2 DropShot Rods, need help deciding (EDIT: Phenix M1 BROKE!) 2025

DanQS13 reply :

Just picked up a Pflueger Supreme XT 30 and now need a sweet rod to go with it. Rod will primarily be use for DS with the occasional grub or ned rig thrown on it. I have narrowed it down to 2 rods:

Fenwick Elite Tech 6'10 ML/XF for $135 or Phenix M1 6'9 L/F for $153. I also had the *** Muse Gold ML/F as a possibility, but since more than 1/2 my rods and baitcasting reels are ***, I figured I would try something new.

In regards to the Phenix, my only worry was the L/F being too soft as I have heard Phenix rod are a little below their stated rating. For people who have used the Phenix rods, would I be better off going with 7'2 M/XF and it would act more like a ML? This rod doesn't have a "ton" of info about it online so figured I would ask here.

As for the Fenwick, I have heard alot of great things about it and think it would fit the bill if I go that route.

PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD... Stay on topic in responses, I don't care about your $500 Gloomis rod or how good your StC Legend rod is... I'm only concerned with the rods listed above.

(I know how you guys get in threads like these :annoyed1: , lol)

I thought about adding Dobyns to this list, however I've heard the Phenix M1 line beat out anything below the Champion Extreme price point, (of course this is subjective)

Even though I could get 30% off, the standard Champion would be as high as I could go at this moment.

lakeannaangler reply :

I say get the Fenwick

S Hovanec reply :

BOTH! You can never have too many DS rods on deck! Use the Fenwick for bulkier baits and the Phenix for smaller baits!

blckshirt98 reply :

Of the too-many-rods-to-give-a-number I have, my Phenix M1 spinning 7'2" M/XF rod has caught more fish than all my other rods combined and I've used it primarily as a dropshot rod. I haven't fished or felt the Phenix L/F, but if my entire rod collection burned to the ground and I could only afford one rod for the next 5 years, the 7'2" M/XF would be it. I pair it with a 2500 size Shimano with 15 lb braid, and use 7-10# fluoro for a leader when dropshotting. I also use it to throw KVD 1.0 size squarebills using a Norman Speed Clip tied to the braid. My favorite all-around spinning rod hands down!

Mosster47 reply :

I'm a Phenix guy and they under rate rods power wise. I wouldn't fish anything in their spinning lineup under a Medium power.

DanQS13 reply :

On 4/28/2016 at 10:46 AM, blckshirt98 said:

Of the too-many-rods-to-give-a-number I have, my Phenix M1 spinning 7'2" M/XF rod has caught more fish than all my other rods combined and I've used it primarily as a dropshot rod. I haven't fished or felt the Phenix L/F, but if my entire rod collection burned to the ground and I could only afford one rod for the next 5 years, the 7'2" M/XF would be it. I pair it with a 2500 size Shimano with 15 lb braid, and use 7-10# fluoro for a leader when dropshotting. I also use it to throw KVD 1.0 size squarebills using a Norman Speed Clip tied to the braid. My favorite all-around spinning rod hands down!

On 4/28/2016 at 10:52 AM, Mosster47 said:

I'm a Phenix guy and they under rate rods power wise. I wouldn't fish anything in their spinning lineup under a Medium power.

Thanks guys, this is what I was looking for... this actually makes me happy because if they fish lighter than the rating then the Medium should be more like a medium light which is what I wanted.

Now to order one and hope the sensitivity is on par with what I'm wanting. I'm sure it will be, I have heard nothing but great things about the M1 line-up.

LuckyHandsINC. reply :

You should get a $500 loomis rod. Also the StC legend is very good.

DanQS13 reply :

On 4/28/2016 at 7:36 PM, LuckyHandsINC. said:

You should get a $500 loomis rod. Also the StC legend is very good.

LOL.... I'll cut u

BassThumb reply :

On 4/28/2016 at 7:36 PM, LuckyHandsINC. said:

You should get a $500 loomis rod. Also the StC legend is very good.

But which is better?

S Hovanec reply :

On 4/28/2016 at 9:16 PM, BassThumb said:

But which is better?

Neither! All mass produced rods suck!

Mosster47 reply :

On 4/28/2016 at 11:31 AM, DanQS13 said:

Thanks guys, this is what I was looking for... this actually makes me happy because if they fish lighter than the rating then the Medium should be more like a medium light which is what I wanted.

Now to order one and hope the sensitivity is on par with what I'm wanting. I'm sure it will be, I have heard nothing but great things about the M1 line-up.

I mostly have UMBX rods, but I do have an M1 that I throw Keitech's on and I really like it.

DaleGribble reply :

I had the same dilemma between the same rods!

I went with the Fenwick and so far I've been happy.

DanQS13 reply :

So check this out guys... got the Phenix M1 Medium/XF. Supposed to be this super awesome, super strong rod... well, it couldn't handle a second cast of a 1/8oz tungsten weight and a 4.5 SK Finesse worm, lol. So ticked at the moment and TackleWH better pay to ship this **** back.

