Abu Garcia
Abu Garcia fishing rods, from the Swedish brand with more than a century of fishing heritage. Shop the Abu Garcia Veritas V5 range, including soft bait rods, light and ultralight spin rods, 4 piece travel rods with tubes and 12ft and 14ft 6in surfcasting rods, plus the one piece Veritas Tournament.
Explore more fishing rods for soft baiting, surfcasting and travel.
Feel the balance of a Veritas V5 at our Grey Lynn concept store at 36 Pollen Street, or order online for fast, tracked delivery across New Zealand.
Abu Garcia Light Spin Rods
About Abu Garcia
Abu Garcia traces its roots to Svangsta, a small town in southern Sweden, where the company that became ABU started out making clocks and watches in the early 1900s. That precision engineering moved into fishing reels in the 1950s. The Swedish built ABU 444, the company's first spinning reel, arrived in 1955, followed in 1965 by the first Cardinal spinning reel, and the brand went on to become one of the most famous names in sport fishing.
Today Abu Garcia makes rods and reels for anglers all over the world, and its Veritas rods are a popular choice with New Zealand anglers looking for strong, light and well balanced rods.
The Veritas V5 range
The Veritas V5 rods we stock cover the main styles of fishing in New Zealand. The soft bait rods, in lengths around 7ft to 7ft 6in and line ratings from 3 to 8kg, are designed for snapper and kahawai on soft plastics, with a sensitive tip to feel bites and enough backbone to turn a fish. The light and ultralight spin rods suit lighter lines, smaller lures and species such as trout and kahawai.
For the beach, the 12ft and 14ft 6in three piece surfcasting rods have the length and power to cast heavy sinkers and baits beyond the breakers.
Travel rods and Abu Garcia at Land & Sea
The Veritas V5 4 piece travel rods break down into short sections and come with a protective tube, so you can take a quality soft bait or spin rod on a plane, in a small car or on a tramping trip. The Veritas Tournament is a one piece rod built for anglers who want maximum sensitivity and a seamless feel.
At Land & Sea our team can help you choose the right Veritas length and line rating, and match it to a reel and line for your fishing. If you fish a mix of styles, a 7ft soft bait rod rated around 4 to 8kg is a very versatile starting point.
Frequently asked questions about Abu Garcia
What does the line rating on a fishing rod mean?
The line rating on a fishing rod, such as 4-8kg, tells you the range of line breaking strains the rod is designed to use. Fishing within that range lets the rod bend and recover as intended, protects the blank from overloading and gives the best casting performance. Lighter ratings suit smaller fish and finesse fishing, while heavier ratings suit bigger fish, heavy sinkers and rough ground.
Are travel fishing rods any good?
Modern travel rods like the Abu Garcia Veritas V5 4 piece models perform very close to two piece rods, because their joints are designed to transfer power smoothly along the blank. They pack down into a short tube, making them easy to take on flights, in small cars, on bikes or strapped to a tramping pack. Line up the guides carefully when assembling the rod, and check the joints are snug during the day.
What length surfcasting rod should I buy?
For most New Zealand beaches, a surfcasting rod between 12ft and 14ft 6in is ideal. A 12ft rod is easier to handle and suits smaller beaches and lighter sinkers, while a longer 14ft 6in rod casts further and lifts more line above the waves, which helps on big surf beaches. The Abu Garcia Veritas V5 range includes both lengths, so choose by the beaches you fish and how far you need to cast.
What is a one piece fishing rod?
A one piece fishing rod is made from a single continuous blank with no joints. Without ferrules, the rod bends smoothly along its full length, which gives excellent sensitivity, a natural action and slightly less weight. The trade off is that one piece rods are longer to transport. The Abu Garcia Veritas Tournament is a one piece rod built for anglers who value that seamless feel when soft baiting.
Is Abu Garcia a Swedish brand?
Abu Garcia has its roots in Svangsta, Sweden, where the company that became ABU began by making clocks and watches before turning its precision engineering to fishing reels. The Swedish built ABU 444 spinning reel arrived in 1955 and the first Cardinal reel in 1965. Today Abu Garcia is part of a global fishing tackle group, but its Swedish heritage remains a big part of the brand's identity.
What rod is best for soft baiting snapper?
A soft bait rod around 7ft to 7ft 6in long, rated around 3 to 8kg, is the best all-round choice for soft baiting snapper in New Zealand. It should have a sensitive tip to feel light bites and the jighead touching the bottom, and enough backbone to set the hook and turn a good fish. Pair it with a 3000 to 4000 size spin reel loaded with light braid and a fluorocarbon leader.