Non-Fly Centerpin Thread

[SurfnFish]

Spinning reels are not very useful for float fishing.

disagree with that blanket statement...if swing water did not produce, my last stop of the day on a coastal river was a well upstream run requiring a descent into a narrow mini canyon with zero room for back casting.
Using floating line, spinning reel, and Thill Gold Medalist wood floats, I could easily pinpoint cast, steer and reposition my jigs through the various seams, and if my bobber tipped when well downstream I could pin immediately pin the fish by speed cranking the high ratio reel while rearing back.
Horses for courses...fish what you enjoy, with what you enjoy

 

[Westcoast]

Lots of west coast Americans use spinning reels for float fishing for steelhead. But on the Canadian side the tradition has always been centerpin reels followed by baitcasters. Spinning reels have always be left to newbies that haven’t learned the “proper ways” to catch a fish.

 

[fatbillybob]

I swing and skate flys to steelhead which does not have a great catch rate. When I have to catch a fish what do you guys think of swapping over a CP reel to my spey rod and fish to where the fish are? Is there any reason not to do that? Does it work or is that the worst of all worlds?

 

[iggie]

It will work. Echo wraps one of their spey blanks for their pinner rods.

 

[SurfnFish]

Spinning reels have always be left to newbies that haven’t learned the “proper ways” to catch a fish.

well there's proper, and there's proper...

 

[Salmo_g]

well there's proper, and there's proper...

Anything worth doing is worth doing . . . proper.

 

[SurfnFish]

Anything worth doing is worth doing . . . proper.

"You can have it fast, you can have it good, you can have it cheap: pick two"

 

[Matt B]

well there's proper, and there's proper...

 

[onefish]

Lots of west coast Americans use spinning reels for float fishing for steelhead. But on the Canadian side the tradition has always been centerpin reels followed by baitcasters. Spinning reels have always be left to newbies that haven’t learned the “proper ways” to catch a fish.

Yup, a coffee grinder is a sure sign you are a newbie.

 

[speedbird]

Lots of west coast Americans use spinning reels for float fishing for steelhead. But on the Canadian side the tradition has always been centerpin reels followed by baitcasters. Spinning reels have always be left to newbies that haven’t learned the “proper ways” to catch a fish.

Last year I caught around 15 chums float fishing with a spinning reel, this year I took my baitcaster and only caught one. Clearly, spinning reels are the correct way to float fish, and this had nothing to do with a differing run timing.

Jokes aside I have found that being able to freespool my line, control drag with my thumb, and generally cast more precisely has been immensely useful in float fishing. I've got no issues casting anything 5/8oz or heavier but setups under 1/2oz like we use for Steelhead are really finicky for me to cast with a baitcaster as I imagine they are for most newbies, and one could argue the time spent clearing birds nest=time the rod isn't in the water and fish aren't being caught.

 

[Stonedfish]

They used to say float fishing for steelhead was like using training wheels.
It’s all bullshit. Fish whichever way you want and with whatever gear you enjoy…..
SF

 

[Sam Roffe]

Why is that? It would seem on a spin rod you could do the same CP float system and cast into river open the bail and drift drag free like CP? I know CP uses a 11ft+ rod and they say they mend but in reality how can you mend 15lb mono? Flyline has mass and diameter and drags on the water you certainly can mend flyline. That's what we swinging steelheaders do but mend mono?

Monofilament does cause drag, when you get a belly in it. It’s because water is moving at different speeds down the river, and will pull a section of line faster than the other section. A linger rod will make it easier to lift the belly of the line out of the water. It’s also handy keeping the belly out of the water.

I find it’s generally easier to mend monofilament than a fly line.

 

[onefish]

Most BC guys use 10 1/2 to 12 ft rods. I have never seen a fly line used on a centerpin. If you find your mono is dragging you can apply a bit of mucilin to the last 20-30 feet and mend the line during the drift.

 

[Little Fork]

Went 2/2 last Thursday. Both on a cerise and white hackle jig. A nice hatchery buck and a surprisingly late wild coho.
By Friday the water had dropped and become clear, the cloud cover was gone, and I had no luck.
I’m curious to know what patterns you guys have confidence in when float fishing clear water.

 

[Styskal]

That's always a tough situation. I generally down size the offering. I will go with small leaches in black, hot red or orange. I seldom dead drift these I prefer to keep a bit of tension on the float and swing them. The swing is very slow much slower than you can do with a fly line and head. Mostly using a loafer float on that technique.

 

[Westcoast]

Low clear water means light line and small baits for me. Fish things like beads or small jigs, small plastics on 6-8lb leader. I try and look for fish that have been moving as they will be most aggressive like in pocket water or tailouts and heads of pools.

 

[DerekWhipple]

This caught me a fish yesterday at the local. If I am fishing gear, this is my preferred setup, Sage 3113mb and a bushing Milner Kingfisher. Threaded worm with a dave's tangle free barely ticking bottom.

 

[Westcoast]

That’s a staple outfit here in B.C. Sage is king in the float fishing /centerpin market out here. They do tend to have the heavier action as mostly a 20-30gram float is used with an appropriate amount of lead shot. Nothing too subtle needed in our steep gradient rivers and fast water. Could possibly see an islander or silex or campbel reel out on the rivers. Mostly bushing too. I think that is mostly just tradition and for the durability over bearing reels. Too bad there aren’t very many fish anymore.