Any center pin guys around here?

A few of us are around.....

Good to hear, I only know of about 5 pin fisherman down here in sw washington

Nice rag fish btw

Nice rag fish btw

Yep.

Pinheads unite!

I dig the pin!

I am not alone! I'm pretty new to centerpin fishing but I'm hooked already, started about 6 months ago, already nailed 6 steelhead, a coho, 2 chinook and 2 chinook jacs with it, no drag what a rush!

Pinhead? We're pinheads?

Ok then. How 'bout "flaming cork soakers"?

Rise of the pinheads!

I used a Center Pin once in awhile.

Bead and float=steelhead death

Anybody got opinions on the best line for centerpins
So far I've only tryed raven mainline, I've heard good things about siglon f?

Siglon FF is the shizzle for pinning.

Way better than raven, amnesia, or anything else out there.

The sign of a true center pinner; always on the hunt for the perfect main line.

Like Corey says Siglon FF (not F) is highly regarded. It can be expensive however due to "floating" qualities and difficult to find due to limited distribution. Floating quality is not a big factor for me as I fish 11'+ rods, out of a boat and I rarely make "hero" drifts. I do fish Raven, which is cheaper and much easier to find. It has a good "handle" and "drape" as well as low memory with low stretch. On the downside, it's like Maxima UG or gum, it get stale and loses it's suppleness fairly quickly, so I might change line a couple times in a season depending on how much I fish it. A similar line to Raven (maybe same?) is Cortland Endurance. Not common out here, but a few east coast friends swear by it. Another not so common line I also like which has an excellent finish is Suffix Siege. Nice line, but downside is thinner and more stretch than I like, so I step up on this one to 14# or higher. For common lines out here, I like P-Line CX; not the best in any one particular area but very good all-round contender. A lot of our northern brethren use Maxima UG, but I'm not a fan with CP.

Generally I'm most concerned about how line feels in hand and comes off spool than test strength, so I will lean to higher test with diameters @ 30 mm (.12 in). 12# is typical, although I will go down to 8 in summer and up to 16# depending on fish, rod and water.

I like hi-vis main line for all the obvious reasons. Raven, P-line hi-vis yellow are go to's, but I also like the more subtle Siege Orange too.

When using floats, I use either Seagar or P-Line florocarbon leaders for stiffness and sink. For drift fishing with CP, standard UG or Chameleon.

Still looking for that perfect CP line, so open to other suggestions. Let's hear em'.

I've got the Tangerine Suffix Seige on mine.

Fish on...

Todd

I love the pin. Fish it as much as possible. Been wondering if there were many other pinheads around, good to see some!

I've not been a fan of Siglon for several years now. Yeah it's bright, yeah it floats, but it has a smaller diameter than any other mono out there. i.e. 10# is about standard 8# diameter. I've had many problems when snagged breaking off above the float, which will surely get me raging. That coupled with the high cost and the difficulty to obtain put the final nail in the coffin for me. I also realized that I wanted to change my line several times a season if needed and that gets pricey with Siglon. I've been on Suffix Elite and Seige for a few years and have been liking it. For a while it was high vis, either orange or pink, and lately I've been on low vis green for ultimate stealth. That said, I'm thinking about heading back to high-vis, but incorporating a low vis shot line of the same strength as the mainline.
I've got a spool of orange Gamma copolymer right now from a rep that will go on an Islander I've been waiting for as soon as that shows up. I've also heard good things about Ande as a pin line, and you can get giant spools of that cheap.

You pretty much covered it. Lately, I have been using P-line hi-vis yellow in 12 lb. test, due to the simple fact that I have been having trouble finding Raven line. However, I have been thinking about trying braid.

Good advice thanx guys, I think I'll try the suffix before I try the costly siglon ff, floating line makes things soo much smoother even with my 11'3" rod out of a boat or from the bank. Currently I'm running ande 10# it dosent float but other than that its good line, especially if u plan on drift fishing with a pin

Is there a reason to use a centre pin instead of a spinning reel?

Yes there are several reasons:
Drag free drifts
Effortless mending
Total conection to fish during fight due to the lack of a drag system

I've out fished a few buddys that were using spinning gear just because my drift was smoother and had no slack alowing me to drift farther down the slot at a natural speed wich resulted in me getting 2 hook ups to there 1

I havnt touched my spinning rod since I got the centerpin

I really enjoy fishing my centerpins...but there is one rather significant myth out there about them...they are no better at fishing floats than baitcasters.

