Closed-Face Abu's

[PerchBasher]

Perusing this 'resting' thread regarding closed face reels. I have owned my ABU 505 since '73 when I was a lad in the UK, still have it, thought it was just the job then but not now for many years. Simply put, they may be fine for tuggers such as roach, chub etc but they are more than useless for large fast running fish, it would be akin to fighting such a fish by back winding alone on a fixed spool reel, as that is what the stainless rotor that has the pin is doing in a 505 type - rotating backwards at attempted speed, governed in it's tension by the star drag on the handle and it does so very unevenly as the rotor is not balanced having the pin assembly on one side plus mechanics in between. When a fast fish such a salmon (or here in Canada) steelhead charge off there has to be easy and controlable pressure from the reel. 505 types prevent you being connected to the fish not allowing you to touch the line for that all important feathering/ progressive pressure. All 'big fish' reels have that capacity: centre pins, multipliers and fixed spools. What adventures salmon or sea anglers must have experienced using the larger 507 (I think it was) I can not imagine. I remember reading in Angling magazine during the 70's that an article suggested that 505 type reels can be improved by removing the anti reverse from the reel thus bypassing the drag. It was quite the thing for owners to do at the time I remember.

In Still Water Angling, Walker commented that after playing a carp with great difficulty (not a large one I seem to remember) he was so frustrated with his closed face reel (I presume that he was referring to an ABU model) that he proceeded to remove it from his rod and hurl it as far as he could into the water. Concluding that he could not see any advantage at all from using them.

Malcolm

I would never consider a closed face to be a “big fish” reel for the simple reason they seem best suited to fine lines. I once caught a barbel of six pounds when trotting with one (by luck rather than judgement!) but playing it was a rather scary experience.

The synchro drag which the 505, 503, 506, 1044 and the modern 700 series are equipped with, works well-enough if set correctly. Just set the drag so the reel gives line when the rod is hard over. Backwinding a quarter turn will then release line, allowing the fish to run, but under pressure. However, back in the 70’s many anglers preferred to remove the fixed ratchet in order to play fish on the backwind whereby you can exert some finger pressure on a running fish.

Best of all was the 501 where the backwind facility included a drag mechanism allowing the fish to run under pressure. Twinned with my 12’ Hardy Matchmaker I’ve had some wonderful days on the rivers using it.

For trotting or light float fishing on still waters, these are great little reels, particularly if it’s windy. The original 60's and 70's Swedish made models were a triumph of craftsmanship and that so many are in use today indicates how well built they were. Alas, the Chinese made 700 series do not have the same build quality.

[MHC]

The irony is that ABU designed and marketed the 505 series as suitable reels for any fish from roach to salmon. I need to review the 70's catalogues that I have.
I have often stood 'trotting' fine float tackle for brawny steelhead and salmon in the mouth of one Maitland River flowing into a windswept early season Lake Huron and have yet to wish that my fixed spool reel or more likely my John Milner 5" centre pin, was a closed face. Handled well, reels in the wind should not be too much of an issue .

I still think fondly when I hold my 505, though would need to be persuaded to use it now even for small fish. I also agree that it would looks odd on cane rods with which I do 90% of my fishing with these days.

Finger pressure is impossible as there is nothing exposed to touch nor a revolving spool to brake, the rotor /pin is revolving backward under the front cover letting line off the very fixed spool. Only control is via the handle and trying to push it back and forth that half turn span to exert some control, all very haphazard.Even when ratchet is removed, how can finger pressure be exerted when reel is running backwards ...

A vintage Mitchell 308 is so much more pleasant to use, looks the part, has fast retrieve and has a nice reliable drag.

malcolm

[Chavender]

there are things that can be done too the mk1 abu 500 series to improve them and make them even more usable .its possible with a modification too allow better control while backwinding and with a little re-jigging give improved line release .the first problem you have is wether too stick with the duel drag system (syncro + instant reduction) or go all out backwinding .both have there positives and negative points and what the intended target species are .

[Paddex]

The irony is that ABU designed and marketed the 505 series as suitable reels for any fish from roach to salmon. I need to review the 70's catalogues that I have.

