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!