Abu Hellbender M

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 1:19 pm

Went into my local tackle shop today and put a depsoit on a new rod today, decided to opt for an abu hellbender, after a lot of umming and ahhhing, i decided i dont treat myself that often so a new rod it was big grin

The model i decided on was the green "M Pro" version. A couple of guys i know have bought Hellbenders, one has the green "pro" model and one has the orange "premium" model.
Decided after having a couple of chucks with each, that i would go for the slightly stiffer green rod.
Happy though, that they let me put a deposit on the rod and are keeping it for me until i pay in full, as not a lot of tackle shops will do that for you!!
So now have a pair of rods again, one for fishing close in and one to blast out, so can cover double the ground when im fishing again big grin

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 2:50 pm

I could never get on with my Hellbender and sold it on ebay, hope things are diffrent for you. It is a good rod but just didnt suit me.

Craig

Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 8:54 am

I have the Suveran sport that I think was replaced by the green Hellbender. The build and fittings on the Suveran are 1st class: I have had mine for quite a few years now and use it for cod and dog fishing. It is still in gr8 condition and has not needed any whipping or eyes replaced.
It is a powerful rod and my limited casting skill has not got the best out of it but occasionally when I do get the cast right it does make the reel sing.
If the Hellbender is a replacement for the Suveran then you will have a gr8 piece of kit.
Mac.

Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 11:34 am

Just a bit envious, I went and looked at one a few weeks ago and looks like it would chuck a 6 oz a fair way in the right hands. Can't go for another rod at present cos HID would give me one of those looks.....
Just wonder what bite detection would be like with such a stiff rod - let us know when you get there.

Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 7:04 pm

When i had a few casts off the beach with my friend's hellbender, it did cast a long way.
Further than i can cast my other abu rods, due to it having a stiffer butt, but we could still see bites from whiting at quite a distance out. I tried it and i liked it, and he told me that the few times he's been out since he bought it, that he thought it fished the fast tides we get here really well. As one of the rods i had before i bought because it had a soft supple tip but it just bent right over in the tide and couldnt see a single bite!!!
I did buy a, abu Suveran xp due to the tides, but it was ott by a mile and the complete opposite. Without exaggerating, i caught a 2lb bass last summer with it, and didnt even know it was on there till i reeled in to change my bait. I then felt it pulling on the end, but it didnt register while the rod was in the rest!!
So all i gotta do is wait till the end of the month and then i can go pick it up and christen it with a large 7lb + cod.............
Well i can fish on, and hope cant I?
Plus I owed myself a new rod from a while ago after shutting one in the garage door and breakin it about a foot from the tip.

crying

But as soon as i can get my hands on it i will be taking it out that day big grin

Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 10:37 pm

Blimey Kenny, I am now so tempted at £100 it sounds great. I know Abu have a fair reputation - already have one of their uptiders which must be 8 years old and tough as old boots. Going to have to do a bit of overtime if I can get it.

Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 1:38 pm

'I did buy a, abu Suveran xp due to the tides, but it was ott by a mile and the complete opposite. Without exaggerating, i caught a 2lb bass last summer with it, and didnt even know it was on there till i reeled in to change my bait. I then felt it pulling on the end, but it didnt register while the rod was in the rest!! '

Hi Kenny,
The bass down your way must wimps suprise

. Seriously, I know what you mean my suveran is not the xp version but it is a very powerful rod. To be honest the only praise I have heard for it, apart from myself, has been from tournament casters who are built like brick ....houses!
Each summer I think I will sell it but then the winter arrives and I remember the fish it hauled out of kelpy gullies that other rods would have given up on. So I have still got it and each winter it gets used regularly.
In saying that if the hellbender is more usable, has the same build quality and still has the grunt to pull fish out of gullies, its days may be numbered. Let me know how you get on with that 7lb + cod.
Mac

Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 11:16 pm

ive just ordered abu hellbender fixed spool for night fishing dont get on with my penn mag at night time [/quote][/list]

Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 5:49 pm

I get on just fine with my 525 mag at night, as ive found that if you listen to the reel when you cast, then you can hear the reel slow drasticly when the weight hits the water, and then that's the moment to instantly stop the spool. Then just let the line out slowly as you would at any other time, until the weight hits the bottom and you have a nice bow in your line form the tide. Some people get the hang of it others dont.
I personally dont get on with fixed spool reels and would much rather use a multiplier, day or night. Cannot cast smoothly with one to save my life, and my bait usually ends up on the beach when I tried using one, but just couldnt get on with it at all
at wits' end - New!

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 12:49 pm

Well I went and picked the rod up the other day and took it for a few casts up on the sea wall and it wasnt too bad, but went last night for a couple of hours fishing. Well pleased with it, shows up bites quite a fair way out from small whiting and the small bass i caught (which did take me by suprise!), even though it could have only been 10" long!! And also it didnt collapse hauling in huge bundles of seaweed. Shame i didnt have a good fish to test it out with but you cant have it all ways.....

So am happy with it, and would recomend it to anybody.