In love with the abu garcia black max, your opinions?

[PressuredFishing]

So I purchased a black max from walmart yesterday and have been casting it around the yard a ton. I was very impressed with how well you can pitch, sidearm, and overhead with good distance. The backlash in the begening can be a little overwhelming but keeping thumb pressure down in the beginning seemed to help.  It also seemed that it threw lighter lures tremendously farther, but that could be because its a mag system with a lighter spool compared to my centrifugal. do you like the black max and how long has it lasted for you?

[Smells like fish]

I bought a new black max back about 2013 or 14… about a  month or so ago a guy gave me a black max rod, that clicked and reminded me of the new never casted reel. I paired them up and have been using and it is a great reel! They last forever if you never use them lol 

[PressuredFishing]

19 minutes ago, Smells like fish said:

I bought a new black max back about 2013 or 14… about a  month or so ago a guy gave me a black max rod, that clicked and reminded me of the new never casted reel. I paired them up and have been using and it is a great reel! They last forever if you never use them lol 

Lol 

[Smells like fish]

My wife’s family really like them. I think they have bought 4-5 of them in last 2 years and they are working great and they love em. 

[BrianMDTX]

Mine are only a year old. So far I have not had any issues with either of them. One is spooled with 12 lb YZH and the other with 10 lb Berkley Big Game. 

[Hook2Jaw]

I think the Abu Garcia Black Max is the best reel under 50 bones.

[InfantryMP]

I believe them to be great entry level setups. I had one that I bought, and it was my 2nd casting setup ever, and I enjoyed it. I gave it to my father to learn how to use a casting setup. 

 

I have caught plenty of bass on it!

[TheBasslayer]

It is a really good reel for the price! I got mine 2 years ago, and it handles Bass well! I personally like how the drag is very good for only 50 dollars. Good reel!

[DitchPanda]

44 minutes ago, Hook2Jaw said:

I think the Abu Garcia Black Max is the best reel under 50 bones.

This is how I feel. You don't get much for $50 but the black max seems to be the best of the bunch. I bought one 4 or 5 years ago to teach my girlfriend how to use a baitcaster. I use it alot and its working flawlessly.

[BrianMDTX]

20 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

This is how I feel. You don't get much for $50 but the black max seems to be the best of the bunch. I bought one 4 or 5 years ago to teach my girlfriend how to use a baitcaster. I use it alot and its working flawlessly.

The only “flaw” I can truly state is that, unlike my Fuego and Tatula (set the spool tension just to the point of removing play and be done with it), you do have to adjust the spool tension for the weight of the lure. Have it set for a heavier bait and cast a lighter one (or vice-versa) and you may get a bird’s nest. But once adjusted properly, it stays adjusted. 

 

For $49.99 (or less) on a $49.99 Daiwa Aird-X, it’s hard to beat for the price. 

[PressuredFishing]

2 hours ago, TheBasslayer said:

It is a really good reel for the price! I got mine 2 years ago, and it handles Bass well! I personally like how the drag is very good for only 50 dollars. Good reel!

Wow that's awesome to hear it's holding up well!

2 hours ago, DitchPanda said:

This is how I feel. You don't get much for $50 but the black max seems to be the best of the bunch. I bought one 4 or 5 years ago to teach my girlfriend how to use a baitcaster. I use it alot and its working flawlessly.

Wow, that's great to hear about the durability!

2 hours ago, InfantryMP said:

I believe them to be great entry level setups. I had one that I bought, and it was my 2nd casting setup ever, and I enjoyed it. I gave it to my father to learn how to use a casting setup. 

 

I have caught plenty of bass on it!

Nice!

2 hours ago, BrianMDTX said:

Mine are only a year old. So far I have not had any issues with either of them. One is spooled with 12 lb YZH and the other with 10 lb Berkley Big Game. 

Well for 50 dollars if it has lasted a year that is pretty good!

2 hours ago, Hook2Jaw said:

I think the Abu Garcia Black Max is the best reel under 50 bones.

