Centrepins - how much weight on the float is needed?

[beaver27]

I have always wanted to try fishing a stick float with a centrepin reel and recently bought one of the very cheap Shadowlanda Centrepins for £9.99 to see if I could get on with it, with a view to getting a more expensive model if I liked it.

I used it for the first time this week and loved the style of fishing but found that it was very difficult to get the reel moving - I used up to a 5BB stick float and it still wouldn't start off rotating without me helping it.

I did spend a lot of time at the weekend spinning the reel while watching telly but it doesn't seem to have done much good.

 

My question is - if I invest in a much more expensive centrepin like a Youngs for example, what is the lightest stick float I can expect to use to get the reel rotating on it's own?

 

Thanks for your advice.

[James P]

My question is - if I invest in a much more expensive centrepin like a Youngs for example, what is the lightest stick float I can expect to use to get the reel rotating on it's own?

 

Thanks for your advice.

 

Depends on several elements Beaver, including the reel itself and the water flow. A Youngs is a precision reel that will spin for ages gives even a simple flick. The smoother the reel the easier it is for the line to be pulled off. Without being presumptuous, a £9.99 centrepin reel isn't going to be the smoothest.

 

It also depends on how your rod is ringed and how much resistance their is regarding if the line is wet, or you're using heavy line.

 

James

[beaver27]

Depends on several elements Beaver, including the reel itself and the water flow. A Youngs is a precision reel that will spin for ages gives even a simple flick. The smoother the reel the easier it is for the line to be pulled off. Without being presumptuous, a £9.99 centrepin reel isn't going to be the smoothest.

 

It also depends on how your rod is ringed and how much resistance their is regarding if the line is wet, or you're using heavy line.

 

James

 

Thanks James - I should have stated that the river was the Great Ouse following at around walking pace and I was using a 6lb line, hoping for chub.

[Will Wilkinson]

I spent a pleasant few hours on the 16th trotting with my new Anglers Net 'pin (thanks Jigotai ) using a 4 number 4 wire-stem stick and the line fed beautifully smoothly and easily. So as James says it's really down to the quality of the pin and using a well balanced outfit. In fact, had I wanted to, I'm certain I could have used an even lighter float - but then the presentation wouldn't have been as good as I was using a mix of no 6 and no 8 shot to give a natural action to the bait and any less shot wouldn't have worked so well.

 

The AN 'pin has to be one of the best out there - I'd not swap mine, even for a reel costing several times as much.

 

Will

[Leon Roskilly]

I don't know how much they are going for these days, but my Leeds centrepins give the cooler looking, more expensive, reels a run for their money.

 

In fact two of the three that I abuse when fishing for mullet, will start to move before any of the others that I own.

[Guest tigger]

No flow no go, if there isn't enough flow then the best pin in the world won't move. I can't see a CP costing a tenner giving you a true/good impression of using one. You would be better off borrowing one or tagging along with someone who uses one.

[Will Wilkinson]

No flow no go, if there isn't enough flow then the best pin in the world won't move. I can't see a CP costing a tenner giving you a true/good impression of using one. You would be better off borrowing one or tagging along with someone who uses one.

 

True, but a good 'pin will work in much slower flows than a poor one. The flow on opening day on the Ouzel was very slow, but the 'pin still worked perfectly - even with a light float.

 

As a general invite, I'm always happy to take anyone out for a day's fishing and, if they want, pass on any knowledge of techniques - where necessary lending the appropriate tackle as well. I'm based in Bletchley (near Milton Keynes) and will travel a fair way for decent fishing (not that there's any shortage round here ).

 

Will

[Sportsman]

I also bought one of the Shadowlandia CPs for 9.99. I have only used it once in a moderate flow and I found that a 4bb float would revolve it comfortably. I would imagine that in a reel as cheap as this they are not working to very fine tolerances and so there are very likely to be variations in performance from reel to reel.

The only thing that stops me buying a very expensive CP is the price

Edited June 25, 2008 by Sportsman

[Will Wilkinson]

You can buy centrepin reels for "several times" £130?

Crikey.

 

MC

 

You certainly can - £400 is quite possible for a handmade 'pin - take a look at Chris Lythe Centrepins for example.

 

Will

[Nodin]

I've read somewhere about using 2 floats on the line when fishing with a centrepin. The 1st one closer to you is to make the pin rotate, while the 2nd- to register the bite.

The position of the centrepin also matters sometimes. In most cases it rotates easier, if you keep it vertical, i.e. the axis is horisontal.