Stupid question time.

[Willsmodger]

Lovely reel, and a great paint job. I'm seriously tempted. It looks the same as the one recommended by MGs. Despite finding a bus and offering to meet, my Mordex guy hasn't replied to me so.....

Economics demands that I buy used tackle. I've got ten rods and there isn't a new one amongst them, but I'm an accidental recycler truth be told.

Luckily online bus schedules, a £4 all day ticket and an A-Z means I can find pretty much find anywhere in the West Midlands. Many thanks to a lad named Billy, who took pity on me having to get to Briefly Hill and refused payment for a Shakespeare rod. Only £10, but still, a very kind gesture.

I actually like my adventures, most of the time. One rod was at a house numbered in the high hundred. I got off the nearest bus stop and turned into the road. The first house number I saw was 2.

All the best
Will.

[Grumpy]

I bought a Marco Cortesi a few years back.4.25" diameter,spool width 1".I think it was £30.Not trad,not a good reel for trotting as its a little chunky but good for ledgering for Barbel.Quite well engineered,I have never had trouble with line going behind the spool.

[Willsmodger]

I had a couple of the MK 2's. From Dragon Carp for about the same price each. Black with red portings. They were 4.5" as I remember. Had a line guard and came in a very nice box.

One was great out of the box, smooth and free running. The other hardly spun. I let that go. Then a TF Gear Free Flow appeared on EBay, so I sold the Marco and got that. Great reel, my go to silvers reel. I could load it up with 10lb+ line for barbel fishing and it would cope, but I thought for the money about £40ish I could get a dedicated barbel reel.

I've tried the Stillwater Severn reel and the RVS Discovery reel which Angling Direct were selling, although mine was used. That's a thug of a reel, looks identical to one called the Trinium which was available for a while.

Both had very poor tolerances , the Discovery was loaded with what looked like shark fishing line, it still got behind the spool.

I sold them on, pointing out they would probably make great margin carp or barbel static reels. Like your Marco.

For trotting though, either I'm incompetent at using them or spooling up the reel or there's design flaws. I don't think it's just me, there are comments on BFW and Maggotdrowners about the same problem with other cheap Chinese imports.

I think the reel that MGs and Kev d kindly posted photos of is the one. You can see on Kev's photo that it's tightly engineered, and being so free running would be ideal for use as both a trotting and having a brake, as a margin reel.

Thanks for your help, much appreciated

All the best
Will.

[Santiago]

For the money you can't beat an Okuma Sheffield . Mine even works well at trotting when using a small stick float when the Thames is barely running . The only issue is that they run so smoothly one has to be more careful to prevent over running! I'd advise saving up for quality rather than buying second hand or the cheap Chinese imports. Otherwise buy second hand from a fellow tff member who can assure you that they're selling you a good 'un.

[Willsmodger]

Thanks Santiago.

I had a Sheffield for a while, it was everything you say it is, poverty forced its sale.

As it is, like you for light stick margin fishing, I have the TFGear Free Flow. Ridiculously free running (described in the Angling Times review as being close to achieving perpetual motion lol) very well made, runs straight and silently, even upside down, which is Nobby's criteria for a decent pin, and if Nobby says so....

I was looking for a cheap pin as a dedicated barbel reel with 10lb + lines. For both trotting and margin legering.

I think the one in the photo kindly posted by Kev d is the one, all the trimmings, line guard, brake and wide drum and unlike the others I've tried looks to have a decent tolerance of spool to backplate.

I must admit, the Sheffield is a beauty, and its reputation precedes it, every forum I lurk on has great user reviews about it so even used ones go for £100+ One day maybe I'll get reacquainted.

Thanks again.

All the best
Will.