Ola Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 trying to do a little research for early christmas shopping and i am getting confused. looked a a few pins and thought i had settled on one but then i read about ports and solid backplates and dirt messing up the movements and all that. okuma raw is very nice looking reel imo and it feels smooth BUT then some review pipes up about dirt accumulating and needing a solid backplate, etc. then i decide raven matrix looks good with closed sides but another review claims xl better maybe, or maybe not. then some clown piped up raving about the rapala reel - cheap but apparently good reel. then there is open ports for easier reeling by fingers rather than using the handles. ans on and on... and yes, i thumbed through the search results on this site but again came up confused. so, what should santa do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lively1 Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 Not an expert but I started with the Okuma Aventa and later moved up to a Paine Falls deMarco reel. In my experience the more expensive reel is definitely easier to cast and better designed. Here are some features to look for in a CP reel: - solid back plate with no large knobs sticking out to catch your line on - strong anti-reverse capable of stopping the reel from letting off line after you have put the hook in the holder and left a little bow in the rod. Otherwise it is useless. - small and out of the way lever or button for turning the anti-reverse off and on Personally if I want to bat the reel to retrieve line I just give the handle a sharp push or flick the edge of the rim.. being able to put your finger inside a hole in the spool isn't a requirement for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lushis Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 Some good advice there from lively1. My first pin was a sandpiper. Canadian made and not too much money ($130 invested). Used it 5-6 times and realized the reel was giving me problems like added line twist, not smooth enough casts and finally the anti reverse was starting to let go even after just those few times using it. This past winter at the Niagara fishing show, I upgraded to an okoume Sheffield and so far (only out twice with it) I can already see a huge difference in line twist, casting and the anti reverse. I'm happy because I have invested a reasonably amount of money ( think the reel was only $125 and the rod was $100) to try a style of fishing that I think is invaluable in the Niagara Region. For me, the most important thing was to not break the bank to try a new style of fishing. That way if I did not like it, I would not loose a ton of money to try and sell it after. Hope that helps bud Later Lushis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vesko Posted November 20, 2012 Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 hey Ola, first of all did you try pin reel? If you are not my advice to you is try it out first because it could be frustrating . I fish Niagara every weekend so if you want you are welcome to met me on the river and I'll let you try my reel (and rod ). When it come to casting, reel doesn't make any difference ( except BC cast), I can cast exactly the same distance with $120 Rapala and $800 Ang Spec, same rod , same float, weight. Good,smooth reel is important to follow slow drift , if you fish fast flow that is not really important but it's convenient. Clicker or ratchet is absolutely not important to me because I have the way how to attach my hook to a hook keeper and the spool wont turn at all. Ported back plate won't be a problem if you don't place the reel on the sand, mud, etc. What is your budget? You can get nice used reels for $200-250. Between Rapala , Raven Matrix and Okuma Raw, I'll go with Okuma, just my opinion. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ola Posted November 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 thanks for the replies. i'll take it all under advisement when i'm window shopping this week and see what santa comes up with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdnfishguy11 Posted November 20, 2012 Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 Some good advice there from lively1. My first pin was a sandpiper. Canadian made and not too much money ($130 invested). Used it 5-6 times and realized the reel was giving me problems like added line twist, not smooth enough casts and finally the anti reverse was starting to let go even after just those few times using it. This past winter at the Niagara fishing show, I upgraded to an okoume Sheffield and so far (only out twice with it) I can already see a huge difference in line twist, casting and the anti reverse. I'm happy because I have invested a reasonably amount of money ( think the reel was only $125 and the rod was $100) to try a style of fishing that I think is invaluable in the Niagara Region. For me, the most important thing was to not break the bank to try a new style of fishing. That way if I did not like it, I would not loose a ton of money to try and sell it after. Hope that helps bud Later Lushis Interesting I had read good things about the sandpipers, would you care to part with it? I also heard they have great customer service, send me a pm if your interested I prefer my handles on the outer most edge of the plate as opposed to closer to the centre....and bling gold Really? I wish mine were closer lol As far as the back plate goes, lots of high end reels use ported back plates, I see no real issue with them, I guess there is a higher chance of getting dirt and sand were it shouldnt be but I dont think it should sway your decision at all. Also Im not a fan of the rapala r types centerpins, it will outspin an Okuma Sheffield out of the box, but once the sheffield is fully broken in I think it would outspin the rapala. I have held the r type and its not balanced, when you spin it you can feel the weight shifting with each rotation. The sheffield is much smoother! That being said the sheffield is not the be all and end all, once they get wet, the bearings start