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After a year of fishing and spending much of that time using float methods I thought it was about time that I purchased a centrepin. When you read all the books and magazines they all seem to say that if you enjoy trotting a float down flowing water then a centrepin is a must.
The problem with centrepins is they can actually cost quiet a lot of money so spending the correct amount for the correct reel is important. Now my idea of river float fishing is looking for Roach, Dace and if at all lucky Grayling. 
After much research I found that the Grey’s Bewick reel may be suitable, but it was still around £150, after much debate I decide to spend the money and get one and what a good choice it was.
The reel is sized at 4.25 inches and is really light, and the spool easy pulls off from the main section easily by flick the switch. There is a switch to put the spool into another mode that stops the centrepin from spinning without putting weight onto the line. As a whole the reel looks very professional.
I've been fishing allot more on Rivers this season, and while trotting a float down stream with the bale arm open on my normal open faced real does the job... I've been told that to truly appreciate river fishing trotting you need to make use of the Centre Pin reel. With this in mind, and after much research I finally picked up the Okuma Aventa Pro Centre Pin in a very hard wearing bronze effect covering. The Aventa Pro is the 2 ball bearing version of the ‘Aventa’ Centre Pin - It is incredibly smooth and the most controlled float presentation I've ever managed ! Despite what I had been told about having to endure the cats cradle of tangles, I've actually experience very little tangles 
I've been using the "Wallace Cast", or my interpretation of it, to cast my float out into the river... in fact, using a centre pin i find the action of casting to be very enjoyable ! it's a very satisfying cast to get right, and it does seem to provide very good presentation and control over the float while trotting. I would say that you can definitely start trotting without investing in the expense of a centre pin - however If you fancy something a bit different, and more challenging then I can recommend giving one of these a go.
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 23 September 2009 22:46 )
So why use a spod? Well in the fishing fools experience you can only catapult bait out so far I know some people claim to be able to hit 50 yards, but for me light margin work is still at the limits! By using a spod you can get particle baits out to a greater range, and with greater accuracy - this allows for fishing further out on huge lakes where you want to achieve a light scattering of bait on the lake bed to help present the terminal bait better...For the spodding gear we make use of the Fox Warrior Spod rod with a 5 1/2lb test curve..slightly costly, but in the long run a safe bet as trying to make use of a Carp rod would only result in a broken rod at some point The reel is a Okuma EOS big pit with 15lb line and a 30lb shock leader attached to a Korda skyliner spod rocket. The spod mix is usually a combination of Pellets, Particle baits & flavours, and this is usually left before use to soak up all the yummy goodness...Generally fishing Fools use the spod to put bait along the far margins, or for short range at over hanging cover, or mid range work...It really is a good way of getting allot of bait into a small area...you have to be carefull to control the amount you spod a swim, we generally spod light (10 rockets) then add more as needed...If you haven't tried spodding yet, then you are missing out on a great way of creating a bed of feed, that's also really fun to do :) Give it a go, you never know...
Well I can't believe it ! ! It's only been a few months since I purchased my Korum Day shelter, when the mention of a Night Fishing session threw me into the dilemma of having to choose a bivvy (definately needed a ground sheet and front). As you will know, trying to pick the day shelter was a task and a half, so trying to find a suitable bivvy was no small feat ! after much research, I eventually chose the JRC Defender 1 man bivvy - It was a weight that you could carry without a barrow (7kg), had the pram hood style which I knew would take the sort of English weather we usually see in the summer...High gales, Rain and snow 
and it was described as being "easy assembly" and most importantly was less than £120...
Since the new year I have had plenty of time to get out on the lakes and rivers. The cold weather has meant that the catches have been few but with the rain I have had plenty of time to try out another christmas gift.
When I first started fishing I managed to get caught up in a lot of rain and since then I have always dreamt of the day when I could sit in a dry shelter of some form and at christmas that wish came true.
The shelter that I had choosen was the Chub Snooper Bivy lite and it has worth its weight in gold.
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