Impressions: Possessing a Studebaker-esque appeal, the EON Pro is quite the unique reel in appearance. Throwing convention out the window Abu designed this reel to be part round baitcaster, part low profile. This ellipse-like profile is only the tip of the iceberg. A magnesium frame surrounded by graphite sideplates complete with carbon fiber weave highlights lead to a drag wheel instead of the traditional star and a cast control knob located right in the center of the reel. This form follows function design of the EON Pro leaves one to query whether it should be marveled or euthanized. These concerns aside, clicking the reel over to freespool and giving the spool a whirl reveals potentially mind boggling performance - our test model spun for close to two friction-free minutes!

Field Test: We spooled our Abu EON Pro up with 14lb Berkley Fireline and paired it with our G.Loomis BCR893 GLX Senko Stick then took to our local waters to see how this incredible free spooling demonstration would translate into real world performance.

Casting/Pitching: The Abu EON Pro possesses a centrifugal braking system to control the spool during casts. Adjustments to the braking system are made by removing the sideplate and turning a red disc that uncovers the brakes in varying combinations. Not exactly an intuitive design, we ran into difficulty taming our reel during overhead and side arm casts. In addition, no matter the brake setting, once a breeze or wind of any sort showed up to slow down our presentation, results were displayed in our spool with the telltale fluff of our line. The Abu EON Pro is not a reel for those unfamiliar with baitcasting equipment and will even give seasoned pro's a run for their patience.

Conversely, on slower, easier presentations like pitching, this reel shines. We were able to pitch 5" weightless Senkos incredible distances across the water with this reel and were all quite amazed as to how this reel performed. We enjoyed the pitching performance of this reel so much, we were almost ready to dismiss the casting difficulties.

Retrieving: The Swedish gears and engineering beneath this rather odd looking shell feel precise and machined rather than smooth and solid as compared to some of the reel's Japanese counterparts. Not to say we ran into any issues in this department during our tests, but the reel definitely has a different feel to it. Otherwise, the 22 inches of line recovery turned out to be quite the comfortable retrieve rate for the baits we fished.

Drag: While the planetary gearing design supposedly affords a larger washer ring, we didn't feel the benefit translate into better performance. The drag on our EON Pro shuddered unacceptably under load, and even when not under pressure never felt very smooth. The 5lbs of maximum pressure we were able to measure in our lab was reassuring, but overall delivery was somewhat below par.

Ergonomics: The elliptical profile of our EON pro was actually rather comfortable to palm but we had issue with the sideplate as we were using the reel. To remove the sideplate and gain access to the brake control mechanism, all one has to do is rotate the plate counter clockwise. There are no secondary locks to hold the plate in place and as we discovered, the plate can work lose as you are using the reel. In addition, the thumbar to release the spool for pitches and casts has a non-positive engagement. To release the spool, you press down on the thumbar as usual, but the bar moves back up part way with your thumb, so until you grow accustomed to the reel, you're always left with the feeling that the spool may not have released properly. Given the historic precision of Swedish engineering, we found the above issues very disappointing.

Design: The EON Pro is a unique looking reel to say the least. The first words muttered out of each staff member's mouth when looking at the reel for the first time were, "what the heck is that?". We applaud Abu for taking such an unconventional tact when designing their planetary gear system reels, unfortunately, the risk doesn't seem to have paid off given the fact they have discontinued production on all models domestic and abroad. For us, the reel is so odd and seemingly misplaced, we've grown to love it for it's individuality.

Ratings:

Pluses and Minuses:

Conclusion: Try as we did to enjoy this reel for its uniqueness, we ran into disappointment after disappointment in actual performance. Owning one of these reels out of sheer novelty has its own rewards, but relying on this reel for day to day fishing is probably not something you want to do unless you can find it at a very affordable price. Though discontinued, they are still out there or we wouldn't have been able to acquire one to satisfy our tackle curiosity. And satisfy it we did. Pitching performance is worthy of its Abu Garcia heritage, but beyond that, we didn't feel this reel was quite ready for prime time.