fatbillybob
Steelhead
What do people think of the centerpin reel guys? It seems like a unique way to fish sort of like a flyrod and sort of like gear but still uses a bobber but not like a flyrodder or spin guy with a bobber.
7 vs 8 wt for PDX area winter steelhead?
- Thread starter DerekWhipple
- Start date
What do people think of the centerpin reel guys? It seems like a unique way to fish sort of like a flyrod and sort of like gear but still uses a bobber but not like a flyrodder or spin guy with a bobber.
Rob Allen
Life of the Party
Personal opinion.
Gear fishing of any type is all about control of your equipment. In the winter I do not want a Natura presentation I want a slow presentation. Therefore I don't like bobber fishing in general because it's too fast, especially on small streams in high water.
Clearly however it works and I am likely wrong in my strong preference for drift fishing. Small corky two complimenting colors of glo-bug yarn and enough lead to maintain a pretty constant touch with the bottom. Tick tick tick.....
Now, spinning set upside really compromise when it comes to control just by the nature and leverage disadvantages of being spinning gear, plus they are less accurate to cast. Now, you take that and double it for a center pin. Plus a longer rod , more slack line and the propensity to fish further and further away all equals less control.
Centerpins certainly have a coolness factor and definitely takes a skill set I don't have .
If I fished big wide open rivers I would definitely get into it. I fish small alder chokes canyon rivers so I prefer casting equipment because I need accuracy and control a slow presentation and control of the fish once hooked.
Ok now I have explained way more than you wanted and likely didn't answer your question
I own them. It's fancy gear fishing. It's basically indicator fishing without the fly line. You can get really good control. Slow retrieve though. However probably the most fun to fight a fish with no drag.
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Gave it a go during a period when I was seriously chasing winter steelhead with a Suburban full of outfits, fishing rivers and streams along a good portion of the Oregon coast. In the end, a bobber is a bobber regardless of what equipment is unspooling the line, and found a 10' spinning outfit with floating line, Gold Medalist Thill wood float, and self tied jigs or the unholy Berkley pink worm to be far more effective and easier to use.
Only fishing proper swing water when chasing winter steel self-limits hook-up opportunities. And if already willing to float an egg pattern under a bobber down a seam with a fly rod...
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I have a couple centerpin setups. If I decide to bobber fish, It's what I use. I throw worms, jigs, and beads, but I fish beads less these days because I'm sick of lugging around all the related shit since I fish on foot. You can cover way more water than nymphing with a fly rod. I think it's better than a spinning reel, a baitcaster might be tops for bobber fishing.
Haig-Brown used a centerpin, he even threw hardware with it!
Playing a fish on a long parabolic rod and a single action reel with no drag is a lot of fun.
Haig-Brown used a centerpin, he even threw hardware with it!
Playing a fish on a long parabolic rod and a single action reel with no drag is a lot of fun.
Not to derail from the OP's intent of this thread, but I really want to dip my toes into the CP world...maybe this year is the year.
If you've already got a spinning rod or a short spey/switch rod, that will work. The reel is the most expensive part of the equation. Buy a cheaper one like an Okuma (used can save you some money), and put fancy ball bearings in it. String it up with a little bit of backing, 15lb mono (easier to pick out all the tangles you are going to get), and start with 1/2 ounce of weight or more and learn the BC swing. Bait/lure is dealers choice. Beads, jigs, flies, even little spinners or spoons can work. It can really open up a lot of water to you on a river like the Deschutes.Not to derail from the OP's intent of this thread, but I really want to dip my toes into the CP world...maybe this year is the year.
flybill
Life of the Party
I don't have a centerpin setup... yet! I'm going to try a friends first and then probably get one.. I've cast them more than a few times, but haven't reelly fished them..
All my rods are old… summer 6/7 St. Croix
Winter 9 wt Loomis. I have never been one to chase “improvements” with my money.
Winter 9 wt Loomis. I have never been one to chase “improvements” with my money.
flybill
Life of the Party
Oh, butt my new Tectonic Boron Platinum Irradescent unspecificed weight rod, with built in stabilzer and GPS accurate to 1mm makes me such a better caster.. it's telescoping, so I can use it from anywhere for 8' to 18'... built in flask, USB charging port and a small screen to watch football while I fish on a Sunday.. looking for the alien edition.. with crushed up alien DNA in it.. don't know what it does, but I'm sure I need it to get an extra 50' cast.. I mean I only cast 250' now, so nymphing is hard.. and that bobber makes it hard to cast.. such drama in my life!
brownheron
corvus ossifragus
I had the LeCie 6/7, 7/8, and 8/9 back in the day. Those were killer rods that I wish I still had in the quiver. I still have one of the funky LPXe switch rods in 6/7 with the weird extendable handle. It's more like a 5/6 in US terms and is an awesome heavier trout-spey substitute.
brownheron
corvus ossifragus
Slow retrieve. Yes and uhhg...
I have a 2X multiplier Niagara Drifter that is basically the Olsen of centerpin reels which helps but it's effing heavy so it stays at home except for Springer season.
I'm a bit of a pin nut and I'm pretty sure I have the most expensive whitefish-specific centerpin rig in the world
that I call the WDM (whitefish death machine). Will post more in the new pin-specific thread when I get a bit of time.
flybill
Life of the Party
Those LeCie's were da bomb! I never owned one, but loved to cast them and regret not buying them..
I'm happy with my Buelah 7/8 12'7" spey that I built and put an extra guide on. I've fished it on big and smaller rivers, including but not limited to the Clearwater in ID. I do have my 14'3" CND Solstice for bigger water or bigger flies. I have at least two lines for each rod, probably more, a scandi and a skagit line for each. Plus a mid and long belly for the CND..
How do those rod guides work for siting when shooting at aliens?
flybill
Life of the Party
Well I haven't upgraded to lazer's yet.. mother fucking lazers.. I did just finish watching Real Science though.. so have a few thoughts.. although I'm leaning towards a few drones with mother fucking lazers up above me to keep the area clear and zap any aliens... or annoying humans... I'll have you sign the NDA for more details...
Sign? Hell i have never cosigned
fatbillybob
Steelhead
Hope you remember to report back your experience.
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