Today I will cover the Allegiance 2, a 7-foot, lightweight rod made by Penn and conclude if it is the right rod for you and your needs
The allegiance I own is a 7-foot 100% graphite rod using 24-ton graphite making it a strong and durable rod, though it is rather heavy for its size and it is rather stiff in the first piece. The rod is a 2 piece, which I appreciate as I travel a lot and enjoy a great deal of bank fishing. The fishing blank itself like I said was very stiff in the first piece but is not totally inflexible. the second piece is a lot more flexible giving the rod its moderate action. the finish on the blank is a smooth varnish finish with an unpainted pure graphite blank underneath.
The ring guides are wrapped with machine precision and I believe it would require a great amount of abuse to destroy. The guides for the rod are Pac Bay Minima lightweight braid ready guides though I have seen the rod advertised with Fuji guides these are strong and lightweight however I find them too be incredibly large and sometimes they can get in the way but they are so durable that I find it does not matter. They are made from hardened aluminum with the eyelets made with braid friendly steel and the eyes can withstand a great deal of punishment from both fish and outside forces.
The handle is made with a lightweight cork that is split into a fighting butt and the main handle. I find the cork is both durable and sensitive. The reel seat is well constructed with aluminum reel hoods and injected polymer thread and despite years of use there is no wobble or stress injury to the seat.
| Pros | Cons |
| Durable in all parts of its construction | Large eyes that sometimes get in the way |
| Lightweight parts that mean you can fish all day without getting tired | Is rather stiff for its weight class due to its 2-piece construction |
| 2-piece construction means ease of transport | |
| Sleek modern look |
The first thing you notice is that the rod feels stiff, but this is rather descriptive as the tip and upper part of the rod have a lot of flex. This translates to a rod being slightly less sensitive than you think it should be but still rather sensitive for its power rating. I have lost a few fish doing a small Texas rig where I buried the hook in the plastic and the flex in the rod was not stiff enough for the hook to pop out to hook the fish. I have overcome this by using RAZOR sharp hooks and making the hooks are always exposed. This can make cover hard to fish.
Despite that the rod is fun to fish with due to the flex and its and stiffness in the lower parts of the rod you feel every dive, jump, and run the fish make doubling the enjoyment you would normally get from a catch. The rod flexes under the fishing pressure and so far, I have not lost one fish even when they jump to shake the lure lose.
Casting wise, the rod is great, and I cast ½ ounce(14g) lures 105 feet (32 meters) and have cast 1/16 ounce (2g) 50 feet (15 meters) that even though the rod is only rated for ¼ ounce lures (7g). Overall, I would say it has a solid performance but is held back by the strange way it flexes an issue that good open hooks can overcome.
| Pros | Cons |
| Great caster | The flex can mean lost fish unless using open, sharp hooks |
| The flex means every catch feels epic | |
| Though less sensitive than you think still performs good for its action |
I pair my reel with a 2000 series Penn Sargus and always use braided line with 8-pound leader line. This improves sensitivity and I find the balance in the rod is perfect with this combo.
Due to its power, I find the rod is perfect for clear water, finesse fishing. Fishing it around cover is a no no in most cases as I am using open hooks and I do not want to be hung up every 30 seconds. I have used the rod to fish cover before, but it really hampers its use as every 2 or third fish was a missed hook up.
I would keep my lures to small soft plastics, tiny micro crank baits and top water poppers. I find with the right braided line I can cast small baits with good accuracy. This can be great for targeting small streams and pockets. Overall, it has some limited uses, but I find it is a does well in those uses.
| Application | lures |
| A small finesse rod with good open water uses due to good casting | Small finesse lures |
| Is great at targeting small pockets of water if you use smaller lures | Small soft plastics |
| Small crank baits | |
| Top water poppers | |
| Is capable of fishing lures below its weight if using light braided line |
The Allegiance prices for $69.95 on most websites. For the components and the many years of service it has given me it is very well worth it and it one of my favorite rods that I use. Compared with its competition it is solid. Some of the components are cheaper than some of its comparisons though. I find that so far that there has been no major detriment to its performance.
| Price | Value |
| $69.95 | Strong construction for the price |
| Compared to competitors it does use cheaper components, but I haven’t noticed it effect performance |
The Penn allegiance 2 is a great little rod for its price. It is durably constructed and easily portable. And I personally carry it every were I go fishing. The cons of the rod are rather easily overcome if you use it appropriately. I highly recommend the Penn allegiance 2.
