Review - Marco Cortesi Signature Centrepin reel by Avanti

[FishingMagic]

This is a dedicated thread for discussing article: Review - Marco Cortesi Signature Centrepin reel by Avanti

 

[stuartpengs]

Whilst I wholeheartedly agree with the findings of the review Lord only knows why the reviewer felt the need to put my name in inverted commas it seems a remarkably odd affectation. I could understand if I was using some other sort of soubriquet and it might then usefully highlight that, but I don't! I have sufficient confidence in what I say to not feel the need to stand behind such devices.
Cheers
Alan

 

[S-Kippy]

Its a fair point Alan but I'm sure Jeff was just being cautious.Not everyone feels that way,nor is everyone who uses a forum name using it as a device to hide behind. My real name is Brian but I hate it and everyone except my mum calls me Skippy. Sadly someone has pinched that so I'm S-kippy on here. Its not an affectation...I genuinely prefer to be known as Skippy.

But getting back to the reel I just could not believe this could be any good at that price but I had to have one and Jeff has got it spot on. It really is an astonishing reel for the money. It hasn't the build quality of more expensive pins but its a tenth of the price. It really is the bargain of the year and an ideal opportunity for people who'd like a pin but are baulking at the cost to try one. I will be interested to see how it stands up to a season or two of hard graft but I keep reminding meself that its only £30. I thought it would be at best OK and at worst rubbish...its actually very,very good....AND ITS ONLY £30 !

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

Lord only knows why the reviewer felt the need to put my name in inverted commas

Sorry Alan. Standard sort of procedure to identify people by their sign-on name, yours does just happen to be your real one. As is mine, but others like Peter Crabtree, although sounding real, are pseudonyms unless he was has changed his name under deed poll.

 

[stuartpengs]

No worries it's probably me being a tad pedantic.
As to the reel it is essentially a good one, my example has a distinct heavy spot though, at a point halfway between the handles. I have temporarily counterbalanced this by taping a flattened .20 calibre airgun pellet to the opposite side which has balanced it out nicely! As to the drop test on mine with the modification a single No6 shot is all it takes to get it moving and accelerating which is remarkable!
Longevity should not be too much of an issue and a lot will depend on how well it is looked after.
On this occasion we ought to give Roger Surgay from Dragon Carp a major pat on the back as assuming he can get plenty more stock at the same price or close too it then many more anglers can have a go with a pin without the usual hefty financial investment and if that means that more anglers can have fun then it's all to the good.

 

[Ray Roberts]

I haven't bought one yet, but I can't help feeling that the price of this is nearer what a centrepin should cost. Over three hundred pounds for a mass produced drum plus a couple of bearings must be a rip off to be honest, if one of these can be retailed for less than a tenth of that amount.

 

[S-Kippy]

Get one Ray. Its by no means the best pin out there but it is the best value pin out there and by several country miles. I honestly dont know how he can do it for that and still turn a profit.

 

[geggsnick]

i've been looking at these for a while now as i've always fancied trying out a pin, after reading the article i got one. Only question is should the line be loaded so it comes off the top or bottom? hopefully if i can get near a river soon i'll report back with my findings.

 

[geoffmaynard]

Off the bottom - and ignore those who say otherwise!

 

[geggsnick]

will do thanks

 

[dannytaylor]

Are these reels still available? Just been looking on the website provided from the link in the review and i cant seem to find the reel. Anybody any ideas where i could order one of these "pins" from?

Thanks in advance

 

[Windy]

When it was first talked about in early December there was a link up for all of fifteen minutes until (I assume) they sold out... otherwise it would have been my surprise* christmas present.

Then it came back online just a few days before Christmas (I assume new stock in !). It was still there online yesterday - as I was looking at again, rubbing my chin and still contemplating the possibility of an early birthday present to compensate for the lack of it as a Chrissie pressie. And trying to remember the other half's pin number.... :wh

I will go have a shufti at the URL I have got for it. Back in a mo....



