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I'm thinking about getting the Abu Garcia Black Max bait-caster reel and I was wondering what are your thoughts/opinions are about the reel?

It's an entry level reel. Lot of plastic on the inside. If you are just trying baitcasting reels out for the first time, this is a cheap reel to see if you like them. I would go a little higher in quality to really get the feel of them. Maybe a used citica or curado.

what about the Abu Garcia Silver Max?

From what I've heard they are pretty much the same reel. One extra bearing and a flippin switch for the extra 10 bucks. Something you should know. The number of bearings means that the tolerances reel is built to aren't as precise as on a reel with only a few bearings. If you don't machine a reel to tight specs you use bearings to make up for the slop in a reel. Hit craigslist for a lightly used shimano citica or curado for under a $100 and start with a decent reel. It will take a lot of the stress out of the learning curve.

Anybody else here have an opinion on that?

Okay ill have to do some looking around then, but do you think that the Black Max will last for a good amount of time? I mean its going to be my first bait-caster and I just need something that is good quality and will last.

I would have to agree with ukey. That was the same advice I got when I started and am glad I followed it. It sucks when you go fishing and the reel breaks. Seen it happen to someone. I don't have the most exspensive reels but not the cheapest. Plus believe it or not it makes learning a lot better also. Once you get it down and you cast with a premium reel your going to want one.

What reels would you prefer?

The ones ukey said are good ones. To be honest I have like four different company mid level reels. Shimano,quantum,pflueger and some other premium reel I can't remember.all mid level reels and all work flawless.like I said even if you only get one reel get a good mid level reel. I went fishing with a friend and he went to Walmart and got some cheap name brand reel and guess what. Got it hooked on something in the water and the reel broke. Pulls the line up by hand and it was a small branch. I reeled a good size branch to the boat with no problem.to be honest all my stuff is mid level.i use st croix premier and mojo bass rods. Not the best but not the worst.

Several years ago I tried a Black Max. VERY disappointing. Had to constantly spray the insides with WD-40 in order to get it to cast half way decent. But whenever I let it set for a few days, I had a repeat of it's lousy casting abilities. Seemed that the tolerances were a tad too close(?).

On a more positive note, I've had 6 Abu Ambassadeurs over 35 years of bass fishing. Never been disappointed. I still have four of them (the other two were donated to my grandkids, which are still in use). I mainly fish the 5000C and two 5500C's, but I also have the 6500C which I use for pike fishing. These reels are excellent, quality built reels, which you will be handing down for generations. They're built that well.

Funny thing is, whenever I'm in a boat with partner who had one of those $400.00 reels, he inevitably tries to convince me that I have to switch to higher "quality". Yet, cast for cast, I can - and do - fish right along with him, with no detriment. I'm not knocking high quality reels. I'm sure they are fine pieces of machinery. But if I can do anything they are capable of, why spend the money? I'm sure it does help the economy though. >/smile.gif" alt="smile" title="smile" height="15" width="15" />

I like my Ambassadeurs too... always been solid reel... never tried the others. These days I'm mostly sticking with Daiwa and Shimano... just know what I'm getting and I know how to take care of them so they last...