We’re fortunate to live in a time where technology and innovation has driven the development of some of the most advanced fishing gear the world has ever seen.
As the saying goes, “necessity is the mother of invention”, and for people who fish, we’re always in need of something new in a sport with so many niches. Float, or bobber, fishing isn’t exactly a new method in our sport, but it has become a lifestyle for many anglers who target salmon and steelhead in rivers, creeks, and streams. What is new, however, are many of the innovative tools to deliver a float and bait to lurking salmonids.
Enter the Lamiglas Redline CenterSpin lineup of rods to fill the growing niche of center pin angling while also serving anglers who rely on the tried-and-true spinning reel to put the float in the strike zone.
What makes the Redline CenterSpin series stand out among other float rods?
Dubbed as “the most versatile float rods on the market”, the aptly named CenterSpin is the first series of float rods developed specifically to be fished equally as effectively with a center pin or spinning reel.
Quality, performance, dependability, value – all are characteristics that anglers have always asked from their gear, and all are qualities that the CenterSpin series is measured against.
Offered in three models, we’re going to focus on the HS13CS (13’, 4-10lb line, moderate/fast action, medium light power) model as a case study in this article.
But anglers should also consider the HS113CS (perfectly suited for Great Lakes steelhead) and the mighty HS12CS (a great model for big steelhead and salmon anglers alike).
So how does the HS13CS fare in delivering these characteristics?
Quality – The first thing you’ll notice in picking up the CenterSpin is that it is not your typical broom handle rod that is much too heavy and overpowered for salmon and steelhead.
Similarly, it is not a limp noodle with such a slow action and light power that anglers lose the hook-setting command they need to drive the hook home in the hard mouths of salmon and steelhead.
On the contrary, the highly durable graphite blank that forms the rod’s backbone is paired with a comfortable graphite handle to provide extreme sensitivity all the way through the rod.
The graphite handle is ideal at repelling water and its black color helps to absorb light energy and retain heat from the angler’s hands.
A high number of guides allow the line to move along the rod more smoothly during the cast and retrieve process as opposed to a rod with fewer guides; not to mention that more guides help to more evenly distribute tension when the rod is under load of a big fish.
The HSCS13 features 12 guides to provide a nearly flawless arch of the line along the rod, which is upwards of 25% more guides than competing float rod models.
The sliding rings on the handle are very familiar to center pin anglers but may be foreign to some anglers who use spinning reels on rods with fixed reel seats. If you’re among the spinning reel crowd, don’t let this intimidate you as it’s a feature that more and more float rods are incorporating, and for good reason.
Sliding rings allow anglers to place a center pin or spinning reel at any point along the handle, which means you can adjust the reel position to achieve a perfectly balanced rod or to be fished at your ideal position.
This also means that anglers can balance the rod regardless of the reel weight and regardless of employing a center pin or spinning reel. All reels are weighted differently, and it’s very difficult to achieve perfect balance on a float rod with fixed reel seats.
Red accents and text along the blacked out graphite shaft and handle give the rod an exceptionally attractive look that few other rods can match. All the features combine to provide a high quality and attractive float rod that any angler would be happy to cast.
Performance –Arguably the most important of these four characteristics, performance means everything on the water and during the fight.
All the CenterSpin models are rigid and straight when at rest, yet limber when setting the hook – a great combination for float anglers who need to mend line while still delivering a long distance hook set.
The HS13CS model is ideally suited for anglers who fish medium-to-large waters, or where conditions allow for long drifts for steelhead and smaller salmon species. Large Chinook salmon will test this model, but that’s where anglers should look to the HS12CS model when going toe-to-toe with the king.
For comparison, the 11’3” HS113CS model is a great option for anglers fishing small-to-medium streams and when close-quarter fishing conditions are needed for steelhead and smaller salmon.
When using rods in the neighborhood of 13 feet in length, many anglers find that placing the butt end of the rod on the ground allows for much easier adjustments of the float, split shot, and bait at the rod tip. All the CenterSpin models feature a rubberized butt cap that provides durability and longevity in preventing damage to the handle – a great feature that many other float rods don’t offer.
The butt cap also offers just the right amount of weight to help balance the rod.
The HS13CS packs a powerful butt section that allows anglers to really lean into a fish. The mid-section offers just the right amount of bend that anglers want to see in a float rod, but also carries enough power to “stick the wood” to the fish (so to speak). The mid-section is where a lot of other float rods lose their credibility in the salmon and steelhead float fishing business.