You can get a drag free float with any good baitcaster, plus a baitcaster is easier to cast, and it's much faster at catching up with a fish or retrieving your cast, and mending line is as simple as mending line, with any rod that's long enough.

Spinning reels...well, anything's better than a spinning reel.

'Pins are good at two things...being a different way to fish, and it's fun to fight fish with no drag.

I've got a blue bruise under my right thumbnail to prove it

Fish on...

Todd

Anybody had problems with loose slide bands?
I've got the solution.... bicycle innertube cut at about 2 inches then streched over the cork and onto the slide rings, shure helps hold the cp on the rod. Hope sombody finds this usefull

I agree you can get good drifts with a baitcaster but its the fish to man conection you get by not having drag that makes it soo dam addicting

That's it? I have a small cut under my right eye and it's kinda black too.

Ike

I've been running the P-line hi-vis in 12lb as well for my mainline. So far it's worked out just fine for me with the exception of some line twist issues here and there, probably my technique causing this more than anything. I picked up my first CP set up this last summer (11' Raven, Okuma Aventa) and have had a hard time putting it down! It was supposed to be just another "Tool for my box" but its just to much fun.

If you're doing that "pull the line off the side of the spool around your elbow" thingy, then that's exactly what it is.

Fish on...

todd

You nailed it! So far that's the only way I've been able to cast and achive any sort of distance. The line twist hasn't ruined any of my days on the water....I'll have to give the other methods a shot again.

Don't be afraid to put on a lot of weight, and really load the rod up...otherwise you'll continually be tossing it about seven feet!

Fish on...

Todd

+1 to all that and using a baitcatser I can get two drifts through the zone in the time it takes a PInner to cast, drift, retreive, and recast once.

Covering more water all day=more fish, in case that's a new concept to some of ya.....

^^^^ Elitist D!ck

The pin is something to do for the novelty or enjoyment of fishing a center pin rod and reel, not because it is the ultimate anything. Granted there are a few things that the pin setup excels at, but when a comprehensive pro vs con list is made, I think a smooth bait casting reel on a 10-11' fast action float rod takes the award for "most effective."

Pinners, just say NO to side casting and braid!

To the line issue, braid is the worst line ever for CP for many reasons:

1. Low memory line is good, but limp line is bad.
2. Bird's nests are very manageable with good mono CP line, braid is a nightmare just waiting to happen.
3. Make a few side casts with braid and you'll tear the line off the reel after you've torn every hair out out of your toupe.
4. Bring bandaids if you plan on strip casting or ever get hung up.
5. Braid will destroy your lightweight Recoil guides on your fancy Loomis CP rod.
6. Braid works best for backing.

IMO, side casts are the "cast of last resort". Like Todd says, use more weight and a bigger float, or maybe a better balanced system. Definitely learn other techniques such as the swing cast, Wallis cast or start up cast, before defaulting to the simple side cast. If you still like side casting or NEED the extra distance it can produce, learn the "spinning" side cast to reduce dreaded line twist. Truth is you really don't need to cast that far with a CP to be effective anyway, since one of the biggest advantages to the CP is the ability to "pay' out line smoothly under control. If you are going to intentionally introduce twist and destroy the direct connection to your terminal tackle for a little extra distance, you might as well be using a spinning rod. With practice you should be able to easily cast 3/8 oz. 60' or better without using a side cast. Save the side cast for the shorter casts in those really cramped spots or suffer frustration from line twist and tangles.

True that pinning is generally no better or more effective than other way of fishing, but it is definitely different and for me it's a whole lot more fun.

It's not for everybody, but if you've never tried it, don't hesitate to talk to a pinner on the river. Most I know are very happy to share what they know about this fun technique.

Ryley,

Ever heard the young bull, old bull joke?


Anyway, let's review:

cast time - very little difference - slight advantage bait caster
drift time - same - no advantage
retrieve - 4.5 CP 1:1 reel take up is 1/2 as fast as a e7 200 series reel. - clear advantage bait caster
But using CP flick (bat) pump retrieve, just as fast or faster than a e7 200 reel. - No advantage
recast - see above

PS

Although I swing both ways myself, it's a whole lot easier to pull off the elitist thing with a Milner and a pin rod than a Revo and a casting rod. Just saying'.

