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Abu Garcia Black Max Reel
Abu Garcia Black Max Reel
$49.96
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Rated 4.6 out of 5 by 52 reviewers.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Absolutely amazing! I just bought this reel last weekend and it has completely blown me away. I've picked up reels priced up to $130 and they didn't feel as smooth as this one. Amazing quality for a fraction of the price. Great for veteran bait cast users or beginners. 04/29/2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by awesome reel for begginers I got this reel the other day and it worked excellent didnt have a backlash all day 04/23/2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Great reel! This is a great reel for starters or more expeirenced fishers. It has far smooth casting and 5 ball bearing system for very easy reeling. I was wandering if I should buy this reel for the price but it is deffenitly worth it. I would recemmend this to anyone. I love it! 04/11/2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Great reel I just purchased this reel, so have not got a chance to use it. However, the feel of it as I was stringing it was great. Light easy to use. 04/04/2013
Rated 1 out of 5 Didn't even work Even with my drag tightened all the way it still lets the fish run with the line making it impossible to real in any fish unless you grab the line with your hand. and FYI I am not using braided, I am using Mono so it has nothing to do with line slipping. The drag simply does not work. Biggest waste of money ever. 09/29/2012
Rated 4 out of 5 :) i love it its my first baitcast reel and i found it to be easy to learn to use. 09/28/2012
Rated 2 out of 5 by Won't buy again I have 2 black max's one is the new one and one is the older model.. The new one lasted about 2 months, and caught plenty of big fish.. I caught a 7lb jig fish and I made a cast after that fish, and it got real crunchy sounding. My older black max held up until just recently the part that sits in the reel seat snapped on hook set. 09/18/2012
Rated 4 out of 5 First time baitcasting reel Love this reel as it is my first bait casting reel! You have to get used to the bait casting feel but after you do, you will never go back! 09/09/2012
Rated 4 out of 5 Great Product I purchased 2 of these reels this spring for Kayak fishing. Both reels have worked great. Casting a texas rigged worm with no weight or an 1/8 oz jig is no problem 09/03/2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Best bang for the buck I have been using the older style BlackMax for well over a year and it has provided hours and hours of trouble free performance. I fish exclusivity large mouth, and it's usually out of lilly pads so when my line gets caught my BlackMax gets put to the test. With 50lbs power pro the lilly pads always loses. I gave the BlackMax a "good" on casting performance because the brake needs small adjustments from time to time to keep the casts perfect. I am 100% satisfied considering the price point of this reel. Upon my return from Afghanistan I will upgrade to a Revo and the BlackMax will stay on a backup rod. Abu Garcia for life ! 08/22/2012
Rated 5 out of 5 great buy paired it up with an abu garcia ambassadeur 6'6"med hev tournament grade rod and 12 lb vicious fishing mono and caught a 3 1/2 lber on it the next day .awsome combo! 08/06/2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by The Big One! After buying this reel I have fallen in love with it. During the first use I caught what I thought would be the biggest fish of the summer. I was wrong, after three weeks I have reeled in over 25 bass ranging from 10 to 18 inches. Recently I have caught a 5 pound 18 inch large mouth bass. I have been using 4"/10cm Crazy Legs Chigger Craw by Berkly with a 5/0 Gamakatsu EWG Monster NSB hook. 08/05/2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by Good for the money When i first started useing baitcasts i bought 4 black maxs. i have loved them. but after 4 years they are starting to not preform in tournaments very well. but they have helped me progress from a beginner to a 15 yr old with 2 jr pro sponsors. but with four years of use, im very thrilled with them 08/04/2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by One Of the most smoothest reels i have ever used I took this puppy out last night and it was a dream. With the right tweaking to the breaks and the spool its is smoother than a babes bottom. Its definitively better than the silver max which is more plasticy than the black max. Definitively the smoothest reel ive ever owned yet 07/31/2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by I am deeeeeeelighted! Having retired last year, I found that I was bored to death with no hobbies to speak of. I decided to take up fishing. I bought a couple of fishing kayaks (one for the wife, as she's an outdoor kind'a girl# and began looking for some equipment. After deciding to try out baitcasting, I bought a cheeeap combo and got to where I could kind of throw the thing without too much trouble so, wanting to progress with the sport, I looked for a tad better reel ... and stumbled upon the Black Max. I am delighted with my purchase. I know its the bottom of Abu's offerings but #perhaps because I'm a novice) I feel that for the money, I couldn't be happier. No problems what-so-ever. Easy to spool, light as a feather, effortless to cast and retrieves like a dream. I'll get a nicer rod when my next retirement check comes in but until then ... and until I win the Revo contest ... I couldn't be happier. Great job Abu! 07/26/2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by first bait caster I got this reel because i kept seeing it in stores and it was the only bait caster that was left handed. I then went on this website and bought the reel. It was the best thing i ever did, I have used a spinning reel for ocean and fresh for about 5 years now and i just wanted something different. I used spinning reels for buzz baits and crank baits and i just never could the action right, but with the black max i was getting fish were ive tried 50 times and never caught a thing until this reel. Great reel for the price and I hope I can get more abu garcia products. 07/19/2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Love this reel ! The Black Max is my favorite reel. I use it daily and have had no problems with it. In my opinion it was well worth every penny I paid. I plan on buying another for the 2013 season. Awesome Reel that's it !! 07/18/2012
