Pinnacle's Newest Bass Rods & Reels

I stumbled upon Pinnacle products a few years ago. They were not as well-known as some other brands, but offered good features at a lower price than most competitors.

This year Pinnacle is making a full frontal assault on the bass-gear market with a line of high-end, tournament-grade tackle that they are still selling at an attractive price.

Among baitcasting reels, the top of the line is the Optimus XLT ($129-$199). One look and you know it isn't a step-down -- it shoulders its way into the ranks of premium reels.

Under the hood are an "X-Bone" metal frame, 11 shielded, stainless steel ball bearings and a super-fast 7.3:1 gear ratio. The 7.7-ounce reel also offers dual cast control and even incorporates a flipping switch.

Pinnacle's new, leading edge rods are called the Perfecta DHC5's ($159-$189). These rods are available in spinning or casting models, in lengths from 6 feet, 6 inches, to 7 feet, 11 inches. They come in actions for everything from finesse fishing with shaky heads to punching mats or lobbing swimbaits.

---

The Perfectas are built using double helical blank construction. They have Fuji reel seats, Fuji Alconite guides, machined aluminum winding checks and slit grips with super AAA-grade cork handles.