Denali Attax AC704F Casting Rod Product Review

Rod Review

Denali Goes on the Offensive with Their New Attax Series

Date:	3/20/17
Tackle Type:	Rod
Manufacturer:	Denali Rods
Reviewer:	Cal

Total Score: 7.50 - GOOD

Introduction: The ninety to one hundred twenty dollar ($90 - $120) bass rod space is a hotly contested market. Each year, more and more manufacturers either introduce more lines priced within this range or refine pre-existing lines to stay competitive. This past year at ICAST, Denali was one such manufacturer going on the offensive to take on this segment of the market with their new Attax series of rods. Here's our look at their seven foot even (7'-0"), heavy powered stick from within this series, the AC704F.

Denali Rods Attax Series AC704F Specifications
Material	IM7 Graphite
Length	7'-0"
Line Wt.	15-25lb
Lure Wt.	1/2-1oz
Pieces	One
Guides	8+1 (SS frames with some kind of ceramic insert - unspecified)
Rear Handle Length	10"
Power Rating	Heavy
Taper	Fast
Rod Weight	4.5
MSRP	$119.99

Introducing Denali's Attax AC704F.

Impressions: Denali's Attax AC704F is a seven foot (7'-0") heavy powered stick. Pause to think about that for a second - a 7'-0", heavy powered stick. Just about every other manufacturer is making 7'-1" or 7'-2", all the way up to 7'-4" heavy powered sticks. The straight up, 7'-0", heavy powered stick is a vanishing commodity going the way of the six foot, six inch sticks (6'-6") of yesteryear.

The AC704F features Winn grips on the handle.

Speaking of yesteryear, the AC704F is built on the good ole IM7 graphite material and features a split rear, golf club grip (made by Winn) and a very small hardwood foregrip tying the Attax series back to Denali's roots. This stick also has a split reel seat by SeaGuide and stainless steel framed guides with a unspecified ceramic insert. It's a nicely appointed stick but feels a bit tip heavy in hand.

The split reel seat is by SeaGuide.

Real World Tests: The AC704F also features this very bright silver, reinforcing carbon overlay over the bottom quarter of the rod. I bring that feature up here because there was one reel in my collection that was screaming to be paired with this stick and that's Shimano's Metanium MGL. I spooled the reel up with some twelve pound (12lb) Seaguar Tatsu fluorocarbon and put the combo to the test.

This hardwood foregrip is a nod to the company's early rod designs.

Casting: The AC704F carries with it an unusually narrow lure rating for a rod of its power - only half ounce to one full ounce (1/2oz - 1oz). Normally, you'd see an eighth or quarter ounce leeway at least to either side of that rating. To be honest, I didn't even notice the rod's rating when we were out on the water with it. Instead, I just grabbed a sort of heavy bait, tied it on and tossed it out. I didn't bother to think about the bait's weight. I just wanted to test the rod's upper end limit since I really wasn't concerned about the low end 1/2oz rating on a heavy powered stick.

Letting loose with the AC704F.

Well, the bait I chose was an Original TroutGlider 7" that's rated at two and three quarter ounces! Had I known this bait was that heavy, I wouldn't have tied it on, but when you handle as many big baits as we do, honestly, that 7" bait felt small.

Guides have stainless steel frames with an unspecified ceramic insert.

To the AC704F's credit, it handled that bait just fine. In hindsight, it was a little silly throwing that bait on only 12lb test fluorocarbon, but these are the trials and tribulations you go through a as a tackle tester sometimes just throwing stuff together and seeing how it works.

This reinforcing carbon wrap extends from the butt end up for about a quarter of the rod's length.

I'm happy to report the AC704F loads really nicely on a cast but even better is when I cut that bait off and tied on a jig to see how this stick performs in pitching situations. The AC704F makes a really nice pitching stick as well and I really did not miss the extra one, two, four inches many other manufacturers are adding to their heavy powered rods. Matched with the Metanium MGL, the AC704F's tip responded well allowing me to pitch my 1/2oz jig plus trailer just about anywhere I wanted to place it.

Trying the AC704F out with a nylon topwater line.

Next Section: Attax Sensitivity and Power