redmeansdistortion

Lets be realistic. Can you find a brand new OEM fender liner for a '49 Crown Victoria at the local parts house? Probably not, no longer in production. I'd expect any manufacturer to stop production on something long discontinued. As far as Abu goes, there are a few shops that carry most parts. I've never encountered a situation where I couldn't obtain a part I needed, especially on the Ultracast models that have been made the last 30 years. Most everybody sells those parts. Heck, Abu still makes every single part for the Pro Max/Black Max 1600 and 3600 reels. I just bought a new drive shaft and return spring for one not long ago right from eReplacement Parts. Those reels have been out of production for 25 years.

Some is in there but not the hobbing machine. That's from a different video and I'm having a very hard time finding it.

That's what it says on the package of most of their reels made in SE Asia. The C3, C4, CS Rocket, and Morrum are all made and assembled in Sweden, even all of their parts are. There's a good video on YouTube that shows a tour of their Svangsta plant. It shows the frames and side plates being made, gears being hobbed, smaller metal parts being stamped, you name it.

Abu still makes many reels in Sweden but outside of the C3, C4, and Pro Rocket, we don't see their other Swedish models stateside unless you buy from a company that imports them. The Ambassadeur 7000 is made in Taiwan, while the BCX, S, SX, and STX are the Chinese made round reels. I own some of those international market reels (4500CS Rocket, 5500CS Pro Rocket, 6500CS Rocket) and they are fantastic. The international reels are mainly marketed towards the European and Japanese markets, and are fine reels just like those made in the 20th century. Like Daiwa and Shimano, Abu maintains a parts inventory and stands behind their Swedish reels. This is why many people love them, because they still make parts for reels long out of production.

Here are my recommendations for a new Ambassadeur. Clean out all grease, and also clean out the anti-reverse bearing. Grease the gears, pinion yoke, and all other areas with metal to metal contact. Oil the bearings, worm gear, and the idler gear post. Also look at how many brake blocks are engaged. Personally, I don't use them. To be on the safe side, run 2 of them, but if your thumb is good, I don't condone their use. The new production Ambassadeur is a very fine reel when properly lubed. It's smooth and casts easy. Honestly, I don't feel they need to be upgraded unless you're going for considerable distances.

I fish Ambassadeurs almost exclusively. I say almost because I do use spinning tackle from time to time, but with baitcasters, it's always the Swedish round fellers. Some of them are over 30 years old and still work like new. My only complaint about Ambassadeurs involves the manufacturing process. They really like to slather thick peanut butter grease all over everything! I get it, they are building their product for a crowd that seldom or never maintains their gear, but all that grease slows them down considerably. The greased worm gear in particularly rubs me the wrong way. When oiled, the spool rotates much easier and the line guide moves nice and smooth because the pawl isn't cutting it's way through grease. Picture a greased vs oiled worm like driving through snow vs dry pavement. When I rebuild, I use oil on the level wind and run the spool pinion and idler gear dry and the reel really flies then. A properly lubed 4600 C3 or C4 should have no trouble casting even 1/4oz baits trouble free, but that's about their limit unless open your wallet for tuner parts.

Not at all. The synchronized level wind does affect distance, but not much to be of concern. A fresh out of the box Abu C3 or C4 will throw 1/2oz baits out to and past 50yd in the hands of an experienced caster.

C4, but I love me some Ambassadeurs. You can find C4s for $80 to $100 if you look around.

I feel for you, that's rough. Hopefully by April you have some fishable water.

What is ice fishing? Signed, Year round 'up north' steelhead fisherman PS The streams don't tend to freeze unless it's single digits, and even then, they don't stay frozen long. If the water ain't hard, I'm putting on my waders and catching a nice meal

Contact Pure Fishing and get the newer pinion yoke. Most of the other parts houses don't have it yet. I tried Mike's Reel Repair, Dad's Ole Tackle, and eReplacement parts, none stock the new yoke yet. It's the same part # 20664 as the yoke you have now. The new one has a metal shim so the teeth on the pinion don't ground the yoke. My new production 4600 C3 came with the revised yoke.

