Centrepin narrow vs wide spool?!

[Jon Kennard]

Hi guys nearly convinced I needed a wide drum centrepin versus the narrow heritage young I have. Just wondered what people's thoughts are with regards the pro's and con's of a wide drum? Also is a drag system of use? Doing a lot of fly fishing to me the drag system and beauty of the pin is the feel and hand control when you feel the fish needs line. Thoughts please

 

[Chris Jones]

Wide versus narrow is largely a question of taste. It's something I've never even given a thought to, though I only use pins for trotting.
When it comes to a "drag" on a centrepin, it's worth checking your understanding of what a drag might mean. Very few pins have a genuine drag that can be used for playing a fish on. You'd actually do fairly well to even find one of these. Some centrepins do come with a micro-drag which is more about controlling the spin rate of the reel when trotting than anything else (a Youngs Heritage should have this micro-drag). A small number of reels have a adjustable tensioner of the ratchet mechanism. This is effectively used as a variable baitrunner tension when ledgering (especially useful on flowing water)

 

[Jon Kennard]

Thanks Chris before catching my first barbel on the float I as a little nervous I wouldn't be able to cope however in reality it was the opposite and couldn't be further than the truth. I wondered whether the wide drum was better suited to heavier lines? I loaded mine with 10lb line and it handled it fine. I wanted to try my larger 5 1/2 inch by 1 1/4 reel however I discovered the pin reel foot is to big to fit into the reel seat! Like you say i adjusted the spin rate but it didn't really act as a drag.

 

[Terry Simner]

A grinder soon sorts out any reel foot ...a few seconds b0ll0cking it and foot'll fit any seat (or so I've found) Wide/narrow...yeah mostly taste, unless you're trotting over 35m, then a wide (and braid) is better IMO.

 

[Jon Kennard]

Thanks Terry I'm going to do exactly that but when i discovering the issue only hours before going to use it I didn't have one annoyingly! I'll go easy!

 

[Mike Hodgkiss]

Personally I don't think it makes much difference. What perhaps is more important to function is the depth of the spool , shallow ones are much better than deeper , as you don't have to fit loads of backing which can lead to line digging potentially compromising the release of line . Line guards can also be useful particularly in windy conditions

 

[Paul Whiteing]

Whether you would want a narrow or wide is a difficult one to answer, All of my FC's are narrow mainly because I started with narrows all those years ago and reckon I prefer them, not so unwieldy and ill balanced in my view. But then I know many who prefer the wide drum, there are no rights or wrongs.

 

[Richard Barrett]

I would say if your just trotting a narrow spool is lighter. If like many you use the pin for ledgering, and more, then a wider spool makes sense as the reel is in the rest most of the time? I've got a cracking J.W.Youngs for sale, as new wide drum if your serious about buying one. I just have too many pins. (I know you cannot have too many!!!!!!!!!)

Rich.

 

[Jon Kennard]

Thanks Rich given how far i am from the rivers as much as it's like a dapper wide drum I'll hang to my uncle's for now. Thanks for the offer.