Are You a Pinhead?

So You want to be a Pinhead?

By Troy Creasy

In our search to become the best anglers we can be, we tend to look for a variety of techniques that will assist us in achieving our goals. It is a never-ending saga.
One of the fastest-growing methods being used today to bring wary trout and salmon to bay is the center-pin reel. While the pin is certainly not new, with the first ones dating back to the early 18th century, their popularity across the Great Lakes in the last five years has sparked a new interest amongst driftfishing aficionados.
Believe it or not, the first reels used for carp fishing in Europe would have been the very earliest center-pin reels that were first developed in England. Over the years a number of center-pin reels became popular, various models were developed and different materials were used to improve the functionality and performance of the reels. This brings us to the high tech standards of today.
So, you are considering the purchase of a center-pin rod and reel. Where do you start? Your first step would be to visit an area tackle shop that carries this type of equipment. You can also log on to a few fishing forums, like Fishsalmonriver.com or SalmonCrazy.com, where you'll find tons of information from the guys that are on the water "pinning" or on the chat boards talking about it.
Now you have to decide what you want to spend. Float reels will vary from about $100 for an Okuma Aventa or Raven, to over $400 for a JW Young or Bob James.
Rods will set you back about the same. Do the math and you are looking at cost of $200 to over $1,000 for an expensive set-up.
You decide to take the plunge and now own your first center-pin. You have it spooled with backing and several hundred yards of good quality mono. You are ready to go. NOT!
Unlike a conventional spinning reel, you have to learn how to cast this thing. Spending a few hours with an accomplished pinhead will be a big plus, as many have given up after several outings of fighting tangles and backlashes, instead of fish. If you don't know anyone that pins, just head to the water, be patient and have at it.
Let us assume you have not fished a float in the past, so you need to set one up. Floats come in many shapes, sizes, colors, and styles. Some of the more popular float brands include Thill, Blackbird, Sheffield, Top Notch, Carlisle and many others. For most steelhead and brown trout fishing applications, rigging an inline float setup seems to work most successfully.
To rig your float this way, you'll need three or four plastic or nylon sleeves in order to affix your float to your fishing line. These sleeves are threaded onto your mainline, then slid four feet or so up your line to where you plan to attach your float. At the upper end of your float body, a short shaft protrudes from the top of the body. Slip the end of the float shaft into the uppermost sleeve and then snug it tightly against the top of the float body. Next, slip the second sleeve onto the end of the lower shaft and slide it upward until it is positioned snugly against the lower edge of the float body. The final sleeve should be positioned on the extreme lower end of the float shaft. Wetting your line beforehand will make properly positioning them on the float an easier task. Some floats have longer upper or lower shafts necessitating the use of a fourth sleeve. These sleeves are are available at tackle shops where float fishing components are sold.
Next step is to tie your hook to the end of your fishing line. While there is an endless selection of hook styles and sizes, super sharp hooks like those manufactured by Mustad, Gamakatsu, Daiichi, Tiemco, or Owner, while very expensive, pay big dividends in terms of more fish hooked and landed. Stick with hook sizes in the #8 to #12 size range as light wire hooks seem to drive and set better and firmer with a minimum of effort.
Weighting your float rig is the next most important consideration. Without a doubt, the use of round, "English Shot" is critical for obtaining the proper driftfishing effect. This shot type is the non-removable variety and comes without the "ears" or "wings" found on conventional removable splitshot. These wings or tabs cause line twist or spin while casting, retrieving during the drift and the line twisting problem ultimately causes unwanted complications in your float fishing rig down the road. The use of round, English-style shot, however, does not result in these line twist problems and should be your first and only choice. When weighting your line between your float and your hook, the so-called "Rosary Bead" method should be employed. This is a method of utilizing various sized shot varying in a graduated lineup from larger to smaller from the float down the line to the hook.
The shot sizes used will depend mostly upon the size of your float, depth of the water being fished, the speed of the current, and the diameter of the fishing line you are using. For most applications, four- to eight-pound test is about right. In extremely low, clear conditions, while fishing over heavily pressured trout, the use of flouro-carbon line is advised.
