While fishing this weekend with my abu garcia round reel i started wondering why i am so partial to abu garcia(even more so towards round reels) ... does anyone know any advantages of fishing with round reels... all i fish is freshwater ponds and lakes ... also is there anything so special about abu garcia to seperate them from say shimano

I don't know, all I know is that my wife gave me an EXT Pro for my b-day, and when I put that reel on the pole it was instantly home.  It was almost like when I picked up my first quality double, I knew I had found the reel for me.  Since then I have picked up two more and ordered new drive gears for one of them, I wanted to slow it down for crankin.  I can't say how they compare to the Shimano's but I know for me it will be Abu round or nothing.  As far as advantages I have not found a reel yet that can even compare with casting distances with the EXT, the drag is solid and powerful, the reel is super smooth.  So in short I can't answer the question for you, but for me holding the round reel just feels right.  That is what fishing is about enjoying the experience, the outdoors and if you catch a few that is a bonus.

I have a very similar love for Abu round reels.  I have four of the JDM Ultra Mag Morrums that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world.

I love all mine and wont trade um sell um even if i needed cigs or food they have a certain pizzaz ,feeling,hard to explain YA GOTTA OWN and USE um and u will see

Add me to the Abu list as well. Got my first one last season and now all 4 of my spinners are Abu. So smooth and I hear durable...and I am tough on my gear.

Yet another Abu man here, I cant count how many I have. I still have and use a few of my old Pro Max reels and I love my Morrum SX reels as well.

I still use my old Black Max.  Abu for life

I've got 7 Revos, 4 Cardinal 800s, 1 Cardinal 500, and several C4s.  Add me to the Abu Posse list.  

Abu makes a solid product at a reasonable price.  

I was a round reel Garcia guy for many years until my hands got to where I couldn't hold them all day.

Still, the Shimano Calcutta series is one incredible round caster.  I can think of only the Morrum that's better.  

I'm an Abu Garcia fan as well...my very first fishing combo is close to 20 years old and I still use it for trout fishing!

i was an abu round guy too, but like someone else mentioned, the hand thing made me change.  i now have two revo's, one black max and one cardinal 802.  i am thinking about another round tho just for crankin.  

9 Revos STX's Here!...... I'm sick.... need more....

no really, I just cant find another reel that feels just right in my hand, with all the reserve power and reliability that the REVO has

Round reels are all I ever fished until about three years ago.  Bought my first lp and never looked back.  Sold all my round reels except a pet 2500c and my pa's '73 6500 BigA.  Now it's all lopro.  The less top heavy the better.

As far as round reels I have a St. Croix Avid AC200, I love this reel. I also have two Lew's Round reels which are nice too. I can cast far and the gear ratio is slow when using crankers. As far as Low Pros All I own are Revos. I go to the store looking for a new/better one, and buy another one. ;D

I have a C3 and C4.  I always wanted one (the red one) when I was a kid - way back when.  Thought they had a cool classic look.  I took a chance a couple days ago and disassembled the C3 for cleaning and lube.  The project went well and it really improved the performance of the reel.  Still don't have a red one but ........