Abu Garcia Black Max Reel Review!!! W/ my first thoughts on Berkley Vanish!

[@steveperez324]

Great job featuring a budget combo that can be purchased for under 100 . Alot of us get caught up on the price. But presentation and technique are most important. The fish don't know if you have an 80 set up or 500$. Just keep fishing and keep it fun

[@beardzerofishing]

Thank you kindly! Even at the full price for the reel at around $50, it is still a very good deal in my opinion. I just happened to get lucky with that particular one and got it on sale while I was buying a replacement rod for the one I broke fishing in the RLDL challenge lol. Although in this video, I did not get to fully test the reel... I put it to work in my video for Tradinghouse Creek Reservoir and it handled beautifully! You are absolutely right, fish have zero concern for how much we spend on the combo! Personally, I just don't like to spend alot on my setups because I'm usually pretty rough on my gear 😂🤣👍. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍

[@CrankingYanking]

I have 4 of these combos. Nothing else compares at the price, you got a deal for sure. I also use the vanish fluorocarbon, in a 14 and a 17 lb test, great for anything you are fishing under water, not so much for top water. I think it weighs down the lure on top water stuff

[@beardzerofishing]

Nothing says you like something like having a whole fleet of them 🤣😂👍. I'm that way with the Berkley Amp Series rods, absolutely love them and they are cheap enough that when 1 breaks, I come back with 2 more lol. This is my first time trying 100% Fluoro and so far I'm fairly confident in it... unlike the P-line. I never thought about how Fluoro could cause the sinking of topwaters, very interesting bro 🤔. I may have to put that to the test if I can. Thanks for watching and commenting bro 👍

[@LarrysFishing]

Great review and tips on the speed of the reel, some terrific info provided. Well done BZ

[@beardzerofishing]

Thanks Larry! I tried to give as much intel on this reel as I could. I know speed is a critical aspect to consider in a reel so definitely an important note to cover.

[@134rwa]

That Black Max Reel has a good reputation, and it seems to get better with each production.

[@beardzerofishing]

I have heard some good reviews on them before and being a fan of Abu Garcia Reels I couldn't pass on the deal! I'm confident it will live up to my expectations and prove itself a worthy addition to the fleet! Thanks for watching and commenting bro 👍

[@PAWMANSBASSING]

Awesome review brother!!! I'm an abu garcia fan and those black max are tanks!!! I have the Gen1s and I've owned at least 5!!! I really put those things thru the test with no maintenance and they perform. They also have an awesome drag system with 16lbs!!! I've just started trying fluoro and I'm still getting use to it but that a different story!!! Keep doing what your doing brother 👍

[@beardzerofishing]

Thanks bro! I'm right there with you, I have enjoyed every Abu Garcia reel I have ever used. I have never really had to do any maintenance either, except for wiping down the exterior sometimes lol. I put the black max to some good use the other day and I was definitely impressed... that footage will be coming soon! The future of Fluoro with me is definitely anything but certain 🤣😂👍. I like it's casting but that is about it. Even in a lake with almost no snags it was getting nicks like crazy and I had a very strange failure that has me scratching my head. As always, thanks for watching and commenting bro 👍

[@lostanchorfishn1292]

I love the black max I've had 2 of the actual combo and have broke the rods but the reels are amazing. I use to use the Berkley vanish for a leader but now I use 20 lb seaguar. Great buy there.

