Shakespeare Sigma 2860 center pin

The Other Reels forum.
Post Reply
User avatar
OldAngler
Perch
Posts: 403
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2017 8:00 pm
6
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire area

Shakespeare Sigma 2860 center pin

Post by OldAngler »

In a 1979 angling magazine I recently came across an advertisement for the Shakespeare Sigma 2860 center pin.' Side plates made of glass filled polycarbonate, and spools made of glass filled nylon.' It came with three spools for quick changing. Weight 6 ounces.

Does anyone own one of these, and what are they like to use? For example are they a free running trotting reel or more suited to close still water float fishing?

User avatar
Vole
Rainbow Trout
Posts: 3020
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2011 6:48 am
12
Location: Barnet

Re: Shakespeare Sigma 2860 center pin

Post by Vole »

One of the few reels I've parted with. It was a good idea to make a "cassette" centrepin, so you could carry several lines, but instead of an end-float screw, it had a tapered, pointy-ended sideways-running screw that ran on the polished dome of the pin, which was nowhere near as smooth.
I think there were also problems with them flexing, and so binding, under pressure, but caught nothing to put that to the test.
They may have had a cult following among shooting-head addicts, being so light, so large in the arbour, meaning less curl in the backing, and allowing you to take as many lines as you could bother with, and only one reel; certainly the second one I bought (for the cassettes) had been so used.
Last edited by Vole on Wed Mar 04, 2020 2:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Write drunk, edit sober" - Hemingway.
Hemingway didn't have to worry about accidentally hitting "submit" before he edited.

User avatar
OldAngler
Perch
Posts: 403
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2017 8:00 pm
6
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire area

Re: Shakespeare Sigma 2860 center pin

Post by OldAngler »

Thank you. That helps.

Regards, Old Angler

User avatar
Willsmodger
Rudd
Posts: 321
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2016 9:09 am
8
Location: Wednesbury

Re: Shakespeare Sigma 2860 center pin

Post by Willsmodger »

I had one of these.

However, I can't tell you much about it. I used it once, fishing from the steps at Bewdley. I caught a small roach early on, then for a reason I can't remember, but probably a tangle, took it off the rod and never used it again.

I know that around that time, Clive Smith and Ken Giles were consultants for Shakespeare. On the cover of Modern Match Fishing there is a photo of Ken using a pin together with what looks like a President match rod. I don't think it's a Sigma though.

It's a puzzle, because President rods were towards the top end in those days, and weren't exactly cheap. If Ken had asked Shakespeare to produce a pin, along with what was a very good idea of having extra spools, then the only reason I can think of for the material used was one of cost.

Sorry I can't be of much help. I'm not even sure why I bought it, other than my local fishing tackle shop was just down the road and was a Shakespeare stockist. Maybe money burning a hole.

User avatar
Dave Burr
Honorary Vice President
Posts: 13482
Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2012 7:03 pm
11
Location: Not far from the Wye
Contact:

Re: Shakespeare Sigma 2860 center pin

Post by Dave Burr »

I can't get a translator to work on my Chromebook but I have found this blog entry which may help

http://nostalgischeshakespearemolensuit ... repin.html

I seem to recall from the time that they were classed under the general heading of 'cheap 'n nasty' but I have never used one myself.

User avatar
Flathead
Stickleback
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Sep 29, 2020 8:17 am
3

Re: Shakespeare Sigma 2860 center pin

Post by Flathead »

As already stated they were quite popular for shooting heads in the days before large arbour fly reels and because of the spare spools....I had a couple of them once but gave one away....found the other one in a box in the shed a couple of days ago!

User avatar
Stingray
Grayling
Posts: 520
Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2014 5:14 am
9
Location: Wirral

Re: Shakespeare Sigma 2860 center pin

Post by Stingray »

"Glass filled nylon": not quite what it sounds like but rather a composite material of glass fibres (or powder) mixed with nylon; strong. Was used by Intrepid on their sea reels to good effect.

Post Reply

Return to “Other Reels”