It’s fitting that fishing reel maker Abu Garcia began near the banks of the Mörrum River, one of Sweden’s favorite places to fish. But in 1921, when Carl August Borgström started the company, its first products were watches and other precision timing devices.
That focus changed in the late 1930s, when Borgström’s son Göte took over the company. Göte, you see, was an avid fisherman as well as a mechanical engineer, and his interests, coupled with depressed demand for his company’s products, prompted him to shift gears.
Göte’s first fishing reel was the Abu Record, produced in 1941. After World War II, the company made an ice-fishing reel called the Pimpel—they were cheap at the time but are sca...
Abu Garcia’s most famous fishing reel, the Record Ambassadeur Model SG, arrived in 1952. From the beginning, the reel was hugely popular, quickly gaining a worldwide following. Purists believe the reel should be red, as apparently preferred by Göte Borgström himself, but his company made the reels in red, green, black, and even gold, which gives collectors more to acquire today. The Ambassadeur family of vintage fishing reels includes the original SG, followed by the 5000, 5500, and 6000.
Interviews & Articles
The Fun and Artistry of Antique Fishing Lures

I grew up fishing. And I always had a few old lures – several came from my grandfather – and I just decided one day that they were… [more]
Trends in Fishing Tackle Collecting

I’ve been a collector of antique fishing tackle for over 20 years, and have been selling antique tackle in my shop since 1990. I c… [more]
Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)
Joes Old Lures

Joe Yates' website is a great showcase for hundreds of old fishing lures, providing high resolution photos and in m… [read review or visit site]
Mrlurebox.com

Take a big bite - you won't want to just nibble at Robbie Pavey's gallery of over 300 antique fishing lures, many w… [read review or visit site]
AntiqueLures.com

This extensive site features over 500 pages of information on pre-1940 wood fishing lures and lure boxes. Start wit… [read review or visit site]
Bob Vermillion's Fishing Tackle Web Site

Bob Vermillion started collecting lures at age 16, and has created a site dedicated to his love for Frank Knill 'Ve… [read review or visit site]
Oldfishinglure.com

This site is sure to snag you with its great collection of fishing lures from the early 1900s. Includes lures from … [read review or visit site]
TackleCollecting.com

Larry Nicholson's site dedicated to vintage fishing lures. Features beautiful images of lures and boxes from Fred A… [read review or visit site]
Clubs & Associations: Fishing
- National Fishing Lure Collectors Club
- Florida Antique Tackle Collectors
- Carolina Antique Tackle Collectors
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