Non-Fly Centerpin Thread

[Little Fork]

After seeing several posts mentioning CP in a Spey thread, I thought I’d start a pincentric thread. It can be a place for cool photos or tips or methods.

Here’s a photo of my daughter and her dog Sunny. She landed her first salmon on a pin in early November.

 

[brownheron]

Sweet! Nice looking river. Very similar to my homewater.

I probably fish with a pin more than anything else so looking forward to the thread.

 

[TicTokCroc]

So, what's the advantages of a Pin, vs. Fly reel, bait caster, spinning reel?

 

[Evan B]

I used to hit the pin hard, but as my steelheading efforts have waned, as have my pin efforts. Got my first pin fish back in 2009. Been my primary float rig since.

 

[Sam Roffe]

I haven’t pinned in a couple years. Might grab a pin rod and beads this year for the heck of it.

 

[Dustin Chromers]

So, what's the advantages of a Pin, vs. Fly reel, bait caster, spinning reel?

For me the biggest attraction is direct drag free fighting of fish. You have allot of control even in close. You can fish successfully in low water with light gear and still wrangler fish quick as you can always adjust drag instinctively in real time.

 

[Fourbtgait]

I had to google this, read of it. Very intriguing

 

[clarkman]

For me the biggest attraction is direct drag free fighting of fish. You have allot of control even in close. You can fish successfully in low water with light gear and still wrangler fish quick as you can always adjust drag instinctively in real time.

Yeah, I really like that aspect. Kinda how I like to approach virtually all of my freshwater fish I currently target.

 

[brownheron]

Yeah, I really like that aspect. Kinda how I like to approach virtually all of my freshwater fish I currently target.

Same here. It pretty exciting with a hot springer on the other end of the string.

In addition to the lack of drag, there is also the lack of a thick fly line moving through the water which makes the fights a good bit zippier.

 

[Little Fork]

Same here. It pretty exciting with a hot springer on the other end of the string.

In addition to the lack of drag, there is also the lack of a thick fly line moving through the water which makes the fights a good bit zippier.

I’d never considered the drag effect of a fly line in water.
The connection to a fish on a centerpin feels really immediate.

 

[DerekWhipple]

As discussed in the other thread, if I'm fishing with a bobber (fly, bead, bait, or worm), I'm using a centerpin. I have two rigs, one is a ball bearing with a lighter faster rod, and the other is a "classic" heavier sage pin rod with a Milner bushing reel.

I use mono on both. I've tried a couple of the fancy floating lines, but they are expensive and the abrasion resistance doesn't even come close to p-line cxx or maxima.

 

[Little Fork]

As discussed in the other thread, if I'm fishing with a bobber (fly, bead, bait, or worm), I'm using a centerpin. I have two rigs, one is a ball bearing with a lighter faster rod, and the other is a "classic" heavier sage pin rod with a Milner bushing reel.

I use mono on both. I've tried a couple of the fancy floating lines, but they are expensive and the abrasion resistance doesn't even come close to p-line cxx or maxima.

This is very similar to the two setups I use. I’ve got the heavier of the two spooled with braided mainline right now and really dislike the sound of the line through the guides. I’ll switch back to Maxima soon.
The Milner bushing reel is my favorite reel that I own.

 

[Stonedfish]

I don’t pin myself, but watching someone who is good at it and how they play fish on one is pretty cool to watch.
SF

 

[O' Clarkii Stomias]

Fishing yarnies under a float on the Methow when it was open in November and December was a blast.

 

[speedbird]

Centerpins look cool, next gear rod I get for Salmon/Steelhead is definitely gonna be a pin setup. They look incredibly hard to cast well though, watching some videos it looks harder than overhead fly casting

 

[Evan B]

Centerpins look cool, next gear rod I get for Salmon/Steelhead is definitely gonna be a pin setup. They look incredibly hard to cast well though, watching some videos it looks harder than overhead fly casting

Once you get a feel for the physics involved, it's really not so bad. Even not doing it that often anymore, it's pretty automatic when I do bust it out and make some casts. It's really just about feeling out the mechanics of getting that spool spinning while loading the rod.

 

[Sam Roffe]

It's really just about feeling out the mechanics of getting that spool spinning while loading the rod.

I am not that great at it. I would like to master the Wallis Cast, looks handy if you don't have much room behind you. But, I'm pretty OK with the BC or swing cast, as long as I have room.

When fishing with a guide who could get that spool spinning fast while loading the rod and launch the hook, line, and sinker a mile across the river. Impressive!

 

[Evan B]

I am not that great at it. I would like to master the Wallis Cast, looks handy if you don't have much room behind you. But, I'm pretty OK with the BC or swing cast, as long as I have room.

When fishing with a guide who could get that spool spinning fast while loading the rod and launch the hook, line, and sinker a mile across the river. Impressive!

Yeah the Wallis cast was a weird one for me to learn. Took me a couple years until it just clicked one day. I don't even know how to teach it or explain it. There's a very nuanced "feel" to it and once it clicks, it makes perfect sense.

 

[Sam Roffe]

Yeah the Wallis cast was a weird one for me to learn. Took me a couple years until it just clicked one day. I don't even know how to teach it or explain it. There's a very nuanced "feel" to it and once it clicks, it makes perfect sense.

Guess I just need to keep plugging away at it. The mechanics are teachable, but, the feel and timing, well,... we're on our own.

 

[fatbillybob]

I was one of the guys who mentioned CP fishing. Looking forward to see how this thread develops. Is CP only for floating things to salmon steelhead or is there a way to target other species like bass or in the surf?