I have had the good fortune to use a lot of different tackle from low end to high end. This experience has given me the knowledge to really know what I prefer in rods and reels. After fishing with several high end rods and reels from Pinnacle, there is one rod that I have come back to three times now. Let me explain to you how tough it is for one of these combos to rise to the top of my list. I do not know the exact number of combos I have in my fishing room. A safe number is over three dozen
There is one jig rod that I absolutely love. Then, there is my favorite spinning rod of all time – a Pinnacle DHC5-701SPML. I have spinning rods well over twice the price of this rod, which retails for around $170, but none that I like better, and not many that even come close.
Seriously, this is the third one I have owned. One of the three flew out the boat as I ripped down the lake. I was crushed! I have put this rod in the hands of several other fishermen who have also used different levels of fishing equipment. They all agree that this one is a winner!
There are several reasons I like this rod, and choose it over the others more often than not. The first one is one anyone could notice upon handling the rod. It is light as a feather and just feels great in your hands. It is a breeze to fish with all day when matched with the appropriate reel, and the versatility it provides is outstanding. Pinnacle rates this rod as their medium light power. Do not let that rating fool you. It fishes somewhat heavier than what is described – more like a true medium action rod. The weights listed on the rod are 1/16 to 3/8. In my opinion it fishes heavier than that and could easily handle lures a little heavier.
My main applications for this rod have been shakey head fishing and split shot rigs. I always have a shakey head on a spinning rod. I have used this rod for everything from trout fishing with jerkbaits and live bait, to drop shot, to tubes to shakey heads and anything else you would think to use on a light to medium action spinning setup. The rod has done everything I have put it through. On a recent outing I caught this smallmouth weighing right at 4.5lbs. Not once did I think the fish had the upper hand. The rod had plenty of backbone to successfully land the fish.
The reel I matched to this rod is a Pinnacle Producer XT PRF30. The first thing you will notice about this budget priced reel, retailing for around $70, is the great color scheme. It is a gunmetal gray color with anodized red accents. Upon unboxing, I gave it a quick spin and it was decently smooth out of the box, and had no wobble at all. The one thing I did notice is it felt heavier than the spinning reels I am used to fishing, and upon checking out the specs, it indeed was, but once saddled to the lightweight rod, it didn’t seem as heavy. I spooled the reel up with 6lb copolymer, which is the exact same line I commonly use on my other spinning reels and gave it a good dose of line conditioner and prepared for my fishing trip.
If anyone were to ask me if I would recommend this combo to anyone, my resounding answer would be “Yes!” I would explain how well the rod fishes and the versatility it possesses with the many different applications it can accomplish. I would tell them that for an entry level spinning reel, this is a good choice, but for someone who was weight conscious, or an enthusiast, that they might look in a different direction for a lighter reel, but keep in mind, this is a budget friendly reel.
I hope after reading this review you will consider purchasing one or both of these fine pieces of equipment to enjoy your day on the water. If you do, please share your experiences with others around you like children. They are the next generation to continue the passion we have for the outdoors! Tight lines!
