Abu Garcia Max Pro Low Profile Baitcast Fishing Reel

10 reviews for Abu Garcia Max Pro Low Profile Baitcast Fishing Reel

1. 

   Tom – 1 January 2025

   Best sub $100 reel I have found
   Now have 2 of these reels, got the first on a combo and liked it so much, ordered a second one. These work much better than you would/should expect for the price. Not the most robust feeling reel but they function great. casting is great, the magnet brake and drum tension settings are smooth and work well to fine tune your casting to the bait and conditions (wind). Hard to go wrong, very happy with them and that is coming from using Shimano Curado reels the past 20 years. Great for the seasoned bait cast user and newbie alike.

2. 

   Andrew B. – 1 January 2025

   Great baitcaster – start with this and stay with this!
   I would recommend this reel to anyone. It is not a top-of-the line reel that a pro would use. But I think it is all the reel most people need. Personally, I would save the money and buy more baits! More below.I am a bass fishing enthusiast — I fish every week and more if I can. I use all types of baits from soft plastics to topwaters to jerkbaits and crankbaits. I have fished them all on the PMax. This was my first baitcaster.I have since purchased and used a more expensive Abu Revo STX reel. The Revo is a higher-end reel that is widely used by experienced bass anglers. The PMAX is the fast gear-ratio model, and most expensive reel in Abu’s “standard” or “entry” level Max series. I have looked closely at intermediate-priced reels. In the context of my experience with both reels:1. Feels very sturdy and well-made. Physically a solid reel. No sign of loosening, grinding, or any other negative attributes after several months of frequent use.2. Performs suitably for a bass fishing enthusiast, serious enough to fish at least weekly.3. Was fairly easy to learn on.To elaborate on points 1 and 2: after comparing with other more expensive reels, this feels every bit as sturdy, and perhaps even more. It casts a 3/8 or 1/2 oz jerkbait or crank a mile smoothly, and cranks smoothly. The drag is smooth, and the star clicks between settings precisely, like it does on a higher-end reel.I bought this reel not appreciating the importance of the brake and brake adjustment mechanism. If you are a rookie like I was – this is very important! Fortunately, the brake is very easy to adjust with just a turn of the adjustment dial. Not all reels have this type of easy adjustment dial, even some of the higher-end Abu Garcia reels. I found it’s really important when you are learning to be able to make adjustments easily and quickly. I would not ever want to use a baitcaster without this feature.The more expensive reels have some more features. For example, the Revo has a sophisticated two-mechanism braking system that requires you to pop one side off the reel. For a hardcore angler this might be justified. The drags of more expensive reels also have a higher braking capacity than this does. This might come into play if you are catching monster stripers or huge catfish. But the drag is more than adequate for bass fishing. They might be made of more advanced and somewhat lighter materials – but this reel is still very light.The braking response of the PMax is not so different that it would justify spending much more on a reel. I don’t see why a fairly serious freshwater angler for bass, walleye, or other game species less than about 10 lb or so would ever really need a higher-end reel. I can’t imagine ever “replacing” this reel and taking this out of my arsenal of gear.The 7:1 gear ratio picks up slack on topwaters and jerkbaits quickly, but I also fish crankbaits on it without problems.I was coming from spinning reels, and had never used a baitcaster before this one. I found this reel fairly easy to learn on. My “teacher” has been You-tube videos and trial and error. I found that I backlashed quite a bit in the first week, but after some practice and adjusting the setup a bit, I was doing just fine and within two weeks was consistently casting 3/8 oz and 1/2 oz lures further than I can with any spinning setup. Backlashing was not the reel’s fault – it was a matter of learning.I would not hesitate to buy this reel — for a beginner looking for more bearings and a higher gear ratio, or for a permanent spot in the toolbox of a serious fishing enthusiast.

3. 

