Penn Prevail Surf Spinning Rods Review

Workhorse

I’ve used my 12’ Prevail for years and wouldn’t trade it for anything. Fast action and fairly stiff (but not broomstick stiff), awesome rods for throwing bait plus a heavy sinker and plenty of power to handle whatever you might encounter.

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Honestly a great entry level rod

I like the handle on this rod it feels really good, the tip is pretty fast. After upgrading this has become the loaner rod which is the best way to get beginners into the feel of a performance rod

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Great Rod .

Great rod great price very well made happy with this purchase.

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Great Rod

It can handle what it says it can handle.

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Great beginner surf rod

I have nothing bad to say about the Prevail. I have handled stripers, monster bluefish, and one big-ass sting ray with this rod with zero issues. No rod separation, no creaking, plenty of backbone. I rarely cast more than 2oz plugs, so i have not found the upper limit of its casting ability, but it will comfortably throw 1oz Mag Darters with no problems. It is my go-to nine times… read more out of ten, and you will be hard pressed to be it for under $100.

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Penn Surf Rod

Meet all my needs and expectations, great surf rod for the price

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Love the Prevail

I own 3. Going to eventually buy 2 more. Bad reviews are for people that abuse their gear. Period. This rod is very nice for the price. Literally my favorite thing on earth is my 9' Prevail equipped with a Fin-Nor Megalite 60. Its the most versatile outfit I own out of about 20 complete spinning outfits. I have a rod for everything including a 4wt fly rod to a 13wt saltwater fly… read more rod. From a 5' ultralight with a 250 spinner to a 12' Prevail and a Fin Nor Lethal 100 (10,000 size). I mostly to saltwater fishing nearly excludsively surf fishing. Transitioning from mountain streams and lakes to open ocean.

It's not how much money your gear cost. I've seen $300 rods break just as easy as $5 rods. Mainly it's how to care for your gear. I have rules. Never let the tip hit the ground (mainly when disarmed and leaning against a wall). Never store with the line reeled tight (hooked on an guide). Never leave in a car. Always wash good after saltwater (make sure water isn't inside of the blank when washing disarmed). Join the rod pieces with the quarter turn method and always wax the ferrules. Never overload the rod (if it's rated for 4oz, don't try to whip out 8oz as hard as your can). Don't set the hook with a hand above any guides (hands in the hand grips only because you risk overloading just the top section). Those simple rules will let a rod love a LONG time. My dad gave me a rod he got in the 80s and it's still catching shark.

The same care goes for reels. I have a Shakespear Sigma 80 2200ck model from the early 90s that STILL comes with me on the beach for catching pompano. Replaced the crank candle 4 months ago.

So with that rant, care for your gear and it'll last a long time.

The Prevail has a great action. The seat can have flex but that's because the butt section isn't reinforced. I personally like the entire blank having flex. Flex isn't a cheap feeling. That fluid and dynamic action lets the stress of hooking something big unload all the way to the butt cap.

Graphite reel seats are my favorite because metal ones are often over tightened AND believe it or not break easier because the lack of flex causes the metal to "crack" and break. I keep two worm-clamps and some zip ties JUST for this. Nothing is worst that a busted seat and a reel at your feet while hooked up on a fish. Never have I see a graphite seat break (except for a pole my buddy kept in his car in south Florida year round but I think he tossed a tackle box or groceries on top of this reel.)

The slim blank has a minimalist look yet the details on the gear shrink and aluminum butt cap fitted with a rubber shock butt... super intellectual look. The blanks wraps and dark red and black finish is nice to look at.

The action is nice. The heavy action 12' isn't sensitive enough for smaller fish like whiting. Don't get the 12' unless you need it for larger fish like shark and, striped, and tarpon. Once hooked up, small fish feel big and big fish feel as excepted on the fight. The medium weight is where the money is. I haven't tried to light weight versions. I probably won't because I'm not on the gulf. That's be a great rod for calmer waters.

The guides are kinda generic. Typical low budge rod guides. Not sure of the brand. I haven't lost an insert yet. The guides are smooth. Braid hasn't cut into the guide yet. They haven't gave me problems. None of them are loose or spin. The overall feel of the guides is smooth on the cast. If you lose a tip guide insert, you mishandled the rod. I use my 9' to sling plugs and poppers on the beach and I whip them out there all hard and stuff.

I'll buy more. I'd rather get 3 of these than one fancy top shelf rod. I catch a lot of fish with this rod. Heck, the other morning my girlfriend and I couldn't get our rods in the sand spikes. We were hooking up within seconds our shrimp hit the water. Pompano rigs with 5oz sputniks. 25 fish in 2 hours. Majority of the time was putting more bait on and explaining to tourist that the sting rays won't kill them. And we had to take a break to drink our beer...

So if you are a beginner, budget minded angler, or pro... get one of these rods in your life. I haven't seen a bad review that wasn't the factories fault. Also TackleDirext know how to ship rods. Some of these A-holes on seller sites thru Amazon or other crap dealers don't put enough packing... and that means when the underpaid package handler working at FedUPS is rough, that tip guide is gonna get some pressure put on it. Not with tacklesdirect. Got 5? Rods from them.

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Gets the job done

I bought the penn prevail with the blacktiph combo and the rods does good with the penn 8500 spinfisher spooled with 30LB backing and 65 power pro for main line use this for sturgeon and heavy current when I need throw large baits and sinkers has good backbone for hauling in them heavy fish

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Nice rod

I fished this rod and I am pleased with the handling and feel

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Good rod

I paired this rod up with a Penn Fierce 5000 and it's very nicely balanced. I'm using it for fishing off the rocks and jetty at a lagoon near me and it performs well. Long casts, loads up well with a 1oz weight and a fishfinder rig with live bait.

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Good for the money

well made and performed as expected

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