The more shot you use to weight your float, the farther distance you will be able to cast, and the greater the accuracy of your casts. That being said, use no more shot than your float's buoyancy is capable of supporting without sinking it. For best results, use only enough shot to keep your float standing upright and to keep your egg sack or fly down near the bottom. Shot should be spaced four to six inches apart and in groups of two (with finer sizes) which seems to prevent tangles during casting.
When fishing a given pool or run of unknown depth, make a test cast with your distance between float and bait closely approximating the average estimated depth of the pool. On your initial cast and drift, watch your float closely for indications of your bait bumping or catching on the bottom. If it is constantly catching, shorten your lead until it is only occasionally ticking off the bottom, until it reaches the tailout of the pool. For the best drift, cast upstream to the 2 o'clock position and start your drift with an extra high rod tip position. While on the subject of rods, use the longest rod you are capable of casting, preferably, a rod from 10 1/2 feet to up to 14 feet in length to facilitate keeping the most line off the water for the longest drift.
After you cast, with your rod tip as high as possible, reel tight to your float to maintain tension to keep your line off the water. However, ensure that your float is able to travel unimpeded downstream at the speed of the current. Maintaining that tension to the float ensures that you will be able to set the hook effectively when a take or strike occurs. It is absolutely essential NOT to overdo this tension as the float must be totally unencumbered in its travel downstream in order to most closely approximate the current's natural speed. As your float passes the 11 o'clock position, be prepared to lower your rod tip to give your float extra line so as to maintain and continue its passage downstream. Continue to lower your rod tip until you have no more line available to give your float.
At this time, usually at about a 45-degree angle downstream, your drift is at an end and you may retrieve your float rig for another cast. When you reach the shallow water at the tailout of the pool, you may extend your drift by "stalling" your float. Accomplished by holding back or limiting line to the float, this technique causes your shot and bait to be lifted slightly in the water column so as to decrease the depth to which it reaches down into the pool. In this way, you can effectively fish your float into two to three feet of tailout water while still fishing a four-foot lead between your float and your bait. This effectively extends your drift into what can be the most productive section of a pool.
When a strike or take occurs, your float may plunge completely beneath the surface one time, while the next time it will barely hesitate or twitch while traveling downstream. Strike instantly when the bite is a subtle one, while reeling down tight and then striking hard when your float really buries beneath the water's surface. Your egg sacks should be tied in the dime to nickel size range with pink, chartreuse, and blue being the best mesh colors.
A quality center-pin float reel combined with an ultra-long 13- to 16-foot float rod setup will provide you with the ultimate tool for floating your way to trout fishing success.
Recently, the editor, Troy Creasy, along with fellow guides and LOO field testers Chris Mulpagano (Get the Net Guide Service) and Andy Bliss (Chasin Tail Adventures) put their pin rigs to the test.
Andy uses a Raven SST spooled with 8# suffix and attaches it to a 13-foot 4-inch Sheffield rod. This rig set him back about $470. He likes the lighter feel of the Sheffield. He used a custom Damon 13-foot rod for a full season, which was a bit heavier, but he prefers the Sheffield.
Chris has too many pins to mention but has two favorites. His Islander and Custom Sage rod is a good all around, but were not cheap, as Chris laid out over $900 for both. He really likes his Sheffield reel and rod Combo for big fish and higher water. Considering that this outfit retails for about $350, it is a great deal for those looking to get started or for those that own more than one outfit
Troy has two. His first is an Adcock Stanton with a custom 13.6 St. Croix rod and his new Sheffield (Okuma) reel matched up with Sheffield IM8 rod.
They all took turns with each other's rigs. They fought fish, tangled lines, broke a rod, and at the end they were all in agreement that the Sheffield Combo, gunmetal reel with the 13-foot 4-inch IM8 rod was the best choice overall for performance, comfort, reliability and price. The new gunmetal color is attractive and won't show scratches like other colors.
If you are looking for a great DVD, check out Centerpin 101 - The Basics of Float Fishing, Great Lakes style! by Mike Durkalec. You can find his DVD at www.questoutdoors.net
For more information on Sheffield rods and reels as well as other great products, go to www.challengerlures.com/Sheffield.html.