Grabbed this guy for $5 at an estate sale. It's still relatively smooth, but the handle bearings are smoked and it could use a cleaning, relube, and some updating. I got on the horn with Jerry Foran and ordered some Carbontex drag washers, Boca Lightning spool bearings, and some light weight brake blocks. I had a chrome Abu handle with gray grips sitting in the parts bin, so that will find a new home on my Pro Max 3600. Too bad Abu no longer makes the Pro Max, Silver Max, and Black Max like they did in the early/mid 90s. The reels that now bear those names are way inferior.

I can't remember off hand, I bought tons of them some years back from Lakeside Fishing Shop in St Clair Shores. They tend to carry a lot of lure brands I seldom see mentioned online, so I'd venture to guess they came from a local (Michigan-based) company. They're 3" tubes and I run a 3/16oz jig in cold water and step it up to 3/8 or even 1/2oz later in May and into June.

Lakeside Fishing Shop in St Clair Shores. Their online store doesn't represent everything they carry, but I have seen them on the shelves there multiple times.

Yes we do! Lol. Neon green and dark green are about all I throw as far as tubes go. They seem to work best for me.

That's a big one for sure. I'd love to hook into a brown that size.

Similar here in SE Michigan. Up north is a whole different culture. Here in the Detroit area, when you blow the horn, people give you the ol' one finger salute. Up north, they smile and wave.

Going on strike was no joke. My dad worked for Chrysler and my mom for Blue Cross, both union jobs. Back in '93 they both went on strike and I remember them trying to make ends meet off of $200 per week. Both got a 'strike pay' of $100 per week from the UAW. My mom was on strike for a good three months while my dad was for a little less than a month.

Those are the best ones. I used to fish a golf course pond some years back. The old man was tight with the former owner so I was given permission to fish. Those were some of the biggest largemouth I ever caught, and I'd always hammer them any time I went. I like to think I was the only sort of fishing pressure on that pond outside of the herons and other critters.

Vienna Sausages. I never want to look at one again. When I was a kid and the old man would go on strike, those were lunch a few days per week and on the days they weren't lunch, they were dinner.

I haven't eaten bass in close to 30 years. I never found the flavor particularly bad, just not as good as perch, crappie, walleye, salmon, lake trout, or whitefish. When I fish for sport, I fish seek out bass, pike, and steelhead. When fishing for something to eat, it's almost always perch, walleye, or crappie.

What technique are you using? If you're float fishing or drift fishing, you'll want something 9'+, medium light power, and moderate action. If throwing hardware (plugs, spoons, and spinners), something 8' to 9', medium or medium heavy power, and fast action would be great. Good 'budget' rods are the Okuma SST and Ugly Stik Salmon Steelhead rods. I have a few of the Okuma SSTs and find them fantastic. They're full IM8 graphite blanks and can be had for $75 or less.

I wouldn't worry about the hook set with a 7' UL moderate action. I fish trout species more than anything and all of my trout and steelhead rods are moderate action. Trout have much softer mouths than bass and don't require as much effort on the hook set. I frequently see rookie trout and steelhead fisherman attempt a bass hook set and lose fish. All it takes is a flick of the wrist.

The guide will know that to throw that time of year. Personally, I like to run smaller and slower sinking baits when the water is still cold. LSC should be in the upper 40s to low 50s that time of the year and a slower presentation should work well. You want to make sure they get a nice long look at your bait.

I hike often during my fishing excursions, so packing lightly is important. For a day of fishing, I typically bring beef jerky and nuts. Usually a mix of peanuts, cashews, and almonds. I also carry a Sawyer water filter and drink right from the lake or stream I'm fishing. That said, I also eat my catch right on the riverbank when I'm out fishing trout or steelhead.