Casting Rod – Pinnacle 7-foot, 4-inch Tournament Class Perfecta 7 DHC7-741CAMCB, paired with Pinnacle’s Tournament Class Producer LTE PRD1OLTE reel.
As in my last review of a Pinnacle Tournament Class Rod, this review covers an incredibly lightweight rod that is well balanced and is certainly nice to look at. This crankbait rod is rated as medium-moderate that is designed for medium-depth cranking. The construction is outstanding. It features a Double Helical Blank (DHC) construction for strength and increased sensitivity. In short, DHC is a process that layers high-modulus graphite wrapped in an opposite direction around the initial layers of high-density carbon. This process creates rods that are incredibly light and durable.
The micro guides are Fuji Titanium-SIC Tangle-Free K-Guides, making casting and retrieving a smooth venture. The low-profile Fuji ACS reel seats reduce weight and form a solid, comfortable base for the reel. The split-grip, high-density EVA handle is excellent in all weather conditions and feels good in your hand. I do not have a single negative comment about the Series and have not had any issues. I like the way these products perform.
The reel is light – weighing in at 5.75 oz. – has a high speed 6.2:1 gear ratio and a 9 Bearing System (8BB+1RB). But one of the best features is the price. The MSRP is just $89.99. The Producer is built with an X-Bone metal frame that distributes stress among four points. This feature is found in Pinnacle’s higher-priced reels.
Additional features include REF2 Carbon side covers, lightweight duralumin spool, drive and worm gears, and a concave aluminum handle. I like the external adjustable magnetic cast control, which is necessary when swapping different-sized crankbaits. This reel is truly out-of-the-box ready. As with high-end Pinnacle reels, it offers a quick-release side cover and audible star drag. The reel is pleasing to look at, and for the price, it performs just as well as many higher-priced reels I own. Pinnacle has created a very competitive reel at a great price.
I used this combo for summertime cranking. It performed very well, and I have to say I’m impressed. It is a challenge to find a good combo that works well on both light and heavy lures, but this did the job with minimal adjustments. I fished lightweight crankbaits and deep divers all day long without experiencing fatigue.
The only negative observation from my testing is the reel made a bit of noise while casting and retrieving. It was not a significant cause for concern and was easy to forget after a while. It didn’t seem to cause any problems with the reel. Bottom line, the reel performed and looked great paired with the Perfecta rod.
This combo is my new go-to cranking rod and reel. Excellent Job, Pinnacle and thank you.
