Center pinning

[Alaskan Assassin]

Hey Guys,
I'm lookin to purchase a center pin set up, primarily for rainbow fishing back home in AK but was wondering if anyone has experience fishing for steelies with these set ups. It seems like it could be deadly.

 

[Mike123]

I've seen it done quite a bit by a dude I used to fish with.
It's the best way to go for float fishing IMO. I just wish I could afford a nice set up.
Only disadvantage I see is the drag, or lack thereof.

 

[steelhead_stalkers]

Mike, what makes it better than a good bait-caster and a long float rod? Or even a spinning reel and long float rod. I hear people say keeping line off the water but that is not true at all because as long as your float is getting a drag free drift you can have some line on the water. That is one of the big mistakes I see those who are new to float fishing do is try their best to keep line off the water, but all they are doing is affecting their presentation. The line seems to come off similar to a casting reel just in larger diameter. One big disadvantage I see is casting distance and efficiency. Let me know your thoughts.

 

[Markcanby]

the only time I have seen them used is for trolling in AK.

 

[Mike123]

Mike, what makes it better than a good bait-caster and a long float rod? Or even a spinning reel and long float rod. I hear people say keeping line off the water but that is not true at all because as long as your float is getting a drag free drift you can have some line on the water. That is one of the big mistakes I see those who are new to float fishing do is try their best to keep line off the water, but all they are doing is affecting their presentation. The line seems to come off similar to a casting reel just in larger diameter. One big disadvantage I see is casting distance and efficiency. Let me know your thoughts.

A baitcast works in the same principal as the center pin.. You can put slight pressure to the reel in freespool so you can hold back on your float just right. This allows your bait to be presented first instead of the line. It's very hard to hold back on a float with a spinning reel.. all you can really do is cuff your hand around the spool and that makes for jerky presentations. I don't think it matters if your line touches the water or not.

 

[FishFinger]

Funny thing.. I used one today and didn't realize it until I read this post. I believed it was malfunctioning fly reel minus the drag. I treated it as a "traditional" reel and on several occasions while mending; I had current assist peeling more line off the reel. That free spool action gig wasn't enjoyable at all.

Over all I hated it and see it over all as less efficient.

If I have a fight engaged that is going to take me to the reel, I'm going to palm the spool, as you would a center pin anyways.

3 thumbs down!

 

[steelhead_stalkers]

That's exactly what I have thought! I have never used one but from reading about them and watching videos it does not look very effective. I guess if you ever get to the point where you catch to many steelhead to keep it fun you can mess around with a difficult, hard way to land steelhead.

 

[Mike123]

Ya the downfall is the lack of drag.

The plus side is the perfect presentation's you can get with a float.
That's all they are made for is float fishing. There are some centerpin reels with drags though. Fish with someone who knows how to use one really good and you will see the advantages. To me it looks like they take practice and talent to use. Of course they are going to be more of a challenge, just like a fly rod. I think I just want to get a really long bait caster float rod and try that out, only problem with baitcasters is it's really hard to cast light weights. I can think of advantages and disadvantages for all three types.

Mark Canby: That would be a mooching rod and reel.

FishFinger: It's all about the pinky pressure. You don't want the current to freespool your reel, you want to apply presseure with your finger/s to slow the reel down and let out just enough line that your float isn't hauling ass and dragging your bait behind the line.

 

[FishFinger]

the shotting link is great, i intend to apply many of the configurations. They make sense, but will most likely do so with a level wind until I get the hang of better pinkie control.

Old habits die hard...

after a spot of time to reflect perhaps I'll change my view to mearly two thumbs down for now...

 

[Mike123]

the shotting link is great, i intend to apply many of the configurations. They make sense, but will most likely do so with a level wind until I get the hang of better pinkie control.

Old habits die hard...

after a spot of time to reflect perhaps I'll change my view to mearly two thumbs down for now...

:lol: How much you want to sell the centerpin set up for? :lol:

 

[FishFinger]

Oh..lol. The reel isn't mine. MeLuvTrout got it some time ago but it had not been officially used till yesterday. The make and model of his rod and reel escape me presently, but I'm sure I can find out.

Two days ago... Had I owned it and remained ignorant to "center pinning" I might have simply given it to you...

Today, I am looking at my present set up and wondering how I'm gonna keep up when he "masters" the art of the perfect float drift presentation.


** I'm slow to crossing over to split shot & fly gear. I far and away prefer lead wrap for dialing into specific water conditions. Plus I don't trust split shot to stay seated on an energetic cast.

 

[Mike123]

Yea I dont use split shot too much..
But.. I was just showing that link to show what holding back on your float does to your bait and how it drifts.
No need for the sarcasm.

 

[FishFinger]

the link was great, thank you. It has really gotten the wheels turning in my nugget.

Sorry if I came off sarcastic, sometimes my humor falls short, my wife tells me I'm not funny most of the time, but who listens to her anyways.

I have buds who have no problems with crimping on split shot and having it stay. I seem to be more potentially dangerous with it.

I am enjoying the posts.

 

[steelhead_stalkers]

I would say holding back might not be a good thing, I like having my presentation in front of my float but a drag free drift seems to get more fish. Holding back might be important on the east coast were small, shallow water is the norm in the tribs but for winter steelhead here it does not matter if the presentation is in front of the float.

I would bet that I can get as good of drift with a spinning reel as a casting, the thing I do like about the casting is the ability to thumb the spool when setting the hook, less missed take downs. But then again once a steelhead takes down your float its almost a ganantee hookup! I would have to see a center pin in action to see what is better, once thing you not going to be able to do is cast very well on some of our coastal rivers, let alone get a 13 ft rod around in the thick banks! We have a couple 13 ft spinning float rods being built up that will be fun to fish.

 

[Alaskan Assassin]

Thanks for the reply's but give these things some credit

Thanks for the reply's but give these things some credit

Welp thanks for the input so far. I have used center-pin rigs for fishing Bows and it is absolutely deadly especially when fishing from a drift boat. The Bows we get into are big, some over 30" in the Kenai. When the salmon are dropping eggs you can dead drift an egg pattern and absolutely slay. I've also thrown streamers underneath the float as well which was, to my surprise, more effective than swinging them with my fly rod while drifting.

The trick with casting is getting the spool moving while you launch your float. At this point I still suck at it but I've seen people consistently throw it 80-100 ft.

Also on the lack of drag point. All of these reels have a clicker that add some tension to the spool and others actually have drags. Due to the length of the rod, at least 11', you can really play fish with these things. It feels amazing.

I am sure I can figure a way to catch some steelhead with one of these set ups if I could get some advice on the right patterns/jigs to throw.

Seriously though have you guys seen the drift you can get with these its incredible