Fishing can be the ultimate in relaxation. It can also be extremely stressful when you lose a fish due to an improperly set drag on the spinning reel. With the  ABF graphite reel, you can relax again.

The bait feeder feature is a great insurance policy against losing the big one.

With most spinning reels, there is no bait feeder option. You either have to hold the rod and keep the bail open so when a fish takes the bait, they don’t feel the hook right away. Then you have to engage the bail to set the hook.

Or you keep the drag really light and hope the fish doesn’t feel the hook. Most of the time, the fish will still feel that hook and you won’t get a proper hook set.

Your only other option was to buy a bait caster or conventional reel. I grew up with spinning outfits and never wanted to learn the intricacies of using conventional.

Now, you can have the spinning reel and have a one-handed bait runner system. Just flip the button on the back and the line will run free. It is just tight enough that it will click when there is a fish on.  Wait a couple of seconds for the fish to swallow that hook and start reeling in. The bait feeder is automatically disengaged and you get a great hook set, resulting in fewer lost fish.

The bait feeder feature alone makes the Okuma reel a great purchase, but there are more great features than that.

Read on and I will go into more detail about what makes it a great reel. Then you can decide if the reel will be the right one for your needs.

Our Review

As I mentioned earlier, the greatest feature is the bait feeder. With one hand you can flip the switch to let the line run free. There is also the option to adjust the tension while the spool is disengaged. Different species require different techniques, so it’s nice to have the option to adjust the tension accordingly.

When you are surf fishing and have multiple rods lined up on the beach, it is great to have that kind of control. And the clicking noise that it makes indicates when you have a fish on, so you don’t have to stand guard over your pole.

Even beyond that feature, you still have a great reel.

The oil soaked washers in the drag off up a really smooth pull when engaged. No jerking or catching of the gears while you battle a fish.  When using braided line, a smooth drag is essential. Too many times I have lost a big fish because the drag catches and my braided line snaps. That won’t be the case with the Okuma thanks to the washers.

The seal to the gear box for the drag is water-tight. No need to open that up for maintenance since no salt or sand will get in there. Keeping the gears lubricated will keep that reel lasting a long time.

There are 6 ball bearings plus one for a quick anti-reverse setting. That’s another feature that guards against a lost fish. The anti-reverse will make sure that the drag is engaged and will only let out line according to how tightly you set it. The worst thing that can happen when engaging a fish is to have that line go slack. Luckily, you don’t have to worry about that with the Avenger.

Having a reel made out of graphite is crucial when fishing in the salt. You still need to wash your reel after using it in the salt, but corrosion is limited by the graphite. A good reel isn’t much good if it corrodes after a few uses in the destructive salt. Your Okuma, however, is built to last.

The reel is very lightweight lending itself well to the kayak angler. Every ounce counts when you have to lug your gear around to get on the water. If you are loading up the kayak, you shouldn’t have to worry about your tackle weighing too much.

What makes this reel really stand out is the price. If you are on a budget, many times you have to sacrifice more than necessary performance to stay within your means. Not anymore. The features you get are surprising for the price you pay.

Decision time

After reading, do you think the ABF is for you?

If you are looking for a versatile reel that can be used in a variety of conditions, then you need this reel.

If you are a kayak angler, you can troll with it with the bait feeder engaged and keep your hands free. When you have a fish on, simply start reeling. Keeping things simple on a kayak ensures a greater chance of decking that fish.

If you are fishing from a beach and want to leave the pole unattended, you will not only know that you have a fish on by the clicking, but you don’t have to worry about the fish feeling the hook.

With the different sizes ranging from the ABF-20a with a maximum drag of 8lbs to the ABF-90a with the maximum drag of 22 pounds, there is a reel for any type of fishing.

Don’t let the low price fool you. You would have to spend a lot more money to get such reliability and high performance. In the case of the Okuma Avenger ABF series, you get way more than you pay for!