New centrepin reel

[tigger]

No doubt you will still come back spurting more rubbish about every line other than your beloved Sensor but I will just let you get on with it as I am now getting slightly bored mg:
Keith

Hang on Keith, I think it's reasonable to stick up for something you like. You say fools gold has good abrasion, knot strength and is reliable etc....well imo so has sensor so why should I not say so?
How you can call sensor tow rope when it has lower diameter to strength ratio than fools gold? I mean if sensor is tow rope what is fools gold classed as with it's higher diameter to B/S ratio?
I'm certainly not falling out with you Keith, a little pointless over a discussion of mono's....i'm merely stating my opinion same as you have which I think i'm entitled to do. Fools gold does have a lot of people who like it but so does sensor, in fact sensor probably has more!

I'm prepared to prove I can catch as many if not more fish with sensor as someone else can with their chosen mono

 

[Keith M]

Tigger, I didn't call Sensor a 'Tow Rope' I called it a 'Brown Rope' and then afterwards crossed it out (because I find it more wiry than ropey so 'brown rope' was I admit a bad description of such a good line).

It's when you continually call Pro-Gold 'Fools Gold' that irritates me mg: plus this was even before Sensor was even mentioned and especially as I think Pro-Gold has so many other important good features besides being very marginally thicker than Sensor which I like such as:

1. A much better Abrasion Resistance than Sensor (something its well known for)
2. A lot more Suppleness than Sensor
3. Is a less obtrusive colour in clearer water than the dark brown Sensor
4. Has a little less memory than Sensor

I will never fall out with you tigger as I have a lot of respect for you. you do however know how to rile me Lol.

Keith

 

[tigger]

Keith, fools gold was just a joke bud LOL.

Oh, thank's for the comment Keith .

 

[macko]

Bass pro excel for me, brilliant line

ATB Macko

 

[dicky123]

Spot on Keith, use the right reel for the purpose. Agree when fishing the lift method close in the pin is perfect for just getting the tension right.

Example; Crucian carp lift method in the margins. An aaa shot and tiny piece of peacock quill both balance exactly, only a pin allows that perfect balance when tightening up tho the float.

Cheers.

 

[robertroach]

I don't know why but I always feel more of a sense of achievement when catching fish on the 'pin, although I have never used it for ledgering.

A bit like catching trout on your own home tied flies, it just seems more satisfying.

 

[nhs service]

I have done a bit of trundling meat on the Severn. Didn't catch anything and I didn't use a centrepin.
The angler probably most associated with rolling meat is Ray Walton, and he uses a signature centrepin made by J.W. Youngs. On the expensive side at around £300.
His centrepin has a hinged handle, so the reel can be turned through 90 degrees with the handles facing the water. It can then be cast like a fixed spool reel. After casting the reel is turned back and used as a normal centrepin.
Therein lies your problem, from what I have read it seems more suited as a roving method, dropping the bait in likely looking spots, not all of which are going to be within the casting range of someone just starting out on a pin. I don't mean to be disrespectful, you could be a natural, but probably like the rest of us it may take a good while before you are proficient with it.
There is then a Catch 22, to become proficient with the pin takes time, but in the meantime you could be missing out on fish because of it's limited range. Easily solved, use a fixed spool, but that means you are not learning to cast with the pin.
A centrepin is useful for legering. The one seemingly preferred by barbel anglers is a wide drum Speedia with variable ratchet strengths.
If it's for trotting I prefer as simple as possible, no line guard, no handles and the line coming from the top, the reel being batted back.
For legering, the bells and whistles are useful. The braked type will prevent the reel spinning freely but still give line easily.
A line guard will help prevent the line getting behind the reel and wrapping around the handle. In that situation many anglers will have the line coming from the bottom so reeling in is the same as a fixed spool, i.e. anti clockwise.
As well as the Speedia I believe there are bespoke barbel reels made by Gary Mills with variable ratchets. Useful as a strong flow can pull line from the reel even with the ratchet engaged.
Why some tackle firm doesn't make and sell various strength springs I will never know.
All the best for 2017.

