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This is going to sound stupid to the more experienced guys but for me, a low-key recreational fisherman with low-end gear, it was kind of eye opening.
For the past 30 years or so, I’ve only fished a few times a year so I never invested any real money in my gear. I’ve been using the same Eagle Claw rod for 15 years that I am sure was in the $20 range when new.
However, now that I've gotten into float tubing, I go out pretty much every weekend, and I’ve still been using my little light-tackle trout gear and it’s been fine, but I had a desire to throw some heavier baits and I also wanted a rod with a little more backbone.
I was talking with my brother-in-law about all this and he put it out on the family grapevine and through a series of unexpected events, I wound up with a relative giving me a brand new Phenix MAX-S72M which is about the least expensive rod they sell at $109.
So for the past month or so, I’ve been using them both, the Eagle Claw and the Phenix and my experience has been that the Phenix truly is a far superior rod.
The issues that stand out are sensitivity, casting, and fighting and the Phenix beats the Eagle Claw on every count.
I’m mostly catching saltwater bass and like all bass, they often just suck in the bait quietly and then spit it out. With the Eagle Claw, all I would see is a little line twitch, but with the Phenix, that little line twitch can also be felt. I’ve fished them side by side and the difference is noticeable.
As for casting, that Phenix loads up and just rockets the lure out there and when it comes to fighting the fish, the Phenix has all the backbone I was looking for.
I know there are a million variables involved and everyone has different experiences, and opinions and people get crazy about rods, but for me, the more expensive rod really has performed noticeably better – it’s not all just hype.
My next rod will probably be a Phenix M1 at closer to $200 and I would have thought that was “crazy money” to spend on a fishing rod a few months ago, but now, the difference I've seen has made me feel like the better performance really is worth it.
I’m sure there are people who are going to diss the Phenix for whatever reasons, and like I say, this is the first non-cheapo rod I’ve ever owned so I’m no expert by any means, but I’ve been surprised that the better performance has been so noticeable.
So if you’re a guy like me with K-Mart gear and you’re wondering if more expensive rods really make a difference… my experience is that they do.
Big surprise, right? The $100 rod is better than the $20 rod, but we all know that sometimes more expensive isn't actually better. In this case, it is. As always, your mileage may vary.
For the past 30 years or so, I’ve only fished a few times a year so I never invested any real money in my gear. I’ve been using the same Eagle Claw rod for 15 years that I am sure was in the $20 range when new.
However, now that I've gotten into float tubing, I go out pretty much every weekend, and I’ve still been using my little light-tackle trout gear and it’s been fine, but I had a desire to throw some heavier baits and I also wanted a rod with a little more backbone.
I was talking with my brother-in-law about all this and he put it out on the family grapevine and through a series of unexpected events, I wound up with a relative giving me a brand new Phenix MAX-S72M which is about the least expensive rod they sell at $109.
So for the past month or so, I’ve been using them both, the Eagle Claw and the Phenix and my experience has been that the Phenix truly is a far superior rod.
The issues that stand out are sensitivity, casting, and fighting and the Phenix beats the Eagle Claw on every count.
I’m mostly catching saltwater bass and like all bass, they often just suck in the bait quietly and then spit it out. With the Eagle Claw, all I would see is a little line twitch, but with the Phenix, that little line twitch can also be felt. I’ve fished them side by side and the difference is noticeable.
As for casting, that Phenix loads up and just rockets the lure out there and when it comes to fighting the fish, the Phenix has all the backbone I was looking for.
I know there are a million variables involved and everyone has different experiences, and opinions and people get crazy about rods, but for me, the more expensive rod really has performed noticeably better – it’s not all just hype.
My next rod will probably be a Phenix M1 at closer to $200 and I would have thought that was “crazy money” to spend on a fishing rod a few months ago, but now, the difference I've seen has made me feel like the better performance really is worth it.
I’m sure there are people who are going to diss the Phenix for whatever reasons, and like I say, this is the first non-cheapo rod I’ve ever owned so I’m no expert by any means, but I’ve been surprised that the better performance has been so noticeable.
So if you’re a guy like me with K-Mart gear and you’re wondering if more expensive rods really make a difference… my experience is that they do.
Big surprise, right? The $100 rod is better than the $20 rod, but we all know that sometimes more expensive isn't actually better. In this case, it is. As always, your mileage may vary.
