Picked up a nice centerpin rig at a good price from a guy who decided it wasn't his thing.
I'm curious what y'all run under the float? Jigs or beads? It seems like jigs would reduce the need for fiddling with shooting patterns which seems like a pain in the arse...
I'll still spend most of my time swinging with my spey rod but I'm always interested in learning something new.
30# power pro has treated me well on the bait casters. I spooled up a few saltwater bottomfish reels with Suffix braid and have liked it a lot. I have been trying 20# Suffix on my pin rig this fall and so far it's been ok but it's already showing signs of fatigue (quick discoloration and limpness) so I'm not sure if it has to do with the quality of the line or the lighter test I'm using. Might try some heavier Suffix to help with the stiffness as I agree a stiffer line is better in float fishing applications.
Put 50lb Suffix on my pin last week and have taken it out a few times. Definitely handles better on the drift than mono. By quite a bit. But mono is so, so much better for casting. I'd ideally like to have a spool of each.
I bought 30lb PowerPro. If Bill Herzog has switched to the braid bandwagon, then I'll give it a shot. I woulda got Maxima if Cabela's carried their braid, just because Maxima makes good shit.
I have found 30lb powerpro to be very durable and relatively tangle-free on spinning reels, but it's ability to chop off a finger makes me think it's a bad idea for a centerpin. Evan and I are testing Suffix 832 braid which is smoother than PP and is less likely to cut into skin, plus it has less resistance on line guides and doesn't feel as rough when fighting fish. Durability is good so far.
I've had great luck with Power Pro. I like to run white as I find it the easiest to see.
Anyone tried Power Pro Super 8 Slick yet? Sounds similar to the Suffix ten80 mentioned.
I've heard Herzog mention he really likes it. May give it a try this winter. http://www.powerpro.com/publish/con...wer_pro_v2/products/powerpro_super_slick.html
SF
I have super slick 40lb on a spinning reel and it is pretty smooth, but it is very limp and the diameter seems pretty large for braid. It is a little prone to fraying because of the loose weave. Works well enough for spinning and a larger diameter (65 or 80lb) would make good fly backing on a setup meant for tuna, etc.
Had the 'pin rig out for the first serious effort this weekend. It was very fun but in a different way than fly fishing. I fished a bunch of water that would have been unswingable in the current low flows. Given what I was able to do as a complete beginner, I can see where a good 'pinner could just dissect a run.
I went 1-3 on the 'pin rig and 0-0 (with one nice tug) on the spey rod although I did spend more time with the 'pin. Not many fish being caught on the Forks rivers. According to the creel checker, it was usually "one or none" from most boats including the gear guys. We didn't see another steelhead landed despite a fair number of boats.
I'll keep using the centerpin gear for certain rivers in certain conditions but more as a 'gap filler' and 'trip saver' than a primary fishing method.
I got a used rig, rod and reel at a very attractive price from a fellow who used it once and decided pinning wasn't for him. I wasn't really planning on centerpinning at the time but the deal was good enough to make me start since I knew I could get 95% of my money back on the gear.
Plus, I know Stuart from KingPin from when I met him on his trip to the NW. I have one of his spey reels so I was confident in the quality.
I did that on purpose. I fish with gear/pawl reels and am habituated to using my right hand fingers for drag and winding. I'll be swapping during the day and didn't want two opposite reels. It's a little awkward but not a big deal.
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