Abu Garcia is a fishing reel and fishing equipment company from Svängsta, Sweden, and is best known the manufacturer of the famous Ambassadeur bait casting (overhead) reel. A spinning reel A fishing reel is a device used for the deployment and retrieval of fishing line using a spool mounted on an axle. ...

Early History

Still one of the most recognizable names in fishing technology, Abu Garcia began at a factory located near the Mörrum river, in Blekinge, Sweden. The company, founded in 1921, originally manufactured watches, telephone timers and taximeters. However, the founder's son, Göte Borgström, a fishing enthusiast, soon redirected its focus towards fishing reels during World War II, when demand for those products grew scarce. Blekinge is the name of a geographical region in Sweden which can refer to: Blechingia, or Blekinge - a historical Province of Sweden Blekinge County, or Blekinge län - a current County of Sweden This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... Russian Poljot Siberia model finished movement viewed through crystal back For other uses, see Watch (disambiguation). ... A taximeter is a mechanical or electronic device installed in taxicabs, similar to an odometer, which calculates passenger fares based on a combination of distance travelled and waiting time. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

Modern Developments

Abu Garcia introduced a series of fishing reels and related products in the early 1950s. The Swedish-built ABU 444, the company's first spinning reel, was introduced in 1955, followed in 1965 by the first model of the Cardinal series of spinning reels. Beginning in 1957, the company also became known for its advanced spin cast reels (Abumatic) featuring several engineering innovations such as level-wind mechanisms (oscillating spools), under-rod spin cast reel designs (the Abu 500 series) and improved drags for fighting larger gamefish. The famous Ambassadeur series of bait casting reels, which utilized advanced metal alloys, ball-bearing friction interfaces, and precisely-cut gears, was introduced at the New York World's Fair in 1964, and subsequent Ambassadeur models are still produced by the company. Also Paul Gustafson worked for seven years as chief angling consultant for Abu Garcia.

See also

• Fishing reel