Having recently picked up a couple of Phenix Feather casting rods I thought I’d give a quick review, as these are pretty new to SouthEast Missouri. I was fortunate enough to put both a FTX-77MH and a FTX-77H through their paces for a week at Lake Guntersville, Alabama.
Phenix Rods owner Vince Borges suggested the 77MH for ripping rattletraps through Guntersville’s famous grass beds. Phenix describes the Feather Series as one of the lightest most sensitive rods the fishing industry has ever seen. The Feather Series has a unique tapered blank using a cross weave of 36 and 40 ton carbon fiber with Phenix Rods proprietary Nanolite resins. It features Essex T-Ring premium carbide guides, a minimalist build with eva foam handles and a custom designed carbon fiber reel seat.
The Look, Weight, and Sensitivity of the Phenix Feather Series will have you thinking about rods at twice the msrp of these Phenix Rods. With 10 guides plus the tip in perfect alignment and weighing in at an astoundingly low 3.3 ounces this rod is fairly amazing to feel. I paired it up with a Diawa Tatula 100, the lightest in the Tatula line for an extremely light combo.
At Guntersville with the Tatula spoiled up with 16lb Gama Edge Fluorocarbon the vibrations of the rattletraps were instantly noticeable as were the ticking of the grass and fouling in the weeds. I should mention that the slightest weed fouling could be felt through the Feather Rods allowing a ripping motion to clear the weeds, which would often be followed by a fish hammering the bait.
All in all I was very impressed with both Feather Rods I received from Phenix, extremely light and sensitive, with attention to detail I plan on adding more Feathers to my fishing arsenal.
Phenix Feathers can be purchased by scrolling down to the Monster Tackle or Tackle Warehouse links below .
Jeff Jewell
RBBASS