How to cast with a centrepin? With the winter fast approaching and the UK rivers coming into their best I thought it may be an idea to explain the Wallis Cast for those who like to fish in a more traditional manner with a trusty centrepin.
I am a big fan of the centrepin. I have found no more satisfying way of fishing than trotting a swollen river on a winters day in the pursuit of specimen roach. And using my trusty centrepin only adds to the thrill. For those of you who have not fished with a centrepin it is hard to explain the attraction. I suppose it is the feeling of total control you have over your float and the knowledge that you are acheiving the best presentation. I think also it is the knowledge that you have mastered a difficult skill to learn as the centrepin is not an easy bit of kit to come to terms with.
It can be daunting to use a centrepin for the first time. It is so different from the normal open faced match reel that are used by most these days that many anglers don't know where to start.
How do I cast?
This is the first question most anglers ask when they are introduced to the centrepin. The centrepin is basically a revolving drum that holds the line which only comes off as the drum spins. This is why you have to master the Wallis Cast. There are other ways to cast, like pulling line from the first three rings of the rod and holding them in your free hand and releasing as you swing or indeed just pulling the desired amount of line from the drum and holding it in your free hand until you swing and release. These can be good ways to start, but both are limiting in the amount of distance your cast will achieve and are very prone to causing tangles.
The Wallis cast can cause you problems too such as over runs but once you have mastered it you will find yourself able to cast across a river with ease.
The Wallis Cast is achieved by pulling on the line to start the drum spinning as you swing and release the float. I would advise using a centrepin without a line guard or one that has a detachable line guard as they can hamper the cast. To achieve a good distance in your cast you want to ensure that the line is coming off of the bottom of the drum. That means you have to turn the handle anti-clockwise to reel in. Then you simply follow these movements to achieve the cast.
- You want to stand side on to the river looking down its length with your rod hand on the river side of your body.
- Hold your bulk shot in your free hand and keep the line tight to the rod tip. This will ensure a spring effect in the cast.
- In your rod hand hold the drum in place with your thumb.
- Still holding the shot use your index finger to hook the line just above the reel.
- Swing your body around toward the river while at the same time using your index finger to pull the line away from the drum setting it spinning.
- At the two o'clock position release the shot from your hand sending the float out into the river.
- Finally slow the drum with your thumb.
That in effect is the Wallis Cast. It may still be somewhat confusing to you but if you try out these instructions you will soon understand the principle. The Wallis cast does take a bit of practice to master but once you have gotten the hang of it you will wonder why you hadn't tried it years before.
Try watching this video clip by Glen Smith to better understand the principle,
No comments:
Post a Comment