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Rod Review


 

An Entire Combo for the Weight of One Reel Begins with Phenix's FTX-71MH

 

Date: 9/30/18
Tackle Type: Rod
Manufacturer: Phenix Rods
Reviewer: Cal






Total Score: 8.33 - EDITOR'S CHOICE AWARD

Introduction:
Earlier this year, we introduced you to Phenix's new Feather series of rods with a look at the FTX-S 71L, a light powered spinning rod. Of course, what interests bass anglers more are casting rods, but the unique design of the FTX-S 71L's reel seat called itself to our attention sooner. Now with that stick out of the way, it's time to turn our attention to one of its casting siblings. Here now is our look at Phenix's Feather Series FTX-71MH casting rod.

 

Phenix FTX-71MH Specifications

Material 30 & 40 Ton Toray Graphite Blend w/ Phenix Nanolite Resin
Length 7'-1"
Line Wt. 8-17lb
Lure Wt. 1/4-3/4oz
Pieces One
Guides 10+tip Essex T-Ring Carbide Inserts
Rear Handle Length 10
Power Rating Medium Heavy
Taper Extra-Fast
Rod Weight 3.3oz
Origin Made in China
MSRP $149.99


Time to look at a casting stick within Phenix's Feather series. Introducing the FTX-71MH.

Impressions: The FTX-71MH is a seven foot, one inch (7'-1") casting rod wrapped on a blank made of a blend of thirty and forty ton graphite bonded together with Phenix's own, proprietary nanolite resin. It is outfitted with Essex T-Ring guides with carbide inserts and features a reel seat that looks like a split version of Fuji's ACS reel seat. The rod is built with a split rear grip made of EVA foam, and has no foregrip of which to speak. It has a much higher end look and feel to it than its price point would suggest and in fact, the design reminds me a lot of the company's K2 casting rods.

 


A look at the FTX-71MH's custom designed reel seat.

Real World Tests: For the FTX-71MH's real world tests, I paired it with a brand new Shimano Aldebaran MGL acquired from Japan Tackle early in the year. I spooled the Aldeabarn MGL with some ten pound, green Sunline Sniper Fluorocarbon and readied the combo for action.


Despite the small bit of exposed thread, the handle assembly is finished off nicely.

Casting: The FTX-71MH carries with it a lure rating of one quarter ounce to three quarters of an ounce (1/4 - 3/4 oz). This is a prototypical "medium-heavy" lure rating and the stick handles baits up to about three quarters of an ounce perfectly. It will go to three quarters, but starts to feel a little overloaded at that time. I cast everything from small paddletail swimbaits (Keitech Swing Impact fished on a VMC Ike Finesse Rugby Jig) to the 14.5 sized Berkley Dredger to a Texas rigged Reaction Innovations Machete and really liked the way the FTX-71MH loaded and released during a cast.


Guides are Essex T-Ring guides with carbide inserts.

The FTX-71MH is also a very nice pitching stick. In fact, after my casting test with the above baits, I made a couple of pitches with the Reaction Innovations Machete and ended up fishing that bait on this combo the rest of the day. I pegged the bullet weight and had a lot of fun dropping the bait alongside and underneath docks and right up against the base of trees on the shoreline.


The grip material is mostly EVA foam with some decorative touches at either end.

Next Section: Feather Sensitivity

 

   

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