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More then just deep cranking with Powell's 754 CB Glass Rod
(continued)
 Casting
cont'd: The 754
isn’t as soft as some of the glass rods we have fished in the past and when
casting lighter baits it actually feels a whole lot like a moderate action
graphite rod than e-glass. It is only when casting lures 3/4oz and above does
the rod really begin to feel more like glass. Casting far is easy with the 754
as the extra inches help provide more leverage into every cast. This is most
noticeable when casting full size crankbaits.
A
look at the rear grip
On my most recent trip to
El Salto Mexico I chose to bring the 754 to be my primary rod for tossing full
size Bombers. The water level of the lake had come up over 30 feet since my last
visit and I knew that in order to get into the big fish with a crank I would
have to get down and cover a lot of water. The Powell 754 armed with a Shimano
Calais 4x8 was a perfect combo and I was able to cast ¾ of the spool with little
effort.
The
rear grip may be small but it is easy and comfortable to grab for dual handed
casts
My guide actually was
amazed with the casting distance and started moving the boat farther back from
shore just to accommodate the incredible casting distance. The 754 is decent at
casting 1/4oz lures, anything smaller than that it starts to get hairy, but when
it comes to the big stuff this rod is no slouch. In fact we think the 1oz rating
is rather conservative, as it is possible to cast 1 1/2oz. or even 2oz. lures
with little difficulty.
The
rod features quality
fuji guides
Retrieving: The
Delta proved to be the best location to test the complete range of lures. While
most of our crank tests were conducted at Lake El Salto we turned our attention
to swimbaits and topwater lures on our home water. The 754 is designed for
swimbaits of the smaller variety, while it is possible to throw a Hud on the rod
it really isn’t designed to handle these baits, and when tossing a Spro BBZ the
754 felt completely underpowered. However the rod was able to toss baits
outside of the recommended lure weight range and we were able to toss and
retrieve the Black Dog Shellcracker and a wide variety of flukes just fine.
Though the blank is
glass the rod is
responsive enough
for topwater fishing
While good for smaller
swimbaits the 754 really shined when it came to mid sized topwater lures. The
action of the rod is ideal for retrieving larger deep diving jerkbaits like the
Lucky Craft Pointer 100DD, but it also feels right at home tossing Sammys, big
twin blade buzzbaits, and even prop baits.
Like
all Powell rods the rod is clean and simply labeled
Power: When fishing
the 754 I noticed that I definitely lost less fish. Unlike other glass rods the
754 feels crisp during casts and retrieves but when a big fish is on the end of
the line the rod is “buttery” smooth just like a good glass rod should be. The
754 is not as forgiving as some other glass or glass/graphite hybrid rods like
the Kistler Magnesium glass rods, but it offers a nice balance of both heavy
power and a nice moderate action.
The
rear grip is finished with EVA foam
On this rod you usually
can tell what kind of fish you have on the line, as the rod has a forgiving tip
and a stiff butt section. Small fish feel petite, and big fish feel large, there
is no mistaking it. When there is a big fish on the line the 754 feels confident
and capable, and because the tip absorbs so much of the shock it is possible to
muscle fish in a bit more than with a graphite rod without fear of the fish
shaking the hook.
The
rod uses a Fuji real seat without a blank through, not a problem considering
this isn't the most sensitive of sticks and not designed for bottom type contact
baits
Next Section: Sensitivity, Ergonomics, and
Applications
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