In getting ready for the 2010 Musky season, I decided to buy myself a new reel. I looked over the available choices and settled upon the Abu Garcia Revo Toro 60 HS. My review of the reel is listed below, however, I should qualify the review by saying that I have not yet used it in real Musky conditions...If the reel does not live up to expectations, I will amend the review to reflect my actual experience.

Field Test Results: I just spent 3 weeks beating the water using the Revo Toro as my bucktail rod so it got a real good workout. I loaded the reel with 80 pound Tuf-line plus (not the XP or the standard) and the reel has great line capacity. The loaded reel is no heavier that the standard 5500 or 6500 reels. The drag system was exceptional as was the brake system. With all of the casting, into and with the wind, I did not have any backlash problems. I am very pleased with the reel and will probably buy another.

I decided upon this reel because of the reputation of the Abu Garcia products and the high speed retrieve (6.4:1) and the 7 HPCR® bearings.

I am not easily impressed by a reel but this reel got my attention as soon as I took it from the box.

The reel is a bit unusual looking because of the offset gearing mechanism. The first thing that got my attention was the detented drag star. This has the promise of precise drag control and a predictable drag setting is a real ally when fighting a Musky.

I then set my attention to the reel brake and found that it too is detented allowing for precise control in preventing those professional overruns (Backlashes). The line leveling mechanism is also smooth and persistent as line is stripped off during casting and also put back on the reel during a retrieve.

The reel is also equipped with a thumb bar promoting ease of operation. All in all, this reel appears to be a leap forward for Abu Garcia in the high performance reel market.

Oh yes, the reel also comes with an extra reel handle for those of you who prefer the power handle to the paddle handle.

The MSRP for this reel is $279.95, however, Jackson Lures Unlimited is offering $50.00 in free lures when you buy any of the Revo Toro model reels. This is one heck of a deal especially now when we are looking to the coming 2010 Musky season.

Tight Lines