Centrepin reels

Derek Gibson

Derek Gibson

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 8, 2008
Messages
3,669
Reaction score
5
Location
shefield, south yorkshire
Do you use the pin,

I ask the question simply because I have seen very little evidence of any in use, save for the odd John Wilson programme.

I have noted on site, several references to odd new models of pin but I have no knowledge of them. This suggests their is a market?

For myself I have used Ariels and Speedia. I was brought up on the pin, and was taught to cast from the reel. Does anyone do that today, or is this another lost art. It's some years now since I last did, perhaps I'll test myself in the next few days.
 
A

Alan Tyler

Well-known member
Joined
May 2, 2003
Messages
4,282
Reaction score
51
Location
Barnet, S.Herts/N. London
Yes. Probably more than I should! A pair of Gee Bees for lakes, and mostly Trudex, Rapidex and Seldex on rivers.

This forum's absolutely bristling with "Pin-heads".
 
R

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA)

Guest
I own two centrepin reels and I use them a lot. I particularly like to use them for long trotting and stret pegging in fast water.

One is a John Wilson Heritage, the other is a Rapidex.
 
A

Alan Roe

Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2005
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
I own a few probably too many!! However I do use all of them at different times whether it be fishing or casting demos

For anyone interested I will be at the Cheshire Game Fair on Sunday at Peover so feel free to come along and ask any questions about fishing and casting with a pin
 
F

Fred Bonney

Guest
I have a JW Heritage and a Purist II, beginning to use them more & more.
 
C

Chris Bettis

New member
Joined
Jun 14, 2007
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Yes, the old, tried and tested Speedia gets used every time that I can use it without affecting my fishing. In other words any time I do not need tocast more than about 20 to 30 yards and that is most of the time!
 
R

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA)

Guest
Many years ago I owned a Speedia. Whatever happened to it I'll never know, but it was on of the finest centrepins ever made. It wasn't expensive either.

It shouldn't be impossible for a modern Speedia to be made. Trouble is with reels like this is that people expect them to be made from machined aerospace grade aluminium bar stock. That is really going OTT. We want a fishing reel not a component for NASA!
 
Skoda

Skoda

Well-known member
Joined
May 2, 2005
Messages
418
Reaction score
1,007
Location
Cambs
I used to have a Mordex Merlin until some b*****d stole all my tackle from my garage. I now have a modern Leeds Reel but rarely use it. I should go fishing more often!

Andy
 
Derek Gibson

Derek Gibson

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 8, 2008
Messages
3,669
Reaction score
5
Location
shefield, south yorkshire
Ron, do you recall my collection of pin's, it was considered by many to be amongst the best around. At one point I had eleven ''Coxon Ariels'' many David Slater of Newark pin's ''Homer's'' etc. I think there were eighty seven pin's at one point.

Speedia, was never accorded the cudos of the others, but make no mistake they truly were the princes of pin's,much lighter than the Ariel. Peter Wheat used those to good effect on the Avon!!
 
R

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA)

Guest
I remember your collection of Coxon Ariels very well Derek. I seem to remember you showing them to me when I was on holiday in England years ago.

How wonder how many people own a Speedia today. And I remember a few being owned by a South African angler of my acquaintance too.
 
C

Chris Bettis

New member
Joined
Jun 14, 2007
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
I am so glad to see the Speedia being given the praise that it deserves.

Mine is,without doubt, the best piece of tackle that I own,perhaps the best I have ever had.

I regret the loss of my Rapidex that I gave to my son when his tackle was pinched, that was another splendid reel that I have never managed to replace without spending silly money.

I agree, in this day and age it should be possible to make the Speedia again, and if the Railway Works here in Swindon had not shut down there were ar least a dozen men who who could have been persauded to do so, working there at one time.
 
Derek Gibson

Derek Gibson

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 8, 2008
Messages
3,669
Reaction score
5
Location
shefield, south yorkshire
Is there the making's of a Speedia appreciation society here? Seriously it gladdens my heart to know that not everyone has gone all ''ultra cult''. And Chris, you're right mate it should be possible to resurrect the Speedia, as you so rightly say.

I remember that here in Sheffield there were several small engineering firms whose employees produced some magnificent pin's for relatives whilst working night shifts. And I kid you not when I say they were the equal of Ariels and Speedias, and I say that with conviction having owned and fished with every make of pin over the last fifty years. Speedia prince of pin's.
 
N

Nigel Connor(ACA ,SAA)

Guest
Only problem with the Speedia is the fairly small drum which mnakes it slower on retrieving line after a long trot but nonetheless I would agree they are splendid little reels.As to using a pin, I very rarely use anything else for my river float fishing and have Adcock Stanton, Match Aeriel and a Okuma Sheffield as well as the Speedia.Only the Okuma was brought new;the rest just seem to have been accumulated!
 
A

Alan Tyler

Well-known member
Joined
May 2, 2003
Messages
4,282
Reaction score
51
Location
Barnet, S.Herts/N. London
Ihave three speedias, all wobbly, but still good to fish with. But those pillared arbours, putting all those corners in the line... Trudex,any day. Bigger drum,too.

Had a real coup on ebay; a "Freewinde" by Edgar Sealey - I'm pretty sure it's a rebadged Seldex. Strong as anything, very much like a wide-drummed Trudex. Deep joy, but a bit too good to use regularly - which is where the Gee Bees score.
 
Derek Gibson

Derek Gibson

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 8, 2008
Messages
3,669
Reaction score
5
Location
shefield, south yorkshire
Thin cork arbour out of the question then Alan?

Heavy duty workhorse, what about the Gypsy D'or, oh yeah, I forgot pillared arbours. Rebadged Seldex sounds right mate.
 
A

Alan Tyler

Well-known member
Joined
May 2, 2003
Messages
4,282
Reaction score
51
Location
Barnet, S.Herts/N. London
Must get round to that, Derek. I've bought a big sheetof 1mm cork from a model shop ( model railway types use it for smooth-contoured landscapes, apparently), and I've quite a few reels in need of rehabiitation with it!
 
S

Simon Ashton

New member
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
0
Reaction score
0
ive got two youngs purist 2 pins and use them both on stillwaters for perch and crucians and on the rivers for dace and big roach.i wouldnt part withthem for the world.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top