Abu Garcia is forging a new path with connected rod technology as it rolls out the new Abu Garcia Virtual, a fishing rod with Bluetooth technology that fully integrates with the free ANGLR smartphone app. The new series of rods allow anglers to record catches and mark waypoints in their personal and private logbook with the simple press of a button integrated into the butt of the rod.
The new series of rods is the first to integrate this type of technology and has been created in concert with ANGLR, a fast-growing company that offers a free fishing intelligence app helping anglers plan, record and improve their fishing. The Virtual rods allow the angler to simply press a button to record catches, double-click to drop editable waypoints at their exact location and press and hold the button to indicate a change in tackle. The action to record a catch also compiles location, weather and water data with the stored catch information. This information, coupled with the durability and performance of Abu Garcia rod technology will provide anglers a complete package as they look to maximize their time on the water.
“As connected technology continues to advance in fishing, we have been working on the ability to integrate electronics into our rods,” said Abu Garcia VP of marketing Jon Schlosser. “We are proud to partner with companies like ANGLR as we continue to innovate and bring new creative solutions, like the Virtual rod, to our consumers.”
The Virtual rod connects to the free ANGLR app on iPhone and Android devices. It allows anglers to record catches complete with automated weather, water and location details. It also enables the phone’s camera to add a photo. All recorded fishing data is 100-percent private by default. The rod does not require charging and delivers a 2-year battery life. It works regardless of cell service for off-the-grid fishing.
The Virtual rod series consists of 10 conventional and spinning rods ranging from 6'6" medium-fast spinning to 7'6" heavy-fast conventional to cover most bass angling techniques. All are built with 30-ton graphite for a lightweight balanced design, IntraCarbon technology, providing a lightweight barrier to improve durability without adding weight, and stainless steel guides with zirconium inserts.
The rods retail for $129.95 and are expected to be available in spring 2020.
