Centrepin - Technique or Item of tackle?

[guest61]

Thanks for everyone who took the time and replied to my post. It was prompted by genuine curiosity about the use and perception of centrepins, it was certainly not intended to offend anyone who prefers to use a centrepin.

My own view is that they have their day – but are no more ‘valuable’ than any other main piece of tackle.

There have been some great points made.

Thanks again

Mark

 

[Paul Morley]

That was fun - we usually become animated when snobbery comes into the discussion. However, the use of a centrepin on the bank among anglers can become like a status symbol - as with choice of headgear or use of a creel. I think it's fair that the guy using one has made a number of decisions, often based on aesthetics and I like that. So that may tell you something about the angler. As a technique, the status is derived from its perceived difficulty, yes you need to learn to use one - shock horror! What I have very recently found is that I can play a big fish more effectively at close range on one and enjoy it hugely. So - tench on the float and close in legering for barbel, also barbel float fishing will all be done on the centrepin where feasible and I will feel I have an advantage. I would mention that I had caught on that method as a technical note, not necessarily to gain the admiration of my mates, but it will be understood also that the device is a thing of beauty, more so than a Stradic 4000. So if my 'status' as an angler who wants to land a big fish safely and enjoy using a piece of pleasing equipment makes me a snob - so be it!!!

 

[Sean Meeghan]

Sean, I don't think I need any tuition on how to use a fixed spool reel or closed faced reel for trotting as that's all I used to use until 5yrs ago when I finally got myself a pin. Another thing regarding casting, I reckon I can cast virtually as well with the pin as with the fixed spool !
George is right and you don't need to wallise cast to use a pin but I have found it handy and funny enough not as much for distance as for accuracy in tight spots etc. There are several types of cast when wallise casting and I was lucky enough to have Alan Roe show me the correct way to put them into practice.
George, if ever we meet my friend I'll show you (if you don't know how already) the casts and just how easy it is. I've never fished over Yorkshire :wh

Hmm... I think a feel a Yorkshire grayling fish-in coming on! I agree with Tigger though that the Wallis cast does come in useful from time to time.

Incidentally, I'm going Zander fishing on the Fens this weekend and I've packed 2 centre pins and 2 cane rods. Should I unpack them for fear of being called a snob by my mates?

 

[tigger]

Hmm... I think a feel a Yorkshire grayling fish-in coming on! I agree with Tigger though that the Wallis cast does come in useful from time to time.

Incidentally, I'm going Zander fishing on the Fens this weekend and I've packed 2 centre pins and 2 cane rods. Should I unpack them for fear of being called a snob by my mates?

Yorkshire fish in sounds good to me...you can put my name down !

Regarding the cane rods and pins, you've not got cane rests n'all have you

Oh, and a kelly kettle

 

[George387]

Hmm... I think a feel a Yorkshire grayling fish-in coming on! I agree with Tigger though that the Wallis cast does come in useful from time to time.

Incidentally, I'm going Zander fishing on the Fens this weekend and I've packed 2 centre pins and 2 cane rods. Should I unpack them for fear of being called a snob by my mates?

lol, sean you know you'd be more than welcome anytime and I have to say the side of the tees I mainly Grayling fish is the Yorkshire Bank, but only just....lol

One thing nobody could call you was a snob sean, never met or spoke to a more down to earth guy.....for an englishman

 

[Poshpaul (Angling Trust and PaSC)]

Incidentally, I'm going Zander fishing on the Fens this weekend and I've packed 2 centre pins and 2 cane rods. Should I unpack them for fear of being called a snob by my mates?

No...but check carefully for signs of webbing between your toes.......it's wild in those fens!!!

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

Right, I've spoken to Dragon Tackle and I'm returning the Marco Cortesi reel tomorrow. Thanks for your help George, I think I'm sure of what it is now that's causing it.

 

[George387]

Right, I've spoken to Dragon Tackle and I'm returning the Marco Cortesi reel tomorrow. Thanks for your help George, I think I'm sure of what it is now that's causing it.

More than welcome Jeff, glad your getting it sorted

 

[S-Kippy]

Right, I've spoken to Dragon Tackle and I'm returning the Marco Cortesi reel tomorrow. Thanks for your help George, I think I'm sure of what it is now that's causing it.

Well for £30 I thought I'd have one as a backup and because at that price how can you not ? I just hope they dont send me your one Jeff

And who the hell is Marco Cortesi ? Is he related to Ron Thompson ?

 

[guest61]

Incidentally, I'm going Zander fishing on the Fens this weekend and I've packed 2 centre pins and 2 cane rods. Should I unpack them for fear of being called a snob by my mates?

Will your 'horse and cart' get there in time for a worthwhile session? <joke>

 

[George387]

Well for £30 I thought I'd have one as a backup and because at that price how can you not ? I just hope they dont send me your one Jeff

And who the hell is Marco Cortesi ? Is he related to Ron Thompson ?

Why Not indeed, Im ordering a 2nd myself for a rod I use to give lessons on.

Dont you know Marco Cortesi....says tongue in cheek, thats the head of the Avanti Mafia that Dragoncarp use....lol

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

And who the hell is Marco Cortesi ? Is he related to Ron Thompson ?

Half brother on his dad's friend's side.

And why not have one?

