My Revo Premier is credited with quite a few memories, but one in particular stands out not only because I won the tournament in the last few minutes of the event, but also because it's a testament to the versatility of the Premier.

I had a 15-pound limit in the livewell that included a small 1-pound keeper that I couldn't seem to upgrade. I'd been stroking a 3/4-ounce jig in deep water all day, but the bite had all but died over the last hour and now it was a slack tide.

Breaking off my jig with only 15 minutes until weigh-in, I resigned myself to being happy with what I had and decided to head for check-in. As I began to stow my trolling motor, bass started busting baitfish on the opposite side of the dock I'd been fishing.

I had several rods in the rod locker ready to go, but I knew that I'd hastily packed my raingear in there and a tangled mess was waiting beneath the lid. Instead, a Sinking Minnow that I'd cut off earlier in the day caught my eye near the console. I quickly picked it up and tied it on with the fastest palomar knot my hands could tie.

With the rod and reel in my hand, I turned the magnetic cast control up to 10 and backed off the spool-tension knob about eight "clicks" and with a sidearm cast I skipped the bait about 30 feet. It slid to a halt 10 feet on the other side of the dock – right in the middle a ball of baitfish running for their lives.

Immediately, the Sinking Minnow was engulfed and heading at a brisk pace for the dock pilings. My drag started coming off smoothly as always, but in this situation, I couldn't let this fish get to the barnacle-covered pilings, even with the 50-pound braid. I gave the star a quick flick and bore down on the fish, manhandling her to the boat – a 5-pound, 6-ounce largemouth.

That fish culled my 1-pounder and catapulted me from what would have been a 5th- or 6th-place finish all the way to a win.

My Revo Premier has caught a countless number of fish, some more memorable than others. But I truly believe I wouldn't have been able to switch from a 3/4-ounce jig to a weightless minnow as quickly with another reel and still pull off that tournament-winning cast. The adjustability and versatility of the Premier is, in my opinion, unmatched in the industry, no matter the cost or the brand of reel.

Gary Hicks
White Plains, Md.

Does your Abu Garcia reel have some mileage? Then why not enter it in the Abu Garcia For Life! contest? Show us your "classic" or well-used Abu and you might win a new one. Click here to submit a picture of the reel, as well as a detailed story or two about its history. Entries must include a photo of the reel and are judged each month based on content, detail and theme.

For technical questions or problems with entry submissions, send an email to editorial@bassfan.com.