Cheaper pins

[Richard Isaacs]

Rapidex is good for still water and Grice is great for ledgering due to their design. So that’s Trudex or speedia narrow drum. I prefer speedia due to the ratchet, but speedia has a very deep spool, which makes the retrieval very slow. You can get a line reducer to make the spool shallower. But the real problem of speedia is most of them are wabbling, seems a design issue or material problem. So be very careful if you want to get a speedia. Trudex is a great reel, in general, it is easier to find a better conditions trudex than speedia. Plus it has a removable line guard, maybe better for new pin user.

For starting out I’d suggest a wider drum. It Makes learning to cast properly easier and less frustrating to start with.

 

[Alan Rose]

Loads of people love the Okuma Sheffield or Aventa Pro VT1002. Not stupidly dear and good resale value. My advice having bought cheap “vintage” gear is it’s not always all it’s cracked up to be. Out of the reels you mentioned a Speedia is the nicest to trot, but it’s only a 4” diameter reel and the deep arbour means retrieving can be labour intensive. I would go for an Okuma personally, or the TFG Classic is actually a really nice light reel for the money. The centrepin bug bit me a few years ago and now they’re basically all I fish with, and only float fishing at that (well, maybe 98%).

Hope it helps mate, feel free to PM if you want any in depth discussion or more personal opinions

 

[Kevin Steele]

Thanks chaps. Alan, I don't really like the look of the new/current budget centrepins, which is one reason I asked about vintage ones for now. I'll more than likely buy a good used J W Young 'pin soon enough, like the BJ or Purist, but I'm trying to be sensible for now. I'll make a mental note to pick your brains when I'm ready to part with more serious cash.
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[Dave Quinn]

Loads of people love the Okuma Sheffield or Aventa Pro VT1002. Not stupidly dear and good resale value. My advice having bought cheap “vintage” gear is it’s not always all it’s cracked up to be. Out of the reels you mentioned a Speedia is the nicest to trot, but it’s only a 4” diameter reel and the deep arbour means retrieving can be labour intensive. I would go for an Okuma personally, or the TFG Classic is actually a really nice light reel for the money. The centrepin bug bit me a few years ago and now they’re basically all I fish with, and only float fishing at that (well, maybe 98%).

Hope it helps mate, feel free to PM if you want any in depth discussion or more personal opinions

I'm by no means an expert and dont fish regularly with pins anymore but I've owned all four of the pins you mention and I was least satisfied with the Speedia and ended up with the Sheffield and cant see me changing

 

[Daniel Jeffery]

Out of the pins you listed, I’d go with either Trudex or Rapidex. They can be great little reels and perfect for trotting. Personally I don’t like the Speedia or Supreme for trotting, they just feel clunky.

Trudex has the advantage of being able to Wallis cast which you can’t with the Rapidex due to the caged drum. But that design does come in handy in windy conditions.

Beware there is a lot of dross out there. There are a lot of these reels around being sold by non-angling attic raiders who wouldn’t know “good condition, spins well” from their elbow. Common fault with Rapidex is the drum rubbing on the cage and common fault on both a cracked release cap. These were originally made from a hard, brittle plastic. You can get replacements from Mill Tackle, but a pain. Example crack, easy to spot in person, harder on fleabay.

If your heart is set on one of these, maybe ask on here in classifieds. Probably someone has a spare they’re willing to part with and more likely to be a good ‘un.

All that said, listen closely to those recommending the Okuma Sheffield; it’s probably one of the best bang for buck ‘pins around and easy to sell on without loss.

 

[Richard Isaacs]

Thanks chaps. Alan, I don't really like the look of the new/current budget centrepins, which is one reason I asked about vintage ones for now. I'll more than likely buy a good used J W Young 'pin soon enough, like the BJ or Purist, but I'm trying to be sensible for now. I'll make a mental note to pick your brains when I'm ready to part with more serious cash.
.

Over budget it may be but that is a bargain Kevin for one of my personal favorite jw reels.
Brilliant for casting and a rim mounted check lever which is my personal preference

 

[Kevin Steele]

Over budget it may be but that is a bargain Kevin for one of my personal favorite jw reels.
Brilliant for casting and a rim mounted check lever which is my personal preference

Not over budget and I'm already watching that one. Decided I'll probably go for a newer reel, but I've been taking advice from various quarters (via PM) about which ones other members prefer and why. In so much as I've shifted my gaze from 'Cheaper pins' to the £200-300.00 mark, I can probably be counted out of this discussion. Thanks to those who replied to my earlier query.
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[Richard Isaacs]

Not over budget and I'm already watching that one. Decided I'll probably go for a newer reel, but I've been taking advice from various quarters (via PM) about which ones other members prefer and why. In so much as I've shifted my gaze from 'Cheaper pins' to the £200-300.00 mark, I can probably be counted out of this discussion. Thanks to those who replied to my earlier query.
.

