Centrepin Drum Width (and diameter)

Hi again,

Can anyone explain to me what the pro's and con's of wide and narrow drums are, please? Presumably there is a certain advantage to wide drums as they are heavier. If not, we'd all be using nice, light narrow drums, right?

Also, does anyone believe that a smaller drum diameter allows smoother fish playing (due to less line retrieve per rotation?)

Thanks,

Malcolm

Malc

I'm no pin expert but I do like using them whenever I can. Drum width I've no particular take on....I prefer a wide drum for heavier line and stillwater work but that's just me. Less chance of bedding in I guess. I dont like very narrow drums like [say] the old Rapidex

Diameter is different....I can't see how a smaller diameter would lead to smoother fish playing but it does make a big difference to line retrieval speed if you are trotting running water. I love my Bewick but its a only a 4 and a bit " [I think] diameter and it can take what seems like an age to retrieve the float after a long trot. A larger diameter reel makes a big difference to retrieval speed.

Skippy

Bascally the wide drum pins were designed for pike fishing both float and spinning ect the narrow drum models were for trotting especially in the bigger model I can remeber one that was over six inches bronze in colour and a five inch trudex. one of my friends wives who is a accomplished angler and loves her trotting and she uses a seven inch mainly for fast line recovery when long trotting which her husband who is a engineer made for her . The biggest pin that I use for general float work is four and a half inches and the smallest three inches and I have not noticed any difference when playing fish but I can see where you are coming from . the biggest pin I have ever seen a angler use was a fifteen inch scarborough on a wrecking trip out of Plymouth the cranking power was something to be seen.

I don't think it makes much difference TBH

For playing a fish, the diameter seems to make no difference whatsoever.
For line retrieval, the difference is 7/8" of line between a 4" and a 4 1/2".
Stick a finger inside the drum and use a spoke and its much faster than using the reel handle BTW.

The difference in weight between a wide and narrow reels of the same manufacturer is around 15grams give or take a few.

Personally I prefer a 4 1/2" narrow for all my fishing which is 98% trotting on faster rivers with fish up to 10lb.

Since I changed to Flo-cast line I don't have any problems of line digging in, whereas with Drennen Floatfish I had quite a few.

Just my six penny worth from my few years of experience.