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Centre pin advice please ?

The Speedia seems to be the go-to for most. I don't own and have never used a Speedia, but I can recommend the Grice & Young Avon Royale Supreme, very good condition and working order examples of which are always on the Bay for very little money. I've used it successfully for legering in fast water of a river just starting to fine down, and with the drag off it spins as easily as any trotting reel (although I do use mine only for legering, as it's not the lightest centrepin around). They won't win any beauty contests mind.
 
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I have a few ‘pins, a couple for trotting, and a few for bottom fishing.

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The above one is a Free Spirit wide drum true pin, Wallace casts very well, has a nice crisp ratchet and spins like a dream.Not very old at all, and an “Ariel” look alike .

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The above reel is a Grice and Young Gypsy D’or, again, a true pin wide drum, also with a nice crisp positive ratchet, it easily copes with anything you are likley to catch .

Either reel would suit you well for ledgering, I have no reel preference for either, the Grice and Young is probably a good 50 or 60 years old but is as good as the day it was made, it has been resprayed as it was getting very “tired” after continual use since I first found it when I was about 14 years old ( I m 69 now ) It has had additional holes drilled in the spool as a weight saving , but I arent sure if it made that much difference .

I would recommend either reel as a “ledger” pin,as they are what I use probably 90% of the time with no problems at all . I also have a Ray Walton Pin , which I use for casting a sinker or feeder further that I can manage with the above, worth considering if you want hassle free distance fishing .

Neither reel has a line guard, as I find them a nuisance, plus I fish with the line coming “off the top” which is not really very popular, it works for me though.

David.
 
Whilst we are on this subject, can someone explain the point of triple check on the Speedia Deluxe? I’ve owned several and use centrepins for 90% of my Barbel fishing. Not once have I needed a stronger rachet setting, due to the flow rate.
 
Neil Blood said:
Whilst we are on this subject, can someone explain the point of triple check on the Speedia Deluxe? I’ve owned several and use centrepins for 90% of my Barbel fishing. Not once have I needed a stronger rachet setting, due to the flow rate.
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I think this is depends on the river you fish? I used the mid level when Thames is flooded with fast flow, the current is strong enough to pull the line off with the lightest one. Maybe that's why the modern reproduction only has two level?
 
Huanzhou Zhu said:
I think this is depends on the river you fish? I used the mid level when Thames is flooded with fast flow, the current is strong enough to pull the line off with the lightest one. Maybe that's why the modern reproduction only has two level?
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I've got the modern one, by way of the Maun Valley Wensum, its my most used reel on the Severn, Dove and Dane. Yes it has a double ratchet check, which unlike the original Speedia is very easy to change, but I still don't really use it. Each to their own I suppose.

I still believe the most important feature is a reliable drag system, but that's because I free line large baits a lot.
 
Neil Blood said:
I've got the modern one, by way of the Maun Valley Wensum, its my most used reel on the Severn, Dove and Dane. Yes it has a double ratchet check, which unlike the original Speedia is very easy to change, but I still don't really use it. Each to their own I suppose.

I still believe the most important feature is a reliable drag system, but that's because I free line large baits a lot.
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I have the same reel, its also my most used on as well. The drag system is important especially you are free lining. Although I don't use my Wensum for free lining or float fishing since it is wide and I feel not very comfortable when holding it with my small hand. But yeah, there's no reason to not use it for that purpose. Great all around reel.
 
Also worth mentioning is that the Speedia has rim mounted check rather than button check such as you get on lots of other pins. I always find the rim mounted so much easier to flick on with one hand than I do the button checks which can be a little fiddly to operate one handed.
 
I have used c'pins for 100% of my barbel fishing for over 40 years :), Fred Crouch narrow drum match aerials, no fancy line loading just wind the braid on.

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Set up ready, late afternoon

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Now at the time to start fishing



If you access BFW on a mobile phone you likely can't see user signatures, so here is a link to my centrepin article which you may find of interest

Article : Centrepins and using them, especially for Barbel fishing
 
Paul Whiteing said:
I have used c'pins for 100% of my barbel fishing for over 40 years :), Fred Crouch narrow drum match aerials, no fancy line loading just wind the braid on.

View attachment 18238
Set up ready, late afternoon

View attachment 18239
Now at the time to start fishing



If you access BFW on a mobile phone you likely can't see user signatures, so here is a link to my centrepin article which you may find of interest

Article : Centrepins and using them, especially for Barbel fishing
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Paul, the Match Aerial is wide enough compared to trudex or narrow drum speedia. What kind of braid do you use for ledgering?
 
I'm gonna buck the trend a bit but if you're looking for something towards the cheaper end then have a look at the Shakepeare Eagle or if you want something with a wide spool then a GeeBee centrepin. Both have nice strong ratchets ( although most pin ratchets can be adjusted by bending the spring ) and are relatively light ( Spools being of polycarbonate ). Fine for a bit of near bank ledgering. Both are true ( bush ) pins.
 
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