Retrofit a drag facility to your centrepin

[Tim Lennon]

Of course, everyone knows that centrepins are best for barbel fishing, but some superb 'pins don't have a drag (brake) fitted as standard. When the river is flooded or there's weed floating down, the ratchet alone may not be strong enough to prevent line running out when legering with the rod in rests. This is when a drag facility is also required.

Reels such as the Swallow mk II, for example, are ideally suited to barbel fishing, apart from the lack of a drag.

The master centrepin maker Dave Plowman has come up with a drag system that can be retrofitted to any 'pin with a ratchet. Is this something that would interest people?

 

[Bill Walford]

Sounds a goer to me Tim...I'd like to know more!!

 

[Mark Anderson]

Hi men,

They have bought up all the supplies of dead mans thumbs ?


Hatter

 

[Tim Lennon]

Sounds a goer to me Tim...I'd like to know more!!

Hi Bill. I have a Swallow mk II myself, so may well ask Dave to fit the drag system to it. He will then have a much better idea about how much work is involved and the costs etc.

At this stage I was just wondering if it's something that would interest others. Do you have a centrepin that would benefit from the mod?

 

[Bobby Baker]

I had the ratchet and drag model of the swallow, sold it as it was pants! The wobble you get off the drag models is horrendous. Mine must've been one of the first as the rim was finger slicing thin! Garry Mills Barbus and Barbel Catcher are both super and probably the best tensioner/drag you can get. All I do these days though is tighten the check and I can hold 5oz leads in 10ft of water no probs. There is a limit depending on model though.

 

[Tim Lennon]

I had the ratchet and drag model of the swallow, sold it as it was pants! The wobble you get off the drag models is horrendous. Mine must've been one of the first as the rim was finger slicing thin!

Hi Bobby. I think you must have had a mk I Swallow for it to have had a ratchet and drag. The mk I was made from pressed aluminium, whereas the mk II was milled from solid aluminium.

I've never seen a mk II with a drag, and I can't imagine anyone calling the mk II "pants", because it's not!

 

[Bobby Baker]

For sure, Tim. It certainly wasn't the same as the more recent models. Hell of a difference. Made a few quid on it though. I purchased it whilst I was waiting for my Barbus......so will this drag system be the same then? The cork pad that applies pressure to the drum?

 

[Tim Lennon]

Hi Bobby. The mk I you had was unusual to have had a ratchet AND drag. Dave Swallow's a good mate of mine and he reckons he only made about half a dozen with BOTH. In good condition I would have expected it to have made around £130-150?

The new drag system will not incorporate cork pads. I don't want to say too much as I think it's a unique design, certainly not one that I've come across before, and I've had more than my fair share of centrepins lol!

 

[Bobby Baker]

Ok, when will we find out about it then?

 

[Bobby Baker]

I picked it up off eBay for about 50 odd quid! and I almost didn't get rid with it being what it was, someone informed me it might've gone for 300ish so that swung it. Bit over valued but I still managed £190 which I was more than happy with......as it was pants

 

[Bobby Baker]

 

[Tim Lennon]

I picked it up off eBay for about 50 odd quid! and I almost didn't get rid with it being what it was, someone informed me it might've gone for 300ish so that swung it. Bit over valued but I still managed £190 which I was more than happy with......as it was pants

Wow..good result!
I had one a few years back that I swapped for a car!
I've got another one now in its original box..

If enough interest is shown in the drag, I'll get my mk II converted and post the results on here...

 

[Bobby Baker]

Haha brilliant.........I've got a couple of Stanton's I'd be interested in having the mod so keep us posted.

 

[Derek Funcks]

Hi Tim, what about my Marco Cortesi

 

[Neil Smart]

Hi Tim, what about my Marco Cortesi

I'll swap you a 15 year old Halford's Bike

 

[Joe Winstanley]

I picked it up off eBay for about 50 odd quid! and I almost didn't get rid with it being what it was, someone informed me it might've gone for 300ish so that swung it. Bit over valued but I still managed £190 which I was more than happy with......as it was pants

£190 !!!!! Are you quite sure about that Bobby ?

It looks remarkably similar to the one I bought for £127.11

It's not a patch on my MKII but still a good reel for legering, despite the wobble!

 

[Bobby Baker]

Haha! I was pretty sure Joe, obviously wrong. Haha. 60 quid out. I do remember it being a bargain though. Good to know its still getting used. It caught me some good fish that reel!

 

[Joe Winstanley]

Glad to know it's got some pedigree...I've been using it for stalking c@rp mainly.

I would think the MKII Swallow fitted with a drag would be close to being the perfect pin for barbel.

Cheers,

Joe

 

[Tim Lennon]

Glad to know it's got some pedigree...I've been using it for stalking c@rp mainly.

I would think the MKII Swallow fitted with a drag would be close to being the perfect pin for barbel.

Cheers,

Joe

Indeed...it's called the "Pete Reading Barbel Pin"!
Personally, I'd rather have the Swallow name on the back!!!
(Only kidding Pete)

 

[Chris Thomson]

Thing is they do a run of a good pin like the Swallow or Pete Readings pin and then for one reason or another it stops and were at the mercy of fleabay!