81 replies to this topic

[NiagaraSteel]

Happy new year everyone!

I wanted to ask everyone on their opinion on what center pin reel i should get. I'm in no rush as i probably wouldn't use it until late august.

These are the pins that i'm thinking about. If you have any other ideas i'd be glad to hear them.

Okuma aventa: http://www.basspro.c.../product/77721/
Okuma raw: http://www.basspro.c...12030305011422/
Amundson steelhead tracker: http://www.fishheads...er-by-amundson/

If you have any other thoughts about a different pin that i could get, post it up. I don't really want to go much beyond $190, but still post anything up. I was also looking at the Rapala R-type float rod at sail today, and i liked it and it was not much money at 119$. Has anyone had a raplala float rod? Also would the 11' 6" work okay for the grand river?

Thanks for the help, in advance!

[RonnieTO]

Happy new year everyone!

I wanted to ask everyone on their opinion on what center pin reel i should get. I'm in no rush as i probably wouldn't use it until late august.

These are the pins that i'm thinking about. If you have any other ideas i'd be glad to hear them.

Okuma aventa: http://www.basspro.c.../product/77721/
Okuma raw: http://www.basspro.c...12030305011422/
Amundson steelhead tracker: http://www.fishheads...er-by-amundson/

If you have any other thoughts about a different pin that i could get, post it up. I don't really want to go much beyond $190, but still post anything up. I was also looking at the Rapala R-type float rod at sail today, and i liked it and it was not much money at 119$. Has anyone had a raplala float rod? Also would the 11' 6" work okay for the grand river?

Thanks for the help, in advance!

Hi Catfish, I am in no way an expert in this field but I can tell you what Santa brought me & it seems to be pretty good for the money.
Shimano Clarus 13' 4 piece Float Rod about $100.00

Steelheader Centerpin by Admunson TCP450 backing & Raven 10# line spooled onto the reel for a little over $200.00 taxes in

The CP spins great but I haven't made it out to try them out yet

[NiagaraSteel]

Hi Catfish, I am in no way an expert in this field but I can tell you what Santa brought me & it seems to be pretty good for the money.
Shimano Clarus 13' 4 piece Float Rod about $100.00

Steelheader Centerpin by Admunson TCP450 backing & Raven 10# line spooled onto the reel for a little over $200.00 taxes in

The CP spins great but I haven't made it out to try them out yet

Thanks, i have looked at that on Fishheads, and it looks very good. It is in the high end of my price point.

[LordMykiss]

Personally i would say fish with CP first and see if you like it, it is one of those things that could be semi life time investment, you really dont want to get low end stuff, get mid class, you can always go higher. if i were you, i would try to find 3-400 dollars reel that someone is selling second handed for 200, assuming there is nothing wrong with it, and they just want to upgrade to something else.

I heard the new shimano clarus is very soft. i prefer stiffer back bones and softer tips. it is really hard to get a 10lb + fish out of rapids with soft rod.

you said you want to start august, i hope you are not going to fish for chinook with a cp for first time, cause it will not be a fun experience and lot of burns and bruises on your fingers lol.

[ChaseChrome]

Steelheader Centerpin by Admunson TCP450 backing & Raven 10# line spooled onto the reel for a little over $200.00 taxes in

The CP spins great but I haven't made it out to try them out yet

Just took delivery of the Steelheader CP from Amundson and the Laredo float rod to be field tested...to be honest the reel gives the Islander a run for its' money!!

[LordMykiss]

Just took delivery of the Steelheader CP from Amundson and the Laredo float rod to be field tested...to be honest the reel gives the Islander a run for its' money!!

not sure if it was a mistype or they wrote it for two reels on the website he linked, but it says it weighs 1000grams. that is 35 ounces, 2.2lb. a typical reel is 9-11 ounces. he'll have shoulder and arm pain after about an hour.

[RonnieTO]

not sure if it was a mistype or they wrote it for two reels on the website he linked, but it says it weighs 1000grams. that is 35 ounces, 2.2lb. a typical reel is 9-11 ounces. he'll have shoulder and arm pain after about an hour.

Nah that's a typo on Fisheads site, I can't remember the exact weight but 300 grams comes to mind, if I can find my scales tomorrow I will weigh it & let you know

[Float_On]

I'd take a look in the classifieds...
$100 aventa, add a 11'6" quantum cold water ....
You're off to the races. You'll probably win the race with that!

😎

[Float_On]

Any "new" reel is going to have a honeymoon where it's bearings are nice and smooth and everything is great. But the cheap reels will begin to show their true colors eventually.

