Abel Reels Revamped
A Look at Abel’s Advancements in Fly Fishing Reels
Over the past several years Abel Reels has redesigned their entire lineup of fly reels. Many of you remember Abel’s original series of fly reels, including the infamous 3N, a standard for serious permit and bone fisherman for years. And don’t forget the “Super Series”, which helped put Abel on the map and possibly responsible for more IGFA world records both in fresh and salt water than any other reel. This workhorse of a reel, with new modifications, is still in production. But recently, Abel has redefined the reel industry with the introduction of their Sealed Drag Series, the SDS (saltwater) and SDF (freshwater).
Abel’s debut of their first Sealed Drag reel was in 2013, a completely new drag re-design from their classic exposed cork drag system. At this time Abel was working with Joe Saracionne to engineer and create something unique and different. This reel stayed in the line up for a couple of years before Abel took the sealed drag concept to a higher level.
Abel’s newly designed drag system was first installed on Abel’s SDS (Sealed Drag Saltwater) reels. Not long after, the newly introduced sealed drag reels took the industry by storm. The SDS was winner of the best new saltwater reel at the 2016 ICAST/IFTD and the SDF followed suit as the winner of the best new freshwater reel for 2018 by Fly Fisherman Magazine and Best of Show at the 2018 ICAST/IFTD.