Rated 5 out of 5 Perfect for my first baitcaster smooth, amazing control, great drag and easy to use. I only got two backlashes on my first 30 casts but that's probably because I've been practicing in my backyard for the past two weeks. I don't know about other baitcasters but undoing backlashes on the black max is pretty easy. I just thumb the spool and start pulling. I can get a pretty bad one out in about 30 seconds if I'm rushing it. I also realized that using lighter lures with a baitcaster is asking for trouble. Once I switched to a heavier one, it was smooth sailing. 05/29/2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by a must buy! I have owned this reel for about 4 years now and never once had an ounce of trouble out of it, light maintenance is all you really need to keep it functional. I have recommended it to multiple friends and family members. I bought it because the color scheme really caught my eye, then the price tag really helped. From the super smooth castablity to the large line capacity this is the best reel for the price. 05/28/2012
Rated 5 out of 5 a must have i have the black max and the pro max if you dont have them you need them its the best love it and you will too 05/16/2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by Trial and Error Looking through the lane of hundreds of reels, a choice is difficult. I tend to look for a more high speed gear ratio, 7.2-1 is a little too fast but the Black Max offered my usual ideal ratio. The color scheme caught my eye and i read the product box, 12lb test for some heavier mono line in lakes, 30lb braid when going for alligator gar or muskellunge. After some debate between 2-3 Abu Garcia reels, i made the black max my choice. Started to spool a brand new set of line onto the spool (haven't had new line in years) i did notice the line doesnt spool perfectly side by side even, and sometimes it even tugs on the innermost wraps of line and drags them towards the center, or overlaps them, As for if this was truly causing a problem, I couldn't say, the guide seems to move a little too fast for the spooling action. This is my first baitcaster and I know they are notoriously difficult to learn and get the hang of at first, even following instructions from various online sources (due to lack of a real user manual included with the reel. Only a parts list, no indication as to part name, part funtions, reel maintenance and use, nothing but part numbers and an explosion schematic. This was a little disappointing but i made due), i ended up wasting over 150yds of line to backlash. When i finally got that jumbled mess out of the way and got to low distance casts, i was AMAZED at how smooth my line flew. The vibrations you feel from hits are strong and you know when you're lure is hit. A 8" rock bass hit felt like a 15-20 pound weight dropped onto the end of my line, the fight went SMOOTHLY, the drag system was a little difficult to switch up during the fight, but this is my first star drag reel. By far one of the best looking and performing reels I've owned. Still learning the little quirks and tics of this particular reel, which is the reason for the 4/5 ratings for casting and ease of maintenance, i have done no maintenance other than a light touch of reel magic after testing it on the top most part of the spool. All in all i think this reel will serve me many many good years on the water and help bring in even more of a catch. 05/04/2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by best reel i ever bought so smooth, one of my favorites and i just bought it 04/14/2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by The ONLY Reel I fish with!! I have 4 black max reels and got my first one 6 years ago havent had a bit of trouble out of any of them I have them paired with various rods and they work for everything I fish for and with I would deffinately recommend this reel to anyone and say its the best one I've ever owned and will keep stocking up on them to keep my arsenal full and ready to fish!! 04/07/2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by AWESOME REEL! I got a great deal on a left hand black max reel at a small bait shop in new jersey, I paired it with a 6'6" vendetta MH rod and was at the lake 20 minutes later. This was my first ever bait casting reel, after a week I bought my second black max reel, I use 12# fluorocarbon on one for working jigs in structure, the other is 12# mono for lake flats and emerged vegetation. Smooth reel, amazing performance when I cast anything 1/4 oz and up. For the price tag this reel is second to none. Abu Garcia makes great reels, this reel is now my favorite for fresh water fishing. 