Abu Garcia Cardinal C5, what are your thoughts?

[Tengisgol]

What can anyone tell me about the Abu Garcia Cardinal C5? Were they made in Sweden and are they generally considered well-engineered?

It certainly looks solid, and has a great drag, but will need a good service. The spool is plastic though and I am hoping I can get a metal one; are they interchangeable with other models?

Edit: 84 - 01 on the reel foot.

[SooperClooper]

Never handled these reels but I think Bob James used them in the A Passion for Angling series. Don't think the quality is quite as good as earlier Cardinals though but still a good reel.

[Tengisgol]

Thanks - a bit more digging reveals it was built in Japan but not a bad reel for that. Overall a strange step back at the time when the 55’s etc had been around for a bit and the Shimano’s were arriving.

What I really want is a metal spool but the only hope is if they are interchangeable with another model.

[Cat]

I'd see if Les Shaw in Ashbourne has something compatible on his website.

[Olly]

I too have looked at them - whilst some Japanese reels made are "souped up" I understand that this is not the case. Beechmere Lake will be along soon to correct me?

I would go for a 77 or 77x - I have 3 X 77 - bullet-proof! No 77x's - too expensive! I also use the 66's for barbel/carp and the larger 77 for heavier line 15lb or more.

[Tengisgol]

I too have looked at them - whilst some Japanese reels made are "souped up" I understand that this is not the case. Beechmere Lake will be along soon to correct me?

I would go for a 77 or 77x - I have 3 X 77 - bullet-proof! No 77x's - too expensive! I also use the 66's for barbel/carp and the larger 77 for heavier line 15lb or more.

Thanks Olly, I have other Cardinals but that is not the issue. No matter which way it goes, this one is a keeper (and a user) as it belonged to a dear friend sadly no longer with us. The clutch on it is superb and will keep me out of trouble.

But I would like a metal spool if I could match it up…

[Olly]

Had a quick look at Les's website - metal spools for 5 series closed face and for 44/66/77 as wells a152/52 etc series but very little of anything for the C series.

[Tengisgol]

Thanks, yes I had a quick exchange with him. It is just some very slight chance that they were interchangeable with something. What I may do is bring it along to a fair and just see if I can get a comparison with any other models. You never know!