Home | Combos

 ABU Reel/Rod Combos

Personally to date, my collection of combos has tried to cover casting, spinning and fly fishing 

I have attempted to collect and combine various rod and reel combinations from the years in which they would have been released.

In future I hope to match lines and lures to these combos (and also display and photograph them a little better, see below)

ABU was most particular from the earliest times, to include informative material about heir individual products  in their 40's Napp och Nytt catalogs and later English translated Tight Lines catalogs.

The education of anglers (covered in another Chapter) was always the prime goal of the company from around  the 50’s, to ensure success with combining their excellent products for the best possible results. I will draw some conclusions from each decade after 1949.

In 1949, A.B.Urfabriken was still finding its feet, concentrating on excellence in individual product lines, but forgetting the anglers needed advice on matching their rods, reels, lines and lures, so we only saw distinct pages dedicated to reels,  rods etc.

After a decade they understood the need to match the hatch so to speak with all their wonderful products. So from the 50’s all catalogs had Balanced tackle or combo deals, way before the fast food chains latched onto the concept, except there were no upgrades. Perfection was there in the first offering.

This Balanced tackle chart from 1959 would have been very useful to beginning anglers needed advice on matching their tackle choices.

In 1969, this offering below introduced the 4 fishing types and matched to the product lines.

By 1979, matched fishing kits comprising reel, rod, line and lures are being offered.

In the 1989 catalog, we see the eye catching packaging come to a new level, though aimed more at the novices who always need help, and not containing their premium products. I guess it was thought the perfectionists had enough knowledge and could discern for themselves what they needed.

By 1999, this trend to market to the uninitiated or novice angler  was still continuing.

The current 2009 catalog has a myriad of different Combo’s including some premium products.

Back on a more personal historical note, I always found these images my favourites including the rare 70’s fold up flyer to be a favourite.

I have attempted to collect and combine various rod and reel combinations from the years in which they would have been released.

In future I hope to match authentic lines when found, and lures to these combos (and also display and photograph them a little better)

Here are displayed combos from the 40's through to the 80's. I fish with some later combos as well!

Many find vintage-fishing a passion, but personally, give me my tricked up custom Ambassadeurs any day over the early Record casting reels. The lures are still as effective but rod technology has marched on like the reels.

Still occasionally re-visting the past can be a blast especially if done with kindred spirits. Pure Fishing has great roots in A.B.Urfabriken and will do well to revisit and continue to value the old goals instilled from 3 generations of the Borgstom family who knew the importance of educating the consumers of their products!

Failing to produce the full and complete English language Tight Lines catalogs after 2002, was a major step away from their heritage of being masters of the pisctorial universe for people of all major nations/languages. Please re-instate out English language catalogs.

If you are a person that has significantly had an effect on design/development/testing of ABU equipment over the years please contact me  wayne@realsreels.com  if you wish your contribution documented for posterity and the immediate interest of the ABU fans worldwide!