mikench
Well-known member
Great in windy conditions though.
Which model of Abu Garcia closed face reel
- Thread starter Twiddler
- Start date
A lot of it is down to personal preference. Most lads that use closed face reels have been using them 40 yrs you get used to there strengths and weaknesses and yes you work around it.I have two old ABU 506s in good shape and after using them for some time I'm not convinced but keep using them all the same.
They are not for big fish (lack of power and smooth drag). Besides, the bedding in and the slow retrieve speed is a bit of a problem. I once had the problem of the spool coming loose (in a match, now there's a trauma) but this might be just me, also being a 'closed face novice'.
I cannot find what it brings to the table, apart from opening the 'bail' and taking up slack without using the left hand. Not a priority since I gave up smoking years ago. Even when trotting there's nothing I cannot do with my other reels. Closed face reels where very popular years ago, fishing for zander in deep water with live bait under a float. Taking up slack was the USP back then as well.
However, they look stylish on a float rod. That might be the reason why I use them. Just like I'm fond of the old ABU's and Mitchells on a glass rod, when spinning for pike. With a decent Ondex spinner and Nylon all the way. Not neccesarily the best but most certainly feeling classy
If you don't like them use something else it's really that simple.
Not strictly true the 501 was made as a match reel and come out of the factory with back wind function. Ready to go.
Effective if you like playing that way but you'll need the left hand all the time once you modified the reel
. I have a Daiwa trigger spin and I took out the anti reverse. In that case it isn't a problem since I use it for spinning.
I'm with trotter on this. You can debate it until the cows come home but in the end it's all about what you know and like. I have used a CFR on the rivers for the best part of 60 years. Having said that, back in the day a Mitchell Match was equally as good but somehow every time I put my hand in the tackle box out came the Abu. Pete.
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Keith M
Well-known member
I’m with Whitty on this. I used my original Abu 506 closed face reel for many years; but because of it’s tendency to bed in after playing the occasional decent sized fish; even when only loading 40 or 50 metres of line onto its very narrow spool; and having to make dummy casts to unbed my line after I’ve played a decent sized fish; plus the need to remove the anti reverse pawl (which was common back in the day), the only time I use it today is when there is a strongish or gusty wind coming from my side or from head on; or I am trotting for smallish fish on a smallish stream or river. Although I would still much prefer to use a centrepin when trotting such a water.
Even when there was little or no line bedding into its very narrow spool the distance I could cast a very light waggler was severely reduced compared to how far and how accurately I could cast when using my Mitchell Match.
In my experience an Abu 506 or 506M comes into Its own when you are not needing to cast very far and you are targeting smaller sized fish like Roach and Rudd or other fish of a similar size, with lines of up to around 2.5lb to 4lb Max.
Yes I could get over some of its limitations if I had to; but I had much better reels like my old Mitchel Match to fall back on back in my match days so I didn’t really need to persevere with my Abu 506 unless it was a particularly windy and gusty day.
If you like using closed face reels and don’t seem to get the same problems that I did then that’s fine of course; but that’s my experience with them anyway; and why mine rarely gets used nowerdays.
Keith
Even when there was little or no line bedding into its very narrow spool the distance I could cast a very light waggler was severely reduced compared to how far and how accurately I could cast when using my Mitchell Match.
In my experience an Abu 506 or 506M comes into Its own when you are not needing to cast very far and you are targeting smaller sized fish like Roach and Rudd or other fish of a similar size, with lines of up to around 2.5lb to 4lb Max.
Yes I could get over some of its limitations if I had to; but I had much better reels like my old Mitchel Match to fall back on back in my match days so I didn’t really need to persevere with my Abu 506 unless it was a particularly windy and gusty day.
If you like using closed face reels and don’t seem to get the same problems that I did then that’s fine of course; but that’s my experience with them anyway; and why mine rarely gets used nowerdays.
Keith
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Back in my match fishing days,for canal or stick float fishing with lines no thicker than 2lbs I would use a closed face reel,for general waggler fishing the mitchell was superior,especially for species like chub imo..
markcw
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As you know, Partridge can be feast or famine, plus if you get into a shoal of F1 you could be unlucky enough to get the shoal that average 6oz,
Some of the fish in the Covey set up are now 12lb+
I would stick with a fixed spool reel if going to rod and line it on there, Any of the Daiwa or Shimano range would do ,depending on budget.
Twiddler
Well-known member
Without wanting to offend I stated earlier on that if I got a closed face reel I wouldn’t be using it on a commercial, especially Partridge, I was asking the questions because I fancy trying one on a river having never experienced one before.