Now I'm not saying I've been converted, but I am thinking about it. So who makes a decent Center pin reel for under $300 and a Rod for under $300?

Does anybody cast spoons with a center pin outfit?

What is your definition of "decent"?

Lamiglas just came out with a pretty nice center pin rod that would fall within the price range you are looking within.

Center pins are meant to be fished effectively with a float. Therefore, casting spoons wouldn't be overly effective or efficient in my opinion. You can run a blade under a float rather effectively however and doing this properly can be just as effective as chucking spoons.

Really? I have a bunch of Lami's and really like em, however I didn't see one on their site. What model?

Three Rivers has some Ravens and newer Okuma's that you could go spin. They also have a few rods to check out as well

Good luck

SCARBOO

Find a used Islander

Lamiglas just released the "BC series" Centerpin rod, it is called the CA113MHCP

Raven also makes pretty decent reels. You can probably get both a Raven rod and reel for around 360 dollars. I think that is what I spent on my outfit 3 years ago.

raven matrix special edition. the best for the money.

OK, I gots to know, how did Crown Royal save your life?

after a mix of snow and rain back and forth, and already being soaked through my rain jacket i decided to take it off and start drinking. 2/3rds a bottle of crown later this was me. drunk and no longer freezing




aside from that specific story... whiskey has been making life tolerable for men for many many years!

You only thought your weren't freezing. You was freezing alright, you just didn't know it anymore, probably wouldn't have found your truck either. So when the bottle ran dry, did you all opt for a five man cuddle?

That's me on the left...froze my fuckin ass off that day.

I also use a Raven Matrix Special Edition and have nothing but love for that reel.

Fish on...

Todd

Spend more on the reel, less on the rod. Then, when you want to upgrade, you only need a new rod.
Islander, or a Ross Flow.

Do most of these have any type of drag system, or just palm pressure?

No drag, just yer pinkie finger.

Fish on...

Todd

There are a few CP reels that have a drag, most notably Okuma Sirata (which I believe is discontinued) and a few customs like Spahr or Angling Specialties. The drag customs are very nice but also noticeably heavier and more expensive too. BTW, the drag on the beautiful made AngSpec is only rated about 10#. Even though I own one, I would not recommend drag on any center pin reel for the reasons that a lot of people buy them. But then I also believe that center pinners should learn to cast off the reel before being allowed to side cast too.

BTW, with center pin equipment $300 per reel and rod is a "tweener" price point for NEW. Around $200 per will get you a nice lower end set up that will perform very well, the Raven Matrix SE is a great reel. Like they say, "If it spins, it pins". Beyond that the next jump up is at least double that. About $400-600 for reel and about same for rod, give or take. Although "lower end" equipment will perform very well if properly balanced, it will not have great resale value. "Higher end " equipment does maintain it's value, in some cases bringing as much as original price. The very best used bargains in the center pin ecosphere are on the lower end of the high end, where there is savings but still maintains value. Good examples of this are used Islander, Kingpin and JW Young to name a few reels. In most cases if you were to buy one of these at $300, you could more than likely sell therm at little or no loss. Quality rods do hold their value but not as much. There are some great deals out there if you know what to look for. Just today I saw a beautiful CTS rod sell for $300. If you can handle used, you can get very nice kit for $600.

You'll never be unhappy you bought a quality reel, but one mistake we've all made is not buying the appropriate rod to go with it. Center pin rod actions are quite different than typical spin or casting rods. In a lot of ways they are much more like fly rods and need to fit your casting style and be balanced to deliver the best performance and most enjoyable fishing experience. More expensive doesn't necessarily make it better, but matching your equipment will.

Good luck. It's addicting. Trust me, once you're hooked you'll never miss the drag feature.

Mooch nailed it. I'll add emphasis to the suggestion that youpony up the money for a nice reel and skip anything on the "lower end" of options. If you keep your cp reel in great shape the resale value can be equal or better if you hunt down a deal. Add a saved search for reels on ebay to your account notifications and something will pop up. Vancouver/BC craigslist is a good source too.