   Amazon Customer – 1 January 2025

   Best reel IMO for under $80
   Great reel in every aspect once you get it set up you have to TRY to backlash it. Will add I got two of them for under $75 each here but these are now on sale at Ebay for UNDER $50 TYD making them an absolutely unbeatable Bargain in baitcasters, I literally do not see how you can possibly match let alone beat this reel at $50 TYD at Ebay. I ordered two more at that price.Like to update my reviewI now own six of these Abu Garcia MaxPro4 baitcasting reels.I and my sons now have several months and many MANY thousands of casts using these reels and have caught 100s of bass and dozens of freshwater drum. Have 12-15lb Yo-Zuri copolymer line on some and 30 and 50lb test Power Pro braided fishing line on the rest.Absolutely no doubt in my mind whatsoever at $50 to my door you can not beat this baitcaster. Just can not. Casts VERY smoothly very quietly, drag is smooth and works great, if you set it up correctly you literally have to try to backlash or over-spool with it. Works great with any luer at or over 5/16oz. up to 3/4oz which is the heaviest I have casted with it thus far.Best baitcasting reel under $60 there is.

4. 

   Marytacnok – 1 January 2025

   Excellent!!!
   I bought this rail as a gift and when it arrived I realized what a great quality it was and the price was very good. The weight is ideal and it comes with a warranty. Abu Garcia models are great!

5. 

   Michelle – 1 January 2025

     Tough as nails, adaptable to all skill levels, and performs when you need it most.
   Buying a casting reel can be an intimidating process for beginners and veterans alike. Cost, features, longevity, feel, and ease of use are some of the most important factors anglers consider before deciding on a purchase.I’ve used the Abu Garcia Pro Max Low Profile Reel for a year and honestly, I’m shocked with how it preformed. I picked the reel up when it was $60 – it’s proven me to be a worthy purchase.WHY YOU’LL LIKE THE REELI’m not the easy on my gear. I do a lot of bank fishing so my reels are jostled in and out of my SUV, dropped on the ground, and sometimes they end up in the water. The Pro Max reel has stood the test of time and works just like the day I purchased it, as stated earlier, that was a year ago.The Pro Max reel weighs in at 7.3 ounces making it easy to fish all day. This is not as light as some of my other reels, however, the low profile design makes it feel smaller than it actually is. The 7+1 stainless steel ball bearing system provides a consistently smooth retrieve. I let my buddy, who was just learning to use casting reels, borrow the reel for a night. He was impressed with how ‘simple’ it was to operate. Despite being a casting reel ‘newbie’, he only had a couple small backlashes. I’ll consider that a victory for the MagTraxTM, externally-adjustable, braking system. The Pro Max reel does not have an abundance of features. What it lacks in frills it makes up for in reliability. Boasting a stout 18lb max drag – it’s never slipped on any of my hooksets. Though there is a tiny bit of side-to-side play in the handle, the Pro Max has always allowed me to winch fish through the grass and brush. This reel is available in the left or right hand 7.1:1 gear ratio. That speed covers 90% of the applications I fish so I can’t complain. My Final ThoughtsThe Abu Garcia Pro Max Low Profile Reel doesn’t have an array of features. However, this reel provides durability, ease of use, and reliability. I’m confident in saying you can depend on this reel for years. It’s a reel with which a novice angler can become proficient in a short amount of time.

6. 

   Troy J. – 1 January 2025

   Very nice reel

7. 

   Mauricio R. – 1 January 2025

   Excelente carrete. Ya lo probé en el agua y no le pide NADA a ningún carrete de Alta precio..Esperemos dure así mucho tiempo..

8. 

   Bruno Crispim Valentino de Oliveira – 1 January 2025

   Perfeito, veio conforme anuncio, na caixa, com manual, certificado e selo de originalidade.Gostei do produto, prazo de entrega e como me foi entregue.

9. 

   LORI – 1 January 2025

   Es un carrete muy seguro para gente que está empezando, solo tienes que meterle ilo trenzado de 0,28 y regulando el carrete no tendrás enredos.

10. 

    AR. – 1 January 2025

    Very smooth reel with fast retrieve. Unfortunately level wind was faulty, caused line to bunch on left hand side and had to return it. Will probably order another since noticeably smoother than my SilverMax.Amazon return was hassle free.