DanQS13 reply :

This really sucks... the rod looked really good, but I just don't know if I would be comfortable getting another. Another guy posted a review on TackleWH about his reel seat falling apart and having to send it back. Maybe Phenix screwed that last lot of these rods up or maybe they are just slacking now

blckshirt98 reply :

UGH this makes me feel terrible since I was one of the ones that gave the M1 such a rave review. Let us know if TW will take it back and pay for the shipping!

WRB reply :

Take a look at Shimano Compre drop shot rods about $100.

Tom

Capt.Bob reply :

I love the 6'10MXF Legend Extreme I have custom built, but the Legend Elite or Extreme in 6'10" MXF rod is in my opinion the best drop shot,,, finesse rod out their, very fast, super light,, with plenty of backbone for big fish.

I think the MXF is the right action,,, you just the wrong the wrong rod,, good luck, I would expect them to have your back.

DanQS13 reply :

On 5/3/2016 at 1:18 PM, Capt.Bob said:

I love the 6'10MXF Legend Extreme I have custom built, but the Legend Elite or Extreme in 6'10" MXF rod is in my opinion the best drop shot,,, finesse rod out their, very fast, super light,, with plenty of backbone for big fish.

I think the MXF is the right action,,, you just the wrong the wrong rod,, good luck, I would expect them to have your back.

Well I mainly got the MXF on the M1 because Phenix ratings are supposed to fish lower than whats listed... so it was more of a ML which is what I was looking for

On 5/3/2016 at 10:59 AM, blckshirt98 said:

UGH this makes me feel terrible since I was one of the ones that gave the M1 such a rave review. Let us know if TW will take it back and pay for the shipping!

There's no way either of us would have known. It had to be damaged before shipping, or a manufacturers defect, but now I just don't know what I'm going to do. I use alot of 13 envy rods so I might just get one of the new finesse rods from them. The envy 7'1 cranking stick is one of my favorite rods I have.

But the "finesse versions" of this rod, which there are 2 in the list, have a different style handle and all are 40ton Toray. This is what I was gonna get to begin with but wanted to try something new... we see how that went, LOL.

buzzed bait reply :

looks like it broke right at the guide/thread wrapping which is kind of odd to me... i've had a couple rods break on the first trip from a manufacturers defect and they broke like right halfway in between two guides, but never right at the guide like that! if TW doesn't take it back, does phenix have a warranty on these rods?

blckshirt98 reply :

Phenix has one of the best warranties around. This has to be a manufacturing defect but shipping cost is always the problem. I'd check with TW first to see if they can replace it and cover shipping....theyll see you bought the rod a few days ago.

DanQS13 reply :

TackleWH apparently had a UPS Ground return label already in the box that my Roboworms came in. So I sent it back with that, and hopefully by next week they will refund the money when they get it.

I also pulled the trigger on the envyBLK 7'2" ML Finesse rod... ive got envys/omenz/conc Cs/conc As/etc... and they just flat out perform for me. I've caught hundreds of fish over the past 2 years and never has a 13 product fail on me. From here on our I'm not buying stuff to "try something new", I'm just going to stick with old reliable.

On 5/4/2016 at 12:10 AM, blckshirt98 said:

Phenix has one of the best warranties around. This has to be a manufacturing defect but shipping cost is always the problem. I'd check with TW first to see if they can replace it and cover shipping....theyll see you bought the rod a few days ago.

Oh and Phenix warranty is a pay warranty, think $50+shipping... however with it being a new rod they probably would have just replaced it for shipping cost. However, TackleWH is taking it back so don't have to worry about it now.

fisherrw reply :

On 4/28/2016 at 10:52 AM, Mosster47 said:

I'm a Phenix guy and they under rate rods power wise. I wouldn't fish anything in their spinning lineup under a Medium power.

blckshirt98 reply :

On 5/4/2016 at 1:21 AM, DanQS13 said:

TackleWH apparently had a UPS Ground return label already in the box that my Roboworms came in. So I sent it back with that, and hopefully by next week they will refund the money when they get it.

I also pulled the trigger on the envyBLK 7'2" ML Finesse rod... ive got envys/omenz/conc Cs/conc As/etc... and they just flat out perform for me. I've caught hundreds of fish over the past 2 years and never has a 13 product fail on me. From here on our I'm not buying stuff to "try something new", I'm just going to stick with old reliable.

Oh and Phenix warranty is a pay warranty, think $50+shipping... however with it being a new rod they probably would have just replaced it for shipping cost. However, TackleWH is taking it back so don't have to worry about it now.

I'm glad TW has the free return label so you're not paying anything extra out of pocket. Sorry the Phenix rod didn't work out for you, was hoping to get another forum person on the Phenix boat, but if the *** rods are working for you, go crack em! Oh, the Phenix pay warranty is the no-questions-asked warranty - you could take a 5 year old rod and snap it over your leg and get a new rod for the pay warranty price (not that I condone this), they have the normal only-pay-for-shipping for factory defect rods as well.

