ABU Garcia Cardinal 3, 4, 5, C3, C4, C4X, 5, etc. Tutorial

Started by Midway Tommy, March 03, 2018, 07:12:21 AM

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mo65

   I hit the jackpot and scored a C4X and spare spool for 2 bucks! Our local auction hardly ever produces these Cardinals...a super score indeed. Servicing the reel I noted a few nice changes from the earlier Zebco versions. The drive gear was supported on both sides by a big steel shaft and Oilite bushings. The drag washers are different also. Instead of the rough carbon/fiberglass looking things in the earlier reels these washers are a smooth carbon material. They look like burnt black leather washers. They are also much smoother than the early drags. The only thing I didn't love was the AR set up. I just like the earlier set up better. 8)
~YOU CAN TUNA GEETAR...BUT YOU CAN'T TUNA FEESH~


basto

Wow Mo, Score of the year!  that reel looks straight out of the box. Very nice indeed.
Greg
DAM Quick 3001      SHIMANO Spedmaster 3   Jigging Master PE5n

mo65

Quote from: basto on February 29, 2020, 09:02:18 PM
Wow Mo, Score of the year!  that reel looks straight out of the box.

   Thanks Greg. Would you believe that nearly mint reel(and the spare spool) was stuffed into a small plastic bucket with the Pflueger 429 I posted a week ago, a cheap Shakespeare of some sort, a Zebco 202, a Gladding spool, and a few jars of prehistoric pork rinds! :D  It had to be just recently put into that bucket...no way it was bouncing around in there very long. 8)
~YOU CAN TUNA GEETAR...BUT YOU CAN'T TUNA FEESH~


Midway Tommy

Nice score, Mike! It looks like new. It still has the paper sticker on the bottom of the foot and, most importantly, there's no paint wear on the handle next to the knob, the telltale sign of use. I'm sure you will like that reel. My son used to use one extensively but I made him quit using it when we fish walleyes together. The higher speed, in 20' of water, would get the fish to the boat faster than I could put the motor in neutral, reel in my rig and grab the net. He retired it an just fishes with a regular C4 now.  :)
Love those open face spinning reels! (Especially ABU & ABU/Zebco Cardinals)

Tommy D (ORCA), NE



Favorite Activity? ............... In our boat fishing
RELAXING w/ MY BEST FRIEND (My wife Bonnie)

Finngol

I need to put new line on my C4, and I was wondering if I just should put mono or would braided line work well with that old reel, or would there be problems with it?

Midway Tommy

I don't use braid so I can't advise you on that unless you're using an aftermarket aluminum spool. If so braid would be fine.

If you are using the original spool and choose mono make sure you use some type of backing/filler. My recommendation is not to use over 125 yds of mono. I use 12# dacron as backing. Filling it with mono can, especially in cold weather, pop the front off of the spool when the mono shrinks.
Love those open face spinning reels! (Especially ABU & ABU/Zebco Cardinals)

Tommy D (ORCA), NE



Favorite Activity? ............... In our boat fishing
RELAXING w/ MY BEST FRIEND (My wife Bonnie)

Gfish

Guesstimating here, but you may be able to cast further with braid and a mono leader. Braid seems to twist more which is real bad for trolling, but lack of mono-like stiffness and durability is much better.
Fishing tackle is an art form and all fish caught on the right tackle are"Gfish"!

Donnyboat

Special thanks to you Tommy, also thanks about the reverse thread warnings, your always good value to us. Mike thanks for you follow up, cheers Don.
Don, or donnyboat

Finngol

Quote from: Midway Tommy on June 02, 2020, 02:00:25 PM
I don't use braid so I can't advise you on that unless you're using an aftermarket aluminum spool. If so braid would be fine.

If you are using the original spool and choose mono make sure you use some type of backing/filler. My recommendation is not to use over 125 yds of mono. I use 12# dacron as backing. Filling it with mono can, especially in cold weather, pop the front off of the spool when the mono shrinks.

Ah yeah, now I remember, bought mono, for 24 lbs, maybe a bit too big for the fish we get in here, but at least it won't snap as easily. After getting the missing washer, the reel now works like a charm.