I grew up pond hopping and kayak fishing with budget-friendly gear. I didn’t experience the advantage that high-quality rods and reels can give an angler until college.

　　While fishing in a collegiate tournament with a fellow student, I noticed how much farther and more accurately I could cast with his rods and reels. They were set up properly, and he’d spent at least twice as much as I had on my Walmart specials.

　　Now, more than a decade after college, I still blame him for being broke. No, not really, but I did become a believer in getting what you pay for, especially in the fishing reel space. So, I eagerly accepted the opportunity to test the Abu Garcia Revo Rocket spinning reel this past spring.

　　I’ve used Abu Garcia products in the past, mostly the budget-friendly options, but I’ve always been impressed with the quality for the price. Does the Revo Rocket spinning reel continue this legacy, or is it overpriced?

　　In short: It’s fast. The Revo Rocket is the fastest-spinning reel and one of the most expensive reels I’ve ever owned. However, the high-quality materials and innovative features demand the $220 price point. It performed incredibly well and quickly became my go-to reel for bass fishing and crappie fishing (though it’s not ideal for panfish for reasons well discuss below). 

　　Abu Garcia Revo Rocket Spinning Reel Check Price at Amazon

　　Specifications Retrieve: Right/left Reel size tested: 30 Reel weight: 7.6 oz. Bearings: 9 stainless steel HPCR bearings + 1 roller bearing Material: Aluminum and stainless steel Gear ratio: 7.6:1 Max drag: 11 lbs. Line capacity (lbs./yards): 225/6 lbs. 175/8 lb. 140/10 lbs. Inches per turn: Up to 43 in. (for size 30 reel) Pros Smooth casting and reeling Smooth drag Comfortable handle Lightweight Eye-catching color Cons Too fast for the average angler (Reels in 43 inches per turn of the handle) Expensive Wesley Littlefield Abu Garcia Revo Rocket Spinning Reel Review Throughout the spring, I used the Abu Garcia Revo Rocket spinning reel to target bass, crappie, and sunfish in creeks, lakes, and ponds. It’s a dream to fish with, as long as you remember to barely reel.

　　Build Quality

　　I found the Abu Garcia Revo Rocket worth its price tag; (photo/Wesley Littlefield) Abu Garcia uses high-quality materials to make this reel easily justify the price, in my mind (not so much with my wife, though). The Zenon (Abu Garcia’s most expensive line of reels) inspired A-SYM body design truly minimizes the reel’s body and weight. It’s not quite as small as a typical 20-size reel, but it’s definitely not as clunky as other size-30 reels I’ve used.

　　The AM-G 2 fully machined gear system ensures smooth and powerful reeling capabilities. Thanks to the V-Rotor design and Rocket line management system, it casts like a dream. The Carbon Matrix drag system is designed to provide the smoothest drag possible when fighting big fish on light line.

　　The reel boasts the AM-G 2 fully machined gear system; (photo/Wesley Littlefield) After unboxing it and thoroughly looking it over, I slapped it on my Finwick HMG spinning rod, filled the spool with 10-pound monofilament, and headed to one of my favorite crappie spawning spots.

　　On-the-Water Performance My first time fishing with the Revo Rocket was a complete success. I caught more crappie than most of the anglers in that stretch of the creek because I remembered I was using a high-speed reel. I fished incredibly slowly but didn’t have any problems with the reel. Using a lightweight (1/16) crappie jig and bobber, I had no problem casting exactly where I needed from my paddleboard.

　　(Photo/Wesley Littlefield) The Abu Garcia Revo Rocket spinning reel does exactly what it was designed to do. It reels in your fishing line smoother and faster than any other spinning reel on the market. But is more speed always a good thing? (More on this below.)

　　I spent hours with this reel in my hand and never grew tired of casting and reeling it. Everything about it is comfortable and well-balanced, and it takes very little effort to reel.

　　While the color of the reel has absolutely zero effect on how well it fishes, the bright red and black color scheme perfectly matches the name and makes a statement on the water. As the cliché goes, “Look good, feel good, fish good.” (I don’t think anyone actually says that!)

　　Where I See Room for Improvement

　　(Photo/Wesley Littlefield) Honestly, the Revo Rocket spinning reel does its job too well, meaning it reels in the line too fast. Most anglers, myself included, fish too fast a majority of the time. Since I primarily use a spinning reel for finesse fishing, there’s not much sense in having a high gear ratio.

　　Whenever you turn the reel handle 360 degrees, you bring in 43 inches of line. That means you’re moving your lure over 3½ feet each turn. I get it, that might not sound like much, and fish can easily keep up, but, in my experience, fishing excruciatingly slow is often better than blazing fast.

　　Who Should Buy It?

　　The Revo Rocket promises and delivers; (photo/Wesley Littlefield) The Abu Garcia Revo Rocket spinning reel is an excellent reel to add to your lineup because it does exactly what it says it will do. However, you must be aware that it’s expensive and you’ll need to consciously think about how fast youre fishing each time you turn the reel handle. Abu Garcia has made another incredible reel for serious anglers.

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