* the surprise being that the other half knew nothing about this reckless expenditure she was about to undertake

---------- Post added at 15:23 ---------- Previous post was at 15:19 ----------

Nope. Gone again.

Wait til they get more stock in time again I fear.

Or enrich the optimist on fleabay Marco Cortesi Signature Centerpin Fishing Reel ~ New on eBay (end time 03-Jan-11 15:41:23 GMT) who seems to be wanting to make a few quid on the turn.....

---------- Post added at 15:32 ---------- Previous post was at 15:23 ----------

Must admit, got a lot of time for any outfit that takes the bother to ensure that out of stock items are promptly removed from their online websales site. Not that many do.... promptly I mean.

 

[journo_greg]

These pins were first marketed by TF Gear ages ago before Used tackle (presumably) bought an unsold job lot really cheap. Good value, but don't forget to take a screwdriver with you every time you're using one (only way to release the spool)!!!!!!

 

[geggsnick]

1st outing

well i used mine for the first time today and was very impressed, never used a pin before and i can say that i will not go to a river bank without one from now on, got a bit messy a few times when the wind picked up but apart from that it was spot on. next trip out hopefully i'll actually get a bite:wh and see what its like to play a fish on it!!! I can see it getting used in the summer for a bit of margin fishing for carp/tench on my local stillwater, see how it goes...

Is there any way to actually cast any distance using a pin or are you limited to your rod length, if you get my meaning?!

 

[chav professor]

Wallis cast: I will try and find the youtube instructional video.
It is a lot easier than it perhaps looks. Best to practice in the garden with perhaps 3 swan shot on the line and NOTHING else just to get a feel for it.

YouTube - Modified Wallis Centerpin Cast from FloatFishingConnection.com

Another tip, wallis casting is perhaps a little more managable on what purists call a true pin, you can get a lot of over-runs to start with a centre pin with very smooth bearings. If you apply a little breaking on your reel you can achieve the same effect. Just keep it nice and smooth and build the distance up over time.

Alternatively, get a 20ft trotting rod and run it off the tip!!

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

There is also what I think is called the 'Sheffield' cast where you stick your forefinger and middle finger in the loops of line coming from the first two and second two rod rings. Pull the line out letting line off the spool as far as you like and when you cast, keep your arm with the line at the same distance from the rod until you're ready to release it for the cast.

This will gain you several extra feet and maybe enough until you get used to the Wallis cast. I've also seen people do three fingers of line.

There's also another method I use that will get you 30 or 40 yards, but it's fraught with problems if you don't get it right and it's like casting with a reel that swivels around on the rod, like Ray Walton's reel. You have to hold the line coming from the spool in a loop formed with the forefinger and thumb of your spare hand and brake the reel with your rod hand's thumb. The loop you form with your fingers has to be perfectly closed and again, you keep that hand to the side of the reel and just inches from it all through the cast. It's like having a rod ring at the side, but as I say, it needs practice and can very easily go wrong.

 

[stuartpengs]

Well having sat through that video it is clear that the bloke has never seen it done properly!
The one great thing he has got right is the pull however he would have a lot more control using either just his forefinger or thumb and if he wants to cast a long way he seems to know nothing about turning his wrist over either!
It's now a very long time since I did that very short clip with with Graham Marsden that is still somewhere in cyberspace and it is clear that the time has come to update it so if anyone one the site has access to something like a decent video camera which is capable of recording sound I am prepared to re-do the clip with a full and proper explanation of the cast for the site.
Cheers
Alan

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

Not just in cyberspace Alan, the article and video is here.

 

[chav professor]

I would like to see it done properly, but in fairness it is called a modified walis cast, which is what i suspect many do - find a way that works for them. I think a video artical revisited would be a splendid idea!

jeff is also correct, It is best to start of pulling line through the eyes with the fingers - apologies -that is how I started!!! I incorrectly call that the John wilson method

 

[geggsnick]

thanks, will try that out, new video would be good though from one of you clever people in the know