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

There' s some really good advice on here regarding rolling meat. Of course it's just as easy to use a fixed spool reel if you wish.

Regarding line. On rocky rivers look no further than GT80 or GR60. More supple than PG. Not low diameter but very tough. Used for 6 years on the Wye. Top inexpensive line.

If you want good trotting line go for Silstar Team England. Cheap and all the way up to 9.1 for barbel fishing.

Braid. Has to be Powerpro. I use it all the time as barbel hooklinks. 15lb. Though expensive, Lasts forever.
I know a lot use it for trotting in low diameters.

 

[nhs service]

The fixed spool reel that has caught my eye as a dedicated meat reel is the Mitchell quartz 330 pro feeder reel.
Nice compact size, so presumably lighter and the spool can be reached easily, front drag, and looks pretty basic. (I don't like laying down the law in fishing because what do I know?. However I will claim that when fishing a moving bait on rivers, if the line can catch or wrap itself around something it will)
The massively oversized bail arm also inspires confidence as a barbel reel. Not sure about the interchangeable spool system, is it that much hassle to remove a standard spool? But there are plenty of them, which gives me the option of braid and mono of different breaking strains.
Typically it's rare, hardly ever comes up on the auction sites. Possibly overlooked and ignored because of the clamour that the new Mitchell's were not a patch on the Match and 300.
The rod I'm less sure about, it is essentially a kind of trotting rod so I want it slim and lightweight, but still have the power to land a barbel.
I have an 11ft Darent Valley avon at 0..75lb test curve. It's certaiinly slim and light but my instinct is it's a bit undergunned for large river work. There is a 1.25lb avon quiver in the same range I would like to have a waggle of.
One idea I had was that it's worthwhile setting up a rolling meat, or any bait rod even if I am static fishing, i.e. the classic lump of meat, boilie, pellet etc over a bed of particles. This is to enable me to trundle the bait down the swim in the hope it catches out the crafty fish that is perhaps wary of a static bait and is lying downstream munching on free offerings.
All the best.

 

[mikench]

I too have both the Darent Valley rods and the .75 tc is brilliant and I really like it. The 1.25 tc was a Christmas present from my son and has yet to be used with my Okuma Sheffield pin bought as another Christmas present. I cannot wait for a decent day to give them a try. I bought an ex army rucksack recommended on here and have filled it with the essentials so I can try and travel light!

I just need to put line on the reel(Sensor) which I will do nearer the time. What would i do without FM

 

[nhs service]

I think I will have to open the wallet. Who needs to eat anyway?
I've been umming and aahing over the 1.25 avon for a while now.
The .75 is just useful and for the money a no brainer I would have thought. I would recommend it to anyone, mainly because you start listing the number of methods it would be useful for as soon as you receive it.
For the OP the Sheffield or the Aventa pro are arguably the best of the modern pins, at the risk of starting a debate they are better than the classics imho.
Stay away from the £30 Chinese specials, they look lovely but the poor tolerance between the spool and backplate means line can get behnd it and end up as a nasty greasy birds nest.
The avon and Sheffield set up sounds niiiiiice. Best of luck to you Mikench.

 

[mikench]

I love the .75 tc rod and have caught loads of carp, a few tench and bream on the feeder and caught roach on the float. It is so light and a real pleasure to use. I reckon it would be fine for trotting but as I have the heavier rod I will use that initially. Certainly the .75 is a bargain and well worth having !

 

[nhs service]

I will be using the .75 coupled with my Match Aerial in the summer for canal tench.
At this time of year I am considering a trip to the canal with chopped worm and half a lobworm under a waggler to see if there is any perch about. Again the .75 is perfect for that.
Although it's longer than the usual spinning rod I am confident it will do the job adequately so I will take along a few spinners as well.
I can't think of a better bobbin rod for margin/ medium range fishing for roach and perch.
The slim blank and length will make a nice tuck in rod when the weather is filthy on rivers. Again a bobbin or butt indicator will make it ideal for exploring floodwater slacks.
All in all, a lot of rod for 40 odd quid.