• You need to be a registered member of Barbel Fishing World to post on these forums. Some of the forums are hidden from non-members. Please refer to the instructions on the ‘Register’ page for details of how to join the new incarnation of BFW...

Opinions on a starter centrepin and line advice

Rob Holt

Rob Holt

Senior Member & Supporter
Hi all,

Wanted some feedback, opinions and advice on a starter centrepin reel and line choice.

Was looking at a Sheffield but what line would you recommend for trotting for chub with the potential for the odd barbel?

Ill be pairing the reel with the new Acolyte specimen rod in 15' which has a rating of 7lb+.

TIA.
 
I was in your position not long ago … slippery slope I’m afraid 🤣

Sheffield would serve you well I started on a used trudex

6lb Dave harrel float or what ever breaking strain you fancy I’ve not handled one of those rods get so can’t say if that would suit.

But I did have a 12lb carp give me a true tear up on 6lb float line DH on a plus I was Lent.

Dan
 
A great line that I found by accident is Sufix Duraflex. Its very low diameter for its bs. 6lb diameter is 10lb bs and it’s really supple and surprisingly abrasion resistant I ended up fishing straight through with no issue at all with spooking fish. Really good for chub and barbel.
 
Ian Woods said:
I use daiwa sensor for virtually everything.
For the biggest part I use 6lb, but sometimes 4 and 8lb also.
Click to expand...
Ian, have you tried the diawa hyper sensor ? i use it for all my river fishing, find it a bit more smoother, thinner, and limp, than the original. love the stuff. 👍
 
Derek Funcks said:
Ian, have you tried the diawa hyper sensor ? i use it for all my river fishing, find it a bit more smoother, thinner, and limp, than the original. love the stuff. 👍
Click to expand...

I've never used it, although I have peeled a bit off a spool and looked at it.
As far as I can see there's not a lot of difference in them.....I mean.... 6lb hyper is about the same diameter as 4lb sensor, and so on. It kind'a makes me wonder of hyper is just sensor drawn out a bit more.
Another favourite of mine is bayer perlon, another excellent line, but not quite as strong as sensor in the same breaking strain/diameters, and quite a bit more expensive.

Everyone has their favourite lines, if one works for you then you gott'a stick with it 🙂👍.
 
Rob Holt said:
Hi all,

Wanted some feedback, opinions and advice on a starter centrepin reel and line choice.

Was looking at a Sheffield but what line would you recommend for trotting for chub with the potential for the odd barbel?

Ill be pairing the reel with the new Acolyte specimen rod in 15' which has a rating of 7lb+.

TIA.
Click to expand...
What do you mean by “starter” centrepin?
Is it something you want to do on a budget to see if you like using it first?
you can start with any pin and it’s going to work for you if you get one suitable for trotting.

4.5 inch x 1inch is a very common size for big fish trotting. Other sizes can work fine and you’ll find your personal favorites for different things over time but 4.5x1 is a good place to start
, you don’t need a particularly strong or adjustable ratchet as it will only ever be put on as a brake when you don’t want the spool to unravel.

I think a big deal breaker for me is the way the spool is removed. I couldn’t own a pin that needs something to be unscrewed or even removed in order to release the spool. It’s not uncommon for me to need to give the back plate a wipe in the middle of the river when something has worked its way behind there. I certainly don’t want to be unscrewing or dropping bits while doing this.

Ratchet position I can live with in most places so long as I can operate it with the same hand as I’m holding the rod and it must move freely and easily. I prefer it on the rim of the back plate.
I never let the ratchet make a single sound (intentionally) when I’m fishing but I am turning it on and off all the time throughout the session. (Every bait change I put the brake on)

I can’t actually make many recommendations because I haven’t tried out lots of pins. I can rule out hundreds of them that I wouldn’t want to use including the okumas based on the spool removal and ratchet design without even trying them out. I also hate the fact okumas use cross head screws in the front of the spool. It just looks shit and unfinished.


I personally like the young’s pins with the rim operated ratchet brake.
That’s super lightweight, Bob James, and maybe others but I’d be happy trying out most young’s pins before making judgement. Some of them like the Bob James and purists can actually be picked up used for sensible money.

Obviously if you’ve got a tight starter budget then young’s likely are off the cards and I personally wouldn’t have a clue what to go with but lots of others on here will have some ideas.
 
Ian Woods said:
I've never used it, although I have peeled a bit off a spool and looked at it.
As far as I can see there's not a lot of difference in them.....I mean.... 6lb hyper is about the same diameter as 4lb sensor, and so on. It kind'a makes me wonder of hyper is just sensor drawn out a bit more.
Another favourite of mine is bayer perlon, another excellent line, but not quite as strong as sensor in the same breaking strain/diameters, and quite a bit more expensive.

Everyone has their favourite lines, if one works for you then you gott'a stick with it 🙂👍.
Click to expand...
Totally agree Ian. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it 👍
 
A quick release spool is handy, as is a rod hand operated rachet, but I don't find the lack of those things too much of a hinderance when using Okumas.
I also find I have to remove the spool less frequently with Okumas than Youngs, they seem a bit more tolerant of a bit of Shite behind the spool.
 
Trudex II 2500 was my starter pin for both trotting and latterly close quarters barbel stalking.
Gave up using it for barbel stalking as I broke the skin on my knuckles once as a watched & struck into lively Barbel! 🤣
 
For someone new to trotting with a pin there is one consideration I would definitely mention.
The butt ring on the rod should be relatively close to the reel fittings.
For me it makes casting with a pin so much easier.
A couple of years ago I purchased an 11' Shakespeare to fish a small backstream. The rod seemed perfect until I tried casting short distances with a pin. It was useless as the butt ring was too far up the blank making my casting very clumsy.
I purchased an 11' Acolyte ultra which was a definite improvement as the butt ring was several inches closer.
I remember Dave Swallow used to fit an extra butt ring to his rods below the original ring.
I suppose it depends on your style of casting but it definitely helps me.
 
Mike Window said:
For someone new to trotting with a pin there is one consideration I would definitely mention.
Click to expand...

I don't own one (yet!!!), but am I right in saying that the line should peel off over the top of the spool, not the bottom, as it would with, say, a fly fishing reel?
.
 
Kevin Steele said:
I don't own one (yet!!!), but am I right in saying that the line should peel off over the top of the spool, not the bottom, as it would with, say, a fly fishing reel?
.
Click to expand...
Not necessarily.
Most people use them in the same orientation that you use a fixed spool reel

Winding forward and putting the line on from the bottom. Some use them the opposite way. It’s really down to preference

I have the line coming off the bottom of my pins. I’d find winding backwards too odd.
 
Rob Holt said:
Hi all,

Wanted some feedback, opinions and advice on a starter centrepin reel and line choice.

Was looking at a Sheffield but what line would you recommend for trotting for chub with the potential for the odd barbel?

Ill be pairing the reel with the new Acolyte specimen rod in 15' which has a rating of 7lb+.

TIA.
Click to expand...
I've had an Okuma Aventa VT1002 for years and never had any problems with it, love using it and costs a lot less than other centrepins. Remember to not put too much line on them
 
Rob I've sent you a pm with regards a centrepin. I would personally always go for a floating line option. I use drennan float fish for my nearest pin fishing for chub 4 .4lb.
I've used there high strength options but also consider Dave harrel did a good floating line which I used and like but in also read on here 2 days ago about korum now releasing a floating line. People also rate silstar match. Being a thinner line they use the higher breaking strains.. that should hold it cheers Jon
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top