ICAST 2008 Phenix new Elixer trout rods

Event Article: 2008 ICAST Coverage

Phenix brings in Big Bass and introduces premium Elixir Trout Rods

Date:	7/17/08
Location:	Las Vegas, NV
Manufacturer:	Phenix
Reviewer:	Team TackleTour

Introduction: Time flies when your fishing, or in our case covering fishing. It was just earlier this year when we witnessed the rebirth of Phenix at the Fred Hall Long Beach Show, and more recently we spent a day on the water with Robert Ip, Phenix's Marketing Manager, learning more about the new rods. Now Phenix is ready for primetime and delivering their bass rods in quantity and introducing a new premium series of trout rods dubbed the "Elixir" series.

Since we last saw the Ultra MBX rods the actions have been refined

Since we last fished the first run prototypes Phenix has gone back and refined both their rod actions and construction details, the result? A premium rod built on Toray materials that is ready for the most discerning anglers. many of the rods now have been refined for greater sensitivity and in some cases lighter overall weight. The rods are flying off the shelves and site, and the company is bringing more rods in just to keep up with demand.

Big bass hunter Joe Everett shows us the rig he recently used to land a 16.8lb lunker

The rods are now also being put through the paces by hard core prostaffers like big bass hunter Joe Everett who is featured on this month's Bassmaster magazine. He has been fishing Lake Mission Viejo and recently landed a lunker 16.8lb bass using a Phenix Ultra MBX rod. At the show Joe showed us the very rig he used.

We were not expecting to be wowed by any trout rods at ICAST, but the Phenix Elixir rods did exactly that. Notice the many different grip styles

While most companies at the show focused on bass, surf, and traditional saltwater rods Phenix decided to focus on trout rods at this show and unveiled prototypes of their new Elixir series of trout rods.

A look at the extreme split grip design on the Elixir, this is done for weight reduction and proper balance with ultralight reels

The Elixir trout rods are quite unlike any other domestic trout rod on the market and actually more closely resemble premium JDM offerings in terms of refinement and cosmetics. Robert explained the company's design philosophy behind the rods which emphasizes refinement and character above all. Phenix wants these rods not only to perform inimitably from what is already on the market, but look as polished and distinctive as they function.

A look at the lightweight blank

Phenix starts with a fly blank and crafts them into the perfect action for varying types of trout style applications. To make the rods stand out from the competition great care went into the selection and design of the components and burlwood is used in varying degrees on the different rods.

The Elixir rods make use of ALPS guides

The rods make generous use of ALPS components, and the grips are different depending on the rod action and style. Two anglers with completely polar opposite style preferences could easily fall in love with different rods in this series. Zander particularly liked the reel seat which resembled a "light-saber" and the rod felt extremely light with a very clean split grip design.

The grip looked awesome, but it did remind us of a "Light Saber"

The Elixir rods look and feel premium but the prices are still considered reasonable fro a premium trout rod and range from 139-249 dollars depending on the rod style. The only downside to the Elixir rods? Is that anglers are going to have to wait until January 2009 to purchase one.

The team at Phenix continues to gain ground with their quality rods

Conclusion: Phenix is a rising star among rod companies here in the US, partly because they place heavy emphasis on quality, but also because they have a long and storied history, one they acknowledge and learn form and continue to build upon. While some rod manufacturers put a premium on performance at the expense of design, and others are too much show and no go, Phenix continues to forge ahead with an appropriate balance... and we look forward see where this company goes next.