I'm looking to broaden my fishing horizons this winter and take up coarse fishing. I'm thinking pretty much 100% rivers and want to go about this in a pretty minimalist way, being as mobile as possible with just a rod, reel and small bag with essentials. However having been a fly fisher for all my life with my only deviations being into a spot of spinning for pike I have no idea where to start with gear.
I have access to a few decent rivers locally, (Thames, Cherwell, Ray, Windrush) and from what I understand of it trotting would probably suit my fishing temperament, though the above rivers also hold barbel which I'm also very interested in.
So, question is where do I start with rod, reel and basic tackle?

Any advice very gratefully received!

Cheers

Andy

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GAIC Single Handed Casting Instructor

http://www.andygreyfishing.com/

Oh dear, you're about to start acquiring another vast armoury of gear.

If you fancy trotting you are primarily going to be targeting the smaller silver fish on the rivers you mention, and maybe some chub up to a couple of pounds. You'll need a float rod of between 11' and 14' depending on the size of the river which will dictate how much line you are going to have to control. The other major decision will be fixed spool reel or centre pin. Aesthetically the centre pin is nicer to use and perhaps more familiar to a fly angler but a fixed spool is probably easier for you to use at anything other than the closest range. A range of stick floats carrying different shot loads will start you off and I'd watch some of the programmes running on Discovery Shed (Sky 242) as there are some good proponents of trotting and coarse fishing generally, people like Matt Hayes, John Wilson, Bob Nudd and Dave Harald are worth watching for good coarse fishing advice.

You are not really likely to get barbel trotting in the winter, this is a better prospect in the summer and autumn. To do the whole job and get amongst the barbel and chub you are also probably going to have to embrace legering as well and for this you need what is generally called an "Avon" style rod which is usually 10' 6" to 12', more through actioned with a test curve of between 1lb and 1lb 8oz. For this a fixed spool is much better so if you're looking for one reel go for a fixed spool, a spare spool or two gives you a choice of breaking strains.

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“There is no more lovely country than Monmouthshire in early spring. Nowhere do the larks sing quite so passionately, as if somehow inspired by the Welsh themselves. There is a blackbird on every thorn and a cock chaffinch, a twink as they call him there, on every bush...... It moved me profoundly. I had been spared to see another spring, and I thank God for it.”

Oliver Kite
“A Spring Day on the Usk”
A Fisherman’s Diary

That's very good advice from sewinbasher regarding reels. Don't let anyone persuade you to buy a centrepin reel for trotting. Lovely as they can be to use, you are much better off with a good quality fixed spool reel.

or a good closed face one especially in windy conditions ,one such as the daiwa 125m or any of the old abu 50 series ,or if you can find one an old french "crack" closed face reel , as for fixed spool reels you will be hard pushed to better one of these for trotting.. Daiwa 1657DM Autocast - Matchman Supplies

it has a short reel stem enabling easy reach of the spool to control your float ...

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WHEN YOU LEAVE THE RIVER, TAKE NOTHING, AND LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINT'S!!!

THA CAN TELL A YORKSHIREMAN ,BUT THA CAN'T TELL HIM MUCH !!

I agree with Bruce I have a couple of pins but personally when fishing a float on the rivers and becks round here, "trotting" a long swim isnt often practical so I prefer to use a closed face reel. I have a Daiwa and there good reels but be careful when buying used as the pickup pin on them is prone to faults.
They make casting into tight spots a lot easier and are great when its windy...
Andy

Fly fishing North Yorkshire

Yes, I like closed face reels and often use an old Abu 506 which is perfect for grayling fishing.

I include closed face reels under the general heading of fixed spool although they work differently. The only problem I have with closed face reels is that I find the drag on the Abu a little difficult to use with big fish on and prefer the rear screw of the modern fixed spool if I'm likely to get into a chub rather than the grayling that I usually target.

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“There is no more lovely country than Monmouthshire in early spring. Nowhere do the larks sing quite so passionately, as if somehow inspired by the Welsh themselves. There is a blackbird on every thorn and a cock chaffinch, a twink as they call him there, on every bush...... It moved me profoundly. I had been spared to see another spring, and I thank God for it.”

Oliver Kite
“A Spring Day on the Usk”
A Fisherman’s Diary

sewinbasher .....thats where the beauty of the 125m comes into play closed face reel with rear drag

Daiwa 125m Close Face Reel - Reels

and if need be take out the anti reverse on the 50 and just use it with a backwind facility ......

__________________
WHEN YOU LEAVE THE RIVER, TAKE NOTHING, AND LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINT'S!!!

THA CAN TELL A YORKSHIREMAN ,BUT THA CAN'T TELL HIM MUCH !!

I dont use anything else but centrepins for all my trotting but as sewin basher says a fixed spool reel is sufficient for your requirements and once you master that THEN you can move to a centrepin reel if you so wish.

I see a lot of anglers going straight to a centrepin trying to use it, cant, so after one trip throw it in the tackle bag or it goes on ebay then the pin gets a slagging for being rubbish.

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A Scotsman in Yorkshire now there IS a combination

Centrepins are not difficult to use in theory but in practice some practice would be necessary, if that makes sense. As everyone above says starting with a fixed spool makes more sense. I use a modern 13' Drennan match rod with a 2500 size fixed spool reel. The length of the rod and lightness make steering the float easier, especially at range and remember you have told hold it all day.
Definately move onto a pin later if you wish but learning the mechanics of trotting with a similar set up to the above will make things a whole lot easier.

Chris.

P.S A word with George above regarding suitable floats helped me immensly .

I enjoy a bit of trotting in the winter months for the grayling. Here's a few tips to what I have found makes life a bit easier on the river.

1) Buy yourself a bait apron (Daiwa do a nice one for under a tenner) it will save your back having to constantly bend down and pick up maggots, corn or whatever from a box. As you are nearly always standing to long trot and you'll be walking alot between swims, I cannot emphasise enough how useful this item of equipment is, don't go without one.

2) Have a nice long/ extenable landing net for those steep banks and long float rod!

3) As you mention travel light. You really only need your bait, a few hooks and don't forget the catapult. You can't thow light baits very far. A pint of red maggots is more than enough, don't over feed the fish.

4) Keep things simple, I just use a small Drennan chubber float, you only need one swan shot down near the hook, so everything is easy to set up, ajust and fish with.

5) Try and find a float rod with a hook keeper. I have a 13ft Shakespear Mach 2, great rod to fish with, but no hook keeper a right pain. I just clip the hook back to the last ring, but its still a pain.

6) I use a little Shimano fixed spool reel Exagache 3000, cheap and reliable. Don't go too heavy on your main line, I use 3lb BS and its plenty strong enough with 2.6lb drennan float fish hook length. Use hooks from size 14 t0 18 for grayling

7) Strike a fish with your finger on the reel spool rim, once hooked enguage the bail arm and reel in. Don't try to reel when you see the float go under. Seems obvious but takes a little practice.

8) Avoid wearing gloves for as long as you can stand the cold. You'll know that from your fly fishing but gloved hands remove the feel when you are trotting, even when they are fingerless.

9) If the ice starts to foul your rod rings well if your like me its too cold and I pack it up, it just becomes too unenjoyable.

10) Finally when you get on the fish, its magic and a very fine and sporting way to catch em. Go and enjoy.