[@beardzerofishing]

So far the reel seems solid to me, especially for the price! I have seen other review videos for the combo and I'm not sold on the rod itself, now you are just adding to my suspicion telling me that you broke 2 of them lol. Although, I will admit, broken rods in my experience have mostly been of my own doing 🤣😂👍. Last year I stepped on the rod tip while bank fishing and broke one, then this year fishing in the kayak... I was in a hurry to boat the fish during the RLDL challenge and had too much tension on it and it snapped. As for the Berkley Vanish, I haven't noticed anything sooo special that makes me need it and had some early concerns for when it was flying off the spool just taking the sticker off lol. I will fish it for a while to give it the ultimate test though before making a final decision about it. I have heard great things about the Seaguar line as well but I haven't had the honor to test it out yet. Thanks for watching and commenting bro 👍

[@TheMichiganFisherman]

I'm a big fan of Berkley Vanish. I use it in 12 lb test as a leader and it's great. Although last time I went to the store they were out so I'm currently giving Seaguar Red Label a try. I tried the Black Max last year and I think I got a lemon because everything about it sucked, lol. For half off you can't go wrong though. Maybe I'll think about picking one up if I can find it at that price point. Great review.

[@beardzerofishing]

I like the Berkley Vanish so far... atleast enough to give it a fair shot at the title lol. I have never really used leaders for Bass fishing until recently. I was primarily a mono guy so it wasn't really necessary, but now that I use braid I find a need for it. On my spinning gear since I put braid on it, I normally fish it with a 15lb mono leader. I never tried Seaguar but have heard great things about it, especially from the channel Hook n' Look. I'm sorry to hear you didn't care for the black max when you tried it. Maybe it was a lemon like you said or maybe the earlier productions weren't that good. I'll be putting it to the real test here shortly... can it hold up as part of the fleet? Thanks for watching and commenting bro 👍

[@robertwright3139]

I have 2 of those reels and they are nice, once adjusted to your tastes. Fluro can be a pain but it does work. I go braid on my bait casters with a leader of mono or fluro.

[@beardzerofishing]

If I ever see them on sale like that again I will certainly be picking up a few more! From the time I have had using it, I am definitely confident that it will be a welcomed addition. I am going to try the Vanish out on it for a while but at the next line change it is likely to get some of the Piscifun Onyx 20lb braid I have grown so fond of lol. By far the best braid I have ever used! On my spinning gear I use that braid with a 15lb mono leader, works great for my needs at Stillhouse and the Lampasas! Thanks for watching and commenting 👍

[@live2fishofficial]

Love budget gear and a BiG fan of the Abu Garcia stuff! Great overview and you got a steal on that Matt!

[@beardzerofishing]

Me too lol, I have always been a fan of more gear for your buck! I have also always liked Abu Garcia Reels... I don't think I have owned one yet that I could say I didn't love! Definitely couldn't pass this one up for just over $20, it almost felt wrong 🤣😂👍. Thanks for watching and commenting bro 👍

[@NStone90]

I know for a fact that you'll love the black max, for a budget reel is amazing. Handles everything well, from the heavy Texas rig to a light crankbait, it'll handle everything you can throw at it. I much prefer the newer revo handles and knobs as opposed to the older style ones. It'll perform even better with the upgraded bearings from spool speed. As far as the line, the 12lb that I use is very very good. Nice and supple and has no issue with line memory, very strong. For me fishing belton lake it gets costs with dirt or some or something and is a little rough sounding coming through the guides.

[@beardzerofishing]

Thank you soo much! I already greatly enjoy the black max with the time I have had to use it! I have no doubts it will perform very well for me fishing the Texas rigged worm and other lures. I think it will become my primary rod for soft plastic worms and the Revo S will be used to topwater and other fast lures. I may change the line out at some point and possibly switch to my favorite braid. The Piscifun Onxy 20lb braid is bar far the best braid I have ever used!!!! I also may dabble around with some upgrades to the reel as well, I saw an upgrade video on Parabellum Fishing and it was awesome 👌. I never really put much thought into upgrading Reels until then, in the past for my purposes as a table angler it never really seemed to matter lol. I really appreciate your comment! Thanks for watching and posting about it 👍!!!

[@NStone90]

@@beardzerofishing i like an aluminum frame better for Texas rigs but the graphite frame will hold up, you'll just feel it flex a little bit.