If I were you I'd stay away from cheap reels, because in the end you get what you pay for.

[LordMykiss]

Any "new" reel is going to have a honeymoon where it's bearings are nice and smooth and everything is great. But the cheap reels will begin to show their true colors eventually.

If I were you I'd stay away from cheap reels, because in the end you get what you pay for.

what he said^^^ buy second handed from a person that has too much money and lot of reels. i fished for 11 years with my stanton and it was a starter reel at 300 cost from store i worked at. your starting reel should be 200 minimum! raven stuff is nice for that price. just save till august maybe? you even save 11 dollars a month, brings your budget to 300 by then unless it unwinds smooth and starts smooth, there is no point in even buying a cp, whole point of a cp is natural floatation of your bait and less slack in your line. if you have to mend all the time might as well buy a very high class spinning reel with 200 budget, you can fish with it for everything.

[Swing4Steel]

I'd take a look in the classifieds...
$100 aventa, add a 11'6" quantum cold water ....
You're off to the races. You'll probably win the race with that!

😎

something like this is the way to go to start. i hate okumas, but they do work just fine to learn on. a used one for 100, will still be worth 100 when you decide to upgrade. i have a buddy whos reel went down, and has been fishing my aventa with few complaints all fall. dont waste your money on a sheff or raw- those two along with the 1002 aventa all run on the same spool, backplate and bearings. you are paying for looks. i know a couple guys who have had decent luck with the raven matrix series as starters. im not familiar with the amudsens, but have heard the steelheader is worth the extra dough compared to the tracker. the steelheader looks to be a asian clone of the Islander steelheader

[NiagaraSteel]

you said you want to start august, i hope you are not going to fish for chinook with a cp for first time, cause it will not be a fun experience and lot of burns and bruises on your fingers lol.

Well that was what i was thinking . How about a small salmon?

[NiagaraSteel]

something like this is the way to go to start. i hate okumas, but they do work just fine to learn on. a used one for 100, will still be worth 100 when you decide to upgrade. i have a buddy whos reel went down, and has been fishing my aventa with few complaints all fall. dont waste your money on a sheff or raw- those two along with the 1002 aventa all run on the same spool, backplate and bearings. you are paying for looks. i know a couple guys who have had decent luck with the raven matrix series as starters. im not familiar with the amudsens, but have heard the steelheader is worth the extra dough compared to the tracker. the steelheader looks to be a asian clone of the Islander steelheader

So the aventa has the same quality of the raw? I personally like the looks of the aventa better then the raw. What is a sheff?

[NiagaraSteel]

Well i have been talked up higher in the price im gonna put toward the pin.
Here's the amundson steelheader

http://www.fishheads...in-by-amundson/

It looks virtually the same as the islander, just with amundson stickers.




I could be talked up to this raven

http://www.fishheads...ERPIN-REEL.html

[RonnieTO]

Well i have been talked up higher in the price im gonna put toward the pin.
Here's the amundson steelheader

http://www.fishheads...in-by-amundson/

It looks virtually the same as the islander, just with amundson stickers.




I could be talked up to this raven

http://www.fishheads...ERPIN-REEL.html

Catfish go into Bronte Outdoors who had both these reels a few weeks ago and handle them & compare them, I found the Raven heavier.

[NiagaraSteel]

Catfish go into Bronte Outdoors who had both these reels a few weeks ago and handle them & compare them, I found the Raven heavier.

Is BO still open? I know that they are closing, just not when.

I probably won't be ordering one online, more likely at sail, caledonia bait and tckle, bill's bait and tackle, grimsby bait and tackle or bronte outdoors if they're still open.

[NiagaraSteel]

I certainly like the looks of the amundson steelheader and no one has said anything bad about it yet.

[GoodenTight]

you should not be purchasing a reel on looks. lol.


I LOVE my aventa. rocking it hard for years.

[coldhands]

If you're in no rush ask around or take a poll here. I'm fairly new to centerpinning, but I always believe you get what you pay for. I try to buy Made in Canada if possible. I was surprised when I was shopping one in the fall at the difference between low and high end reels.I've bought cars for less. As a beginner I figured I would get something in the middle, that hopefully has a good resell value if I wasn't happy with it. I googled online and checked ratings also. I love my Islander but it's the only one I've used so it's hard for me to compare. Nothing fancy, no drag just my palm which is what I wanted fairly light does what it's supposed to I guess. Hope that helps. check out http://www.centerpinangling.com/

[coldhands]

you should not be purchasing a reel on looks. lol.


I LOVE my aventa. rocking it hard for years.

True, but we all like a bit of shiny bling too...