Another centrepin that's likely to bring a high price

[Tigger]

Top end is subjective but my opinion on that is that Witchers take some beating, Lythe is a close second and then Carter. Garry Mills makes some lovely reels too but if I had to rank them he’d just miss out on a podium. Our very own Worms could be a contender but he’s got to stump up a few first so perhaps future potential.

 

33 Witcher Aerials were made and at least two of them (mine and Chris Plumb’s) see regular service. Tigger uses his Avon Elite so that’s another Witcher getting grubby but the Aerial which recently sold for £1780 had sat in a cabinet all of its life. Chris Lythe makes 70 reels a year and has 270 back ordered (I know this because today I was pestering him for mine) so relatively speaking there’s a lot of them about but if it wasn’t for Mr Plumb and Tigger I’d never see another one on the river bank.

 

I think very few get used which is sad. The irony is that these reels are really well constructed and provided you look after them a lot of use isn’t going to detract from their value. Investors aren’t necessarily anglers though, they’ll just buy whatever gives them the best return.

 

 

In all honesty I don't know who is the best reel maker but if I had to say which reel was made to the highest standard then it would deffo be the Chris Lythe reels, his attention to detail and aim for perfection is second to none...but then again I think this is reflected in his waiting list !!!

Edited May 10, 2013 by Tigger

[Chris Plumb]

I tend to use my Chris Lythe in the Summer and Witcher Aerial in the winter. Mainly because the Witcher is lighter and post October I tend to be trotting all day whereas in the summer my trotting sessions are usually shorter. The Witcher Avon Elite also got used quite a bit last winter - as I had a second trotting rod made up in my quiver - mainly so I could instantly switch between lighter bottoms for dace swims and heavier for chub. The Carter Aerial Perfection - got used quite a bit when I first got it - but then I acquired the Chris Lythe .....

 

I friend of mine has a Witcher Bisterne (a reel that I definitely would bid for if one ever came up on ebay) and I know he uses it - in fact he even caught a carp with it at Redmire - teamed up with an old Mark IV Cane rod!

 

C.

[Mat Hillman]

I love reading the PIN threads as the proud owner of a cheap £40 PIN, the world of high priced reels is trully amazing. So a question to those who know about them. What sort of percentage of the very top end PINs do you think actually get used? Or are they more a commodity/investment for collectors?

 

 

I know it's not real top end, but it's about as far as I'm prepared to go price wise I have a pair of Youngs "Bob James" reels, both of which are in regular use. In fact if I get a swim suitable for close in float fishing you might see one in play at Wingham

 

I also have a £40 dragon carp reel, and to be perfectly honest the extra £210 for the youngs reels doesn't buy you much more in fish-ability!

 

Mat