Powell LTT

[Tailwater]

I just bought an unfished American made 1998 Powell LTT 834-3 rod for a pretty good price. The grip is still wrapped in plastic.

My principal smallmouth rod is a 6-7 weight Powell two piece rod made in 1991, model number WB 90T. This has been an exquisite rod and I am hoping that the new one will be okay for spring creek trout in the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah Valley. As the model number indicates, it is a three piece, three weight rod that is 8' 3".

Can anyone give me any information about when the quality of Powell rods began to slide and how the rods from the late 90's stack up?

Thanks.

Stan

 

[Tailwater]

As the model number indicates, it is a three piece, three weight rod that is 8' 3".

Four weight. Sorry.

 

[jebson38]

I have a powell LGA that was made somewhere between 1999-2001. This rod is an 8ft 3wt 4 pc. I absolutely love this rod. If I remember correct this was a $400+ rod back then. I was looking for powell today and noticed that they had moved in to the bass fishing (spinning and casting) rods and no longer real big fly rod makers. I dont know when they went to lower grade equipment, but I know that my rod from the late 90's to eary 00's is comparable to Sage and Scott.

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Tailwater,

Powell has a long and proud history but things took a wrong turn along the way. Here is an article with some of the Powell history. Its a bit long but an interesting story. Walton Powell lived in Chico California and I was aware of his great rods but couldn't afford one at the time.

Frank

 

[Tailwater]

Thanks, Frank.

I was aware generally of that history but had not seen the article that you linked. I am still trying to figure out how long it took for the rods to go south after the merger. The rod I just acquired has machine lithography on the blank, whereas my older Powell is hand lettered.

I haven't had a chance to cast the new one in a meaningful way, but it does seem to be a quality piece.

Thnaks for responding to my question.

 

[mhclayton]

I have a Powell graphite rod from about 1994 that is beautifully made. Fittings and finish are superb. It has a medium-slow action and is a joy to fish, and so the decline must have been sometime after this...

Over the past three years, I have used their Tiboron rods which have had some excellent reviews, but for me felt like casting a broomstick. They are very fast, and my technique probably just wasn't up to the task.. I could never get the timimg down right. My last one, an 8 weight broke while fighting an energetic 26" rainbow on the Kenai two summers ago, and was the first time I ever broke a rod playing a fish. The most recent models are made in China, and are available online for deep discounts. The Tiboron looks identical to one of the Cabela's rods, but the big C sells their version for a lot less.... Powell seems to be going for the bigger bass fishing market now, and is a very different company than they were a couple of decades ago.