Abu Ambassadeur & Cardinal Reels

[Dave Burr]

Catalogues like that we like porn in the 70's and 80's and demanded much drooling over. Got t' love and Abu.

[Phil Arnott]

I agree Dave, ABU reels and lures were so desirable. I still have a fetish for them.

Suitable porn site here - http://www.realsreels.com/

[Liphook]

Always cherished the latest edition of Tight Lines as a boy and up until the modern incarnations have always loved an ABU

[Jeff Smith]

It’s a shame Abu ( or any other manufacturer for that matter)didn’t produce a wider range of left handed models back in the classic era. I guess there just wasn’t the demand.
I do have a 5001c from the mid 70s which is a peach of a reel but,I have no less than 8 more modern Swedish built lefties in regular use - mostly for sea fishing but a pair of 6501c3 S are my choice for pike bait fishing from my boat.
If only they’d made a 9001.

[BeechmereLake]

It’s a shame Abu ( or any other manufacturer for that matter)didn’t produce a wider range of left handed models back in the classic era. I guess there just wasn’t the demand.
I do have a 5001c from the mid 70s which is a peach of a reel but,I have no less than 8 more modern Swedish built lefties in regular use - mostly for sea fishing but a pair of 6501c3 S are my choice for pike bait fishing from my boat.
If only they’d made a 9001.

Thats a good shout Jeff, on the 500 series reels they only made the 508 closed face reel and on the Cardinal fixed spool they did the 52, 54, 55 & the 57 as they were all ambidextrous reels, it was like no "portsider" angler needed a reel back then or at least until the late70's early 80's, meantime since the mid 1950's Mitchell made many of them dedicated to the "portsider/lefty angler

[Mr B]

It’s a shame Abu ( or any other manufacturer for that matter)didn’t produce a wider range of left handed models back in the classic era. I guess there just wasn’t the demand.
I do have a 5001c from the mid 70s which is a peach of a reel but,I have no less than 8 more modern Swedish built lefties in regular use - mostly for sea fishing but a pair of 6501c3 S are my choice for pike bait fishing from my boat.
If only they’d made a 9001.

Thats a good shout Jeff, on the 500 series reels they only made the 508 closed face reel and on the Cardinal fixed spool they did the 52, 54, 55 & the 57 as they were all ambidextrous reels, it was like no "portsider" angler needed a reel back then or at least until the late70's early 80's, meantime since the mid 1950's Mitchell made many of them dedicated to the "portsider/lefty angler

I have been looking for some time for a medium size ABU Cardinal medium size fix spool right hand wind.. its seems looking above they did make some Ambidextrous?
I know very little about AB fixed spool reels but fancy one... or two!
If strange, its dead easy to get the multiplayers in right hand wind for sea fishing etc? I have four but two favourites.
Have an old red 7000, that has been brilliant and this one, a cracking reel.

Mr B

[Watermole+]

Have to agree with you on that one Mr.B.

I have an old red 6000 with level wind, used for spinning, which is more-or-less retired now -and this one;

the 6500 CT Mono-mag Elite for shore fishing. The best distance caster I have ever used. Well-behaved enough for moderate distance with an 11' rod and 3oz lead and in the right hands (not mine!), a 13'-14' rod and 5 oz lead, good for more than 200+ yards.





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[Liphook]

It is strange that ABU didn't make more southpaw FS and CF reels as they had a big market in the USA where changing hands after the cast was, and still is, very common. Perhaps they had seperate models and catalogues for that market? Maybe an expert on the company could tell us more?
The 5500 and 6500 series of multipliers I am familiar with and do still use on the shore occasionally. I have a pair of 5500 green Mag Elites for bass fishing with bait in my local estuary, and I still have a few 'super tuned' QTC/ Rocket Reel mono mag derivatives from my days of field casting. I also have a collection of 4601, 5601 and 6501 left hand wind levelwinds for trolling/casting lures for pike and ferrox. I love ABU lures like the Droppen and Reflex for perch and of course the Toby and Koster are familiar to all salmon anglers, even if they have fallen out of fashion these days. They've also made some great accessories over the years

[Mr B]

Have to agree with you on that one Mr.B.

I have an old red 6000 with level wind, used for spinning, which is more-or-less retired now -and this one;

the 6500 CT Mono-mag Elite for shore fishing. The best distance caster I have ever used. Well-behaved enough for moderate distance with an 11' rod and 3oz lead and in the right hands (not mine!), a 13'-14' rod and 5 oz lead, good for more than 200+ yards.



Thats a lovely reel and in great condition...love the green, very nice and original handle. It looks very well cared for
My very used and abused 7000 has been faultless.
I changed the handle on it years ago now for a slightly bigger one, to use on my boat ( sea fishing)
I also use it very hard on the beach when the Mackerel are in for the table.
At the moment it has braid on it from my last Bass fishing trip.
I must look out for an original handle. Im not sure how old this reel is now. I must have had it for around 30 years? I picked it up from an old sea angler who was hanging up his gear.
My pal in Weymouth, a wizard with ABU multipliers and serviced it for me to years ago, runs very smoothly as always.
I must have a go myself... I strip down all my other reels but all ways left the ABUs to the blokes who really know what there doing!



wm+