I think you may be right, It seems pretty good

2 hours ago, Smells like fish said:

My wife’s family really like them. I think they have bought 4-5 of them in last 2 years and they are working great and they love em. 

Wow that's lasted a long time, makes me feel good about the purchase ?

[12poundbass]

I have a few Blackmax and a couple Promax reels. I have a couple Blackmax that are 10 or so years old that recently retired and replaced with Tatula reels. The Abu reels were flawless up until last year, then the thumb bar started sticking, but that was probably my fault because I didn’t clean them. They are great reel along with the Promax. The Silvermax are absolute junk from my experience. 

[JustJames]

It is one reasonable reel for it price point. My friend found one that neglected on his dock (don’t know how long). I cleaned them up inside out and it still works. Better than your old reel? It might be just illusion of new thing better than old thing, or you just need to clean up your old reel.

Any reels should last a long time with proper maintenance.

[LrgmouthShad]

I heard Matt Robertson fishes with a black max reel on his ugly sticks. 
 

Just kidding, never heard a bad thing about the reels so assume they work good

[BrianMDTX]

Time (as always) will tell. But some things you can tell are cheap junk before you even use it once. I would NOT put this reel in that category. It may not stand up to 8-10 hours of solid fishing every weekend for years on end, but for an inexpensive starter baitcasting reel, it’s not bad at all. 

[CrankFate]

Abu makes good low profile reels. I have a few different ones that I have beat the hell out of. Aside from scratches, they still work perfectly.

[WRB]

All I can add is your are a cheap date?

Tom

[schplurg]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

All I can add is your are a cheap date?

Tom

 

Aww now everyone needs love!  I ordered a box of Walmart/Ozark cranks at the start of Covid just in case. Of course I've been into plastics ever since so haven't used them haha, go figure. I'm a cheap fishing date when it comes to baits  

 

I found two rods a few weeks ago. One is an Ugly Stik Striper with a Black Max reel. The other not worth mentioning. I went outside now and tried it with the unweighted plastic I found it with, casting into the street. Seems decent, sounds okay. Handle may be a little loose. I've never used an expensive reel but whatever, it feels solid.

 

I did post a sign at the creek for "found rods" and put up a video on my channel for a few weeks but nobody claimed them. And I fished far later that day than I would have in case they came back to find them.

 

I'm keeping one, or at least the Black Max reel, and probably giving away the rest. I'd like the owner to claim them still, but then again I found them next to a ton of trash, so if it's theirs I won't lose any sleep over it. 

[PressuredFishing]

7 hours ago, 12poundbass said:

I have a few Blackmax and a couple Promax reels. I have a couple Blackmax that are 10 or so years old that recently retired and replaced with Tatula reels. The Abu reels were flawless up until last year, then the thumb bar started sticking, but that was probably my fault because I didn’t clean them. They are great reel along with the Promax. The Silvermax are absolute junk from my experience. 

Okay, that is good to know, I saw the pro max as well but the bmax was cheaper

7 hours ago, Bass_Fishing_Socal said:

It is one reasonable reel for it price point. My friend found one that neglected on his dock (don’t know how long). I cleaned them up inside out and it still works. Better than your old reel? It might be just illusion of new thing better than old thing, or you just need to clean up your old reel.

Any reels should last a long time with proper maintenance.

My old stx is a 2010 model, the black max isn't as smooth, but casts a weightless senko waayy further, but I think it's because of a lighter spool because of mag breaks

6 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

I heard Matt Robertson fishes with a black max reel on his ugly sticks. 
 

Just kidding, never heard a bad thing about the reels so assume they work good

Lol yeah, I do like ugly sticks for surfboard fishing surprising what you can catch lol

6 hours ago, WRB said:

All I can add is your are a cheap date?

Tom

Lol

6 hours ago, CrankFate said:

Abu makes good low profile reels. I have a few different ones that I have beat the hell out of. Aside from scratches, they still work perfectly.

