the pier sniper, avail tuned ambassadeur 4500cs
A true piece of artistry.
It is no secret that Ashlin Fishing is a huge, huge fan of the Abu Ambassadeur. While a little rough around the edges compared to other contemporary models, it is loved because it’s a blank slate. No matter the style of fishing, each one can be purpose built to fulfill a niche in the fisherman’s arsenal. They are also very uncomplicated, to the point that they can be field serviced if need be. Much of the newer stuff, made complex for the sake of complexity, cannot hold a candle in that regard. Being such a ripe platform for tuning and modification, there is a size for every scenario imaginable, from the tiny but mighty 1500C to the hulking 7000C. These reels mean business.
The Ambassadeur 4500CS was on US store shelves for just a brief moment; released for 1994 and never to be seen again. In Europe and Japan, this reel was on the market until 2017 and offered in colors such as gold, green, red, sunset orange, and even black. Abu in their infinite wisdom, decided to remove the 4000 size from most markets by that time as it was competing with their Korean made Revo lineup, which they proclaimed was the future of Abu Garcia. What makes the CS models special is they are reminiscent of the classic pre-’81 Ambassadeurs and use a palm tension side knob, a feature loved by many. While the 4500CS wasn’t particularly a big hit, its bigger brothers, the 5500CS and 6500CS would become mainstays in tournament circuits and a major player among surf fishermen. To me, they are the best of the best contemporary Ambassadeurs offered by Abu on the US market. While the C3, C4, and C5 models are nice in their own right, they are no CS. These were the flagship models of the Ambassadeur lineup until the Record came to market in 2005. Abu would go on to make the CS series until they decided to close up the factory in Sweden in 2025, giving this chic and highly desirable model a 31 year run. Very impressive, especially in this climate of planned obsolescence.
eBay find, a decent looking Ambassadeur 4500CS. It will clean up nicely.
Some may wonder why I wanted to build out a mid-frame Ambassadeur, especially with the lighter weight components. This build was done primarily to target shoaling white bass from piers near my home on the Detroit River. During May and part of June, white bass migrate from Lake Erie to their spawning grounds in the Detroit River and St Clair River. Some consider them trash fish, but in all honesty, they are much more sporty pound for pound than even a smallmouth. This 4500CS was built this way so I could cast further than the others in proximity, and the lighter rotating assembly will give me a leg up on guys throwing bigger stuff with spinning tackle. Ambassadeurs with their 39mm diameter spools hold the most casting records around the world, showing the true pedigree of the platform. Paired with a lightweight spool, this will cast baits as small as ⅛ of an ounce a considerable distance. As we can see, this is a purpose built machine. A perfect match for the small spoons and soft plastic swim baits I usually use, and will be right at home on my Major Craft Days 6’5” ML 3/16-1/2. During the white bass run, the piers can get shoulder to shoulder so I will take any advantage I can get.
A lightweight Microcast spool, designed for thread line braid. Ultralight blue brake shoes installed.
To lighten up the reel and get it where I needed, I bought parts from Avail; a 9.8g Microcast spool, two bearing level wind, lighter line guide, two bearing ported cog wheel, and a spool pinion gear to match the cog. I also purchased a new old stock aluminum 4500C frame which is considerably lighter than the chromed brass factory frame and will better facilitate my one-handed casting habit. Rounding it out, an aluminum star wheel from Avail and a 70mm Haneda Craft handle with two bearings per knob. The combination of these parts will shave over an ounce and a half of weight from the final product. For the rest, I used a pair of NMB DDL-1040ZZ spool bearings, Smooth Drag Carbontex drag, and a pair of blue ultralight brake shoes to keep the spool from getting too wild, yet letting me reach way out. Lighter spools start and stop easier, so heavy shoes are not needed. A magnetic brake can be used instead of or in conjunction with the centrifugal brake, but I really love the centrifugal on these reels. I decided to keep the factory 5.3:1 gear set, 24” per turn of the handle is fine by me, and the torque provided will help winch in the occasional rogue sheephead (freshwater drum for you non-Great Lakes people), pike, or musky. While some will argue that is too slow, faster gears lack torque. Faster may be better for working some lures, but when fighting a fish, it’s the torque that brings them to the net. Besides, it’s easier to find your ideal cadence with middle of the pack ratios versus high or lower ratios. It is for me anyway.
The mess of parts required to get the 4500CS how I wanted.
Being that the spool is designed for thread line braid, I opted to use YGK x8 Upgrade #1.2, which is rated to break at 25lb, but is of a diameter similar to that of 3lb Maxima Ultragreen monofilament. The spool will hold about 80 yards which doesn’t sound like much, but is plenty for my uses and will also transition well to other species I may target with this reel. The finished product is much more refined than it was from the factory and the spool spins quite nicely as seen in the video below. I have yet to take it outside as the weather has turned cold and skim ice is forming near shore, but once spring rolls around, to the pier we go. Everything I have laid out in this build will also work with a 4600 C3, 4600 C4, and 4600 C5. If you would like your own, I would be more than happy to assist. These purpose built reels are a lot of fun from start to finish and will provide years of enjoyment with routine maintenance. As always, happy fishing and check back periodically, Ashlin is now an authorized seller of Avail reel components and our store will soon be populated with their products. Thanks for reading!