JW Young & Sons Centrepin Reels

I feel very excited to announce that in the autumn I was invited to be an ambassador for JW Young & Sons. When it comes to centrepin reels, it seems to be widely acknowledged that their beautiful pins are really quite something to behold! JW Young & Sons Centrepin reels have been made in Worcestershire and Gloucestershire since 1884, and it’s a huge privilege to be associated with such a highly regarded fishing tackle brand.

My love for trotting has grown in recent years. Initially on fix-spool reels, but quite quickly I realised the huge difference a centrepin makes when trying to glide a float down the river.

The first reeI I tried was the Triton True-Pin. This is a classic True-Pin design which spins directly on the centre spindle without any bearings, for a truly traditional fishing experience. True-pins are widely considered by anglers as the creme de la creme of reels. The craftsmanship became immediately apparent as I unboxed this beautiful handmade masterpiece!

“I always compare using a JW Youngs true pin reel, with driving a full out classic sports car: they take river fishing to the next level.”

Bob James

So, I put the Triton reel on my Glide float rod and I headed for the river in hope of catching a barbel. The superior quality of the Triton was immediately evident on the very first trot through! I had been using other centrepins previously, but they were nowhere near as smooth as this. The line just glided off the reel effortlessly and the whole experience was more straightforward and pleasurable. I’m happy to say that I did manage a barbel on this short session and was chuffed to have caught it on my stunning new centrepin reel.

Myself and legendary fishing companion Dan B had planned our winter grayling sessions. Annually we put in a few trips on the rivers down in Hampshire and Dorset to target these stunning river fish. The JW Young & Sons Trudex III is a more lightweight reel that’s smaller in dimensions and was perfect for targeting these smaller species. I loaded the Trudex with 4lb mainline and headed down south in search of grayling!

These grayling sessions are always so very special, and this one was no different. I had an amazing time in beautiful countryside with Dan. We had a right laugh, as we always do, and caught some cracking grayling too! Again, the quality of the reel simply made a huge difference.

I wasn’t having to constantly ‘thumb the spool’ or deal with tangles. I was able to let the reel do the work while I simply enjoyed being there!

In my opinion, the Trudex is sold for reasonable money. You’re never going to find high products like this for peanuts, but I can honestly say that it’s quite easy to justify the money spent on a Trudex pin. For me, the difference isn’t specifically in features or technicalities. The key difference here is being able to forget about ‘the equipment’ and to completely immerse yourself in your fishing and the surroundings.

On my next session, I decided to stay closer to home. One of my targets for this winter is to catch a decent roach from the river. Of course, I was able to adopt a virtually identical set up to the one I’d used on my recent grayling sessions. So, after a quick visit to the tackle shop to grab some maggots, I was back the river and on the hunt for big roach!

The session went well. Initially it was a struggle to get past the small chub. I even landed a couple of small barbel, before I was blessed with a handful of stunning roach. Not the 2lbers I was after, but a good start to my roach campaign and I’ll definitely be back another day to try again!

So, that covers my first few sessions with these beautiful centrepin reeIs. On reflection, I wouldn’t waste my money on the cheaper alternatives, because you’ll probably want to step up to a higher quality pin quite quickly. Of course, that’s up to you, but the pins I previously owned now sit redundant on the side at home! I definitely recommend that you take a look at the JW Young & Sons Centrepin Reels.

If you want to find out more about these and other centrepin reels then please visit the JW Youngs & Son website. I already have another few sessions planned ‘on the pin’ this winter. Always such a special time on year to be on the river 🙂 Good luck with your fishing!