This thread is being closely monitored...

I love the analogy Mooch, ....hilarious, but it doesn't quite apply.

I had my sarcastic hat on last night and was comparing apples to oranges. There is no right or wrong, good or bad, best or worst way here, just different styles that both get the job done while offering the angler different ways of satisfying their fishing styles.
I typically float fish from a boat when moving down a stream and want to hit a lot of water and not let water pass me by all day, so I choose to employ a technique that allows me to cover as much of it as possible. Fit's my fishing style.

Pinning from a boat under the same conditions would be less than ideal IMO. But, you might have more fun than using a baitcaster, and if that suits ya, have at it!

Don't worry about What and his monitoring, his attention span is as long as a kitten on meth and high on catnip.

At least in my own case, I eventually got so tired of line twist, that I made myself learn how to cast. Like some of the other posters, I will use the spinning side casts when I am in very cramped conditions. But otherwise, I will use a Wallis cast or cast BC style.

I'll de-lurk as a 'pinner and offer an Absofnlutely to Mooch's comments on braid and the evils of the side cast. Started with braid and used it for awhile.

Cuts on fingers, almost taking the tip top off, yellow line you can't see, etc etc. and I finally switched.

I think it was RVRFSHR Joe that originally gave braid on centerpins the Double Bird, and he was right. Now it's either IZORLINE or some other abrasion-resistant hi-vis in either 12 or 15lb.

And stay away from the sidecasts. This isn't the Great Lakes- weight up! I typically run at least 1/2oz, usually 3/4 in the winter/spring. BC or Wallis are the way to go unless you own stock in a line mfg company.

Cheers,

Brian

I use a BC or Wallis cast 95% of the time. If I'm using a half ounce or over, I use a BC cast. If I am using under a half ounce I use the Wallis cast. The side cast is great when you first pick up a pin, but once you figure out the Wallis cast, the side cast will quickly be replaced.

You're better off just doing a pile cast where you give it a pull and let some line pile off in the water or at your feet than starting with a side cast and developing bad habits, like instinctively moving your hand off to the side.

Hard to explain, but for tight spots a hard(really hard) tug before the foward motion will help load the rod and eliminate the need for so much rod swing. Or on small water the slingshot cast, loading the rod by holding the swivel and pulling it back to the reel, like when you reel too much line in and the rod bends. When you release the swivel, the rod will straighten out and carry the business out. The release must also be accompanied by a pull off the spool just after releasing the line for any distance at all.

Buy a baitcaster

But I have enough bass gear...

Canaids

I wallis cast 100% of the time 50% of the time

Managed to fish my pin the last 2 days, went 1 for 2 yesterday and 1 for 1 today, I find myself wanting to step into pinning a lil farther..... I'm thinkin I need another one probly a 13 footer with a raven reel

13' rod is a step in the right direction. Getting a raven, not so much. Look into some other options for the reel.

+1


There are plenty of better reels out there. Check out some of the Center Pin forums in the Midwest and the East Coast. There are usually some good deals on high end reels in their classified sections if you are willing to search for them.

I use a 13 foot rod the majority of the time and the only time I don't like it is when I am fishing small, bushy streams.

If you are serious about getting into it, buy the best quality you can afford. You will never regret it in the long run.

whats wrong with the ravens??

<= Has a Raven Matrix SE that he likes just fine.

Fish on...

Todd

There's nothing wrong with them, I just don't like them as much as other reels on the market.

Heard nothing but good things about raven reel, thinkin matrix xl or special edition. And deffinatly getting a 13' rod, might build a rainshadow or just get the shimano clarus when they come off back order, I'm currently using the 11'3" clarus and its a good rod but a lil light for managing bigger fish in heavy current, thinking about trying suffix seige line but only if it floats

So I've been reading all the preferences on pin setups in this thread, now I'll offer mine...and there aint a rod, reel, float, weight or line/leader combo I haven't experienced firsthand.

Large: 4-3/8" non-ported Raven Matrix, 12'4" 8#-17# Raven (prototype), or 12'6" 8 wt. Forecast or 12' 7#-14# made in China, 30-35 gram DNE float, 5/8 oz.-3/4 oz. inline sinker w/top swivel only, 17# Suffix Seige or 25# Raven main, 12# Izor or UG leader.