A super slow action and ultralight power through the middle section means that the rod’s fighting power must default to the butt section, which is often not an adequate option to manage big, unruly fish.
Alternatively, we’ve all fished with rods that are too heavily armed in the mid-section and we all know that these rods just don’t provide an enjoyable fight.
Moving to the top section, the HS13CS is flexible and sensitive, allowing the angler to feel any tick of the line. But most importantly, the top section was designed to allow for superior line management during a long drift and to protect light leaders during the hook set. The ladder is especially important for steelhead anglers who are often fishing with 4lb leaders.
All in all, the HS13CS delivers exactly what float anglers need, and how they need it.
Dependability – Salmon and steelhead anglers are often fishing in tough environments and conditions, so we need a rod that is going to take some hits and throw back a few punches itself.
We all know that salmon and steelhead are large, powerful fish that bring streaking runs, big leaps, and bent hooks to every angler that tangles with them. So no rod that enters the salmon and steelhead arena should be under gunned or lack the capabilities that anglers need to feel confident that we’re in it to win the fight. Hailing from the quality category, the components that go into the making of the HS13CS, and the other CenterSpin models as well, are meant to deliver the intended results exactly when they are needed.
The rod was designed and built with materials that were intended to provide an extremely capable salmon and steelhead float rod, and this is exactly what the HS13CS represents. It doesn’t seem to matter what the brand or model that a rod represents – there will always be naysayers who strive to detract from the good reputation of a rod.
In many cases, these folks had a bad experience with the rod. In some of these cases, the angler may have received a faulty rod from the manufacturer. It can and does happen, and disappointment from the angler’s point of view is justified (see the value section for more on the CenterSpin’s limited Lifetime Warranty). However, much to the begrudging from many of us, it is much, much more likely that a rod failure occurs solely at the hands of the anglers ourselves.
Nothing can damage the reputation of rod like it breaking during a fight, which detracts from purchasing that same style of rod again. So let’s be fair for a minute – as anglers, we often ask much too much from our gear and we are the culprit when our gear fails. Hitting the rod with split shot, dropping it on the rocks, stepping on it – all are actions caused by the angler and no one else. All rods take abuse and all rods can only take so much abuse before failing.
The CenterSpin is relatively new to the world of float fishing, so we can’t yet speak to longevity over the decades. However, we do know that the series was tested by guides, professional anglers, and fanatics who will fish more hours in a year than most of us will in a lifetime.
All the CenterSpin models passed their tests for dependability, so there’s a very, very good chance it will pass yours as well. Of course, the dependability of a rod is a characteristic that is earned, not given, and there’s only one way to find out if the HS13CS is worth its mettle to you.
Value – You are going to be really hard-pressed to find another rod at this price point that checks off all the boxes in the way that the HS13CS can. Not to mention that you aren’t going to find another rod that was developed to be fished equally well with a center pin and spinning reel. So anglers are really getting an exceptional 2-for-1 float fishing rod at the price that most comparable pin or spinning rods cost themselves.
Couple this with Lamiglas’ limited Lifetime Warranty and anglers can be assured that they are receiving a finely tuned tool for chasing salmon and steelhead. If the rod fails due to a manufacturer defect, it will be replaced at no charge.
Very few other rod manufacturers offer any type of warranty, but anglers can have the peace of mind knowing that they can replace their CenterSpin for a small fee, even if it is the angler’s actions that damage or break the rod. This quality alone makes the HS13CS worthy of a second look for anglers considering purchasing a new float rod.
Combining all these characteristics into a single float rod was no small task, but the results speak for themselves. The CenterSpin lineup offers everything that a salmon and steelhead float angler wants and needs from their rod. And best of all, the CenterSpin offers center pin and spinning anglers an equally valuable tool for chasing big fish.
Consider this analogy – can you use a screw driver to hammer in a nail?
Technically, yes. But it’s not the best tool for the job and it wasn’t designed to do that job. That’s like using a fly rod to ice fish. Can you do it? Technically, yes. But it’s probably not going to give you the best results and there are better tools for the job. The CenterSpin is the better tool in this situation. It was designed to be the better float fishing tool. It does provide better all-around results.
No other rod was specifically designed to be fished with a center pin or a spinning reel, so it truly provides the best of both worlds. Quality, performance, dependability, good value.
The CenterSpin delivers on all accounts and you’ll have a lot of fun chasing trophy salmon and steelhead with this lineup of rods. We certainly do!
- Written by Justin DiRado
