Abu Garcia 506 MKII Reel

Abu Garcia has been producing award-winning closed face reels for many years, and the company is widely considered to be one of the finest manufacturers of fishing reels in the world. In fact, the Swedish company is so highly regarded that it has been awarded the prestigious title of Purveyor to the Royal Swedish Court for its continued reel manufacturing excellence. This Abu Garcia 506 MKII Reel more than lives up to this impressive heritage. From the outside it might look like a fairly traditional reel, but the technology under the closed face tells a different story. Designed with the needs of anglers using small lures, or float fishing on fast rivers in mind, this reel allows you to cast out and get into the thick of it quickly and easily – perfect for anglers of any level of skill and experience.

As the name suggests, this is an updated version of the original Abu Garcia 506 reel. First released in the 1970s, the 506 made a name for itself as a superb float fishing reel but fell out of fashion as advances in open-faced reel technology progressed. The new 506 MKII reel features all of the advantages that set  the original model apart from the competition of the day, and  has already won over many anglers with its float fishing finesse. However, it also benefits from all the technological advances of the last 40 years – ensuring that it can hold its own against today’s top end angling reels, and give the thoroughly modern angler a contemporary taste of classic style.

The first thing you’ll notice about this reel is its traditional closed face. This is about function as much as form, as the closed face shields the spool, eliminating the risk of backlash, or line getting caught behind the spool; while it might be intimidating at first, you’ll soon be enjoying the benefits  this classic design can offer you. With a gear ratio of 3.9:1 this reel is able to offer a very decent retrieve rate of 65cm of line per handle turn – which is ideal for pulling in those smaller species, as well as for all your close distance float fishing, something this reel is famous for. Underneath the stunning exterior, you’ll find that the line pin on this reel has been constructed from ceramic. This is an incredibly durable and abrasion resistant material, which ensures that you can enjoy increased winching power. Carbon washers in the drag system make both the cast and the retrieve a dream, offering you unparalleled control over all elements of your angling experience. What’s more, significant development in the internal gearing of the reel has ensuring that this reel is stronger and more durable than ever before.

The body of the Abu Garcia 506 MKII Reel is constructed from an advanced polymeric material and the front cone is constructed from aluminium. This means that this reel is both hardwearing and lightweight. In fact, the 506 MKII only comes in at 288g, so it will balance well on even delicate setups for maximum bite registration and feel. As a final bonus feature, the 506 MKII is also completely saltwater protected. This means that you can use it with confidence whether you’re fresh water fishing or sea fishing, ensuring that you can target a variety of scenarios, and bring in different varieties of fish, giving you a truly versatile angling experience.. If you’re looking for a high quality reel for use in a whole range of situations then you need look no further, the Abu Garcia 506 MKII Reel has an unbelievable history of performance excellence and represents great value for money.