Abu Garcia Revo Rocket Review

I grew up pond hopping and kayak fishing with budget-friendly gear. I didn’t experience the advantage that high-quality rods and reels can give an angler until college. 

While fishing in a collegiate tournament with a fellow student, I noticed how much farther and more accurately I could cast with his rods and reels. They were set up properly, and he’d spent at least twice as much as I had on my Walmart specials.

Now, more than a decade after college, I still blame him for being broke. No, not really, but I did become a believer in getting what you pay for, especially in the fishing reel space. So, I eagerly accepted the opportunity to test the Abu Garcia Revo Rocket spinning reel this past spring. 

I’ve used Abu Garcia products in the past, mostly the budget-friendly options, but I’ve always been impressed with the quality for the price. Does the Revo Rocket spinning reel continue this legacy, or is it overpriced? 

In short: It’s fast. The Revo Rocket is the fastest-spinning reel and one of the most expensive reels I’ve ever owned. However, the high-quality materials and innovative features demand the $220 price point. It performed incredibly well and quickly became my go-to reel for bass fishing and crappie fishing (though it’s not ideal for panfish for reasons we’ll discuss below). 

Abu Garcia Revo Rocket Spinning Reel Review

Throughout the spring, I used the Abu Garcia Revo Rocket spinning reel to target bass, crappie, and sunfish in creeks, lakes, and ponds. It’s a dream to fish with, as long as you remember to barely reel.

Build Quality

Abu Garcia uses high-quality materials to make this reel easily justify the price, in my mind (not so much with my wife, though). The Zenon (Abu Garcia’s most expensive line of reels) inspired A-SYM body design truly minimizes the reel’s body and weight. It’s not quite as small as a typical 20-size reel, but it’s definitely not as clunky as other size-30 reels I’ve used.

The AM-G 2 fully machined gear system ensures smooth and powerful reeling capabilities. Thanks to the V-Rotor design and Rocket line management system, it casts like a dream. The Carbon Matrix drag system is designed to provide the smoothest drag possible when fighting big fish on light line. 

After unboxing it and thoroughly looking it over, I slapped it on my Finwick HMG spinning rod, filled the spool with 10-pound monofilament, and headed to one of my favorite crappie spawning spots.

On-the-Water Performance

My first time fishing with the Revo Rocket was a complete success. I caught more crappie than most of the anglers in that stretch of the creek because I remembered I was using a high-speed reel. I fished incredibly slowly but didn’t have any problems with the reel. Using a lightweight (1/16) crappie jig and bobber, I had no problem casting exactly where I needed from my paddleboard.

On another trip, I tossed it in the back of my truck and headed to my pond to target bass. There are a few 3- to 4-pounders in it, but most are small 1-pounders.

Still, it makes for some fun fishing, and even the little guys can strip a little drag. I used a finesse jig, wacky rig, and Texas rig at my pond, and the Revo Rocket handled them all (yes, the rod also has a lot to do with it). 

After several trips to the creek, pond, and the lake, I have not had a problem with it, except when I fish too fast (which is more often than not, thanks to the high gear ratio). 

What the Revo Rocket Spinning Reel Does Well

The Abu Garcia Revo Rocket spinning reel does exactly what it was designed to do. It reels in your fishing line smoother and faster than any other spinning reel on the market. But is more speed always a good thing? (More on this below.)

I spent hours with this reel in my hand and never grew tired of casting and reeling it. Everything about it is comfortable and well-balanced, and it takes very little effort to reel.

While the color of the reel has absolutely zero effect on how well it fishes, the bright red and black color scheme perfectly matches the name and makes a statement on the water. As the cliché goes, “Look good, feel good, fish good.” (I don’t think anyone actually says that!)

Where I See Room for Improvement

Honestly, the Revo Rocket spinning reel does its job too well, meaning it reels in the line too fast. Most anglers, myself included, fish too fast a majority of the time. Since I primarily use a spinning reel for finesse fishing, there’s not much sense in having a high gear ratio.

Whenever you turn the reel handle 360 degrees, you bring in 43 inches of line. That means you’re moving your lure over 3½ feet each turn. I get it, that might not sound like much, and fish can easily keep up, but, in my experience, fishing excruciatingly slow is often better than blazing fast.

Who Should Buy It?

At this price point and its unique design, the Abu Garcia Revo Rocket spinning reel is intended for advanced anglers, primarily tournament anglers. If you often miss fish because you can’t catch up to them to set the hook or need to maximize the number of casts you make daily, then this reel will help you accomplish both goals. 

The average angler will find this reel incredibly attractive because it fishes so well, it’s durable, and it’s all around a great reel. However, most anglers should avoid it because it will make you fish too fast in most situations. The Revo X spinning reel is a better option for most anglers because of its lower gear ratio (6.2:1) and price ($140). 

Conclusion: Abu Garcia Revo Rocket Spinning Reel Review

The Abu Garcia Revo Rocket spinning reel is an excellent reel to add to your lineup because it does exactly what it says it will do. However, you must be aware that it’s expensive and you’ll need to consciously think about how fast you’re fishing each time you turn the reel handle. Abu Garcia has made another incredible reel for serious anglers.