Testing The Abu Garcia Zata Spinning

By: The Angler

Imagine your tummy growling with hunger. You see food on the table but there is this huge piece of shatter proof glass between the food and you. You can see it. Your stomach knows it’s near. Your tongue can almost taste it. The food is indeed there but you are not allowed to eat it. This is how I felt. I had the Abu Garcia Zata Spinning reel is my hands, I can play with it, but due to the MCO in place; I cannot go fish with it.

[ After casting out my yellow casting plug, I retrieve it and I can feel the smoothness… ]

My mind was going crazy. It’s like having a Ferrari but only a 100 metres road to drive. I have been casting in my garden. I can see the yellow casting plug fly. I can see how awesome the Rocket Lip Design is. But there is a limit to how far I can cast before my neighbours call security on a madman casting a piece of yellow plastic with the help of a rod. Sigh… Abu Garcia Zata Spinning reel in hand but casting in a garden.

The Abu Garcia ZATA Spinning reel has been waiting for this day; the day or reckoning, where it gets to learn how good it really is.

After casting out my yellow casting plug, I retrieve it and I can feel the smoothness. But there was no pressure, no weight, no nothing but a plastic plug. Yes it is smooth but will it be as smooth with a hard fighting fish shooting for the banks in the opposite direction? How smooth is the spool under pressure? Unfortunately my yellow casting plug cannot run in the opposite direction. I can get someone to run with the plug in hand. My neighbours would probably think I am torturing a fellow human. Abu Garcia Zata Spinning reel in hand and that is it.

The Abu Garcia Zata Spinning reel is said to come with 14lb of drag. All I can see are numbers. Yes, I can use my drag checker but the drag checker does not do sudden runs. I can simulate that but the drag checker would likely just fly off the line. Anyway, how smooth is the drag? Is it consistent? Does it remain smooth for long durations? Yes, I have the Zata in hand but… Need I say more?

6.2:1 Gear Ratio.

Finally, the folks in power says that fishing is allowed. They also allowed travelling between districts. All this while the numbers of COVID infection is way higher than the full lockdown a year ago. It makes no freaking sense what and why they returned more freedom to us, but I am glad they did. With freedom comes a rush to the fishing holes and I brought the Abu Garcia Zata Spinning reel with me.

Filled with 20lb Spiderwire Dura-4 Braid, the Abu Garcia Zata Spinning reel was paired with an Abu Garcia Salty Fighter 2 jigging rod. The target fishes are hard fighting groupers. Our baits were the awesome Berkley Powerbait Pro Grub (3 inches). I brought along a friend and gave him the honour of playing with the Zata first. On the second cast the rod bent and the fish was fighting hard. It wasn’t long before the first grouper came up for a photograph.

11 bearings for smoothness.

Awesome Casting

The Rocket Spool Lip Design is certainly a fantastic design. The friction between the line and the spool is certainly much lower. With just a simple flick the Pro Grub flew to the other side of the pond; stopping right at the bank on the other side. The Abu Garcia Zata Spinning reel certainly casts really well.

Smoothness And Power

The drag of the Abu Garcia Zata Spinning reel is certainly smooth and the reel has plenty of power to handle the hard fighting groupers in this pond. Yes, we did lose a fish… or two…. The first lost fish was due to the hook opening up. I am not going to use those unfamiliar jighead brands again. The other; lousy hook-up. But the rest of the fights were awesome. Smooth and powerful; that is the Zata.

Awesome looking reel with superb performance.

After a good number of fishes the Abu Garcia Zata Spinning reel continued to perform really well. Drag remained smooth and power remained good as well. The Abu Garcia Zata Spinning reel is also lightweight and fishing long hours with it is certainly a joy. No fatigue. The Zata also looks awesome out in the real world.

One of the hard fighting groupers that was bullied by the Abu Garcia ZATA Spinning during our field test.

To Get Or Not To Get; Now That Is The Question

So, should you get yourself one? If you fancy a matte green, sporty military like, lightweight, smooth fighting machine; the Abu Garcia Zata Spinning reel is an awesome reel to add to your arsenal. But if you fish like a clumsy rodeo bull rider; then perhaps you may want to get a few just in case you demolish one followed by another. Well, just go get one.