[@beardzerofishing]

That's interesting, I have heard alot of talk about that with graphite frames but I have never personally noticed it. If i were a professional tournament angler I would probably pay much more attention to stuff like that lol.

[@NStone90]

@@beardzerofishing true, I personally have felt it and on a kastking reel it actually flexed enough to throw something out of wack and made noises and didn't cast very well. The blackmax however should stand the test of time as long as you take care of it.

[@AnglingSpiders]

Nice grab with a discount. Glad it worked out and thanks for the review.

[@beardzerofishing]

It was an absolute steal so I couldn't turn it down... it was fate lol. I think it will become a very useful addition to the rod fleet! Thanks for watching and commenting 👍

[@KelleyOutdoorsHuntingFishing]

Hmmm... did you get the video idea from my channel lol🤣!!! Great video and happy fishing

[@beardzerofishing]

🤣😂👍 I'm sure I'm not the first one to do a review on this reel. For me, it was by chance as I was stopping by Walmart after breaking a rod fishing in my last challenge video. I was looking for a replacement rod and came across the reel, it was on sale and on the way home with me lol! Thanks for watching and commenting 👍! Tight lines out there!!!

[@BigBaitPosse]

great review. very informative.

[@beardzerofishing]

Thank you! I tried to give it my best to cover as much as I could about the reel. It will be covered more in the future on the channel, indirectly in my videos.

[@SaskFisher]

I think it looks awesome! My current one I paid 30.00 I think for the combo an its been doing good haha.

[@beardzerofishing]

Thanks bro! I got the chance to put it to good use the other day and slayed perfectly with it! Combos don't have to be expensive to work good, my first baitcaster combo I spent $25 on it and used it for years with great success! Thanks for watching and commenting bro 👍

[@ReelifeFishing]

Nice video dude that reel looks good

[@beardzerofishing]

Thank you! It was definitely an eye catcher on the shelf, especially once I saw that clearance tag on it lol! Thanks for watching and commenting 👍

[@ParabellumFishing]

I know, and I'll say it first, I'm a gear snob LOL. I have a lot of higher dollar reels and rods but that black Max has always been a great deal! The reel at least. The rod wasn't the best IMO, but still pretty good for the price. Im sure you'll get years of use and tons of fish in that thing bro! I only tried the Vanish once, and tore it off my reel after one trip. Ive been using Seagar for my flouro and its been great. But I've heard good things about the vanish, so maybe I just got a bad spool? EH, if it ain't broke right. Enjoy the new gear bro!

[@beardzerofishing]

🤣😂👍 I wouldn't call it being a snob. There is nothing wrong with wanting to have nice gear. I like high end gear but I'm hard on equipment so it doesn't always work out for me. When I snap a $30 rod, I'm right at the store buying 2 more to replace it and have excuse to buy other stuff like the black max lol. Breaking a $200 rod would have me furious!!! The black max for the money seems to be a very solid reel and I'm confident it will do well for me over the years. After seeing your upgrade video I may invest a little into it and do an upgrade of my own. I have heard great things about Seagar and it's highly recommended by another channel I watch "Hook n' Look"... magnificent channel if you haven't heard of it. I'm gonna give the Vanish a fair shake unlike with the P-line 👎🤣😂. Ultimately I may switch out to the Piscifun Onyx braid though. I'm not sure what it was about the Vanish that made it like that... I'm thinking it was either on the shelf at the store for a while, the shape of the spool it came on, or maybe that it's 14lb but when it came flying off the spool just taking the tape off... it gave me a bit of concern. After letting it settle on the reel for a few days it seemed OK but only time will tell. Thanks for watching and commenting bro 👍

[@TheMichiganFisherman]

Hey Joe, what kind of Seaguar do you use? I've always used Vanish but they were out in 12 lb. So I bought Seaguar Red Label in 12 lb. Seems pretty good. I only really use the stuff for a leader so it's probably not a big deal but there were a few different types and just curious which one you used. (InvisX, AbrasX, Tatsu, Red Label?)

