What makes a good trotting rod?

[TrevBoy]

I have vowed to move away from my simple stillwater fishing this year and to try some trotting on the Soar or Trent. I'd like to get a pin, but is my normal 13', middle-of-the-road float rod going to be a good trotting rod? Advice please.......

 

 

Oh, and is this pin likely to be really too cheap and cheerfull for a first timer?

 

Centre Pin

Edited May 27, 2012 by TrevBoy

[Guest redfin2]

I have vowed to move away from my simple stillwater fishing this year and to try some trotting on the Soar or Trent. I'd like to get a pin, but is my normal 13', middle-of-the-road float rod going to be a good trotting rod? Advice please.......

 

 

Oh, and is this pin likely to be really too cheap and cheerfull for a first timer?

 

Centre Pin

 

The rod should be fine, but a word of caution about the 'pin until you have mastered it it can be a frustrating piece of kit, so perhaps you might want to learn and still trot with a fixed spool, there is a lot of sentimental tripe regarding 'pins, and you can have as good a time with a fixed spool.

 

The other thing to consider is how trot a float and how to set up a rig, now that is a lifetimes experience for some, and once you have experienced it you will probably wonder why you haven't done it before, simply, I thing it is the most enjoyable thing in fishing.

 

But perhaps the most crucial tip to remember is how to 'mend' your line, that is keeping the main line, as much as possible in a straight line with the rod, and having just enough slack out to hit any bites. So invest in some waders, they will make things a lot easier.

Best of luck

[chavender]

I have vowed to move away from my simple stillwater fishing this year and to try some trotting on the Soar or Trent. I'd like to get a pin, but is my normal 13', middle-of-the-road float rod going to be a good trotting rod? Advice please.......

 

 

Oh, and is this pin likely to be really too cheap and cheerfull for a first timer?

 

Centre Pin

 

 

your rod should be ok ,might be a little over gunned for the smaller species ,but should be fine for the chub and skimmers etc .if in time you find it not sensative enough ,or want too keep one rod for waggler fishing and one for trotting ,i've seen these in the store and they're ok

 

http://www.dragoncarpdirect.com/products/A...aggler-rod.html

 

this is a improved model over its predecesser the RDX2 and is more sensative in its action ,making a great trotting rod for a great price .and now they have a shop at the bardils island on the A52 (sandiacre/toton) at the Japanese water gardens .not too far too go & have a look at one for your self ,they also do a centrepin for £30 ,and another at £40 (same size as the elegance)

 

 

that reel is ok and just as good as a Tfgear X-pin or dragoncarps marco contessi etc

 

both of the above will do you fine ,but be prepaired that if you like trotting you'll at some point buy a more sesative rod or rods to cover the varied siturations you'll come across ,and centrepins bring their own problems because like a good slice of cake ,one is never enough .

[Ken L]

Why make it hard on yourself ?

Learn to fish running water with a fixed spool reel and get the basics of tackle control, presentation and feeding down pat before you add the additional complication of a centre pin.

[lutra]

Why make it hard on yourself ?

Cause it will give you better control and with a just a little practise you may wonder why anyone ever uses a fixed spool reel for trotting.

[TrevBoy]

All good advice - thank you.

[Tigger]

The best way to find out if your rod's ok is to go and try it out. If I where you i'd look towards getting an okuma c/p (maybe a second hand aventa pro off fleebay ) and if you don't get into trotting just sell it on with little or no loss.

Anyone who's proficient at using a pin will tell you the same, which is... you just can't get the same control over your float with a fixed spool reel as with a pin (even at range) as your not indirect contact. Also bait presentation is far superiour when using a pin. People will contradict that and say you can trott just as well with a fixed spool, but that's simply because they can't use a pin properly.

[Guest redfin2]

The best way to find out if your rod's ok is to go and try it out. If I where you i'd look towards getting an okuma c/p (maybe a second hand aventa pro off fleebay ) and if you don't get into trotting just sell it on with little or no loss.

Anyone who's proficient at using a pin will tell you the same, which is... you just can't get the same control over your float with a fixed spool reel as with a pin (even at range) as your not indirect contact. Also bait presentation is far superiour when using a pin. People will contradict that and say you can trott just as well with a fixed spool, but that's simply because they can't use a pin properly.

 

Well yes that's the point of the advice given in that using a 'pin does need some practice, but that can be gained over time, but using a fixed spool to start is still very effective and just as if not more convenient than a centre pin. I guess if you look at the skills of good match anglers using fixed spools you should agree. To many anglers centre pins are bling and the rest of us appreciate fixed spools as a tool to do a job without faffing around and having so many limitations such as casting distance. However there is a art in trotting with a modern reel, and letting the line of the spool by finger control is an example of that.

 

Oh! I can use a pin, in fact that's all I used as a kid, and we cast as best we could, only to be advised now that it was the Wallace

 

No elitism here

[BoldBear]

Both views about Centrepins are equally valid, Ken and Redfin are right ; There are times when you need a simple cast and retrieve and can present a bait correctly and mend the line equally as well with a fixed spool reel, and it can be very good tool if you want to catch a netful of fish; however a closed face may be better and still give you the advantages of a fixed spool.

 

However once you have learn't all you need to know with a normal reel (by todays standards); using a Centrepin can be pure joy; and learning how to use one correctly is something that is well worth doing.

If you wan't to be able to gently hold back and slow your float as it glides through your swim using gentle thumb pressure, or raise your bait to get it over a known snag, or want to be able to feel every twist and turn of a decent fish and instantly want to be be able to adjust the tension on your line using thumb pressure as you play your fish; and basically experience the pure fun of using a centrepin then get yourself a good (not neccesary an expensive one) centrepin.

Edited May 28, 2012 by BoldBear

[Anderoo]

One of the main things in a good trotting rod is that is has to be light and well balanced enough to hold all day, otherwise a day's fishing can get rather tiring.

 

As for fixed spool v. pin, I would say a pin is the better tool of the two for trotting but only if you don't need to cast very far. Granted, skillful anglers can fish a good way out with a pin but for many (me included) it's very difficult and frustrating, and I'd settle for a fixed spool reel in those circumstances - e.g. to the far bank of a big river. The ideal line for trotting with a pin is straight off the rod tip, the reason many people wade out, even on small rivers.