I explained to him what I have explained hundreds of times both vocally and in print why and when I use a centre pin. Perhaps if I do so this one last time, I can direct any doubting Thomas in the future to this Blog?
Trotting. I really, truly believe that 99% of the time a centre pin is a better trotting tool than a fixed spool. Your control is easier. Your strike is quick and without the agonising kerfuffle of flipping over the bail arm. Paying out line is easier. Holding back is more direct. Playing a big fish on light gear is safer. Once you have mastered batting the drum, retrieving is as fast as with a fixed spool- IF you feel a fast retrieve is necessary.
What about 1% of the time? I have found a pin can struggle in extremely fast water and that is when simply opening the bail arm can score.
Marginal work on still waters. A pin is tailor made for close in still water work, especially when you are using a float. My belief is that, like when trotting, you can go finer than you would when using a fixed spool. I have no doubt that once you know what you are doing, controlling the pin’s drum with your thumb ( or finger) gives you far more sensitivity than you can find with any machined gearing system. The “feel” you develop with your thumb allows you to use mainline and bottoms that would be risky when using a fixed spool. Finer lines are not always an advantage but they are a lot of the time in my fishing world. But I am not bonkers. You will not find me using pins if I am feeder fishing at 60 yards range, for example.
Close in Pike fishing. This is a recent one for me. I have started fishing for pike increasingly in the margins, where long casting is not an issue. Previously, I simply used a fixed spool reel’s bait runner facility but I am finding the check of a pin serves the same purpose and is far more easily set up. The scream of a ratchet giving line to running pike is hair raising but I’ll skip the poetry and stick to the facts.
That is about it. The pin is unsuitable for many jobs in coarse fishing but it is king for many of them. My diaries suggest that I use pins for at least 70% on my outings. I would therefore chose pins over fixed spools if I were forced to make a choice. Is that sentimental or sensible? You can decide but I know where I stand on the matter.