Central Ohio Catfish Club

chuck4 · Shad Joined: 18 Jan 2007 Posts: 86 Location: columbus

Just got a pair of the new abu cat reel from catfish connection. They look pretty nice. basically they are a 6500 c4 reel with the carbon drag and a neat catfish engraving on the side. Not to bad for 85 bucks and abu has a $10 rebate available. Can't wait to try and burn the drag out on a big blue flathead! LOL

Josh_johnsotn68 · Joined: 25 Mar 2007 Posts: 12 Location: DeGraff Ohio

Not too sure how much luck you have had with abu garcia but last april i bought an abu garcia rod and reel combo it only cost me about $65 but i took it to a catfish tourny less than a month after getting it and my rod snapped in half wheni set the hook. I called up the company and they told me that they werent going to replace my rod and i would have had to send it in pay the shipping and handling both ways, and give them atleast 6 months to investigate the rod for a defect before they would even consider giving me a replacement. up until that point i really liked abu garcia but now i will never buy another thing from that company.. just wanted to give a heads up in case something happens.. i landed the fish and it only weighed in at 3 lbs.

Jammer · Shad Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Posts: 77 Location: Edison, OH

Was that $85 each or for the pair? I just got a new 6000 on E-bay for $38.
Sponge Bob (Zebco 808) started to give out on me at the Tourney. I've had it for about 5 years and the gears are slipping. I'll have to get used to a baitcaster.

chuck4 · Shad Joined: 18 Jan 2007 Posts: 86 Location: columbus

To be honest I have never had any problems with abu reels. I have 6500c3's and 7000's. I can't speek to the other models.

Doctor · Shad Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 58

As far as reels go they are the best IMO, I have owned them for 30 years, even have the first ABU my Grandfather gave me when I was 8 years old, I carry it on board the boat as a spare.

As far as the rods I don't care for them, they need to stay just in the reel business but with most big companies they need to branch out to pay the bills, depending on where you bought the combo, a Walmart or anyplace that 50 dozen people can handle, drop it, whack it on something, or do the ugly stick test to it, bending it over double, the rod could have been damaged before you ever got it, I have used the same rods for close to 10 years now, if I damage it I take it to my rodbuilder and he repairs it for me, the blanks are still in fine shape and they still put 50 lb Blues and Flatheads in the boat for me so I trust them every time I lean into a good fish..........Doc