04/01/2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Awesome! Ive had this reel for about a year and i love it! Works great, never had any problems with it. Its real smooth and can handle anything you throw at it. 03/22/2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by The best reel I have ever purchased. I purchased the Black Max combo a few days ago and I am impressed with it.I have not fished with it yet because I am on the road as a truck driver but I have practiced casting it with a 3/8 oz practice plug and it casts like a dream.This is my first Abu Garcia reel but not the last. I plan to replace all of my bass pro reels and wal mart reel with Abu Garcia products. Abu Garcia for life. 02/26/2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Black Max: This Is Why I Will Always Stay With Abu Garcia! First, I am a life-long Abu Garcia user/fan. My grandfather had me fishing before I was "house broke" if you will. Last July, I purchased your Black Max and mated it to your 7' Medium Heavy "Ambassadeur Tournament Grade" rod. At first, I was having some difficulty with it simply because of a "UE" issue (User Error). I had no previous experience with the more modern low-profile reels. Shortly after having purchased the Black Max, I also was blessed with obtaining to Revo STX-HS reels. But I digress and chase rabbits here... Until a month ago, the Black Max had taken back seat to the Revos. I had seldom picked up the Black Max except to occasionally throw a bait and generally it was always the last thing I did before calling it a day. As a result of such a practice, I had never caught a fish using this set-up / combination. Three weeks ago, I decided to re-spool the reel and replace the braid with 15# fluorocarbon. I had not had a very pleasurable experience using 12# braid on the Black Max and was willing to give something else a try. BTW, I do NOT recommend using a light weight braid line on the Black Max. Probably due to the afore mentioned "UE" issue but I always had a problem with braid on this reel. Anyway... Shortly after replacing the line, I contracted Bronchitis bordering on pneumonia. The doc wanted me off my feet but cabin fever got the best of me. I grabbed the Black Max, a pack of ZOOM U-Tale Chartreuse-Pepper worms and headed across the street to the Retention Pond. Not being able to breath well should have made casting an issue but NOT with the Black Max and the new fluorocarbon line. Casting was smooth, almost effortless and a breeze. After a few minutes at the pond and I was rested and ready to come back home... then IT happened! (See the attached photo!) Approaching my last few casts, I threw back to an area I had just pulled through and hit a "snag". I thought this was funny as there was no underwater structure there; at least none that I was aware of. I looked down at the reel to see if I had another "UE" issue. About that time I felt a small tug and turned the crank a couple of times and pulled back on the rod. When I did, all Hades broke loose! The end result was a personal best 4.75# largemouth bass... and with me sick with bronchitis! I can tell you this. The Black Max held up to Abu Garcia's long history and tradition of dependability and durability. It pulled that hawg in like it was nothing and with me having breathing issues, too! THIS IS WHY i ALWAYS HAVE AND ALWAYS WILL USE ABU GARCIA! By the way... ALL of the rods & reels in the background of the photograph (behind me in the back of the vehicle) are Abu Garcia baitcasters and spincasters. With fish memories like this, why would I use anything else?!?! 02/16/2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Black Max 1 Beast I fish pike, musky, walleye and bass in Michigan. I'm always hunting the monsters. I still haven't found "The One." I've caught 5lb smallies and largemouth. I've Landed 10 lb eyes. My largest muskie... 38 inches, maybe 13 lbs. Pike, 38 inches about 12 lbs. I have yet to catch "The One," but, when i do my Abu Garcia Black Max will be there. I've had it about 2 years so far and I haven't done any maintenance whatsoever. Its always done everything I've asked of it. It may not have been there for my personal best walleye and muskie but it did land the smallie largemouth and pike. I've abused it in every way possible. Whether I'm running a big pike with nearly no drag, a complete accident, which i did remedy in time to land the Fat 36 incher. Or, I'm cranking the drag all the way up to drag lunker largemouth over logs and out of the thickest vegetation a person can fish. Thank you 50 lb power pro. I abused this reel, I've thrown 12 0z bulldawgs for muskie and tiny weedless weightless homemade minnowbaits for largemouth. Only because this reel casts anything like a dream. I always use 50 lb power pro braid. I've run the reel on an Abu Garcia Conlon and a Bass Pro Shops Bionic Blade, both of which are 6'6" medium heavy casting rods. This reel has performed flawlessly under any condition I've set forth. Now at the end of year 2 I'm finally taking her apart to lube everything and do some cleaning. Much needed cleaning, This thing was way dirtier than my more expensive bass pro shops reel which i recently took apart because the worm gear wasn't functioning properly. Oh yeah I also forgot to mention that I used this reel in the same mud creek, aptly named, that killed my bass pro reel. The bass pro reel was so covered in mud and muck and slime that it only lasted for half an hour on mud creek. My Abu lasted hours in the muck and slime, and caught me 30 inch dogfish after 30 inch pike after 30 inch dogfish, 2 of each that day. Only now months later am I beginning to clean it up. Oh yeah did i mention that I've used this reel in sub zero temperatures for hours at time? In the hundreds of hours I've used this reel I only have one complaint. I don't own enough of these reels. 01/25/2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Alabama Rig Performer Bought a Black Max last week on price, Handled two at a time 4lb. and 4lb. 4 oz. largemouth on an Alabama Rig on Saturday. Bought second Black Max today based on performance. Thanks for quality fishing gear. Mike. 01/17/2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by The best in my arsenal I bought this reel a while back, It casts great and after two seasons of fishing it and not cleaning it once my fishing partner had to buy one after watching me cast long distances with a better than average retrieve. after cleaning and following simple instructions over youtube on how to clean bait casters my reel was performing as well as the revos and other high dollar reels. I would recommend this reel to anyone who wants the most bang for their buck. also recommend along with buying any reel also order Abu Garcia oil and lube for maintenance on your reel, it will keep your reel performing beautifully. 01/13/2012
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