Abel Super 3N
Alistair McBurnie tests a new breed of trout reel.
The days of fishing the dry on the chalk streams of England, sipping single malt and dressed in tweed, are still with us and are part of the romance that attracts many to the sport. But there is a new breed that lives for fly fishing and likes things slightly more on the edge.
Manufactures have heard the cry and it’s the anglers who are dictating what they need in something as simple as a fly reel. The latest offering from Abel’s line-up is the Super 3 Narrow large arbor.This reel is stocky, light and tough and by no means overkill for those fishing on the edge or those dressed in tweed.
Abel’s large arbor design gives faster line retrieve, reduced line coiling and increased surface area for the cork drag. As standard with Abel, the spool, frame and foot are machined from a solid block of 6061-T6 cold finished aluminium.
Like its bigger brother, the 5N, the spool and frame are extensively ported to reduce weight, while still maintaining strength. However, Abel went one more step with the 3N by porting the reel seat and inside the drag knob itself. The inner workings of the reel screws, drawbar, pawls etc are all machined in-house from 303 stainless steel. The reel utilises two waterproof sealed ball bearings on the spool with one on the drag plate providing smooth wear-free rotation. All aluminium surfaces are protected against corrosion by Abel’s anodizing process with a myriad colour combinations.
At 4.2 ounces, it’s light for a reel in this class. The 3N large arbor is suitable for 3, 4 or 5 weight lines, but has the option of a standard arbor spool blowing it out to take a 5, 6 or possibly a 7-weight line at a pinch.
For review, this reel was fished extensively in the New Zealand wilderness where we slid down cliffs, bashed through bush and slipped on greasy rocks. The reel performed flawlessly, fish after fish. One disadvantage with most drawbar drags is removing spools in a timely manner. The 3N is no exception but in all honesty I didn’t have the need to change spools at any time.
They are a tough, beautifully machined and finished reel with a silky smooth, reliable drag system. Like all Abel reels, each part is hand finished and inspected and offers a lifetime warranty on manufacturing defects. Starting at $770, the Abel 3N is not cheap, but for those fishing the edge, flying in by chopper or walking in to remote wildernesses across the world, it’s hard to compromise on performance and reliability.
For stockists contact Mayfly Tackle on 03 9899 0034.