to go on you, so keep it dry. Also take into considerastion the water you will be fishing, If it is the Niagara I wouldnt consider anything under 4.5 inches. so the Raven isnt even on the radar unless it is the special edition, or the xl. As far as the raw vs the sheffield, the jury is out still, to my knowledge they are the platform with the raw being flashier and aimed at the new croud while the sheffield is meant to look more classic styled. My over all opinion is go sheffield and dont waste time with the new aventa's. The sheffield in my mind is the best one for the money. If you end up for the Sheffield, brake it in first it will pay you back expedentially. Also the sheffield has lot written about line catching, Ive fished one for 2 years and still havent experianced this yet. thanks, Josh p.s. people talk about line twist...... just learn to cast instead of using a side cast and you will never ever experiance line twist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdnfishguy11 Posted November 20, 2012 Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 This is also worth noting, okuma no longer shows the sheffield on their website. https://www.okumafishing.com/product/view/reels/float-reels/raw-ii-float-reel although if you closely to the raw it is identical to the sheffield except for the front cap and the mounting for the cap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ola Posted November 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 thanks again. narrowed it down to 3. which may sound impressive but since i only started with 5 it isn't all that notable. i did notice, after test driving some reels yesterday, that 2 reels of the same model had a noticible difference in action - felt like the one was unbalanced or something which is why i don't ever buy stuff like this online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverNinja Posted November 20, 2012 Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 Find a used Kingpin Imperial and go fishing.... You should start to see them appearing in the FS sections of many forums. Head to a tackle shop that has them in stock and put one in your hand and spin... A good test I like to use with any potential pin, is to give it a solid spin, then use the entire reel like a gyro and start moving it in the opposite direction, upwards, downwards, off to the side.. If the tolerances are not exact, you will feel "hiccups" in the spin. This should give you a good indication of how well it was designed and how close the tolerances actually are. I am OCD when it comes down to a properly engineered piece of equpiment.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NADO Posted November 20, 2012 Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 I fished a sheffield for two years and loved it. There were certain limitations on startup and keeping it clean but for the entry level centerpins I think its the best option out there. I just upgraded to a Kingpin Imperial yesterday and the differences are quite notable. Its all about what your budget is really. Also I think the best way to make sure the reel is working properly is to spin it very slowly. It should be spinning perfectly smooth without any wobbles or skips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdnfishguy11 Posted November 20, 2012 Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 The key with the Sheffield it's breaking the bearings in, and keeping them dry, Worst case scenario it's like 30 for new ceramic abec 7s from Bocca Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NADO Posted November 20, 2012 Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 I cant believe it....I just did my first spin test with the imperial and I am absolutely shocked by the results 7 min and 12 seconds!!!! As it was approaching 5 minutes I was starting to get worried it wouldnt make it but then it just kept going. Then 6 minutes was starting to creep up and I thought to myself oh boy, I cant believe it might make 6 minutes...then it was at 6 minutes and 30 seconds and I was like Ok this is just getting stupid...when is this thing going to stop. 7 min 12 seconds...I cant believe it lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveC Posted November 20, 2012 Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 I like my Kingpin as well...the startup is great. Just need to learn to get away from side casting. I will work on that over the summer. Fished a JW young purist for a few years and hated that thing...Cant go wrong with Kingpin. Some guys are unloading them because of some flack....so you might find a saving in the coming weeks, grab one if you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokingunns Posted November 20, 2012 Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 Ola, if price is your main concern, try the new Rapala Centrepins...for the price of $150 or so, it's probably one of the best bangs for the buck. There are two models...one with an off-set foot and the other a regular one. I believe the reel is fairly light in itself and they may have put in ABEC 7 bearings...great combo for mid to low flows. The handles are a bit closer to the spool rim. I like my handles a bit closer to the centre as to avoid the "knuckle busting". NADO, you just need the golden handles and you're all set...sorry I couldn't help you out with that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 I like my Kingpin as well...the startup is great. Just need to learn to get away from side casting. I will work on that over the summer. Fished a JW young purist for a few years and hated that thing...Cant go wrong with Kingpin. Some guys are unloading them because of some flack....so you might find a saving in the coming weeks, grab one if you can. give this a shot, no more line twist! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinocchio Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Spending crazy amounts of cash on a center pin is crazy in my opinion! Reel quality dose not cause line twist as cdnfishguy pointed out as well! Spend the extra money on good wadders, jacket and boots not an over priced reel like King Pin! ha ha ha Staying warm and dry is more important to me than having the most trendy new reel! