# center pin advice



## banshe2008 (Sep 23, 2008)

I just picked up a center pin reel and now need to buy a rod. What length do you recommend and why. thanks.


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## Steelhead Fever (Dec 31, 2009)

What kind of water...I got a 12.6 works ok but would go bout 1 foot longer depends on how big the water is


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## xlvmax (Nov 20, 2008)

Id recommend right around a 13 foot. With a longer rod you can keep more line off the water which means a longer drift. Allot of guys i know fish with a 15 foot stick. When it comes down to it its mostl all personal preference.


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## banshe2008 (Sep 23, 2008)

Thanks for the responses. I'm leaning towards a 13-14. Any advice on brands? I bought the Okuma Sheffield and it came with backing and p-line. Bass pro has the 13 ft rod (Okuma) for around 90. What do you think?


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## Steelhead Fever (Dec 31, 2009)

If you want quality go with a St. Criox sry if its misspelled.........thats what i have with my sheffield....works like a star.............


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## bigcatjoe (Sep 6, 2006)

The okuma aventa rods run about 90 bucks, though they are way to heavy for my liking. They have a lot of tip sag too. I just bought one of the new st. croix avid float blanks. I got the 11 footer. Haven't come across a situation where I needed a longer rod yet. The other good thing about st. croix rods is the lifetime warranty. It breaks, send it in and they'll take care of you.
Raven makes a decent im6 rod for around 100 bucks called the matrix. They make a two piece 12'6" and a 3 piece 12'9". Pretty solid rods for the price.


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## banshe2008 (Sep 23, 2008)

Thanks again. I think I am going to wait and buy the Croix. I have 3 wild river rods and you are right, you can't beat them. One more question if anyone wants to bother. I remember seeing a diagram on here about the different ways to rig. i can't find it through the search. If anyone still has it, I would appreciate it. Also, i need to get some floats. how do I know what size to get/use? Thanks.


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## jojopro (Oct 9, 2007)

Float rods most commonly come in lengths of 11', 13', or 15'. IMO a 13' float rod is perfect for most of the water on our NE Ohio rivers. The longer rods allow you to keep more line up off the water allowing you to present a more natural drift. Also having more line up off of the water will allow for faster and deeper hooksets. Long and limber float rods provide extra shock absorbtion to protect light leaders and reduce the amount of thrown hooks. The drawback to a longer rod is that the longer the rod the heavier the tip will feel, which can lead to arm/shoulder fatigue after long days on the water. For float fishing with a pin, I would only suggest an 11' rod if you are mainly fishing creeks or ditches.

I would recommend a float rod with sliding rings as opposed to one with a fixed reel seat. The sliding rings will allow you to position your reel on the handle where you prefer and better balance out your rod. Also it will feel much more comfortable to grip when it's really cold out.

I'd suggest you go see Craig at Erie Outfitters http://www.erieoutfitters.com/. Tell Craig all about your fishing style, what you want out of a rod, and your budget and I'm sure he will put you on the rod best suited for you.

As for your question about rigging...I'm assuming you're referring to rigging a float and shot patterns??? If so the Anglers International website has some nice diagrams and explanations of various shot patterns. http://www.anglersinternational.com/Shotting Patterns.pdf

For floats...I prefer Raven balsa wood floats. http://www.anglersinternational.com/floats.html For our streams I mostly use the RVFFM floats size 5.0g or 6.2g but go down to 4.2g at times. In higher faster water I like the RVFFD 8.0g and in frog water I like the RVFSM 4.8g or 3.7g floats

John


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

banshe2008 said:


> I just picked up a center pin reel and now need to buy a rod. What length do you recommend and why. thanks.


Depends on where you fish...

For me, an 11'6 is a good all around length for the smaller PA streams. For the bigger rivers such as the Grand or Niagara, I'll use 13' minimum. The length helps me mend my line alot better and keep it off the water as much as possible....the longer and farther the casts, the more rod length you need to keep a drag free drift allowing you to "trott" your float better. Over time, you will find yourself having multiple rod lengths/powers for multiple situations and rivers fished....Good Luck

A Hell of a rod for the money that nobody has yet mentioned is a Browning Six Rivers....sold in Bass Pro. Sliding rings handle and in 11'6", 13' and 15' lengths all for under $100. This rod was suggested to me by guys who use them on the Salmon River and raving reviews. St. Croixs are awesome too, but I found the Sixx Rivers to be very comparable and much more affordable.

For rigging try this... www.raventackle.com/Shotting Patterns.pdf


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## rustyhooks (Aug 17, 2008)

i'll 2nd whatt jojo pro said . go see craig at erie outfitters. he will not do ya wrong


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## banshe2008 (Sep 23, 2008)

Wow. Good stuff. Thank you all for your help.


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