| May 1, 2001
2002 Models, Abel Freshwater Rods CAMARILLO, CA - Abel Quality Products, which introduced their saltwater flyrods three years ago, has completed development of freshwater rods and has brought them to market about six months ahead of schedule. The 2002 model flyrods were originally scheduled to be introduced in Sept. and made available in time for late year sales, "But the project came together faster than we anticipated and we saw no reason not to bring them out now," said machinist, company president and rod designer Steve Abel. Abel freshwater rods are in lines 3- to 8-weight; the 3-weight is 8-foot, 4-piece; others are 9-foot, four piece. All are priced at $490. Three, 4-, 5- and 6-weight rods are fitted with a Reverse Half Wells grip; rods 7- and 8-weight have a Full Wells handle. Abel Rods are produced from two different graphite fiber components to give them the moderately fast action most anglers are looking for and still have a strong, lightweight rod. Reel seats are machined in the Abel shop. Reel foot locking nuts are knurled and milled, which translates to a reel foot never getting jammed. Reel seats are anodized Black CoralÔ or are available in Abel’s Camo CoralÔ finish to match a custom reel. They utilize the highest grade genuine Portuguese cork for handles that they individually fit and grind in their own shop. "We will not buy pre-formed handles," noted Abel. Both the butt end cap and the first ring on the handle are made of a composite material that eliminates cracking, chipping and the appearance of wear. Abel machines all the rod components except the guides. Stripper guides are by Fuji; snake guides are chrome-plated stainless steel from Hopkins & Holloway in England. Winding checks and finish rings are machined from Delrinâ . Guide windings are of the finest thread – black with gray highlights. Rods are then coated with a clean, clear matte coat that will not flash on fish. The coating also helps protect the graphite rod fibers from the nicks and dings of sinkers, bead head flies and heavily weighted nymphs. Rods are fitted with slightly oversize guides, for ease in shaking out line while dead-drifting a nymph; or to accommodate larger knots if used in saltwater. Rods are delivered in a custom rod sock fitted inside a unique square lockable carrying tube covered with padded Nylon. Abel described the complexities of designing and constructing a flyrod, "The purpose of a flyrod is to deliver a line – and the attached artificial fly – to a target . . . generally a fish. If the fish eats the fly, the purpose of the flyrod instantly changes to become a tool for setting the hook, then fighting, tiring and eventually landing the fish. Seems simple. It isn’t. "Some rods are too stiff. Some are too soft. Some wobble and cause the fly to land in the wrong place. The problems in designing, fabricating and constructing a flyrod are myriad. "Abel Flyrods are constructed to cast a fly in a bucket and fight a fish with the same precision as is engineered in our award-winning Abel Reels. In a word, they are perfect," he asserts. The rods have been in pre-production testing for about three years, with prototypes fished from Alaska to Argentina. "Our rods had to cast a fly and fight a fish equally well, no small challenge, but we did it by designing them utilizing a combination of different modulus graphite in different parts of the rod in a unique wrapping pattern," said Abel. With the introduction of the freshwater series, Abel now produces rods from 3- to 14-weight with two 8-weights, fresh and saltwater. The saltwater rods are all 3-piece. FRESHWATER ROD FACTS
For additional information, please contact: The Abel Reel
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