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Abu Garcia C3 vs C4 Showdown- 5 Key Differences Between The Two

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abu garcia c3 vs c4Are you looking to pick up a new reel? Trying to figure out what are the key differences between the Abu Garcia c3 vs c4?

In this post, we hope to answer that question and help you make the best decision.

Abu Garcia c3 vs c4, which one should I choose?

Let’s begin by checking the following video on Abu Garci c3 series:

Features (6500 Model)

  • Ball Bearing Count: 3+1
  • Gear Ratio: 5.3:1
  • Retrieve Rate: 26 inches
  • Line Capacity: Mono 12 pounds / 320 yards, Braid 30 pounds / 310 yards
  • Drag System: Carbon
  • Maximum Drag: 15 lbs
  • Weight: 10.7 ounces
  • Clicker

The first reel that we would like to take a closer look at, is the Abu Garcia C3-6500.

This is an aluminum baitcasting reel that has a good overall gear ratio of 5.3:1. It has a retrieval rate of 26 inches per crank and it has a good size spool to put a good amount of line on. It has 3 plus 1 ball bearing making it super smooth.

Because of the bigger spool, you are going to have a larger weight. The C3 6500 weighs 10.7 ounces which isn’t bad for having a bigger spool.

As with most Abu Garcia baitcasters it has a bent star drag making it more comfortable to use and hold in your hand. Another great feature is the clicker. While some fishermen like the clicker, others do not. On the 6500 model you have the option to turn it on or to leave it off. On the small models such as the 5500 you don’t have the clicker option. So it really depends on your personal preference.

What I like about the C3. As you know if you are a regular reader at this blog is that I like Abu Garcia reels. This one is no exception. As long as you take care of them they will last you many fishing seasons. Yes, you can use this one in saltwater, you just need to be mindful to wash all the saltwater off before storing. Another benefit to this particular model is that it was made in Sweden. As we know all the Abu Garcia reels made in Sweden are top-notch.

Now that we have taking a look at some c3 models, let’s take a look at some c4 baitcasters, but first check out the following video:

 

Features (6600 Model)

  • Ball Bearing Count: 4+1
  • Gear Ratio: 6.3:1
  • Duragear Gear system
  • Retrieve Rate: 30 inches
  • Line Capacity: Mono 12 pounds / 320 yards, Braid 30 pounds / 310 yards
  • Drag System: Carbon
  • Maximum Drag: 15 lbs
  • Weight: 10.9
  • Clicker
The first Abu Garci C4 that we are going to look at is the Abu Garcia C4-6600 Ambassadeur.
This particular reel is made with an aluminum blue body that is designed to withstand many fishing seasons. It has 4 ball bearings plus 1 roller bearing making it 5 in total for a smooth turn everytime.
A notable difference betwen the c3 vs c4 is the duragear 2 gear system. This gear system allows the gears to work better together to be more efficient and added strength. Efficient and added strength, those words are comforting when you are talking about the guts of your fishing reel. Not only do they enhance your fishing reel, but they help it to last many fishing seasons to come.
The 6600 has a much larger spool with the capacity to hold 320 yards of 12 pound mono. This will increase the overall weight of the reel weighing in at 10.9 ounces. It is not a huge difference, in fact you may not even notice the difference.
The 6600 model has is a clicker, but like the c3 series the smaller c4 series do not have a clicker.
It has the same ergonomic feel as most abu garcia reels with the bent star drag and lastly, it does have the duragear gear system for extra strength.
Now that we have consider the specs of these models, which one is the best? Let’s look at a 5 key differences in this showdown between Abu Garcia c3 vs c4.
Gear Ratio: As you can see the C3 series has a slower gear ratio of 5.3:1. This is going to give the reel a little bit more power. On the other hand, the C4 series has a gear ratio of 6.3:1 this is going to give it more speed, but you will be sacrificing more torque. This isn’t a huge difference, but you will notice the difference when fishing for bigger fish with bigger lures such as: swimbaits, crankbait and larger spinnerbaits.
Thumb Bar: The C4 series has a thumb bar, while the C3 series does not. Once again this isn’t a huge difference, but it more about comfortable. The thumb bar is definitely more easy to use especially when casting. Again, if this is an important aspect for you, I would choose the Abu Garcia C4 Series .
Anti Distortion Spool System. Another difference between the two is the Anti Distortion Spool System which is only available on the C4 Series. As we could see from the video this small v shape in the spool itself helps to give the spool more strength.
Duragear 2 gear system. As we mentioned earlier the Duragear gear system by Abu Garcia helps the gears to work better together. By doing so it helps give the reel more power with less turn of the handle. This gear system is only available on the 4 series.
Color.  I know the color of your future baitcaster may not be a deal breaker for you, but it is a difference. The 4 series are available in blue while the 3 series are available in silver.

Abu Garcia c3 vs c4 – What are you thoughts?

As you can see there are some differences between the two such as the gear ratio, the thumb bar, gear system and line system. So which one is better?

That is what makes this series great! I can not tell you which one will work better for you, it all depends on you and your style of fishing. I will tell you however, that you can not go wrong with choosing an Abu Garcia Baitcaster, they will last you a life time.

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  1. Hi from New Zealand,I have used a C3 6500 2 Speed Auto reel as my first choice for saltwater fishing for over 30 years.I think that the 2 speed was not available all that long but the only thing that has happened in all of this time is that the clicker failed and I had to take the reel apart to adjust it – no parts needed! The stickers on the reel that denote what model reel it is are long gone and the line guide shows signs of corrosion but i must admit to not looking after the reel as well as I should have.I am now looking at buying a C4 6600 that will be around longer than I will! Fantastic reels but I also have a Daiwa LD50H that has been used for bigger stuff and is still in great working condition. i have caught 45 pound Kingfish jigging with that reel and the only repair was to replace the drag washer as it had got a bit sticky. The old maxim is true – you will never regret buying quality

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