Phenix Spreads Their Wings Into the Line Market with Hydra Braid

Total Score: 8.08 - GREAT

Introduction: As manufacturers grow more and more successful with their established product, sometimes, instead of concentrating on the expansion of these offerings, they venture into new territory. So, if you're Phenix Custom Rods and have successfully resurrected the brand into one of the more popular industry wide, what other fishing product area do you attempt to exert your expertise? How about fishing line or more specifically braid. Here now is our look at Phenix's 8 Strand Hydra Braid.

Background: Hydra Braid is actually one of three braided line products Phenix Rods offers. Ironfeather Elite Braid is a soft, lightweight braid designed for situations where stealth is a premium (like targeting trout species) and Phenix also offers a sixteen (16) strand hollow core braided product. Hydra is available in three colors and in weights from twenty through two hundred pound test!

Phenix Rods dives into the line market with Hydra Braid.

Impressions: Hydra Braid comes packaged on a typical, clear plastic filler spool with a convenient line clip enabling you to secure the tag end when you're done filling your reel. It is not precision wound onto the spool. It comes in spool sizes of 175 or 350 yards. Phenix uses a gel-dying process to color the line.

Hydra Braid is an eight strand braided line.

Performance: Phenix's Hydra Braid is a very smooth handling line. Its weave results in a surface that's not quite as smooth as something like Daiwa's Samurai Braid, but not nearly as rough as Sunline's FX2. It's a happy medium leaning more on the side of smooth than rough. The 55 pound test's diameter feels smaller than your typical fifty to fifty-five pound test braid and the line holds its round shape very well (some braids feel like they flatten out over extended use).

We fished the 8, 20, 55lb test versions of this line for our review.

Whether on spinning or casting gear, Hydra Braid comes off the spool clean and easy with none of that stickiness some of the more waxy braids have on the first few casts. Additionally, Hydra Braid's finish doesn't seem to flake off and stain your equipment either.

Hydra Braid is a very good choice for those who prefer to throw their vibrating jigs on braid.