Abu Garcia Max STX Low Profile Baitcast Fishing Reel, MAX4STX

I rarely go for bargain baitcasters, but the Abu Garcia STX truly surprised me. My original goal was to demonstrate that low- to mid-range baitcasting reels can still offer serious performance and hours of fishing enjoyment without draining your wallet.After a full year of use, I can confidently say this reel is a sleeper hit. It casts exceptionally well, and when paired with a fast-tipped rod, it handles lighter lures with ease (though not quite in BFS territory).I especially appreciate this reel when the conditions get rough—rain, mud, and grime. It’s my go-to when I don’t want to risk my high-end gear.If you’re new to baitcasters or looking for a reliable backup, the STX is a fantastic place to start. Don’t let the price fool you—this reel punches well above its weight.

Love these reels. I fish with them all the time. They cast well and have a switch for flipping that is fun to use. They perform like a much more expensive reel than the price point where these are.

this bait caster is one of my favorites. I use it for my swim bait set up

I have had many many different brands and models of reels over my 55+ years of fishing. From 25$ to 250$ . This is one of the best dollar for donuts you can get. This is the perfect speed for top and crank, casts very well adequate drag. Definitely can't beat the price for what you get.,

I love this reel for the price! It is fantastic for flipping and pitching around docks or structure. The flipping switching is a great option that you do not see on too many reel now a days (for reasons I don't know why). I even find you can really cast this far (with no backlash) with the flipping switch on and thumbing the spool.One upgrade I would suggest on all Abu Garcia reels that are the max level to is add an additional 4 magnets to the braking system. The reel comes with 4 and there are 4 empty slots on the opposite side of the factor 4 magnets. Not sure why they do this. To fill in the empty spaces by using 5 x 1.5mm magnets (the exact size of the factor magnets found here: https://www.amazon.com/Magpross-Multi-use-Refrigerator-Decorate-Projects/dp/B09FXL318F/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1LASQK27500V2&keywords=0.197+in+x+0.06+in+%285+mm+x+1.5+mm%29+Magnets&qid=1705360612&sprefix=0.197+in+x+0.06+in+5+mm+x+1.5+mm+magnets+%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-2 . Totally worth the 9 dollars for a 100 of them and most Abu Garcia reels provide the extra spots for additional magnets.After installing the magnets, it was a total game changer with braking control since you have 8 total magnets on each side of the spool. This eliminated all back lashing with this reel and gave a more unified braking feel with controlling the brakes with the manual dial. When you are casting far, you can see the difference by how smooth the line goes out.After 6 months of solid use, I swapped out the spool bearings with high-end ceramic bearings (30 dollars) from Spool High Speed Bearings (https://www.spoolspeed.com/products/abu-black-silver-blue-max-mini-kit?_pos=2&_sid=4fcea67a8&_ss=r&variant=39362083389501) and it casts way better then the Abu Garcia Revo5 x baitcaster reel (https://www.amazon.com/Abu-Garcia-Revo-Profile-Reel/dp/B0BRTCHQN1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1KGWE6I376GQF&keywords=abu+garcia+revo&qid=1705362087&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=abu+garcia+revo%2Csporting%2C185&sr=1-1).For a $30.36 (30 for bearings and .09 for each magnet) investment, you out do a $120 reel stock. Love this reel so much, I ended up buying a section one. This is a reel to add to your fishing pool quiver for sure.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely—if you want a high-performing reel that lasts, Abu Garcia is a solid choice. 🎣🔥

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