Small: 4-3/8" non-ported Raven Matrix, 11'6" 6#-12# Raven (prototype) or 11'6" 7 wt. Forecast or 12' 7#-14# made in China, 25-30 gram DNE float, 1/2 oz.-5/8 oz. inline sinker w/top swivel only, 14# Suffix Seige or 20# Raven main, 10# Izor or UG leader.

Pattern with purpose..."correct in design"...."fish with confidence"...."simply the best"..."git down or lay down"..."a fool and his money are soon partying".

Best of luck with the wheeling.

What do you mean top swivel only? I'm thinking about giving this a go this summer and maybe see if a certain someone has another rod he would like to wrap or part with.

http://www.johnmilnerreels.com





I wouldn't settle for 2nd best....

Buy one...

Some interesting comments on reels. I've been fishing the Raven Matrix reel for 3 seasons now, and a Ross Flow for two seasons. I have some definite opinions on both.

Raven: I feel it is a good reel for the money. It's pretty basic, the bearings aren't as finely tuned, they're a little tight, but, it's a solidly build reel. I do think the bearings in mine have loosened up a bit over time. I don't have big hands, so, controlling the drag with my fingers is a little easier on this than a larger reel.

Ross: It's a nice looking reel. It's light, and paired with the loomis rod it's well balanced. It has some nice bearings, very little friction, and will keep spinning. I think it's suited for finer presentations, slower water, lighter tackle. It is a little wider, so, I find it a little harder to control the drag with my finger. It also seems to be prone to getting more crud between the frame and the spool, because it a open design.

They're both fine reels. I think I prefer the Raven over the Ross for the reason of not being as wide. Although, I'd like to have better bearings in them. (Which brings up another point)

At one point, I found a online source to upgrade or replace the bearings in center-pin reels. If I get real picky, I might do that with my Raven reel.

Absolutely nothing.

(I've been wondering when the subject would turn to reels because with die-hard pinners it always does.)

For the most part there aren't any bad pin reels made. If they don't do the job and do it well, they don't sell period. That isn't to say there aren't differences, but it's like watches, where a Timex might keep just as good of time as a Rolex, but you'll definitely know the difference when you wear them. The good news however is that the price difference between the entry level reel and the high end reel is not nearly as much as in watches.

This is because the CP reel market is very limited and fabrication demands precision machining, thus prices start relatively high even on entry level reels. On the other hand, these factors, combined with simplicity of design, also allow smaller custom fabricators to be very competitive too.

Entry level reels like the Okuma and Raven are production reels made in Asia to reduce cost and maintain quality. Higher end production reels like Islander, Ross, JW Young, Hardy and Kingpin are made in NA or England and are a bit more expensive as you would expect. Custom makers like Milner, Paine Falls and River Keeper are selling all they can produce at prices similar to premium production reels.

Resale is very good on high end production and custom reels; but not so much with entry level reels. Also due to longevity, quality and collectability, "out of production" reels like Hardy, Mykiss, Hanson, Coulson and MacDonald are still sought after and fished too.

Our NW rivers generally don't demand the same precision that Mid-west or Eastern frog water fisherman demand in their reels, so any decent CP reel will suffice nicely out here. But if you become dedicated pinner you'll quickly appreciate the finer differences and wish you had bought up early, especially when you consider resale. The best advice I can give to anyone fishing with a nice entry level CP reel, is think twice before trying out your buddies new production Kingpin or that ol' codgers custom Milner.

Avert your gaze, Okuma, Raven, Islander and Kingpin owners!


C. Love the bushing.
PS. Just made my Anglers Workshop run. Ready to wrap.

Hot summer fish on the pin......Epic

I've center pinned for about 20 minutes total, all side casting. So no expert here but.......


17 lb. Suffix Siege in Optic Orange is a sweet mainline. I switched all my drift fishing baitcasters over for the native steelhead season.


Stuff is dog salmon tough & has ZERO memory, & I can see the water contact point move before a fish farts on my junk.


c/22

Suffix Siege is not a "floating" line. The term "floating" is somewhat misleading with mono anyway. Some lines are designed to ride higher with greater surface tension, but mono does not inherently float, although it does not sink as fast as fluorocarbon either. Siege does have a nice slick hard finish that mends easily and keeps it cleaner for greater surface tension and a higher ride though. If floatation is a big issue or needed for hero drifts, try cleaning line or treating with floatant or fly line dressing to increase surface tension.

