I am the lucky man who has a new ratnestinist son of a b_tch centre center pin reel. I NEED HELP...who can cast this thing? Who can explain in simple terms the process? This thing has humbled me...

Depends on your reel and set up. There are a variety of techniques.

Here is an excellant resource for you:

http://www.questoutdoors.net/skills/centerpin/

I prefer to use them when strip casting smaller streams or when mooching for salmon. I don't really cast from the reel all that much myself. Go luck.

Two keys are to have adequate weight and to release pressure on the spool a tiny bit before you would with a bait caster. Centrepins need a fair amount of weight to get the spool spinning. If you are trying to us it for light weights you will be frustrated. When casting you want to release the spool just a fraction of a second before you begin your forward motion with the rod.

I suggest you practice with something like a one ounce weight and no hook or other stuff attached to the line. As you get more and more confident you can go to smaller weights and actually fish with it.

I explain it in some detail my book, which I understand you, can get at many libraries.

In the beginning of the forward motion of the swing, pull line off from the reel to get the spool spinning and whip it out there.LOL It takes some practice. You can just cast right off the side of the reel as well without spinning the spool, use your free hand as a line guard off from the side of the spool and let the line feed off the side of the reel through your fingers or hand, this method does cause alot of line twists. I found it was easier to learn how to cast it straight off the reel like a baitcaster than any other method. Just use the weight of the float and shot to get the reel spinning in your forward motion of the cast and use a finger on your rod holding hand to feather the spool (to prevent the overrun). Its hard to explain but you pretty much cast it like you would a casting reel. The quest board is a great place to learn about float reels. After time I have found that it is nice to know a variety of casts to use in different settings (such as a crowded boat, brush covered banks, etc.).

Besides the questoutdoors.com board there is the floatfishing.net forum that is also a good place for floatfishing info. It is mostly midwestern folk but is a great site for those that need info on float fishing.

what is/are the benefits of a center pin reel?????.....i allways used em as a kid fishing the salt in BC but havent used one since......

The drag free drifts, no slack in the line between rod and float, the ease and control of floating, and the mono to mono fight. Plus once you get the casting down you can whip it out there with very little effort.

Like Dave said, you release your presentation just before you start to load your rod with your swing. Another thing I found really helpful for longer tosses is to get your rod hand way up on the cork away from the reel. Most pin rods have about 18 inches of cork above the reel. For some reason this gives me better control on my swing thus more power and accuracy. Practice, practice, practice....

Good luck.
Beezer

Practice is right!!! I start the reel spinning before I start my cast, just a little spin to get the reel moving. Also, always have a finger LIGHTLY feathering the spool. The questoutdoors.NET board has a lot of great info and great folks!

-Jon

All the advice is great, and also accurate...but I found it only helped after standing in the yard tossing a bit of slinky around for a while to get the hang of it...take the above advice, and put in some serious practice time, and you'll figure it out.

It is a really fun way to fish, and a REALLY fun way to fight fish, especially big ones!

Fish on...

Todd

I Practiced in the back yard for a couple of weeks(6-7hrs total), before I felt confident enough to take it to the river. Todd is spot on when he said it's a "REALLY fun way to fight a fish".

-Jon

I'll work on it! Thanks for the info...I watched a guy last year casting effortlessly with the damn thing and just as graceful as you could imagine...mine on the other hand look like a tug o' war with hot taffy with the casting plug at my feet...maybe I should make a how not too video...

ChumLord,

Flyfishing also looks effortless and graceful...but I wouldn't stand within thirty feet of a new caster, either!

You'll have fun learning, but you'll really have fun when you start catching fish on it.

Fish on...

Todd