Fig 1 : The chart above illustrates the deflection characteristics of our Phenix Rods Titan Long Fall TJXL710H-B build against the historical averages for swimbait rods we've tested to date

I was a little surprised to discover, I could actually feel the tail thump of this bait, JSJ's Caboose, during the retrieve

The blank has a really smooth power curve that loads instantly for sure hook sets and reassuring control over your catch delivering the right amount of pressure to keep fish pinned during unexpected lunges. With that moderate taper, the blank behaves very reminiscent of some of my favorite cranking sticks from years past only taken up a few levels due to its power and the size of these baits. That super thin blank is very deceptive in its power and in a good way.

It's a thin but stout blank!

Design & Ergonomics: Phenix Rods's Titan Long Fall TJXL710J-B is rated at 4.6 ounces in weight. My blanks all weighed 4.3 ounces. It has a very good weight to power ratio and I continue to underestimate the stick because of that super thin diameter - it just doesn't look or feel like something as powerful as it is. The only thing I wish were different, or at least an option with this blank is the finish. It arrives with a glossy coat over the entire blank. I'd prefer it were bare, but really that's nit-picking. Wrapping was pretty simple and straight forward though I should have ordered the tip tops after receiving the blanks and verifying measurements. I had to file the tips down a hair to fit the tip tops onto the blank. Side note: my builds came out very well balanced because I used such abnormally long handles.

Price & Applications: Cost for Phenix Rods's Titan Long Fall TJXL710J-B blank is $199. It is designed for a saltwater technique popularized in Japan where anglers slowly jig their bait off the bottom with slow, long pulls. The, soft, moderate taper of the blank is key in this slower jigging motion. The action of the rod is somewhat similar to back bounce blanks used for targeting salmon in the Pacific Northwest. That was my first thought when I experienced the way the blank loaded while casting the Roman Made Mother - a back bounce blank.

A lot of anglers these days get caught up on the labels that are attached to their built sticks thinking the listed techniques are the only applications for which the rod is suitable

A lot of anglers these days get caught up on the labels that are attached to their built sticks thinking the listed techniques are the only applications for which the rod is suitable. While handle and guide configuration can make a stick more suitable for one application versus the next, blanks are far more versatile than many may realize. That's the beauty of beginning with the blank and building sticks to suit what you want them to do. For the TJXL710J-B, as far as freshwater bass applications go, while I built it out in a configuration ideal for tossing big baits, I also fished it like a jig rod using Megabass's Sleeper Craw, with a Carolina Rig, a square bill cranking stick with the BX Brat, basically any and every technique I could think of in order to get bit.

A close up of the detail at the connection point between the front and rear handle sections of CFX's new swimbait rod grip

Obviously the blank is not designed with freshwater bass fishing techniques in mind, but at the same time it is totally suitable and very difficult to pin point for which techniques it supports best because it did everything I asked of it and did it well. With soft, moderate bend, I wouldn't think it'd work well for jig style baits, but because of its power, hooksets are not an issue. In fact, I can imagine punching two ounce tungsten weights through vegetation using this blank as the foundation for a punching stick. If you don't need all that power and want to save a little weight, there are even a few less powerful options in light, medium-light, and medium heavy. It feels as though there may be several more projects brewing with the other available models in this lineup. I could build an bass fishing entire arsenal!

The table above outlines the components I used on the 7'-6" split grip build. Total cost is a rough calculation and does not include tax, shipping, and all the usual add ons, so as usual, be aware that costs will vary depending on chosen components. Pricing for CFX's pending new swimbait handles is expected to land in the neighborhood of $45 - $50.

Phenix Rods's Titan TJXL710J-B is designed for a very specific saltwater technique, but as far as freshwater bass applications go, this is a very capable blank for big baits, deep cranks, Carolina rigs, punching and likely more