[@ParabellumFishing]

@@TheMichiganFisherman I use the red label. I’ve tried some of the others and they are good too but the red label is inexpensive and I haven’t had any issues with it. I use it as a main line and as a leader.

[@TheAverageFisherman99]

I just got a black max on sale as well. It's decent. Berkley vanish is also okay imo. Fluoro has too much memory for me, and isn't less visible than mono. After it's on the reel for a week or so, it'll get the same memory issues that it had on the spool.

[@beardzerofishing]

That's awesome, can't beat a good reel deal! For the price I can't say I have found any Reels that can compare! I'm right there with you on how I feel about Fluoro, especially the blended P-line... instant regret using it when it cost me an 8+ lb bass. I was always a mono guy for a very long time. My biggest trick was using 10lb cheap Walmart mono. I actually liked the stretch it has... helps delay the hookset for topwater so you get a higher hookup ratio, gets you more line on the spool for greater casting and I think it does have more strength because it will stretch significantly before breaking! Now that I have found the Piscifun Onyx 20lb braid, I'm a fan of it too! By far the absolutely best casting and fishing braid I have ever used! Thanks for watching and commenting 👍

[@TheAverageFisherman99]

@@beardzerofishing try Hercules no fade braid. I order it from Amazon. In lower tests, I use the 4 strand, on my baitcasters, I use the 8 strand in 20lb. Never fades or frays, and I've hauled in some BIG fish on it. The no fade colors are black, brown, lol vis green, etc. I've used nearly every braid on the market, and the Hercules is the one I swear by, plus it's cheaper than most. I haven't don't it on the black max yet, but I caught a 55lb catfish and several in the 20-30lb range on an Abu garcia SilverMax, which is marginally "better" than the black max. The black max is, imo, the best inexpensive reel on the market. I agree with you 100% on p-line. My mono of choice is Trilene big game or Trilene xl for smaller tests.

[@beardzerofishing]

I will have to look that up on Amazon. That's exactly where I get the Piscifun braid from and it would be interesting to compare them. The Piscifun definitely loses its ocean blue color fairly quickly, maybe just after 2 outings or so with it. But I will say that even faded, the strength is incredible. I have used it for over a year without line changes. The only reason I changed it out when I did was when I was going to fish Lake St. Clair with a group of other youtubers... didn't need them talking about my faded braid 🤣😂👍. My favorite mono is actually probably surprising... I really like to use the omniflex from Walmart lol. At $1.97 for a 700 yard spool, and for the resistance to breaking I'm a huge fan!

[@TheAverageFisherman99]

@@beardzerofishing I have two reels with omniflex on em lol...it's good line no doubt.

[@Jason_Voorhees.]

Hell yeah, i just bought a brand new black max setup, brand new with tags and no line spooled yet for 30 bucks on offer up from a tweeker 😂

[@beardzerofishing]

Can't beat that deal! Hopefully you enjoy it as much as I have. It helped me to catch my previous PB last fall and it was epic!!! Thank you for your comment 👍

[@jasonlopez4855]

I guess got the ABU Garcia maz z $30 and Black max $25 and Ozark $11 at Walmart only very happy with all at that price point I have poles. Wich is better ⁉️ MAX Z for me ✔️ all are good though no complaints yet.

[@beardzerofishing]

Awesome 👍. I think you will be very pleased with the performance of the Black Max! This past fall I caught my PB Largemouth on it... no problems whatsoever!!! I haven't had the opportunity to check out the Max Z but you definitely got my interest. In the past, I have looked at the Ozark reels for potential at budget reels. I always thought they looked rather bulky like a late 90's or early 2000's version and if I remember correctly, the gear ratio is considerably low. My latest short video talks about how I feel about slow reels lol. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍

[@rxyfishing2603]

Nice

[@beardzerofishing]

Thank you kindly! The support is greatly appreciated 👍