ive lurked around this site for years read every possible thread i could find. not having alot of money i wanted some decent low cost set ups to wade fish with and use popping corks. ill mainly be using mirro lures bomber long a badonkadonks skitter walks and fishing some with live bat. i started looking in pawn shops for Abu ambassedurs i picked up a 6500 Black max a 5500 C3 a 5000c usa andanother 5000c.i watched every video i could find on how to make these reels better. i cleaned them re lubed the ones that had bushing i replaced with abec 7 ceramic bearings added carbontex drag washers put new pawls and worm gears. stuck them on 7 foot MH rods 2 berkley cherrywood 7 ft mh action a temple for outfitters 7-3 mh action and a castaway 6-8 mh. spooled 2 with 12 lb berkley big game and 2 with 15 lb big game. these all handle better then any of my penns. im really happy with these reels on a budget, what do you all think?

Nice setups.
I run similar setups modified Penn's, set with #15 although the Tika rods I use are a little stuffer. What weights do you cast?

Bob

i have the badonkadonks in 1/2 and 3/4 ounce been casting 1/4 ounce jigheads with mirro lure little johns, i havent tried anything less then 1/4 ounce yet. im fairly new to baitcasters so smaller wieghts still give me trouble but 1/4 ounce and up im decent. ive got alot bigger set ups and some smaller but really like these abus they are the first reel that i can actually work on and get back together. i cant tell you how many reels ive messed up trying to take them apart. ive got alot of penns anywhere from the penn 9 to the 309 in bait casters and have some penn 550 ssg penn slammer 560 a couple of penn fierce 6000 and a penn 440ssg in spinning reels

Awesome post!

abu for life

Nice collection. I used them for years until I borrowed my brother's Shimano Calcutta 200 one day ( years ago). When I got back to Shreveport, I went out and bought one. From that point on, I have used nothing other than Shimano and am never going back to Garcia. If you try one, you wont either, most likely.

Great collection of Abus!!!! I love the abus its the first reel ive ever been able to work on. ive hear alot about shimanos but the cost keeps me away for now. i own some shimano spinning gear which i do like. so the Penns and Abus for me right now

i got my first abu at the age of 17 still have it too, 30something abus and 30something years later im still using abu.you might be right about shimano but ill never know im abu for life!

One very nice Arsenal!

the newest addition to the arsenal 6500 pro rocket. olive one is mine and purple one is the wifes