I hope whatever you buy serves you well. Just stick with it and the frustration side of things doesn’t last long. After a short while you won’t want to trot with anything else

 

[Bill Walford]

Just thought I’d share this little beauty with you all. Bought this from a fellow Tenchfisher who was helping a chap dispose of “surplus” gear. Date stamped 08/64 so it’s sixty years old. I didn’t need it but couldn’t say no

 

[Richard Isaacs]

Just thought I’d share this little beauty with you all. Bought this from a fellow Tenchfisher who was helping a chap dispose of “surplus” gear. Date stamped 08/64 so it’s sixty years old. I didn’t need it but couldn’t say no

Great little no nonsense reels.

 

[Bill Walford]

Great little no nonsense reels.

I like to use them when float fishing for Tench Rich, although this one runs as good as a Rapidex will, not any good (my opinion) for trotting. That’s where my Purist CL comes into play

 

[Richard Isaacs]

I like to use them when float fishing for Tench Rich, although this one runs as good as a Rapidex will, not any good (my opinion) for trotting. That’s where my Purist CL comes into play

Small becks and streams they are ideal little trotting pins.
@John Newman uses a couple down a little stream we occasionally fish together in winter. He’s had some good fish out on the little Rapidex

 

[Ralph Harris]

I have brought a Lewtham Leeds reel which was probably made in the 80s to try. The drum seems quite wide and it seems to start rotation easily and spins well. These can be picked up for less than 40 and as low as 25. For what looks a good reel I don’t see anyone advocating their use. Is there something wrong with them?

 

[Huanzhou Zhu]

I like to use them when float fishing for Tench Rich, although this one runs as good as a Rapidex will, not any good (my opinion) for trotting. That’s where my Purist CL comes into play

I really can’t get along with the cage reel, trudex is the way to go

 

[Huanzhou Zhu]

I have brought a reel which was probably made in the 80s to try. The drum seems quite wide and it seems to start rotation easily and spins well. These can be picked up for less than 40 and as low as 25. For what looks a good reel I don’t see anyone advocating their use. Is there something wrong with them?

Nothing wrong with these reels, they are actually good reels, you can use it for anything, trotting and ledgering. Just enjoy it

 

[Richard Isaacs]

I have brought a Lewtham Leeds reel which was probably made in the 80s to try. The drum seems quite wide and it seems to start rotation easily and spins well. These can be picked up for less than 40 and as low as 25. For what looks a good reel I don’t see anyone advocating their use. Is there something wrong with them?

Absolutely not. I have one too it was my first pin from childhood.
I’d recommend it no problem it’s a good little pin.
The only thing that’s always annoyed me about it is they are a bulky wide pin.
Spins for an eternity

 

[Alex Dalton]

Get up early and have a good look around your local good sized car boot ,although not sticky pins as both have bearings, at £20 for the solid alloy one,and a mere £10 for the black one ,with both having nice drag adjusters these are great bits of kit and not a name stamped on either.

 

[Ralph Harris]

Thanks for your opinions on the Lewtham Leeds reel, seems to be a good starter. I think it will do fine for trotting less so for legering in rests since it does not have a clicker. It just has a clamping arrangement for when you don’t want a free spool.

 

[Dave Durrant]

Get up early and have a good look around your local good sized car boot ,although not sticky pins as both have bearings, at £20 for the solid alloy one,and a mere £10 for the black one ,with both having nice drag adjusters these are great bits of kit and not a name stamped on either.View attachment 31284View attachment 31285

The black one is a Trentman (albeit with customised drag knob) distinguishable by the unusual reel seat and only really usable with sliding reel fittings ( unless like me you you fashion a new reel seat to be used with screw fittings)

Initially thought to be made by workers at the Rolls Royce factory but opinion now says at the Raleigh Cycle factory.

At £10 an absolute bargain, one of the best trotting reels around which goes under the radar.
There was a light and heavy version made.

The great Keith Speer (god rest his soul) used these.

 

[Ian Woods]

I really can’t get along with the cage reel, trudex is the way to go

I'd echo the above, but would go as far as to say I am not a fan of either, even though I have an example of each sat in a drawer. They are both too narrow and the cage on the rapidex prohibits any propper casting.



I hear people recomending all manner of cheaper centrepins, in particular they recommend the speedia reels .
Imo the best lower priced centrepin reel anyone could buy.... by a country mile is the okuma aventa pro or sheffield.