Pinnacle Fishing has tapped into the angling knowledge and experience of top BASS Elite Series and FLW touring pros – including Paul Elias, Dave Wolak, Grant Goldbeck and Britt Myers – to design and develop its new family of “Tournament Class” tackle. The application-specific lineup features 13 state-of-the-art reels and 15 custom-quality rods, offering avid bass fishermen professional-grade precision and performance at surprisingly affordable prices.
To create tackle worthy of being called “Tournament Class,” Pinnacle made sure its pro staffers were intimately involved in the process – from the conception stage to final production. Elias, Wolak, Goldbeck and Myers worked closely with Pinnacle’s engineers to ensure that every offering was perfectly designed and equipped for its intended task.
“They asked us to describe the features and qualities we would want in a series of ‘dream’ reels and rods to handle everything from cranking, to flipping, to finesse spinning,” said Elias, Bassmaster Classic Champion and the all-time BASS heavyweight catch record holder. “All I can say is that Pinnacle nailed it. They did an amazing job bringing this fantasy tackle to life.”
In addition to incorporating the collective angling expertise of world-class fishing pros, Pinnacle used only the finest materials and components in the construction of its Tournament Class gear. The end result was selection of professional-grade reels and rods good enough for bass fishing’s “elite,” yet priced within reach of the weekend angler.
“Serious fishermen shouldn’t have to choose between quality and affordability.” said Charles Park, president of Pinnacle Fishing. “With our new Tournament Class lineup, they don’t have to – they can have it all.
Pinnacle’s “Tournament Class” reel family includes three different series Optimus, Performa and Perfecta – offering anglers a variety of body styles, gear ratios and features to choose from. The top-of-the-line Optimus™ XLT ($199.99 MSRP) is a sleek, ultra-smooth baitcaster with ten double-shielded stainless steel bearings, Tandem Cast Control (a combination of centrifugal and magnetic anti-backlash systems), and a blazing fast 7.3:1 retrieve. Like all of Tournament Class reels, the Optimus™XLT features all-metal construction and Pinnacle’s exclusive X-Bone™ pattern frame. Similar to the design of a car chassis, the
X-Bone™ pattern distributes stress equally among four points to better handle torque. This rugged frame design, along with metal side covers, makes for an extremely strong and rigid reel, allowing the gears to stay in perfect alignment under heavy loads. The Optimus XLT’s metal side covers (as well as those on Pinnacle’s Optimus XT, Performa XLT and Performa XT baitcasters) boast a distinctive Titanium Deposition finish. More than just an aesthetic touch, this special treatment is highly resistant against nicks and scratches. For reduced weight and increased strength, all Optimus model baitcasters are equipped with drive gears, drive shafts and worm gears composed of Duralumin – a super alloy that’s 70 percent lighter and 20 percent stronger than brass. The long list of Optimus reel features also includes the industry’s first QuickFlip™ Button for flipping and pitching applications. Ergonomically designed and strategically positioned for ease-of-use, this button lets you engage the gears instantly without turning the handle for lightning-fast hooksets.
Budget-minded bass fishermen seeking professional-grade quality and performance at an even lower price, will find what they’re looking for in Pinnacle’s Performa™ and Producer™ reel series. These reels feature advanced magnetic cast control systems, plus many of the same features of Pinnacle’s top-tier Optimus™ models. The Performa Series offers Tournament Class baitcasters ranging from $109.99 to $149.99 (MSRP) and finesse spinning reels priced at $99.99 (MSRP). Producer Series baitcasters range from $99.99 to $119.99.
Ideally complementing Pinnacle’s Tournament Class reels are the manufacturer’s new Tournament Class Perfecta™ Rods. The series offers a selection of 15 feather-light, yet super strong, models covering a wide variety of fishing techniques and situations. Pinnacle picked the brains of its pro staffers to make sure the lengths, actions and tapers of these application-specific rods were right on the money. According to Wolak, a former Bassmaster Rookie of the Year, winner of the Bassmaster American Tournament, and currently one of the leaders in the 2010 BASS Angler of the Year race, this extensive interaction between the pros and Pinnacle’s research and development team really paid off.
“We shared a lot of detailed rod information with Pinnacle based on our experience out on the water,” said Wolak. “The input we provided, as well as Pinnacle’s mastery in rod-making, is clearly evident in the finished products.”
Every Tournament Class Perfecta™ rod features Pinnacle’s exclusive “Double Helical Construction (DHC5) – a proprietary construction process that eliminates the glass scrim and reduces the amount of resin – for a blank that’s lightweight and hyper-sensitive, but also extremely powerful and durable. The process incorporates multiple layers of high-density carbon tape, wrapped in opposite directions around a high-modulus, uni-directional graphite prepreg core. Along with this unique blank design, each Perfecta model is equipped with top-quality components, including Fuji® “New Concept” Alconite Guides, Fuji® reel seats and AAA premium cork grips. To learn more about Pinnacle’s new Tournament Class lineup or the complete line of quality Pinnacle fishing products, visit: www.pinnaclefishing.com.