Even so, I've found "floating" line quality, while desirable, to be more of an issue with spinning reels, and not as much with a center pin reel due to the greater line control and direct connection the center pin reel provides, especially when used with rod lengths you are talking about.

Speaking of rod lengths, 13' is getting on the loooong side for many of our steep gradient, tree-lined NW rivers, especially if you beat the brush or fish from a boat. I have some wonderful 13'ers, but I find them claustrophobic and not as effective on most of the peninsula rivers I fish. IMO, 11'3 or 10'6 are generally more manageable and consequently more fun on most westside coastal streams. Unfortunately most stock "CP" rods at these lengths can be a bit underpowered for big salmon and large native steelhead. Good news there are alternatives available now and on the horizon if you want more power in a shorter rod with good castability. Consider switch blanks in higher powers if necessary or wait for returning NW archetypes like Sage 3106 or 3113 to reappear. Hopefully more choices will come as center pinning continues to increase in popularity.

Forward nod:

Milner Kingfisher, Raven Matrtix, Kingpin Imperial

CP specific rods between 11' and 13' with 6#-12# minimum line rating
CP builds using 6-9 wt. spey blanks

Quality foam floats
Concentrated weight

Swinging effective lures


Sideways nod:

Reels of open spool/back or excessive porting design, handles too close to rim, under 4-1/4" or over 4-3/4"

Rods under 11' or over 13' with line ratings less than 6#-12#
ALL rod manufacturers still ignoring the PNW/BC need for 1444

Novelty plastic and mini-floats
Split shot

Dragging baited yarn jigs


Like all other methods, many ways to do it but only a few to get it done.

I would put a Paine Falls reel against any mentioned...

In a field of great reels, Paine Falls bearing and Milner bushing reels are at the top of their class for sure.
Adam and John are not just highly skilled and conscientious craftsmen, they are two of the most accessible and finest gentlemen you will ever meet in this industry.

thumbs up for John Milner

Not a tip or a tactic, but center pin news all the same.
Kingpin just announced a new R2 reel that is basically an Imperial with Regal porting for faster flick retrieve, which ought to make Kingpin fans and Sky-Guy happy.

Sweet reel no doubt, but it's going to cost you as much as a custom.

Click for more details.

Sounds like I'll be skipping the suffix and going strait to siglon ff, thanx guys

Pm sent...

Looks almost like my "Mykiss I" reel.... Very close.

I'm looking for a nother center pin setup if anybody has one they want to part with let me know

Then you'll be pleased to hear (if you haven't already) that PFC recently acquired design rights for Mykiss and Hanson reels.

Yup, I knew that.

An original Mykiss is still an original Mykiss though.

Leon Hanson did it right.

Adam does the Paine Falls right, I just hope that they stay seperate.

Ok, so I am a little biased...

Crikey. Nice quiver Corey!

Read online that p-line hydrofloat was made for pinning so I'm giving it a try, so far I'm liking it, put it on my reel last week and have tested it on on 5 native steelies soo far soo good. Blood knot 5-10 feet of 15# mono to the end and run your float and shot on that then your swivel and presentation, works as a shock obsorber and probably won't spook fish as the bright yellow hydrofloat isn't connected to you leader directly. Seems to cast fine and feels like I can set the hook harder and put more pressure on the fish than I could with 12# main down to the same 10# leader that I'm running with the hydrofloat

Has any of the coating on the line started chipping off? I have never used the line but I have heard thats the main complaint about it.

Don't use Hydrofloat myself, but it should be fine in these here parts. The problem with the line as I understand it is due to freezing conditions, which breaks down the line quickly. This hasn't endeared the line to the float fishing community back east, which is a much bigger market and where you'll hear most of the complaints.

ALL P-LINE PRODUCTS SUCK @SS! Hydrofloat will split on the yellow coating and start to fill up with water and sink. If it freezing out you better go home, that stuff will freeze the guides up quick. 15# Izor...is all you need on a pin setup.

Quite a few problems with the hydro float in my very brief experience with it.