In my (german - Petri Heil) ABU catalogues of the '70s the 505 is only recommended for light fishing (Fishing 1)

[MHC]

I referred to the 505 series, which includes the slightly larger 507,508 with the identical 'syncro' feature and drag system. The catalogue photos show them being only slightly larger. Just perused a few of my English ABU catalogues-'Tight Lines'.

1973: 506,507 and 508 were recommended for- 'pike or game spinning using line in the 8 -19lb BS range...) wow , 19lb line...

1979: ABU 507 & 508 '...The larger spool and gear train give a more powerful retrieve, best suited for heavier spinning for bigger game like pike, big brown trout, sea trout or rainbows, or for long trotting, particularly in fairly fast flowing rivers for chub, barbel etc.

[Chavender]

the 505 was designed for light-medium spinning with 5-7lbs mono ,which was thicker back then ,than modern lines today .and thats one of the problems with the drag system its designed for heavier lines .and when anglers use them with finer lines for trotting the drag doesn't work too well or smoothly .and because they're designed for thicker lines the line pick-ups are too thin and can groove with finer lines .

and incidently the 507's & 508's have exactly the same drive gears as the 506 with the same gear ratio ,only the 501 & 506m i beleave (i'd have to check for sure) have the higher gear ratio of 4:1 rather than the usual 3.75:1 or whatever it is .and totally interchangeable .

[MHC]

Whatever line you put on a 500 series reel 2lb or 19lb in todays or old money, flurocarbon or nylon, when you hook any fish which decides to run for a few yards you will be in trouble, fumbling with the handle for control, bad news.

Malcolm

[Chavender]

that not always the case ,i never have too fumble for my handle as its always in the same position pointing downwards and i don't have a problems controlling a running fish ,especially as my reels don't have any anti-reverse pawls fitted or the emergancy 1/3 drag reduction (i've dissabled the 1/4 backturn) ,and i can apply pressure too slow them down if needed .

admittedly my reels arn't standard and slightly modified and set up just right .which isn't hard to achieve ,given time i'll add some 506/7 mods (some will work with other models in the 5oo series) into this section that'll help improve their performance

[BeechmereLake]

One of the things that many don't understand is these reels were designed as spinning reels, the development of a new abumatic model gave Lennart Borgstrom an idea and this idea was born to produce the Abu 505, the reel was an incredible design for that time period as a couple of things turned out to make the reel so ideal for fishing in the UK.
The angler never had to use both hands to fish with it and could simply push a button and release the line so the line landed on the right spot of your forefinger, add to this because the spool is fixed and the winding bell turns to release line from the spool you don't get any line twist at all, the 505 was actually advertised as the "reel that thinks for itself".

So returning now to the 507, yes a great reel and I have 3 of them, again though the reel was designed for spinning but spinning with a difference, this reel was designed for Pike and Salmon fishing hence its bigger size, 10mm bigger in spool size it was that much bigger to carry the heavier lines to catch these big fish with and if you struggle with that have a look in any old tight lines catalogues and you will see there is a product code which can also be seen on some of the items that Abu produced.

Boxes for the reels have a digit on the front of the box after 1974, the 501 506 507 and 508's all have a circle with a number inside and that number is to give you what that reel was designed to do so your 506 will have a 1 inside the circle and the 507 will have a 2, some early boxes circa 73 just have writing that reads "open-faced spinning reel for fishing 1" a 507 will have the same but for "fishing 2", rods also carried these numbers to help the angler with what to use on which rod.
Those numbers went from 1 - 4 on the items, match fish to big sea fish.

So where the match fishing reel came from for the 507 and the words said by many a good angler "Abu built a problem into the reel by allowing the line to get caught underneath the winding bell" who knows put the appropriate line on the reel like 10lb and you will see this reel was never designed for match anglers to use.
Hope this helps anyone who needed to know

[Olly]

501 with back wind - no problem with any size fish! I let the line catch my forefinger as it goes out!

I have 501s. 506s and a trusty 507 for barbel trotting with 8lb line. (+ a 505 in pieces!- do not like the star drag!) The 1044 was for match fishing.

There is a seller on ebay who does aluminum spools for 501-6 series as well as 507s.

Missed out - "custom made" - for the spools above!