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Rod Review


Flipping Week : Phenix Rods Mocks the Demon

 

Date: 9/9/14
Tackle Type: Rod
Manufacturer: Phenix Rods
Reviewer: Cal






Total Score: 8.01 - GREAT

Introduction:
Phenix's rise into the mainstream of bass angler's fishing rod consciousness has been quite astonishing. Their combination of value plus performance in several lines has really changed expectations. In particular, the Recon 2 series has been a favorite amongst TT Editors for the fusion of JDM styling together with attractive price points. No where is this more evident than in the company's entry to flipping week. Introducing our take on Phenix's Recon 2 PHX-C796H.

 

Phenix Recon 2 PHX-C796H Specifications

Material T-36 ton composite with a proprietary resin
Length 7'9"
Line Wt. 14-35 lbs
Lure Wt. 3/8 - 2 1/2 oz
Pieces One
Guides 11 + Tip (proprietary SS frames with SiC inserts)
Rear Handle Length 11
Power Rating Heavy
Taper Fast
Rod Weight 6.6 ounces
Origin Made in China
MSRP $199

 

Quality/Construction: Those familiar with JDM styling need not look very far on this stick to be reminded of a rod with very similar detailing at the reel seat locking mechanism, but of course the C796H is less than a third of the price of the stick to which it pays homage.

 


Introducing the Phenix Recon 2 PHX-C796H.

 

Quality wise, the rod features a lightly sanded blank protected with a clear, satin finish. The rear grip is full Eva foam with no glaring gaps or points of misalignment at any of the material transitions. Epoxy around the guides and over the labeling is clean and the blank and guides were perfectly aligned.

 

Quality Ratings for Phenix Recon 2 PHX-C796H

Finish (1-5)
Grip (1-5)
Epoxy (1-5)
Blank (1-2)
Guides (1-2)
Total
Possible
Rating (= Tot/Pos * 10)
4
5
4
2
2
17
19
8.95

 


Rigged and ready to go on the CA Delta.

Performance: I fished this stick with a variety of reels, but had the most fun fishing it as a big bait stick rather than a flipping rod. To that end, I matched it with a Abu Garcia Revo Winch spooled with twenty pound (20lb) Sunline Supernatural Nylon Monofilament.


This is a versatile stick able to handle flipping duties as well as big baits.

Casting: The PHX-C796H has a tip that loads very nicely through a cast or pitch yet is stout enough to handle flipping and punching duties as well. The rod is rated up to two and a half ounces and realistically can handle up to about four or five ounces with little difficulty. To pigeon hole this rod as a flipping or punching rod would be a mistake.


The PHX-C795H features proprietary SiC guides with stainless steel frames.

Sensitivity: We've fished several of the Phenix Recon 2 rods, yet surprisingly this is our first official review on a rod from the "2" series. We've previously reviewed the PHX-C715H, but that was from the first generation of Recons. The primary difference? Well, where we touted the unsanded, unfinished blank of the original Recon series, the 2nd generation of Recons are now sanded and finished with a very light satin clear coat. While this treatment should not effect the rod's performance, that allure of the raw blank is now lost.


Love it or hate it, this rod comes with the Fuji ACS reel seat.

I bring this up here, because that unsanded, unfinished blank made the rods seem as if they were more sensitive than they probably really were otherwise. Now that we're assigning a number value to this rating I have to consider this metric a little more carefully, and I'd have to say sensitivity of this stick is just a little better than average.


A nice soft tip paired with a pretty stout backbone.

Next Section: For more than just flipping

 

   

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