1. The one that has been mentioned most often, the coating is not durable. It comes off and bunches up when tying knots, bobber stops, etc. It can also be encouraged to shrug off by sticks, rocks, gunnels, undoing backlashes, and other things that tend to abrade a fishing line from time to time. The strength of the line seemed significantly reduced without the coating.

2. Even though it was quite buoyant, it seemed very sticky to me. For some reason it doesn't seem to break the surface tension of the water nearly as well as braid or even mono and i found mending it quietly and accurately less than ideal. Again, braid = far superior with regard to mending characteristics.

3. The diameter of the line is quite large when compared to braid. It is still thinner than most mono's of a similar strength rating, but it is nearly twice as thick as braid of the same poundage. I didn't do the math, but I remember getting a surprisingly small qty on my viento.

4. I found that when the line was put under tension it tended to cut/wedge into the line on the spool causing it to bind up. I know this can be a problem for some with braid, but I have only had it happen a couple of times, usually when pulling on snag and using the spool to hold tension on the running end rather than my hand.

I can't think of a single good thing to say about the line really. It sucks.

From what I have heard the coating on the line itself starts to break down and chip off where you tie knots to your leader or anything else.
Also have never used it tho. I have heard lot of mixed answers from people tho about their opinions on the stuff.

My limited experience is that Hydrofloat is pretty much garbage.

My experience with it is limited is that the one time it was given to me free of charge and put on one of my reels, I took it fishing and took it off after about ten casts when the finish was already peeling off.

Fish on...

Todd

Interesting, I've made a few hundred casts hooked 9 fish and landed 5 on it so far and the finish is still as good as new, and considering I use mono at the end before my float the hydro float never comes in contact with bottom structure such as sticks or rocks, and I havnt used it below freezing conditions but I realize it would freeze up like braid and wouldn't be my first choice in the colder winter months, only complaint I've had so far is that it cuts my finger sometimes while casting it long distance using the wallis cast

On the bright side I've found a great float in the new aero float line, I was given a few by the owner of hawken fishing before they were in stores and have found them to be the best float for center pin fishing

I like izor, havnt tryed it on my pin rod, does it pick up and mend easily? Does it ride high in the water?

I wonder if you could wax it like normal braid to help it from freezing. With the coating on it it might not last too long.
I never would have thought it would cut into you tho casting.
Izor is the only stuff to tear into my fingers so far.

Yea idk, I can tell the coating is fragile but since I use a 15# test mono bobber/shot line I don't have to tye a knot with it often so that should make the coating last longer, and I'm not shure if it cut my finger casting or when I was guiding the line while reeling in

If it works for you thats all that matters I guess. I was tempted to try it when it first came out but I never did. I stuck with the sufix braid like normal.
I am not a pinner and all the people I have seen using the hydrofloat are not either so not sure if the line is gonna benefit you any better than if it was spooled on a good bait caster. Its nice to see there are some pinners around.
I honestly have never seen any pinners on my local waters. Only seen a few on the coastal steams.

True dat.

Even so, the very worst mono is still better than the best braid on a center pin, IMO. It's a poor substitute for fly line backing on a pin too.

Save the braid for your baitcasters and spinning reels.
Sooner or later, every pinner learns that braid and side casts are things of last resort.

Well it seems to work well, and its actually a gel spun spectra not a braid, not 100% shure if I'll buy it again but I'm deffinatly gona fish it until it wears out or let's me down

I just picked up a few of the Aeros too. They do look promising.

Customs and homemades are fun too.

Corey,

Nice stash. Where's the Mac?

BTW, I wouldn't say you're biased at all; more like blessed.

I like the looks of those custom floats been thinking about tryin my hand at making some one of theese days just for shits n giggles

I've never put braid on my center pin. I'd blow it up faster than I blow up my reel now with mono...

If you do any side casting, you're going to be pulling off 20,.. 30,.. 50,.. yards of line at the end of the day to get line that won't twist on you. That's why I'll just stick to mono, I don't have a problem trashing 50 yards of line after the end of the day. Izor is a good idea, good quality and not expensive.

I never side cast so my lines last a long time, I only wallis cast or bc cast

I'm getting there. Slow learner.

On the topic of tactics and tips, here's one that you may or may not like. Take it or leave it.

