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More then just deep cranking with Powell's 754 CB Glass Rod
(continued)
 Sensitivity:
The Powell 754 is
certainly not the most sensitive rod, nor is it designed to be. The rod is not
the best choice for fishing contact baits and it doesn’t even make use of a
blank through reel seat. Glass in itself is not as sensitive as graphite and
while this rod can’t do it all we found it surprisingly good at fishing a wide
range of baits.
With
a fish on the line the rod feels both powerful and "buttery smooth" fish don't
shake lures nearly as easy with glass
Detecting strikes is not a
problem when fishing the types of baits that the rod was intended for, and
thanks to the forgiving action of the rod it is possible to set the hook hard
without worrying about ripping the lure right out of the fish’s mouth.
A
close up of that great hook hanger
Ergonomics: Like
most glass sticks the Powell 754 CB weighs more than your average graphite rod,
though not by as much as you would think by looking at the rod. Making use of
the popular split grip design this rod is able to shave off just enough weight
to be comfortable to cast all day.
The
winding checks look
great
Price & Applications:
The Powell 754 CB is a multi-purpose rod that blends some of the best attributes
of glass with the action that is more akin a graphite rod.
The 754CB is feels
more balanced paired
with slightly
heavier reels
This isn’t a sloppy glass
rod, it is easy to cast baits accurately, and with a big fish on the line the
glass construction of this rod really does a good job absorbing the shock of an
enraged fish. While the rod is good for smaller swimbaits it is also
a great crankbait rod, a good jerkbait rod, and a surprisingly respectable
topwater stick.
Though a bit heavy for jerkbaits the rod continues to prove its versatility
The 754 is basically the
big brother of the Powell 703 CB, which is a 7 foot glass rod which has similar
action and power but in a smaller size. The 703 retails for $169.00 while the
754 retails for 30 dollars more. For $199.00 the 754 CB is a good deal and is a
great choice for a rod that fills the gap between a 6’6” or 7 foot crank rod and
a heavy swimbait stick.
the
rear handle tipped with EVA foam feels comfortable against your forearm
While the 754CB cannot
replace a mag swimbait rod it can replace a cranking stick and expand your range
when it comes to throwing smaller swimbaits. In terms of species this rod is
born for bass but can easily handle larger fish like stripers and even Muskie
and Pike. The rod’s line specifications call for 10-17lb and we found the rod
really felt best with 12-14lb line, which seemed like a nice balance between
casting distance and line strength.
A El
Salto bass taken on the 754 CB
Ratings: (We've re-calibrated our ratings standard for 2008 and have included a key at the bottom of the following matrix as a guide):
|
Powell
754CB
Glass
Ratings (?/10)
|
| Construction/Quality |
The
Powell
754CB is
built
with
quality
components
and
features
the
clean
and
attractive
design
and
build
quality
that we
have
come to
expect
from
Powell |
7 |
| Performance |
The rod
performed
well in
all of
our
tests.
It is
ideal
fro deep
cranking
and
tossing
smaller
swimbaits,
but also
proved
good at
topwater
lures
and
larger
wire
baits
like
large
buzzbaits |
7.5 |
| Price |
The
Powell
754CB
would
have
been a
best
value if
it
retailed
for 169
dollars
like the
703, but
as it is
now it
is still
a good
value |
8 |
| Features |
The rod
features
a
quality
glass
construction
and we
still
love the
Powell
hook
hanger
and
split
grip
design |
7 |
| Design (Ergonomics) |
The rod
is
slightly
heavier
than the
competition,
and
while it
is still
comfortable
to cast
all day
it would
be ideal
if it
was 2oz.
lighter.
|
7 |
| Application |
This
stick
can be
used
for so
much
more
than
just
deep
cranking
and
smaller
swimbaits.
It is a
good rod
to
bridge
the gap
between
6'6"
rods and
massive
swimbait
sticks |
8 |
|
Total Score
|
7.41 |
Ratings Key:
1 = terrible : 2 = poor : 3 = lacking : 4 = sub par : 5 = mediocre : 6 = fair : 7 = good : 8 = great : 9 = excellent : 10 = unbelievable!
For More
Details
of the
updated
rating
system
visit
our
explanation
here |
Pluses and Minuses:
|
Plus Minus
|
| J
Bringing
back the
love for
glass |
L
Glass
blank is
not as
sensitive |
| J
Clean
layout
and
design |
L
Not the
lightest
of glass
rods |
| J
Quality
hook
hanger |
|
| J
Surprisingly
versatile |
|
| J
Great
price
for what
you get |
|
The Powell 754CB is
able to fish a wide
range of baits and
applications and I
find myself using it
more and more all
day long for
everything from deep
cranks to topwater
Conclusion:
There are a wide
range of swimbaits
and there isn’t one
rod that can fish
them all. For
smaller swimbaits
like Basstirix
Paddle Tails and
Money Minnows the
Powell 754CB is good
choice. While
swimbait capable the
754 CB is first and
foremost a heavy
cranking rod, with
the added ability to
handle large
topwater lures. The
754 CB makes it easy
to sling the largest
and deepest diving
crankbaits and was
my rod of choice for
fishing big Bomber
Fat Free Shad for El
Salto largemouth.
The rod is
undoubtedly a Powell
making use of all
the elements that
make the brand
popular among bass
anglers including a
clean layout, split
grip design, and
quality components.
If you are looking
for a good rod to
fill the gap between
the those 6’6”
plastics rods and
your big swimbait
stick the Powell
754CB is a great
choice, and has me
falling in love with
glass all over
again.
Looking for a
Powell Rod? Try
Tackle Warehouse.
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