Quest Outdoors

spindle · Lunker Joined: 24 Oct 2004 Posts: 130

Ray Walton is a well known barbel angler here in England and once held the british record for a barbel of about 17lbs (current record has just topped 20lb).

Ray's speciality is to freeline a large lump of luncheon meat (spam, or similar) and literally roll it down a swim using the current of the water. Hence his nickname "Rolling Ray Walton".

This reel, like many was made by JWYoungs (they are apparently about to release a v2 of this reel) and unlike others in JWYoungs range it's a side-caster. ie, the reel can be rotated 90 degrees so as to allow a cast similar to a fixed-spool, then rotated back to act like a normal centrepin.

Personally?? I dunno why he doesn't just learn to wallis-cast Very Happy

spindle · Lunker Joined: 24 Oct 2004 Posts: 130

Quite a range of centrepins on this page

http://www.davistackle.co.uk/reels.htm

Davis Tackle is a famous little angling shop next to the Royalty Fishery in Christchurch, Dorset. (for more info see my FWK Wallis thread).

spindle · Lunker Joined: 24 Oct 2004 Posts: 130

One of the weirdest of pins I've seen is the DAM Robo (german, I think). Can't find a pic at the moment though Sad

SageDrifter · Lunker Joined: 02 Sep 2004 Posts: 726

kevanf1 · Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2004 12:59 pm Post subject:

Now, that Ray Walton Rolling Pin. I can honestly say that it is possibly the worst looking pin I have ever seen. Maybe I'm biased in some way but I just don't like it. Biased? Because I don't like pins with the twisting mechanism. They end up putting a lot of twists and kinks in the line. I actually had a good - though fairly light hearted - argument with Ray about learning to Wallis cast and therefore negating the need for the twisting mechanism.

spindle · Lunker Joined: 24 Oct 2004 Posts: 130

I actually like the look of it - just a shame it's a sidecaster!

spindle · Lunker Joined: 24 Oct 2004 Posts: 130

John Wilson is my hero! When I was about 13 (blimey - almost 20 years ago now!!), Anglia Television brought out a new series of half-hour fishing programs called Go Fishing. Perhaps for the first time they managed to make a decent angling program that was both interesting and informative. It was presented by John Wilson - a reasonably well known UK angler and tackle dealer at the time.

One of his first programs was about catching Roach (a smallish silver fish that grows to about 4lb, but 1lb being a reasonable size). I distinctly remember watching with awe as he sat in a boat and trotted a float downstream for roach, but it was his . Match Aerial centrepin that really caught my eye. That was how I first caught the centrepin bug (it was AGES before I could actually afford one mind!).

Since then John Wilson has become a huge angling celebrity, and is perhaps the finest all-round angler we have in the UK.

Anyway, this is the reel he designed and is another from JWYOUNG. John's not a Wallis Caster, so it has a line-guard. It's 4.5" diameter with a 16mm drum width.

spindle · Lunker Joined: 24 Oct 2004 Posts: 130

My CL 1915 again but I thought I'd include this pic because it's one of my favourites (of those I've taken). My . Wizard, a set of old Salter brass scales and a 4lb Chub.

One of my favourite species the chub - this one was caught on a large cube of breadcrust from the river Great Ouse.

spindle · Lunker Joined: 24 Oct 2004 Posts: 130

The Shakespeare Aerial. If I remember correctly this was made to celebrate Shakespeare's centenary year and this is yet another reel made by JWYoungs. Quite appropriate because it was JWYoungs who made most of the centrepins for the . company, and it was Shakespeare who eventually bought out ..

I'm not absolutely keen on the styling of this reel, though hey, I'd still like one!! Like many modern reels, this one runs on a ball-bearing race.

spindle · Lunker Joined: 24 Oct 2004 Posts: 130

Thanks to Keith - he of the Bewick review - for pics of this and the Shakespeare!

The Browning Rotator - the cheaper sibling of the Revolver, but similar in that it is a true-pin (ie. simple bush and bearing, not a ball-bearing in site!) and is of a similar (and controversial?) colour.

Me? I like this one...!

Nigel · Posted: Fri Oct 29, 2004 1:18 pm Post subject:

Glenn,

Not sure if Keith's reel was the centenary reel. I think it was an aerial. I have a distant memory of seeing the aerial in a presentation box in a tackle shop in Northallerton.

No doubt Keith will put us right.

Nigel.

Chromebuck · Posted: Fri Oct 29, 2004 1:56 pm Post subject:

Very excellent and objective review on the Greys. Thanks Glen!

Looked deep into the archives and found an image you UK guys might find quite interesting. This was considered the largest "private" float reel collection known. There is a museum out in BC that would certainly beat this. It has long since been broken up and sold off, but there are some true classics in this collection. Where does one find a wife that allows this as the livingroom centerpiece LOL! Razz

Until next week...Cheers!

Keith · Adult Joined: 01 Nov 2004 Posts: 62

Hi lads,

Nigel, you're quite right - mine is the "ordinary" Shakey Aerial - the Centenary model was anodised a rather nice dark bronze colour.

They're the same reel apart from that though...

Glad you liked the review, Chromebuck - the Bewick is a nice little reel, but definitely overpriced.

Mind you, I might have been more complimentary if they'd let me keep it!

Wink

spindle · Lunker Joined: 24 Oct 2004 Posts: 130

A 'pin produced for (by?) a mainstream tackle manufacturer.

spindle · Lunker Joined: 24 Oct 2004 Posts: 130

You should know this one - the Hardy "Conquest"