Adcock Stanton centrepin reel - 07/04/2009

One of the reasons why I still love fishing is because I’m a bit of a romantic at heart. When part of my job involved selling advertising I used to spend hours on the phone talking to that fantastic reel maker Cliff Adcock about the centrepins he made and his love of the River Trent, which isn’t far from his doorstep. We shared much in common, having both grown up using a centrepin reel, even on stillwaters. But the advent of the fixed-spool reel put paid to that and for a long time centrepins were no more than collectors’ items.

But then Cliff sent me one of his ‘pins’ to review and a day on the Hampshire Avon with my pal Bob James reawakened the pleasure angler in me. I loved it; it didn’t take long to get the hang of it again, long trotting for chub and roach. Having grown used to match tactics, fishing with fine lines, 2.6lb main line, 12oz bottoms and size 24 hooks had become the norm. Not so that day – 3lb main line, straight through to a big piece of breadflake impaled on a size 12 hook. I bagged up and I was hooked on ‘the pin’ again.

I kind of lost contact with Cliff in the 1990s, but I kept the trusty ’pin and used it whenever I got the opportunity. Then back in October 2008 at the Tackle & Guns Trade Show, Ray Hyland, an angler I have known for many years, wandered onto our stand and told me he had bought Adcock Stanton and all the tooling from Cliff and he planned to re-introduce the reels. “And they will be even better than the originals,” he told me. Some boast, I thought. But Ray was as good as his word; just after Christmas he visited me at the DHP offices and proudly presented me with the new Adcock Stanton.

His boast, that the new reels would be even better than the originals, was no empty promise. The new reel, with my name engraved on it, is superb. There is no wobble, it just spins and spins and spins. Beginning in the May issue of this magazine, editor Kevin Wilmot has asked me to write a new series along the lines of ‘David Hall Goes Fishing With…’ They will all be mates of course: Bob James – grayling fishing on the Test, definitely a ’pin job, John Bailey on the Wensum – a no-brainer that one. The reel will get plenty of use this summer, of that I have no doubt.

I suspect because of the quality of the reel and the presentation case it comes in, many of these reels will never be used and with prices starting at £299 they don’t come cheap, but then neither do Rolls Royces. To be honest, it wouldn’t be out of place in a glass case, but I feel no sense of guilt in saying that will not be the case with mine. If you have a feeling for a ’pin then visit Ray’s website at www.adcockstanton.com and read Bob Robert’s glowing review. On the other hand, you could always give Ray a ring. But be warned, though, his enthusiasm is likely to get the better of you and your pocket. Roll on summer.

Fact file
Adcock Stanton centrepin reel
Price: £299 for single-colour 4.5in, £329 for single-colour 5in. Customised colours and engravings cost more.
Information: Ray Hyland, tel: 01530 831166. Visit: www.adcockstanton.com