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Centrepin starter

Do they do the job off your local pier though Jeff? Oh lord, I have just had a thought....it wasn't a take from a tope on one of yours that started that fire on the other pier was it :D

Cheers, Dave.
 
if i was you ben i would buy the one off stuart for £30 see how you get on with it then if you decide they aint for you £30 aint so much of a choker then the price of a sheffield
 
Hi David,

I've not managed any tope as yet but have had a number of huge crucian cod.

The wreck of the West Pier being a hotspot for the species.

Regards,

Jeff
 
The biggest downside to the Cortesi's are they are poorly made. The gap between the main housing and the spool is too great and line gets in behind the drum and tangles around the main pin and ratchet spring. Because of the cheap design you then have to unscrew the centre hub to remove the spool. There is then a danger that you'll loose the screw and washer and/or the ball bearings will fall out and believe me they do.

Personally I would avoid buying one as although cheap, the difficulties you encounter with the tangles and loosing parts will put you off for life, which may or may not be a bad thing. :)

Go for either an Okuma or a TFG Classic.
 
Hi Ben,
i can understand your situation, to sit by the river with a centre pin reel on your rod waiting for it to revolve, or trotting a float through a fabulous swim is always one of those magic moments in fishing, but Richard is right, start with a cheaper reel and see how you get on, i have seen so many people put them away because they can't get on with them, we know that you only get what you pay for, but most of the cheaper reels will do the job, and if you get on well with your first pin, then you can then buy one of those top of the range ones.
But as Jeff said, if you can afford a good one, go for it, by the way, centre pins look great sitting on your shelf
Good luck mate, and lets hope you become an expert.
Brian.
 
I have taken stu up on his offer. Can't wait to get it and give it a try. Will have to go back to where I learnt to fish many years ago and get the knack of it.
 
It must be luck of the draw with the Cortesi reels as plenty of people (myself included) seem to have no problems with them.
I have never had the line go behind the spool even when using 4lb line, whereas its a fairly common occurrence with the Leeds reel with lighter lines if I lose concentration.
Now I'm aware of the potential problem I'll stick some tools in the Cortesi box so I can deal with it if it happens.
 
Jeff Edisbury said:
Hi Brian,

Happy new year to you and Tina.

Have you been out?

Very best wishes,

Cat and Jeff
Click to expand...
Happy New year to you and Cat.
yes, i went out for a few hours yesterday, not a touch, the river is rising again, i am going to have some dinner, then i am off out again, looking for a dry spot.
good luck.
Brian.
 
Keith Speer said:
Okuma Sheffield,

1. Certainly light enough.

2. Good availability of parts that can be fitted easily yourself.

3. Spare spools that fit straight from the box, very-very free running.

3. Vastly better design than the "Ariel" style reels (I junked two Bob James reels in favour of the Okuma and that was before he was captured being a cheating currant!).

4. Made from alloy materials, Tougher and more durable than the cheaper aluminium Contasi / TFG / Dragon reels.

5. And if you don't get on with it, it will maintain a similar value to the purchase price.
Click to expand...

Whatever Sir Keith says about trotting a stick float should be heeded, the man is a stick float legend who I doubt will ever be bettered in my lifetime!
 
Neil Smart said:
To master a 'pin' takes time and patience, be prepared to 'lose' some time just getting used to the thing, and then sell it:p
Click to expand...

:D:D:D:D:D
I persisted just long enough to get a double figure barbel on it trotting a float. I'd had a few other decent fish on it but that was the prime aim. Once done, the centrepin was put away for the day and sold within a month or two. Its not been missed since.

I can understand and appreciate the level of speed control a centrepin gives when trotting. Unfortunately, that positive does not outweigh the negatives. As for using them for legering, only if you feel the need to make things slightly more difficult than is really necessary. Bear in mind just how quickly our elders ditched their centrepins when the fixed spool reel came along, and that was when fixed spool reels were often complete rubbish!;):D

I wish that someone had told me the above when I was sucked in by the dewy eyed pin romatics. The only saving grace was I managed to buy a pin second hand that held its value so I managed to get my money back.

Good luck if you buy a pin, perhaps you'll take to it in a way I never will. Just in case, either buy a real cheapy or a decent second hand reel for as little as possible.
 
A great deal of sense there as usual Chris. Like many things in life, pins do appear to have that Marmite effect that leads to many an argument. Pretty well the story of all things angling I suppose :D

Cheers, Dave.
 
Playing a decent fish on a pin is a magical and thrilling thing to do :cool:...... Its the whole fishing part beforehand that CAN be a complete fustration!:eek:

just my 2p worth...:rolleyes:
 
Rob Shuttleworth said:
It must be luck of the draw with the Cortesi reels as plenty of people (myself included) seem to have no problems with them.
I have never had the line go behind the spool even when using 4lb line, whereas its a fairly common occurrence with the Leeds reel with lighter lines if I lose concentration.
Now I'm aware of the potential problem I'll stick some tools in the Cortesi box so I can deal with it if it happens.
Click to expand...

Hi Rob, I think the reel :)p) problem occurs with lighter lines. I use mainlines down to 2.5lb. I think if you're using 4lbs+ and depending on line diameter of course, then those problems are largely eradicated.

I might add that you can't buy spare parts for these reels, so if you do loose anything you're stuffed, at least that was the case a while ago.
 
I use 3.5lb line on my cortesi and have had it go behind the spool on a couple of occasions. Lack of a line guard I think is the biggest problem and I'll be definitely upgrading to pin with one on at some point. Though thinking about it, it probably would still do it with one, but another pet hate of mine is winding in only to look down and find the line has been wound on to the handles!
 
Chris Jones said:
:D:D:D:D:D
I persisted just long enough to get a double figure barbel on it trotting a float. I'd had a few other decent fish on it but that was the prime aim. Once done, the centrepin was put away for the day and sold within a month or two. Its not been missed since.

I can understand and appreciate the level of speed control a centrepin gives when trotting. Unfortunately, that positive does not outweigh the negatives. As for using them for legering, only if you feel the need to make things slightly more difficult than is really necessary. Bear in mind just how quickly our elders ditched their centrepins when the fixed spool reel came along, and that was when fixed spool reels were often complete rubbish!;):D

I wish that someone had told me the above when I was sucked in by the dewy eyed pin romatics. The only saving grace was I managed to buy a pin second hand that held its value so I managed to get my money back.

Good luck if you buy a pin, perhaps you'll take to it in a way I never will. Just in case, either buy a real cheapy or a decent second hand reel for as little as possible.
Click to expand...


Mmm, you've done a total U turn on this subject now Chris 🤣😂.
 
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