Wow that's good to hear about the durability

4 hours ago, schplurg said:

 

Aww now everyone needs love!  I ordered a box of Walmart/Ozark cranks at the start of Covid just in case. Of course I've been into plastics ever since so haven't used them haha, go figure. I'm a cheap fishing date when it comes to baits  

 

I found two rods a few weeks ago. One is an Ugly Stik Striper with a Black Max reel. The other not worth mentioning. I went outside now and tried it with the unweighted plastic I found it with, casting into the street. Seems decent, sounds okay. Handle may be a little loose. I've never used an expensive reel but whatever, it feels solid.

 

I did post a sign at the creek for "found rods" and put up a video on my channel for a few weeks but nobody claimed them. And I fished far later that day than I would have in case they came back to find them.

 

I'm keeping one, or at least the Black Max reel, and probably giving away the rest. I'd like the owner to claim them still, but then again I found them next to a ton of trash, so if it's theirs I won't lose any sleep over it. 

Lol , if you like Ozark trails they make a 8 pack of knockoff kaitechs for 2.99 and they look good in the water!

[michaelb]

I have two, one for many years. I agree they are a very good low priced option. I can feel the frame flex at the reel seat, with a big fish, but that is also a good problem to be having.  

[Deleted account]

I like the Black Max as a choice for a budget setup, ironically, I also tell folks to run away from the Silver Max as fast as they can.

[Yuddzy]

On 6/17/2021 at 11:46 AM, BassWhole! said:

I like the Black Max as a choice for a budget setup, ironically, I also tell folks to run away from the Silver Max as fast as they can.

Why is that? I was under the impression that it was just the Black Max with a few upgrades done to it, given that it's a more expensive version in the same line of reels. 

[Alex Ball]

On 6/18/2021 at 5:27 PM, Yuddzy said:

Why is that? I was under the impression that it was just the Black Max with a few upgrades done to it, given that it's a more expensive version in the same line of reels. 

I bought a silvermax 7:1:1 because my bmax worked well and wanted a new gr. It just.... collapsed internally. Took it back to the Mom and pop i bought it from. The owner is a friend and I occasionally do some reel repairs there for his clients. Took it apart and we both gasped. The entire reel mechanism is plastic! Took apart the cheapest reel i had and it had far better components. The owner immediately went and took all the rest off the shelf. Garbage. Promax3 is far better. Don't let the Daiwa/Shimano fanboys tell you any different. You could literally put a shimano/daiwa sticker on a Sougayaling reel and they'd swear it was the GOAT reel in it's range. Right after using one with the Sougayaling label they said was crap. Bmax and Promax are THE budget reels IMO.

 

[ironbjorn]

1 hour ago, Alex Ball said:

I bought a silvermax 7:1:1 because my bmax worked well and wanted a new gr. It just.... collapsed internally. Took it back to the Mom and pop i bought it from. The owner is a friend and I occasionally do some reel repairs there for his clients. Took it apart and we both gasped. The entire reel mechanism is plastic! Took apart the cheapest reel i had and it had far better components. The owner immediately went and took all the rest off the shelf. Garbage. Promax3 is far better. Don't let the Daiwa/Shimano fanboys tell you any different. You could literally put a shimano/daiwa sticker on a Sougayaling reel and they'd swear it was the GOAT reel in it's range. Right after using one with the Sougayaling label they said was crap. Bmax and Promax are THE budget reels IMO.

 

Silver Max doesn't come in a 7.

[Alex Ball]

14 minutes ago, ironbjorn said:

Silver Max doesn't come in a 7.

Right. Just looked at the boxes. Got two that day and got the gear ratios mixed up. Got a Pro Max 3 in 711 and the Smax with the flippin switch. 2 for 1 deal. The Smax collapsed. Te PMax is a friggin monster in it's range. I'd know, I'm a low budget gear freak. Thanks for the spot. Don't want to get it wrong. Point is, avoid the SMax. Got an Abu Orra Winch and a Fenwick Eagle GT MH MF as a replacement. Lovin it. Crankmania.