Quarry Man reply :

On 4/28/2016 at 10:50 PM, Mosster47 said:

I mostly have UMBX rods, but I do have an M1 that I throw Keitech's on and I really like it.

How do you like to fish Keitechs, looking to get a rod for them only

WRB reply :

On 5/3/2016 at 7:57 AM, DanQS13 said:

So check this out guys... got the Phenix M1 Medium/XF. Supposed to be this super awesome, super strong rod... well, it couldn't handle a second cast of a 1/8oz tungsten weight and a 4.5 SK Finesse worm, lol. So ticked at the moment and TackleWH better pay to ship this **** back.

This is what the OP decided on without wanting anyone's suggestions....sometimes you get what you deserve. This is an old thread and haven't noticed the OP postingfor awhile now.

Tom

contium reply :

I have mostly Phenix rods because they are great rods, their warranty and they are local for me (SoCal). I had a bunch of Fenwick's with defective guides and I had to send them back to Fenwick at my cost. F that I threw them in the trash. Doesn't do you any good if Phenix is local to you though. You should be able to take the rod to an authorized dealer for warranty inspection.

Yumeya reply :

Megabass Adddermine....

Best drop shot rod I have ever used

new2BC4bass reply :

On 12/11/2017 at 11:18 AM, Yumeya said:

Megabass Adddermine....

Best drop shot rod I have ever used

You are the second person in a couple days that has mentioned how great a rod this one is. I do hope the OP was able to get a new rod last year.

DanQS13 reply :

On 12/11/2017 at 4:05 AM, contium said:

I have mostly Phenix rods because they are great rods, their warranty and they are local for me (SoCal). I had a bunch of Fenwick's with defective guides and I had to send them back to Fenwick at my cost. F that I threw them in the trash. Doesn't do you any good if Phenix is local to you though. You should be able to take the rod to an authorized dealer for warranty inspection.

This thread is originally from Spring of 2016. I had sent the rod back and pickup the *** finesse spinning rod (7'2 ML) which is still going strong. I didn't care for some of their other series of rods, but the Envy Black was good... wish they still made them.

With that being said, I picked up a Dobyns Extreme 742SF later that year and it honestly is the best spinning rod I've used. Paired with a Stradic CI4+ it is an excellent combo. I'm actually looking to either buy another or might get the DX743SF.

new2BC4bass reply :

On 12/22/2017 at 3:50 AM, DanQS13 said:

This thread is originally from Spring of 2016. I had sent the rod back and pickup the *** finesse spinning rod (7'2 ML) which is still going strong. I didn't care for some of their other series of rods, but the Envy Black was good... wish they still made them.

With that being said, I picked up a Dobyns Extreme 742SF later that year and it honestly is the best spinning rod I've used. Paired with a Stradic CI4+ it is an excellent combo. I'm actually looking to either buy another or might get the DX743SF.

Take a look at the ALX rods as well. Picked up 2 on Black Friday. Won't get to use them for a few months. Nice looking rods that get great reviews. Sensitivity is suppose to be excellent....above their price point.

DanQS13 reply :

On 12/22/2017 at 11:43 AM, new2BC4bass said:

Take a look at the ALX rods as well. Picked up 2 on Black Friday. Won't get to use them for a few months. Nice looking rods that get great reviews. Sensitivity is suppose to be excellent....above their price point.

I'm sticking with Dobyns, at this point most of my rods are Dobyns and I think I have 3 Envy Blacks for different things. I get a 30% discount on all Dobyns rods so for the price I would be hard to find something better for that deal. When I first bought my DX745 it was eye opening, took my jig fishing to the next level.

Mosster47 reply :

On 12/11/2017 at 1:14 AM, Quarry Man said:

How do you like to fish Keitechs, looking to get a rod for them only

I know this has been a few weeks but I kind of let my gear decide what is best for the way I fish. Having moved to Bama and fishing grass a lot I use my M1 for lipless cranks now. The soft tip loads up really well so you can cast a mile and it has more of a natural release when you rip it through the grass.

I throw Keitechs/soft swimbaits on two different rods. I fish all swimbaits the same, rod down and tucked under my arm pit so the handle has to be a certain length to be comfortable. Is slop I throw is on a 7'2" MH Johnny Morris Sig and out in open water I use the Duckett 8' swimbait rod. I believe it's the White Ice line and it's Velvick's signature rod.

For Phoenix rods I own a ton of them and have never had the slightest problem. However, any time I hear the word tungsten and broken rod I already know what happened, especially on a drop shot. Tungsten is one of the most dense things on the planet. You've got it tied on your rod and it's on the deck or propped up somewhere and that sinker slaps into into the rod in the same spot a few times and very soon after it breaks on a cast. No brand of fishing rod is immune to this. An extremely dense object hitting an extremely frail object is just physics. You usually don't know when or where you did it either so it's easy to blame the rod, and it could just be a bad rod, but there is a real good chance it wasn't.

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2 DropShot Rods, need help deciding (EDIT: Phenix M1 BROKE!) 2025

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