The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I know from a quick search on the Forum that I am not the only member that has had some fascination about (if not for) these reels, so I decided to 'scratch the itch' when one became available as a (rather expensive) experiment.

If you are completely traditional in the sense that you have interest only in cane rods (and nothing else) and/or will only use a vintage (or vintage-looking) centrepin reel then I am surprised (having inevitably glimpsed below) that you have made it this far. This post is not an exercise to attempt to pique your interest or wax lyrical about this reel. This is a Traditional Fisherman's Forum after all. The intention is solely to tell the enquirer what I found, given that I feel there may be a curiosity 'out there'.

Strike me down, should you wish to moderators, because this is not a TFF-type reel by any stretch!

Apparently these were Swiss made and I am aware of two colours/types. Mine is the purple (yes purple!) standard version but there is also a gold model with a rotating reel seat that enables side casting. Mine weighs less than five ounces and, coupled with the latest modern rod at 14', the whole outfit only weighs ten ounces. The spool is five inches in diameter stretching to six inches including the spool edges.

The most impressive feature, as well as the weight, is the lack of inertia. It is no exaggeration to say that the spool will rotate on its bearing simply by blowing on it (and it literally only needs a whisper for it to begin to move). It therefore lends itself naturally to being held in the hand all day, trotting a very slow moving river. It will deliver ultimate float control.

Don't think this is a eulogy though, it has its drawbacks. First, that the line regularly gets trapped and wrapped behind the spool on a knob that secures the spindle to the handle, which is uber-frustrating. I developed a system of casting whereby I held the reel face down as I released the float. That way if the line was in anyway loose it would fall away from the reel not round the back of it. That helped. Any breeze whilst using this reel would cause nightmares. The second drawback is just how flimsy it is. Dace, roach and grayling most certainly but I wouldn't want to hit anything bigger than a small chub.

What would certainly help would be to take the line off the top of the spool and retrieve by winding backwards but I can't do that. It also got me thinking about having another rod ring much closer to the reel spool but that would create an angle as the line runs off the spool.

In conclusion, an interesting experience and if I develop tennis elbow with my 13' Aspindale and Rapidex then I guess 'needs must'; beyond that I will leave the reader who has made it through this post to form your own view!

Ouch! Looks very fancy. Bobby

I Have gone blind ..... I Hope it is temporary

Wow that's loud!

Thanks for your review Phil.

Hello very pretty a purple reel I have a get ready a pink mobile phone I also have a Gary mills centre pin and the line gets stuck behind the spool forget to check the lots in the water when carping l bet you can trot all day with that combo mike

Don't worry, I'm not sensitive on this one - don't hold back with your thoughts chaps! It's the reel equivalent of a hand reared triploid rainbow trout!

Whopper wohoow Phil...my first intention was to hit the 'report this post' - button
I am not 100% sure but I fear I have to tell you that this piece of something is NOT a pin! It is meant to be used after fellache(?) using a 'Hegene' in German. As I do not know the translation I try to describe. At the end of the line there will be a little weight and then (pretty similar to a sea fishing rig) there are various small nymphs on 'springers' from the main line. A good few of them each 20cm or more away from each other. You cast it opposite the river and let it drift down...
Of course, due to the design, you could use them like a pin...
In Germany on the 'Bodensee' you do see them quite often.
I hope you don't get used to it too much though .

... what Chris said. I'm quite sure that this reel is a 'Renkenrolle', designed for fishing after whitefish (species of the coregonus family) in deep alpine lakes.
The Hegene method works like Chris describes it, but isn't used in rivers but in lakes from a boat. There's also a similar method using a float as bite indicator.
I haven't done it yet but I know an angler who used to live in the Alpes and has often told me about this method. Next time I meet him, I'll ask him whether he's familiar with this reel. There's not much to find about it on the internet.

I think that the river method, that you're describing, is fishing nymphs with a Tiroler Hölzel that is done with a fixed spool reel rather than centrepin reel.

I'm not sure whether it is legal to fish after the whitefish species that live in Bala lake in Wales or some Scottish lochs, but your DAM RoBo, Phil, would probably be the right reel for the job.

I once bought a pink fixed spool reel with blue and red led's that flashes as the spool turned. It would look quite butch alongside your reel Phil

I'm kidding.... it would be a draw. But I have handled one of those ultra light 'pin's' and I can see a sort of attraction - maybe.

If you have tennis elbow, try an epicondylitis clasp. https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=epico ... 44&bih=676

And pressing the tender spot until your eyes bleed also helps. Honest, it hurts like crazy but it does give it relief. I had a physiotherapist doing it for ten minutes until her fingers went white on one occasion. I told her that nobody had ever hurt me that much before without getting punched but, being a psychopath (they all are aren't they?), she just smiled. Mind you, I went on to have the operation but on my other elbow it did do some good.

I see your big pink one and raise you a holy one.

At least DAM had a species and method in mind. What on earth were TJ Harrington thinking?




A full 14 inches of line retrieved with each turn of the spool............no one has ever measured the line capacity with the cork arbour removed, but presumably it was measured in miles.....?