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverNinja Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Spending crazy amounts of cash on a center pin is crazy in my opinion! Reel quality dose not cause line twist as cdnfishguy pointed out as well! Spend the extra money on good wadders, jacket and boots not an over priced reel like King Pin! ha ha ha Staying warm and dry is more important to me than having the most trendy new reel! What amounts to "Crazy" for you, may not be for another.. Everything is relative and everyone should simply buy within their means. Saying Kingpin is overpriced for YOU, would be a more accurate statement.. as I find them to be fairly priced. (not including the projected price for the new zepplin) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mykiss Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 I've seen quite a few posts that mention the new Zepplin and everybody says it's over priced but nobody ever mentions the price...........is it supposed to be a secret? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mykiss Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Some good advice there from lively1. My first pin was a sandpiper. Canadian made and not too much money ($130 invested). Used it 5-6 times and realized the reel was giving me problems like added line twist, not smooth enough casts and finally the anti reverse was starting to let go even after just those few times using it. This past winter at the Niagara fishing show, I upgraded to an okoume Sheffield and so far (only out twice with it) I can already see a huge difference in line twist, casting and the anti reverse. I'm happy because I have invested a reasonably amount of money ( think the reel was only $125 and the rod was $100) to try a style of fishing that I think is invaluable in the Niagara Region. For me, the most important thing was to not break the bank to try a new style of fishing. That way if I did not like it, I would not loose a ton of money to try and sell it after. Hope that helps bud Later Lushis your reel has no way to cause line twist, the twist is caused by your cast. If you use a side cast you most likely will get line twist, either put a micro swivel above your float or switch to a different cast like the Wallis cast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverNinja Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 I've seen quite a few posts that mention the new Zepplin and everybody says it's over priced but nobody ever mentions the price...........is it supposed to be a secret? Projected MSRP will be $750.. However I can't see them listing it that high.. If it does release at that price point, they will surely loose some of their client base.. (myself included) your reel has no way to cause line twist, the twist is caused by your cast. If you use a side cast you most likely will get line twist, either put a micro swivel above your float or switch to a different cast like the Wallis cast. Just an FYI, with the innovation and technology that goes into today's fishing lines... You do have alternatives..I am currently testing a new line.. and am very much impressed.. I have 0 line twist and I typically side cast 95% of the time.. Although I am very proficient with the wallis cast, I prefer to use side cast. I will provide a report and my findings on this line once I have had at least 30 fish landed.. Just need one more outing, so hopefully it rains this week, Rn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ola Posted November 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 the deed is done. okuma sheffield. brand new shiny silver (already have a couple gold fly reels so need to mix up the wardrobe a bit). $170 (tax incl)-gotta love early black friday deals. now for line-was thinking of suffix, hi-vis, probably 10 lb. main line. any opinions what works? stomping grounds will include mainly niagara, credit and saugeen plus a sweet little hidden creek up by a friends cottage over march break. (ahhh. good times:-) we don't use organic bait as a rule so will be tossing beads, plastic roe (the big single blob with a tail work great but they are only available in the states and i need to stock up again), pinkies and probably some flies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mykiss Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 looks like Santa came early congratulations, as far as line goes I've never used hi-vis but I've used Trilene XL for about 20 years now and it's never let me down and Raven or Drennan flouro leader, I usually go 8lb main and 4 or 6lb leader. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spottedGARRR Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 I like 8lbs p-line flouroclear. Its all I've used since I starting pinning and see no reason to switch. Some very good advice in this thread, in my opinion vesko and mykiss hit the nail on the head. Happy pinning and watch the float go... Hey where's my float?? FISH ON !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverNinja Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 If you are a fan of Suffix, try the ProMix.. A good friend uses it and loves it.. Minimal line twist & memory, and it's super strong... I would recommend going with the 10lb main.. this will provide more flexibility when it comes to choosing your flouro leader... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chasin_musky Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 Regardless of the cast having a swivel above the float won't reduce it. Doing a proper cast will reduce line twist. I started with the Wallis cast and is all I do. That being said casting right you can still get line twist. Using the right split shots and having the swivels set up correct will prevent that. I use two swivels. One at the float then my shot line and then another swivel to me tippet. I have yet had a problem with line twist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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