Ready
for Battle, a First Look on the Water with Phenix's M1 Series
Date:
12/20/12
Tackle type:
Rods
Manufacturer:
Phenix
Reviewer:
Zander
Introduction: Phenix adds the new M1 rods to their arsenal and offers
them at a surprisingly aggressive price point. These rods retail for under 200
dollars yet make use of Nanotube technology and SiC guides. We take a trip to
Clear Lake with Phenix Prostaffer Vince Borges to see firsthand what these new
rods are all about.
Our
day on the water with Phenix starts in a fog...
Lock and Load: Anglers are no longer talking about the “return” of
Phenix, those days are in the past. Phenix has come back with a vengeance and
their rods have continued to gain popularity in both salt and freshwater
applications.
...but once the sun came out the fog parted so we could get to "work"
Phenix has a cult
following among saltwater anglers and their trout rods have also carved out a
nice niche, but it is clear that the company has set their sights firmly on the
lucrative but crowded bass market and introductions like their reasonably priced
Recon Series have gone a long way in terms of introducing their brand to a much
larger crowd of anglers.
Vince shows us the new M1 rods
To follow up on the
success of the Recon Series the company is introducing not only a second
generation Recon 2 line but also a brand new series called “M1.” Unveiled
earlier this year at ICAST 2012 it became immediately clear that the company was
going for a more aggressive look and feel with this series.
With the fog lifted we hit some of our favorite Clear Lake spots
The rods feature
two-tone EVA grips, composite cork caps, attractive aluminum inserts and winding
checks as well as a custom designed reel seat that comes painted with a soft
touch carbon pattern but it is really what is underneath all the cosmetics that
is most interesting. The M1’s blanks feature carbon fiber nanotube technology
that is designed not for extreme sensitivity but to provide anglers with a
better balance of sensitivity and raw strength.
A
closer look at the styling on the new M1 rods
The M1 rods are finished
with SiC guides and an open hook hanger to accommodate anything from reaction
baits to drop shot weights. The rods look quite differentiated from the
competition and have a custom rod feel, yet bear numerous elements that tie them
back to previous generation Phenix rods. It is by far the flashiest looking bass
rod that Phenix has made to date, which should appeal to mainstream anglers, who
are exactly the base of customers that Phenix is looking to target with this new
series.