Abu Garcia Cardinal 446 Review?

[boon]

Hey guys. Anyone used the cardinal 446 ot 400 series reels before? Saw them at Big W for $40 and seem pretty good but I wanted some reviews before i bought one. The 446 can take 12-16 lbs i think and has 4 ball bearings and comes with a spare graphite spool. The other is a allu. Thanks

[boon]

Also what line do u recommend? I bought a penn premium 8lb line for my spin combo. Is that ok?

[Fisher_90]

I think i have one lying around. I bought it probly 2years ago and been used once. Its smooth enough and quite good. They are alrite and if you go to Big W Taigum you can get 4lb fireline for $7. Put your 8lb on as backing then put the braid on top. 4lb braid is atleast 10-12lb Mono so is plenty for most estuary.

[boon]

Thanks for the tip! didn't know that the fireline range were braids

[boon]

Just picked up the 4lb fireline. So how much mono should I put underneath? Also how do I connect the mono to the fireline? THanks guys

Correction. My partner went to get the fireline for me but it scanned at $24.95 Guess no braid for me til next year

[Plastic Man]

boon wrote:

Thanks for the tip! didn't know that the fireline range were braids

fireline is not actually braid its gelspun line its pretty hard to tell the differents

[boon]

So do u guys think the Cardinal 446 is a good buy at $40?

[AngGoLee]

well i would spend a little more to buy the 600 series if i were u..

[boon]

how much are they?

[Cowfish13]

Any abu reel will generally last a long time so it should be a good buy.

Tell your partner that the braid will catch you good eating fish and lots of them, you may be able to get some then:D

[boon]

Two of my mates have abu reels and they're absolutely stellar. I missed the amart sale last month so the 446 was the best I could afford and they look as good too. Only thing I can't get any info on them on the website or the forum. Probably really old models. I mainly wanna find out if they are fine for saltwater fishing

[Fisher_90]

Yes they would be. What Store was the fireline 24.95 even thats expensive. I can get it for 19.95 but i bought 3 spools of 4lb when Big-W Taigum F**ked up the Pricing.

[boon]

It was twenty plus. Didn't really bother once I heard my partner say twenty on the phone. Guess I'm a few weeks too late for the price stuffup.

[Fisher_90]

At Taigum?

[boon]

Fisher_90 wrote:

At Taigum?

Yeap taigum

[Fisher_90]

You have to challenge it. Go in and see on the left. It will be their and they dont show up on the screen. They get some1 to go check then. And if it does show up at that price say wtf its $7 and they will give it to you.

[boon]

Think at the counter, it showed up as twenty something but when my partner said it was labelled as $7, she got someone to check it out and said they put it on the wrong shelf.

[Fisher_90]

Hmm. I woulda gone up and showed them and said this is bs i picked it up from here. To bad anyway.

[boon]

It's okay. I'll get some new lines when I go back to malaysia during my holidays. Think stuff are cheaper there

[boon]

Had another look at the abu 446 and they look good but they're made in china so I'm gonna pass on that one. Will wait for the next big sale

[Rocket75]

I reckon you will do well to find much that isn't made in china. Most of the reels that I have seen for under $100.00 are.

[Fisher_90]

LMAO! Whats wrong with asia mate! 90% of tackle will come from their. Everything under 150 will be asian.

[boon]

Haha i'm asian and have nothing wrong with asian products. Guess when my mate bought his abu reel from amart at 50% off last month, i felt that $40 from big w wouldn't be such a good deal.

[Fisher_90]

Pfft that abu would have been asian from amart. All abu products are asian. Just buy it its $40. Honestly who cares.

[boon]

Fisher_90 wrote:

Pfft that abu would have been asian from amart. All abu products are asian. Just buy it its $40. Honestly who cares.

Really? :laugh:

[Fisher_90]

Yes Well im 98% sure. Almost everything apart from some Top End Shimano and Daiwa would come from asia. Their is other brands like penn and heaps of others that have some from asia and some from other countries.