 

[chavender]

Marco is the local icescream man in hucknall ,his 99's are sublime ,nice softly whipped icecream with a flake at a jounty angle and topped off with 100's & thousends ,he often pulls in by the shop

 

[Ray Daywalker Clarke]

Been interesting this thread.

Snob's with pin's, no i don't think so, if it is, then isn't all fishing a bit snobby.

Carp rod's and reels at £400 each, Fly rods and reels the same, and more, Poles at a grand plus.

It's what we like to fish with that counts, and using a pin is an art form, well to get it right it is.

The one thing a pin has over a fixed spool reel is the pick up point. The pin doesn't have one, so when you strike, your direct to the fish. A fixed spool has a pick up point (some have two) to close the bail arm.

When you strike you have to close the bail arm, in this split second you have slack line, and this at times is enough for a fish to get away, you don't have that problem with a pin.

As long as your happy using whatever tackle you use, i can't see a problem.

 

[Keith M]

To me there is nothing as enjoyable as catching Barbel, decent sized Chub or Roach etc. on a stream using a good centrepin.

It may be possible to catch the same fish easier on a fixed spool reel but I like to smell the roses as I go and the method I use is just as important and enjoyable as the fish I catch.

I use fixed spool reels for most of my fishing on other types of water (except for margin fishing on stillwaters for Carp/Tench) but the 'pin' is the reel that gives me the most pleasure on the narrow streams and rivers and gives me that little extra control and confidence in certain swims.

Like Ray said there is no Bale arm to close before or after the strike; and simple thumb pressure on the edge of the spool is all I need to be able to tighten up and set the hook.

But it's horses for courses and the centrepin doesn't suit everyones methods of fishing of course.

 

[S-Kippy]

Much as I love using them I do think the pin costs me the odd fish. At Blenheim I lost 2 tench which,had I been on a f/s,I think I might have been able to turn before they got their noses in the pads simply because of the higher cranking/retrieve/power or whatever of a fixed spool. Not so easy to "boss" that first rush on a pin...no matter how good your thumb is.

Alternatively...I could just be rubbish.

 

[stikflote]

I like the bit about choice of head gear ,i have a lot of baseball caps, plus winter woolies
and two wide brim hats ,i wear which ever one i feel like or which ever is in car ,,i dont know what that says about me ,lol , as for the snob bit ,well i own a few reels ,i just use which ever i feel like ,same with my rods or poles ,, as for the centrepin well its chucked in bottom of my river bag with a close face and a fixed spool reel,,it really depends on the day and venue as to which gets used

 

[guest61]

Reading though a few of the posts here, I'm interested to see that a link has been made between the cost of tackle and snobbery.

Centrepins are pretty simple things - and if you want a hand built one, then a considerable part of its expense, will be to cover the man hours and overheads in manufacturing it. Whereas something which crawls off a machining centre at 20 per hour and is assembled by semi skilled workers will be cheaper. The reel that is mass produced will consistent in its tolerances and will perfect for its intended use. The hand crafted reel won't catch you any more fish but taking up the option to own and use nice things doesn't make you a snob - anyone that says that it does, is a possibly a communist.

Examples have been given here about Poles that cost £1000 plus but this is a different argument. Modern poles have benefited from a lot of research into materials and manufacturing methods and that costs money. I would also say that the desire for many to own 'this years model', plays into the hands of tackle manufacturers. Many bargains are to be had by buying 'last years model'. There are very few 'step changes' such as fibreglass to Carbon in modern tackle production.

I can't think of a practical reason why someone would spend hundreds of pounds on lightweight carp rods which spend their life in a 'rod pod' - I really can't, but its their choice.

Some years ago I got into Czech Nymphing and caught a lot of fish, I thought that I was doing well, I then met a bloke who didn't use Czech Nymphing because he preferred making long casts to fish, casting is part of his angling experience. This is how I see those guys who prefer to use a centrepin, in circumstances where perhaps I wouldn't.

These days, I try to spend my time and effort in locating fish and putting a bait under their nose at the right speed, at the right depth, at the right time. I can't blame my tackle when when I don't catch...

Mark

 

[matthew barter]

Mark, I think you're right, except I'm a communist and I still use a nice pin (I was given it, I couldn't afford it.). Before that I used an old Leeds (very good), that I bought second hand in a job lot from an old match amgler with all his gear.
When I fish with one of my brothers he will only fly fish. If I'm out with him I fish nymph but mostly dries upstream. He will Czech nymph at every opportunity. Who's the snob?
We just fish the way we enjoy. If we didn't we would do something else.
However, that's not to say some people are snobbish but I don't think that choice of tackle or technique has got anything to do with it. I also don't think that difficulty has anything to do with it.
At a local club lake very few fish get caught. I see some of the longer members always fishing the same way. If you walk around the lake you can see the carp and it doesn't take a master angler to work out how to present a bait to them, I really think they don't want to, they want to fish with buzzers and fish at distance? Each to there own. I've talked to them about the fish and they know where they are, but prefer what they do i5t there way.
Like most of life some people will see differences as a problem and some will see them as an opportunity to learn and experience something else.

 

[guest61]

When I fish with one of my brothers he will only fly fish. If I'm out with him I fish nymph but mostly dries upstream. He will Czech nymph at every opportunity. Who's the snob?

Neither of you are snobs - that's just freedom of choice.