112 out of 134(84%)reviewers recommend this product.
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Overall rating
4.1/ 5
Gear Feel (Smoothness)
4.4/ 5
Ergonomics
4.4/ 5
Casting Performance
4.3/ 5
Ease of Maintenance
4/ 5
112 out of 134(84%)reviewers recommend this product.
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Product Reviews
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Ratings summary
Overall rating
4.1/ 5
Gear Feel (Smoothness)
4.4/ 5
Ergonomics
4.4/ 5
Casting Performance
4.3/ 5
Ease of Maintenance
4/ 5
112 out of 134(84%)reviewers recommend this product.
Share this product
Product Reviews
Overall rating
4/ 5
The reel itself works well, but the rod is NOT.
PostedAugust 18, 2013
Owen
from Whidbey Island, WA
Age:35-44
Favorite type of fishing:Saltwater
Number of times fishing per month:4
Owns a boat:No
Experience:Intermediate
Gear Feel (Smoothness)
5/ 5
Ergonomics
5/ 5
Casting Performance
5/ 5
Ease of Maintenance
4/ 5
Purchased the combo from Cabellas yesterday, on sale. Spent a good two hours last night getting to know my new baitcaster and thanks to all the videos out there I learned a ton. Had everything set up and decided to adjust and practice in the back yard before retiring for the night. 20 lb mono line and an ounce jig. Experienced my first "birds nest" and know first hand it's not something to be desired often (or ever). Went fishing this morning @ 0500. I have to admit, I love this thing. Easier, farther and more accurate casting. I don't know why I never tried a baitcaster before. After one hour and approx. 50 casts, the rod broke below the second guide at the top. Not good. I love the reel so much that I installed it on a different rod so I can fish more today. I don't know if it's worth the money to send the rod to Abu Garcia for a replacement or to take it to Cabellas next week. But definitely keeping the reel.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from Abu GarciaAbu GarciaAugust 20, 2013
Good morning - thanks for reaching out to us. We want to assure you that your experience is not normal and we will be happy to assist you with a waarranty replacement claim. All Abu Garcia combos carry a 1 year warranty - one of our customer service representatives has read your review and will contact you at the email address that you provided. We will be in touch with you shortly. If you ever need assistance, don’t hesitate to call us at 1.800.228.4272. Have a great week.
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Comments (1)
steveo
lovan
steve
Posted October 5, 2013
black max don't buy this reel it don't work-lock up- never got out of the back yard
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I purchased the Black Max right at 1 year ago. I've fished with it several times and thought it was a great reel for the money. Then after a week long fishing trip it failed to function. The release button does not return when you start to reel and the handle spins but the spool doesn't. I was really impressed, but I'm extremely disappointed that it only lasted 1 year. i don't have my original receipt so I'm just out $50.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Overall rating
5/ 5
New to casting reels
PostedJuly 30, 2013
Anonymous
from Michigan
Age:35-44
Favorite type of fishing:Freshwater
Number of times fishing per month:5+
Owns a boat:Yes
Experience:Intermediate
Gear Feel (Smoothness)
4/ 5
Ergonomics
5/ 5
Casting Performance
5/ 5
Ease of Maintenance
4/ 5
Having never been very good with the art of bait casting I finally decided to give it another try. I purchased the black max combo and spent some time learning the reel and proper techniques. WOW...I love it. I use it all the time and it's now my favorite casting reel. For the price of the combo I should have bought two. I have other expensive casting combos and have taken off thier reels and attached the black max reels to my other rods.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Overall rating
2/ 5
Drag failure
PostedJuly 28, 2013
Muskellunge
from The Netherlands
Age:18-24
Favorite type of fishing:Freshwater
Number of times fishing per month:5+
Owns a boat:Yes
Experience:Expert
Gear Feel (Smoothness)
2/ 5
Ergonomics
5/ 5
Casting Performance
3/ 5
Ease of Maintenance
5/ 5
Reeling in large fish on a 20 pound line, with a 25 gr rod is a bit of a struggle ..
When loosening the drag, and reeling in, I reel in air, nothing. The line roller spins, the line control goes from left to right as it should. But Im not reeling in line ..
Rather annoying if you ask me, I understand its a budget line, but from a brand like this? Not acceptable ...
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from Abu GarciaAbu GarciaJuly 29, 2013
Hello and thanks for reaching out to us. What you describe here is not normal and we will be happy to help. All Abu Garcia reels are backed with a 1 year warranty. We noticed from your submission that you are located in the Netherlands - please reach out to our international team in your country at Tel: 31.11.145.0044 to get the warranty process started. One last thing - if you are using braided line, make sure that you back the reel with approximately 10-15 yards of monofilament line first. This will ensure that the line is not slipping on the spool vs. an actual drag issue. We look forward to working with you to get you back to fishing. Have a great week!
