretty big/silly money especially the wide drum models . Sorry I don't know how to put a link to the Merlin but it finishes in 4 hours . Re the Okumas , they are an excellent bearing reel and well made , if you can find one buy it .
 
Agree with Mike about the Merlin,...a good little reel that will hold its price but won't break the bank.
Another is the Grice & Young Avon Royal Supreme lll,..my first pin and still a favourite and a good one to start off with, featuring a handy brake as well as interchangeable line guard and a ratchet. The spool detaches easily from backplate and is not fiddly like some.
As for line guards,..I used one the other day for the first time in ages and found it a real pain trying to bat the reel.
All my reels are true pins so I can't comment on bearing models. Worth looking at our own Paul W's write ups on pins in general and other archived blogs on this site for endless tips and info.
I love centrepins because of the control they give when trotting and also the ability to stay connected to a fish on the strike.
I use a small Shimano Exage fs for far bank waggler fishing or if a swim has barely any flow, but always hate having to engage the bale arm and risk bumping off a fish....maybe that's just my incompetence!
I remember a mate lending me rod and reel to have my first go with a pin on the Royalty nearly 40 years ago,...went straight to Davis Tackle and brought the Avon RS after latching into 7 barbel that day.:)
Would be handy Jonathan, ..if you could have a dabble before shelling out for a reel you may or may not get on with.
Dt
 
A decent speedia pin or rapidex are a great first centrepin
 
If they are so great then why doesnt the likes of Dave Harrell use them?
Please don't go nuts by barbel fishing friends,I know how sensitive the Pin users can be:):)
 
Paul, you are spot on, for the money the tfg pin is very good and as you say off the top without a guard is the way to go.The okumas are also good including the Sheffield and kennet.Start of with a big loafer float,bulk shot with a dropper and trot pieces of flake and keep on the move feeding smashed up bread,its the easiest way to start,when you get a bite its usually a good fish.Travel light and DO not take any other reel with you.
 
Stephen Crowhurst said:
I'd love to make my own, now that would be special and rewarding. Sadly my current job doesn't give me the opportunity.
Click to expand...

Something that I promised myself for years Stephen but never found the time.
Always thought a centerpin made from solid, ( as to the spoked Ariel type) would have made a good mechanical engineering apprentice end test.
Did manage the odd rod pod though.:)
 
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