What is the best fixed spool reel for trotting a river?

[tiddlertamer]

What is the best fixed spool reel for trotting a river?

I know many people prefer centrepins but as a relative novice to angling, I'm still perfecting some of the basics and I believe casting can be quite difficult with a centrepin.

 

Are there any fixed spool reels deliberately made for trotting?

I'm not concerned about price and am happy to pay through the nose for something which does a good job.

 

I enclose a link to an article which contends that the centrepin is overrated.

Not something I could comment on as I have never used one but something readers with more experience than me might want to comment on. I imagine it might set up an interesting debate which readers and contributors might enjoy and from which we can all learn. See:

 

http://www.fishingmagic.com/news/article/m...336377364595556

 

Don't forget to give a recommendation for a good trotting fixed reel spool though!

I currently use a Mitchell 300X Pro. It may be just me but I do get my fair share of tangles at the back which can be frustrating.

Is there another reel out there I should be coveting and casting envious glances at?

[Elton]

Personally, I want to try a closed face reel, but I'm a tight so-and-so and will wait until ones comes along cheaply enough

[Stretpegger]

Although i love using my pin it does have its limitations in certain circumstances.Re fixed spool reels i have been slavishly loyal to Shimano reels for years.However last summer i purchased the Shakespeare Mach 3 reel and so far have been extremely impressed with it.Reasonably priced and comes with 3 spare alloy spools and a reel case.Mine is the front drag model but rear drags are available as well.

[Mat Hillman]

Is there another reel out there I should be coveting and casting envious glances at?

 

Yeah - an Okuma Centrepin

 

Seriously, a centrepin if a far better tool for trotting than any fixed spool, and it's not hard to do either (if I can catch with a pin, anyone can!)

 

Fixed spools are crap for trotting for one basic reason, you can't hold the float back smoothly. while a pin does it for you almost completely automatically, but if you want to hold back more you can just apply gentle pressure to the rim with your thumb.

 

OTOH a fixed spool for trotting lets the line off in 2-3 inch coils, your finger can trap the line at the top of the spool, and each time you release line one or more coils of line will come off resulting in your float and bait bumping down the swim rather unnaturally in 2-3 inch jerky movements!

 

Bumblebees main complaint seemed to be casting is limited to 25 yards or so! well as you can only really trott effectively a couple of rod lenghts out at most, this is pretty much irrelevent, a simple swing out with the float is all that is needed! I don't know many people who can trot effectively 25 yards out!!

 

having used both type of reel for trotting, IMHO the 'pin is not only better, but also easier to use for trotting.

 

Mat

[medwaygreen]

Any reel is fine for river trotting when the conditions allow, using a fixed spool reel with the bail arm off and allowing the line to feed using the index finger works you have to practice the strike on a bite and also setting the bail arm without giving slack line, but as with all methods it does need practice to perfect.

 

When conditions are windy a closed face reel works for me, either an ABU or as i use a Daiwa 123m or 125m the line is easy to feed although not as smooth as a centrepin and the strike and pick up of line is better than that of a fixed spool reel.

 

Finally the centrepin the reel is designed for trotting and has been perfected over many years perhaps the cost can be a factor in how many people still use them and maybe why some people state that they are overrated.

[chavender]

the best properties too look for in a fixed spool trotting reel ,Is a large dia spool which is also wide & shallow as this allows the line to peel of most cleanly as the float glides effortley downstream ,mitchell 410's/440's used to be the closest to this ideal .Daiwa 1657DM auto bail reels are also close to this ideal ,and i beleave (diawa) Cormoran - do a reel called Corcast Super Match which has the wide shallow spool ,theres several in the range feeder/match/spin all have the wide shallow spools ,and either front or rear drags ,any of them would be suitable . check out here and here

 

and all the twoddle about centrepins being over rated is piffle ! not always best choice on a given day due too adverse conditions .but all things being equal centrepins rule.

Edited February 8, 2008 by chavender

[ayjay]

I enclose a link to an article which contends that the centrepin is overrated.

 

Please just bear in mind that Prof Bumblebee's articles are mainly intended as wind-ups, he does however write perfectly sensible articles on FM under his real name.

[Guest tigger]

Personally I don't think you can beat a C/P for trotting. Having said that I don't think I would use one for anything else as the fixed spool or closed faced reel are far superiour. That is just my opinion.

[tincatinca]

If conditions are right I personally do not think the pin can be beaten but in windy conditions I often use an ABU 507 which due to the larger dia drum is very good. I have aso used the Daiwa 125 and found this also to be good. If I have to use something other than a pin I have found over the years that a closed face reel gives you greater control of your tackle plus the fact that without a bale arm, it is a one handed operation. When I am roaming on the river I tend to carry three rods in a quiver. 2 float rods, one with a pin and one with the Abu 507 plus my little shimano specialist quiver which is also coupled to an ABU closed face reel. I mainly fish smaller rivers and aside from Barbel this generally gives me several options to cover variable conditions. In flood or high water conditions I may step up with the selection of quiver rod.

[tincatinca]

Personally I don't think you can beat a C/P for trotting. Having said that I don't think I would use one for anything else as the fixed spool or closed faced reel are far superiour. That is just my opinion.

 

As a pin lover and collector, try margin fishing for Carp and Tench with the pin. You don't know what your missing. Treavel light, no bite alarms, just the churn of the ratchet when the fish takes off. Pure magic