As we all know quality center pin reels are precision tools which can be very expensive. They are also designed to last a lifetime with minimal maintenance and proper care. They can also be highly addictive to collectors, hoarders and serious afficianados, as some here might attest. Thus they maintain very high resale value in good condition.
The problem isn't that good center pin reels don't hold up to abuse, but due to their form factor and size they are generally more exposed to bumps, scrapes and bruises as you can see here.



I bought my first Hardy Silex over 30 yrs ago and although it's pretty beat now, I still use it to this day. Later though as I began to "invest" in more reels, I became more conscientious hoping to avoid taking a bath as I "traded" out different reels. Like many, I would try to keep a neoprene pouch or towel near me to set the reel on when handling a fish. But we all know how well that works and conscientious I'm NOT. Even tried sticking rod in belt, over my neck or in mouth and every other Kama Sutra position you can imagine to protect the reel. Nothing seemed to work on the rocky or brushy banks I usually fished, especially with rods extending over 10'. Anyways I finally realized, if I could just set the rod down with the back plate protected, the reel would be fine for the most part.
So, I gaffed up the back side of the reel and voila.



Now this may not work as well for heavily ported back plates, but it has worked out well on Milner, Kingpin, JW Young, Is Steelheader and Hardy reels. The key is to use only high quality GAFFER's TAPE, which is not only tough, strong and made of fabric, but more importantly it doesn't peel when wet or leave any residue whatsoever when removed.
Oh yeah, it ain't cheap, it can be difficult to find (most professional photo stores or studio supply houses have it) and it ain't attractive either, but it will maintain a higher resale value on your reels.
Another advantage I found especially in the cold, was that it made the reel more comfortable to hold, which is nice because more often than not when I'm fishing I support the rod with reel on my open palm with handles facing upwards.

Here's a closer look at my center pin condom.



Hope this helps.

Well I blew up my reel with the hydrofloat on it and got pretty pissed so I stripped it all of and put 12# hi-vis izorline on it and to my suprise the izor dosent cast as far or as smooth as th the hydrofloat so I guess I'm onto the next as far as trying lines for my pin rod, also just got the 13' shimano clarus pin rod and its really freakin sweet

Oh and as far as the tape on the backplate I like the idea but it still won't keep sand or dirt from gettin into the reel but I see how it would keep it from getting scratched up, and I see youhave tape on your slide rings, I suggest an old bicycle innertube cut into 2 inch sections slid over the slide bands, a lot cleaner looking and holds verry good

Just picked up this 'ol clunker last night....not sure I can bring myself to actually using her. Maybe tho....

Gaff tape: It's the duct tape of audio and video engineers. Gaff tape and wire ties are synonymous with duct tape and bailing wire. It's kept my facilities going a time or two...

This is the first time I've seen it in a fishing application. It get gummy over an extended time, like any other tape. Do you remove it from your reels once your done fishing?

Nice bling, Corey. You knoooow you're going to fish it.


Appreciate the suggestion WCP. Thanks.

I wonder if Loomis would take my suggestion to either make their GLX CP blanks available or improve their components and workmanship. The GLX CP's are incredible rods, but it's an embarrassment what they charge for Tennessee handles, no hook keeper, miserable wraps and questionable guides.

Once a season.

I couldn't agree more with you. The 1563-2 is one of my favorite rods, but the workmanship on it is crap. I wish they would sell their blanks to the public again, but we all know the likeliness of that happening...

In the very near future I will be checking out the new centerpin rod by echo rods, my good buddy has the prototype and I'll be getting number 2 hopefully. I'm pretty shure its based on there 13' 7wt tr blank, with a fixed reelseat and good fuji guides, one in hand I'll let you all know the verdict, pretty shure its gona rock

The TR 13' 7 weight would make a great starting point for Echo CP's to evolve from.
Be a nice touch if they'd utilize the TR spey handle, just reverse the longer fore cork to bottom/shorter rear cork to top, and just stick with the same reel seat. (DH style corks on the TR CP build would be even better.)
They get this as right as their factory speys at similar price and they'll have a definite winner.

Keep us posted.

Yea for shure, so far its looking like a winner for shure

Can't say I know anything about Echo, but wouldn't the moderate action of the DH be preferable to the TR in a CP build?

DH too loose and tip heavy.

7 wt. TR would feel close to 6#-12# in CP form, with much better recovery rate than DH.

