the blinding whirrrrrrrrrrrr of a centerpin circa 1989 in fisherman lol lol

ORIGINAL: davisbarnes

So, I have been fly fishing for many years and still do, for trout, and stripers. I also carry my flyrod with me most of the time when I fish for steelhead, with 2 reels, one for swinging and indi, and one for bottom bouncing. But, last year I got a centerpin and was amazed at how cool it is to use. It gives great drifts, with excellent presentation, and in the time I have been using it I have only landed one foul hooked fish. Under most circumstances it is much more effective, and offers a real interesting way to approach the fish, with the ability to use the long rod, and different weight patterns to put whatever you are fishing (bead, bag, fly, or jig) in the zone. My landing % is also higher, probably due to less foul hooks, and a longer softer rod.
I never realized there was such a wide divide between fly guys and pinners, and find it amazing that so many people spend so much time worrying about what other people are doing. The whole idea of steelheading for me is to live in the moment, focus on the drift, learn new water, it is kind of a Zen like thing. If there are people around doing things that bother me it is much easier to move on than to worry about it. Rude people are rude people. Trying to change them is like trying to teach a pig to dance, it won't happen, and it annoys the pig, so why not just leave them to themselves, and go find fish. It is funny, in some areas Canadians are the bad guys, in some it is the Russians, but on the interweb it seems to be pinners. So far I find pinners more willing to help and teach than fly guys, maybe because they catch more fish, and are not quite as serious about it, less traditional or something. I am sure there are the same % rude pinners as there are rude fly guys, and spin guys, and noodlers (well maybe not noodlers...), and I am sure I will meet them the next time I am out. Now, driftboats, those guys **** me off.....

you deserve a standing ovation... we need to fish sometime

no doubt, pinning can slam fish.  the assumption that it always (or regularly) catches more fish than a fly rod is most certainly false.  i have learned pinners say that to satisfy their own inner workings, whatever they may be.

i have pinned the sht out of erie's tribs for the last four years....and now realize that outside immediate lower elk, there is nowhere in erie to effectively use a pin, including exactly zero spots east of erie (and in PA).

the first day i took my pin up to erie i fished elk below rt. 5 (in december) and caught fish after fish after fish after fish, couldn't believe it.  this was after i had already been fly fishing for a few years.  as i began to become more knowledgeable about its technique i started to believe it's all i would use.  soon though, it became too easy, without a challenge....almost boring.  the last couple years, the pin has been collecting dust.

and for the record, i have never seen a pinner drift even remotely close to me from any distance at all.

I heard the pinners outing next year will be called
THE ONE EGG

ORIGINAL: dru2112

i have pinned the sht out of erie's tribs for the last four years....and now realize that outside immediate lower elk, there is nowhere in erie to effectively use a pin, including exactly zero spots east of erie (and in PA).

not trying to jump into this, but i've seen pictures of steelhead caught with a pin on the east side so it's not "exactly zero"... it's definitely AT LEAST one.

EDIT: make that "at least two", because i've seen them caught around route 90 too... and other places above the route 5 tubes but i'll leave it at at least two

He11 I watched Steely catch one on 20 Mile his first try with a pin rod....

ORIGINAL: bingsbaits

He11 I watched Steely catch one on 20 Mile his first try with a pin rod....

Bings - I thought we agreed to keep that one a secret... Just kidding- That was one hilarious moment!!! Good times!!! papinner is one heck of a coach!
Just had to add this pic of the special moment Bings is talkin about:

I know guys that could catch a steelhead in any PA trib with a centerpin, it may not be the most effective reel for that body of water but if it floats their boat what do I care. I know there are spots on 20 where a centerpin would be much prefered over a spinning reel for drifting what ever bait one could choose. This is coming from someone who centerpinned, there are bad apples in every group of fishermen. The bad apples in the centerpin crowd just have a reel that can free spool 300 yards of line your way. The other thing some people need to consider is the experience of the centerpinner, it has a large learning curve to get everything down and can be a pain to manage everything at once. On the other side they don't have to ruin your fishing because of their inexperience. To end this longish rant, this year so far was amazing with the courtesy I have seen anglers have with each other. The one incident that irked me this year was actually from a guide and I think Deetz knows what  Im talking about. My 2 cents.

ORIGINAL: dimebrite

ORIGINAL: glen
Probably the satisfaction of catching a fish on a fly you tied is different than catching one on a gob of eggs you wrapped in mesh.

even better when you catch one on a fly you tied on the rod you built .... but for the pinners defense, beads or even flies are very productive under the float. keep in mind i said this to stir up the pot... is this post short enough for you glen???? LOL...

Precisely, i've caught more fish on flies and beads under the pin then anything else this season, sure i throw eggs at times but less then half the time at most. I will say i started flyfishing when i was 11 years old, now i'm 27 and still fly fish, just not for steel anymore. Trout and bass only.