Abu, Surecatch, Jarvis Walker, Low End Shimano is all pretty much asian.

[Cowfish13]

Not all Abu is Chinese made.

Mine (bought at christmas last year) is Made in Sweden and so is my brothers. I always thought that most of Abu's were from Sweden

[Fisher_90]

Yeh most brands have the cheapie stuff in asia and the top end from sweden and other places.

[ellicat]

Fisher_90 wrote:

Yes Well im 98% sure. Almost everything apart from some Top End Shimano and Daiwa would come from asia. Their is other brands like penn and heaps of others that have some from asia and some from other countries.

Abu, Surecatch, Jarvis Walker, Low End Shimano is all pretty much asian.

Sorry to get you on a technicality Fisher (occupational hazard), but Japan is part of Asia:P Know what you mean though;)

[Fisher_90]

Japan, Malaysia, China, Pfft there all the same.

[kiara_poltegerist]

lol. no comment.

some proper research would save much embarrasment.

btw, so what if it's made in asia? Probably 70-80% of the tackle market is OEM nowadays anyway. Market demand and basic economics define production strategies and thus factory locations. Welcome to globalisation.

[Feral]

ellicat wrote:

Fisher_90 wrote:

Yes Well im 98% sure. Almost everything apart from some Top End Shimano and Daiwa would come from asia. Their is other brands like penn and heaps of others that have some from asia and some from other countries.

Abu, Surecatch, Jarvis Walker, Low End Shimano is all pretty much asian.

Sorry to get you on a technicality Fisher (occupational hazard), but Japan is part of Asia:P Know what you mean though;)

As is Australia (or was when I went to school!)

[jeff f]

every thing is made in asia these days it's the worlds manufactory and the quality is improving all the time.

it's not the 70s anymore when it all fell to bits they have worked hard to get it right and should be proud of what they are producing

[boon]

Finally bought it today. Feels great! Compared it the cardinall 600 series and is very close. I'm glad I bought it. Also had the chance to meet Rod at amart today and got some handy tips from him. Thanks mate!

[Rocket75]

Hi Boon. Any time mate, glad you found a reel that you liked...good luck on the weekend, hope you get onto some \"new\" species. My fingers a crossed for you.

Rocket

[boon]

Rocket75 wrote:

Hi Boon. Any time mate, glad you found a reel that you liked...good luck on the weekend, hope you get onto some \"new\" species. My fingers a crossed for you.

Rocket

I'm pretty sure I'll get some fish. Really don't care what I catch as long as I get some action. I'm also going for the boat ride as I haven't been on a boat in brissie before. Will be nice to cruise around and troll with my new hard bodies

[faulked]

correct me if im wrong but the \"asian \" reels your talking about are the low end models not cheaply made they just dont have a hand full of bearings in each to smooth them out they arent made from a piece of stock alluminium and machined out they dont have the top end drag washers that the expensive reels do and im damn sure that an \"asian\" can work an injection moldings machine the same as any other bozoo if you want flash buy it if you want cheap then buy it all ican say is shimano has a 10 warranty any one else have that and im pretty bloody sure they are asian ps i love asian food and im yet to see a white man get that right.:woohoo:

[Angus]

boon wrote:

Just picked up the 4lb fireline. So how much mono should I put underneath? Also how do I connect the mono to the fireline? THanks guys

Correction. My partner went to get the fireline for me but it scanned at $24.95 Guess no braid for me til next year

Putting on the right ammount of backing is essential. Easiest way is to try and track down a spare spool (some reels come with them) and put the line on in reverse. By this i mean, load up all the braid on the spare spool and then top up with mono. Then wind that line onto your primary spool and you will have a perfect result.

Angus

P.S. Sorry cant review the Abu. I know nothing about them.

[boon]

Used the abu this morning at newstead and it was fine. Think I put a little too much line on it so it kept coming off before casting. Otherwise, my 400 series is pretty close to the 600 series reel. Of course I've felt better ones at the shop but it's good enough for a beginner like me