I live just down the street from Greg's Custom Rods... I think I have a build in mind now.
Pin to Win Baby
- Thread starter Ian Broadie
- Start date
I may have to try your recipe for a ultra lightweight center pin rod. Not sure I want to target Whitefish (caught some dandies on the Calawah system) , been there done that. But, it would sure make a great trout river setup. I have considered taking my pin rod over to the Yakima and drift nymphs. through some of those runs.
brownheron
corvus ossifragus
I do the same. It's been great on the Yakima, smaller Idaho rivers, etc. Any time the water is 2' of deeper, it works a lot better and more fun (for me) than trying to fly fish nymphs with an indicator. It's similar to euronymphing but with much longer drifts.
The photo in Jim's blog was taken on the Calawah but I won't publicly share my secret whitefish spot for fear of the hot spotting sheriff.
LOL There some nice holes with plenty of them white fish....The photo in Jim's blog was taken on the Calawah but I won't publicly share my secret whitefish spot for fear of the hot spotting sheriff.
We were fishing one day with so many white fish that when I had a bobber down my hook set was so, blah, (another white fish) so I thought, and lost a nice SH. Guide wasn't real happy with me. LOL
B
bennysbuddy
Guest
any tips on casting a Hardy Silex,I was gifted one & find it a bearcat to use compared to a young seldex centerpin
Maybe use more weight? I have a bushing kingfisher and a islander, and I think the kingfisher is easier to cast. I need to use 3/4 oz or more with it, but I almost never get overrun.
I admit I do not understand what center-pinning actually is...
I finally got a pin rod & reel last summer and have caught some nice sized Chinook on it!!
Using TFO's Centerpin rod and a Raven Matrix LX 5 1/8” reel.
I much prefer pinning for Chinook over nymphing for them. Still love swinging with spey rods of course too.
Using TFO's Centerpin rod and a Raven Matrix LX 5 1/8” reel.
I much prefer pinning for Chinook over nymphing for them. Still love swinging with spey rods of course too.
I have fond memories first time I experienced Centre Pin. I caught steelhead. They are fun.
G_Smolt
Legend
I used to enjoy the occasional pinnin' foray, but I haven't busted out those tools for about 5-6 years now. I got a Hardy Conquest and a 5" kingpin, along with about 6 different rods from 11' UL to 13' M...
I used to take pin gear on fall rainbow trips and split my time 50/50 between swing and pin, but on one particular trip in 2016 I made something like 23 consecutive drifts with hookups. That was pretty much the last day I fished the pin twigs. Sure, they're efficient as hell for catching fish, and they're great for long casts with light weights and suuuuuuuuuper long drifts, but I felt a little dirty after that experience...like I needed to apologize to the fish.
YMMV
I used to take pin gear on fall rainbow trips and split my time 50/50 between swing and pin, but on one particular trip in 2016 I made something like 23 consecutive drifts with hookups. That was pretty much the last day I fished the pin twigs. Sure, they're efficient as hell for catching fish, and they're great for long casts with light weights and suuuuuuuuuper long drifts, but I felt a little dirty after that experience...like I needed to apologize to the fish.
YMMV
My Dad had a friend who only used them. I was in awe how easily he could drift fish with it then use it for plunking, mooching. and trolling. I used it for mooching and a cheap, but not as smooth, pin reel.
I luckily had the cage and line out guide on mine. Helped a bit while using it.
I had the opportunity to fish fish with 2 old timers from Hoquiam that only fished stripped down winonas. They were both good fisherman and weren't particularly liked by some on the rivers. On one trip we ran into someone who knew the one I was with standing on the other side of the river. They told my partner where in the hole they were catching fish and he made a cast to the spot. The guy immediately yelled back " nice cast, that's right where the snags are."
Most of mine are stripped down to. I was lucky to find a vintage New in Box. Had all the stuff with it.
Was one of the old timers Hispanic? God I can't remember his name for the life of me but was a friend of my Dad's we fished with down there. He was a Winona guy and definitely an old timer.
Slimy Deck
Watch your step
Nor does this east coaster Dan. My impression is that it's designed to allow a downstream drift under a float with zero drag, and might allow drifting/presenting several hundred feet through a run, which it seems would be effective in covering water. To me, seems like a good bait cast reel in free spool with a drag would be more efficient/effective.
Someone enlighten us please.
A baitcaster is kind of a happy medium between spinning reel and centerpin reel for doing the job well. The way a pin reel freespools and keeps its momentum going is the game changer that a baitcaster can't quite match.
For most people, a spinning reel or baitcaster will get the job done just fine to run floats. But neither is as fun or satisfying as doing it on a pin once you get good at it.
brownheron
corvus ossifragus
^^What Evan said.
And... fighting a hot fish on a 'pin is pretty exciting, sometimes in a bad way but you get really good at using your hand as drag after a couple busted knuckles and/or lost fish. There are a few makers who make them with a mild drag and one who recently created a 2:1 multiplier but his reels are $$$$ and take a while (finally getting mine this spring).
Downsides - you need some room to cast and almost all are 1:1 retrieve which means a lot of winding woth those long drifts (which is why you see a lot of 5" reels these days). Wind can be a bit of a PITA with an open spool as most are built these days as it'll pull the line right off the reel.
If I'm fishing from the trees due to high water, etc. I'll use a baitcaster. If I have room, 'pin all day. I can't fish well with a spinning reel to save my life.
And... fighting a hot fish on a 'pin is pretty exciting, sometimes in a bad way but you get really good at using your hand as drag after a couple busted knuckles and/or lost fish. There are a few makers who make them with a mild drag and one who recently created a 2:1 multiplier but his reels are $$$$ and take a while (finally getting mine this spring).
Downsides - you need some room to cast and almost all are 1:1 retrieve which means a lot of winding woth those long drifts (which is why you see a lot of 5" reels these days). Wind can be a bit of a PITA with an open spool as most are built these days as it'll pull the line right off the reel.
If I'm fishing from the trees due to high water, etc. I'll use a baitcaster. If I have room, 'pin all day. I can't fish well with a spinning reel to save my life.