Too bad the Solo's are overly heavy, otherwise they would make for great float rods. Perfect ascending line ratings from 12'6" 4#-10#, 12'9" 6#-12# and 13' 8#-15#...

I agree with what

So far the tr based pin rod is a hair more stout than the g loomis 13' glx 8-12, the fixed reel seat rocks and its looking like a perfect big fish float rod, at least that's what my buddy that has it tells me

GLX CP rods have very fast recovery, but there is nothing "fastish" about their action. As far as I know there is no CP rod on the market that comes anywhere near the weight of GLX.
From description I'm hearing sounds more like a stouter version of the Rainshadow XST 13' 6-10 Mod-Fast rod, which will definitely handle big nates and kings.

Well he said its deffinatly gona be his go to float rod for kings and silvers, he owns the glx and said that the echo is meaty and has more back bone

The TR is faster with faster recovery and a bit more backbone than the 8#-12# GLX, with GLX getting weight department edge.
The Echo is actually not at all similar to GLX or XST.

Your buddy have any photos of the new rod WCPH? Factory assembled or he build it himself?

He sent me one pic of it, its the prototype built by the desiners at echo, not the greatest pic considering the final product will probly look a lil nicer, its alread made the journey to china and back so it won't be long until the first batch of factory rods are in

Btw I suggest all you pinheads try the new areo-float, I've been using them since about 2 weeks before they hit the store shelves and I really like them, there very similar to the raven floats and about the same price but are easier to get now that most of th big sporting goods retailers have them on their shelves

Something's wrong here. I google areo-float, and I get Aeroflot. You think they'd let me take a Centerpin rod as carry on to Russia to fish for Steelhead?

Look up hawken industrys or hawken fishing for more info on the areo float, and the new 4 piece pin rods can be carried on and taken to russia, mongolia were ever you wana go, is there even steelhead in russia? I know there's hucho hucho and hucho tiemen in russia and mongolia and they get huge! Id love to catch a 5 foot long 90 pound tiemen on my centerpin

I think on the Kamchatka Peninsula there are are salmon and steelhead runs in those rivers. It will be a long while before I get over to Russia to fish.

Thanks for the info on where to check out those floats.

Any tips on getting a good hookset w/ those c-p rods ??



c/22

Set the hook like there is no tomorrow. I just need another bobber down to test my theory.

Don't hold your rod straight up in the air so you actually have somewhere to go with it when you get bit, and unless you have a pretty short line to the fish, reel like hell and load the rod before setting the hook...pretty much exactly the same way you'd do it with any other rod with a float on it.

Fish on...

Todd

Pretty much what you would never consider doing with a fast action gear rod.
Pull back on the fore grip with one hand while shoving the butt of the rod in the fishes face with the other.
Then reel like hell.

This compact efficient rotation in the butt section is magnified tremendously at the tip. With moderate action rods like the GLX CP, you can actually point the butt directly at the fish you are fighting with the rod bent to a C with no adverse effect on the tip. Something most gear rods makers cringe at and call "high sticking".

If you're controlling your line properly with a CP reel, you shouldn't have to reel much before setting the hook, maybe like you would with a spinning reel, since you should be able to maintain a pretty direct connection to your float on all but the longest hero drifts.

Actually hook sets aren't near as much a problem sometimes as simply landing a fish with a long CP rod depending where you are at.

Like Todd mentioned, one of the best tips I've found when pumping a fish with a long limber rod is to keep it down low instead of up high. Turn more with your body than using your arms, ala spey.

I agree if your properly using you cp outfit there will me minimal belly and or slack so hooksets can be as easy as stoping the reel from spinning but in most cases a good lil jerk will burry the hook

And landing them isn't as hard as you'd think, just practice, and if there not much bak at your hole than wear waders and tire the fish out

I find Depends works pretty well for that too.


Yeah, I keep telling myself, if I keep at this long enough I'm bound to get the hang of it one day.

One place practice hasn't seemed to help much though is landing a fish with a long limber rod out of a drift boat. Especially in current or when solo, which I seem to do a fair amount. The only thing worse than trying to bring a fish to net with a 13'+ rod and CP (or fly) reel in a DB is trying to row to shore on your own to land and release a fish with only a clicker for drag.

I suppose bait casting reels do have some advantages after all.

Yea landing them solo outta the drift boat is a pain in the arse, it can be done but its pretty dang hard