The Abu Garcia Cardinal C3 — A Classic That Still Turns Heads

Reel in Focus — Spotlight on the Abu Garcia Cardinal C3

Reel in Focus is our ongoing blog series where we take a specific vintage fishing reel each year and put it through its paces — on the water, in real fishing conditions. It’s part of our commitment to sharing not just technical knowledge, but the stories, craftsmanship, and wisdom passed down from generations of anglers. These reels aren't just tools — they're a connection to the past and a reminder that good design never goes out of style. Previous features have included the iconic Mitchell 308 and the legendary Zebco Cardinal 3. This year, we turn our attention to the Abu Garcia Cardinal C3 — a reel that perfectly bridges vintage durability with everyday fishability.

Why the Cardinal C3 Deserves Its Moment

Revered by collectors and respected by anglers, the Abu Garcia Cardinal C3 earns its rightful place in the Reel in Focus series as the successor to the legendary Cardinal 3 open-faced reels. Where the Cardinal 3 was all Swedish precision, the C3 brings its own swagger — with drop-dead looks and that blacked-out colorway that honestly reminds me of the F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Bomber. Sleek, tactical, and purpose-built. While the original Cardinal 3 was proudly made in Sweden, the C3 was produced in Japan — though it’s possible some of the very early iterations rolled out of Sweden as well. Both reels have built a cult following in Japan, where the Cardinal 3 and C3 are still held in the highest regard among serious tackle enthusiasts.

Fishing with a Cardinal C3 Today

Fishing with a vintage Abu Garcia Cardinal C3 today feels, in my opinion, like shaking hands with the past — and that’s exactly why I fish almost exclusively with vintage reels. Modern reels will catch fish just fine, but to me, they feel sterile — soulless even. They’re products of machines, built with infinite ball bearings and perfect tolerances, but missing that certain something that reels like the C3 still have. The C3 feels alive in your hands — mechanical, deliberate, honest.

Built in an era when reels were made to last decades, not just seasons, the C3 remains a practical, dependable choice for anglers who appreciate gear that feels like it was made by human hands, not robots. For the sake of this review, I’ve paired the C3 with a St. Croix 6-foot Trout Series 2-piece ultralight graphite rod — a setup that feels right at home on small streams, creeks, and farm ponds.

In my opinion, this reel really shines on ultralight spinning setups, and it belongs right at home on the water chasing trout, panfish, and bass. There’s a simplicity to the C3 that modern reels just can’t replicate — a smoothness that feels earned, not engineered. For those of us who love vintage tackle that still wants to be fished, the Cardinal C3 might just be the perfect blend of nostalgia, craftsmanship, and performance.

What the Cardinal 3 and Cardinal C3 Have in Common (And What Sets Them Apart)

While the Abu Garcia Cardinal 3 and Cardinal C3 came from different eras — and different production lines — they share a lot of the same fishing DNA. Both reels earned their place in tackle history not through gimmicks or over-engineering, but through smart, practical design built for real anglers.

That said, the C3 wasn’t just a reissue of the Cardinal 3 — it was an evolution.

Where the Cardinal 3 was a true open-faced reel — with its exposed spool and clean, minimalist styling — the Cardinal C3 marked a shift toward a more modern design with the introduction of a skirted spool. At the time, this was seen as a big advancement, intended to prevent line from slipping beneath the spool — a common complaint with older open-face reels. That said, I’ll be honest — I fish almost exclusively with vintage open-face reels, and I’ve personally never had that issue. But it’s clear that Abu Garcia was reading the direction of the industry and evolving the Cardinal series to meet changing expectations, blending tradition with innovation.

Still, despite their differences, these two reels share plenty of qualities that made the Cardinal name legendary:

Features Both Reels Share:

• Rear Drag System — A hallmark of the Cardinal line, giving anglers easy, on-the-fly drag control.
• Slim, Lightweight Body — Perfect for ultralight and finesse setups without sacrificing strength.
• Folding Handle — Practical for travel or packing light.
• Anti-Reverse Switch — Reliable and responsive for quick hook sets.
• Precision Engineering — Smooth, deliberate gearing that connects angler to fish in a way few modern reels do.
• Timeless Abu Garcia Styling — Understated, balanced, built for function over flash.
• Durability & Longevity — Metal internals and a “built to last” attitude that’s hard to find today.
• Massive Following in Japan — Both reels continue to hold iconic status among Japanese finesse anglers and collectors.

The Bottom Line:

The Cardinal 3 and the Cardinal C3 are cut from the same cloth — but they were built for different moments in time.

The Cardinal 3 is old-school minimalist perfection — the last of the true open-face era. The C3 brought that same spirit into the modern age with upgrades like the skirted spool, sleeker looks, and eventually Japanese precision manufacturing.

Both reels represent Abu Garcia Corp at its best: practical, durable, and forever fishable.