I know the cost must add up over time, but I really love seeing all of the UL rod reviews; they don't receive as much press online and with every company having their own definition of "Fast Action" and the like, these videos are really the best resource around for the subject.
I have a number of Phenix rods (including the exact one you are using). I really like these rods. For ultralight fishing, try the Phenix Mirage. I use 2lb. monofilament on a 1000 reel. The Mirage isn't made to cast anything over 1/8 oz. It's a sweet, sweet rod.
After fishing with a light rod over 7ft anything less feels too short. It's a totally different experience. I couldn't find an ultralight rod over 7ft that I really liked so I built one using a 7'4" blank rated for 1-4lb line. Absolutely love it. Haven't touched my shorter UL rods since. I agree with your points on balance. Because I wanted to use a very light reel, I built my rod with a fairly long butt section and a grip that extends further up so I can grip with 3 fingers in front of the reel foot. It balances very well. When you really know what you are looking for, I would recommend looking into a custom built rod as the next step.
That's a sweet ultralight set up Ethan. Seems excellent for casting and fighting fish. I've had trouble trying to balance out the longer rods as well. Blessings
I own the entire Phenix Ultra light line up. Couldn’t have picked a better setup. This rod is a work horse. Good all around rod for drop shotting and mini/ micro jigging. I will say that the Phenix mirage one step above this for micro/ mini jigging. You should def get your hands on one of you can for a review. I have all mine paired with the shimano vanford 1000 and IMHO it is the best reel for this setup. It’s a bit pricey but does not disappoint.
For a budget rod the berkley lighting trout 8' ultra has been fun for me. I fish with kids alot and can't spend a lot on rods right now bc well you know how kids are. That berkley lightning 8' has been great for 40$
I’m from California and there’s a lot of guys in the Bay Area who use the phoenix rods for trout fishing. from personal experience with trying the phoenix rods my favorite one is the mirage. You should definitely go trout fishing with that rod.
On those rods that are nose heavy, I bought one-inch chair leg rubber ends and some old leaded solder that I coiled up and inserted. I think I had to use two coils of solder to get it to balance out.
Video idea! Take a road trip and stop along the way at various bodies of water. The catch is pick one jig head and one bait type/color and only use that. Also update. My missing jigs arrived today! Great service. Thanks and im gonna be using them today. Going to be trying 10-20 feet of water along a weed line. I also purchased 6lb jbraid grand and the 13 defy rod 5'6". I do have an idea how to get more exposure as well. Also im kicking around ideas for new baits that would be amazing on these jigs.
I have the 8 foot Elixir rated 2#-8# . . . it's pretty unique in that it has a telesciping section towards the butt, which makes for easier / safer transporting. Love that rod.
For accidents not covered under warranty, like snapping the tip in car door, Phenix will replace for $70 +shipping (as of the date of this post) with no questions asked. Pretty decent program for us clumsier anglers.
I’m sold on this rod, thank you for the video brotha! It looks perfect for a So Cal double drop shot rig, Question: When you say you are detecting your bites on the line and not the rod, are you feeling it through the reel on the retrieve? I love to learn and just asking to step my game up!
Weird question… would you be willing to do a what’s in your tackle box video? I saw you old one from a few years ago. Curious what you’re ultralight bag looks like now.
@@FishAnything no worries! My tackle bag was obliterated by about a dozen 12 year old kids this past weekend… I had my catfish tackle over on one end, panfish on the other, couldn’t find my hook remover or scissors anywhere… I think it’s time to downsize to something smaller and fish specific and little more manageable so next time I take the baseball team fishing they don’t ravage my bag like a pack of hungry pirhanas
I love phenix rods. Their warranty is amazing. If it’s manufactured defect. They will replace it on them. However I’d it’s your fault😬 your still ok. There’s a fee for that. And on top of that you can upgrade. If you get a elixir and it breaks you can jump up to a different model like the mirage. You can’t down grade but can always upgrade. And it do any have to be a ultra light model. You can jump into a swimbait model or anything else. Truely a amazing company
I got a st croix legend elite pan fish rod 7ft light and I put a 17 vanquish C2500shg in my opinion it’s a match made in heaven I love it now I need to get the st croix 6’9’ now and a 23 vanquish C2500shg no
Hey Ethan I’m kinda new to your channel ben watching allot of your ultralight fishing good videos man, can you tell me what paddle board you have thanks.
Probably cause they are based out there and you can actually go in a store and hold one , Same with Okuma is big in the West . I live in New England and certain brands you couldn't find in a shop even if your life depended on it lol .
Great video I had a question my seven-year-old accidentally knocked my TFO ultralight 6’ in the lake and I lost it looking for a good recommendation on a replacement. I mainly fish 1/32 mule jigs,micro crank baits and micro drop shots any suggestion would be great. Thank you.
Sportsmans warehouse has the ultralight tfo trout panfish rods on sale right now for $65. They also have the light power rods on sale aswell. They are under trolling rods for some reason.
Oooof sorry you lost the rod! Honestly the TFO would be great for your fishing style, but a 13 fishing defy silver is good too and it’s less pricey. It all depends on your price range. The Phenix would be good but again it’s not cheap ha
Please give the Okuma Guide Select Pro 7'6" UL rod a try and make a review video on it! I hear it's a great rod for the price and would love to see you review one.
I have both the Okuma pro and phenix rods. They are completely different. The phenix is way better for jigging and drop shot. I use the Okuma on spoons like kastmasters and panthers
Phenix makes rods for Turners Outdoor Stores and have named them “Californian” they are the same blanks but cheaper, you can pick one from $115 to $139.
Yeah I imagine it’s mostly inspection but to be honest I wonder if it’s also to avoid constant false reporting of broken rods. Shipping it in keeps folks honest I suppose.
Best ul rod from phenix in my opinion, phenix dragonfly 8ft FAST action. The mirage is really whippy. The elixir 7'6 1 piece is an all around great workhorse. But my advice, skip the mirage, go with the dragonfly.
They cant breath on the juicy beaver mk2 legacy or even the k5 katana custom rods though. I own the whole lineup of phenix ul rods and they just sit now ever since getting the mk2 beavers. Best phenix UL rod is the iron feather and the moderate dragon fly
See I want to see someone fish a weightless stick bait but for BFS! Basically a 3 inch sinking stick bait or Ned style bait with no larger than a 1/0 EWG.
@@FishAnything one broke near the tip in the car upon transport, another broke 6” from the tip reeling in a fish and the third broke 20” from tip on a a snag that should have been easy to pull out of. Phenix was recently bought out by gsm outdoors in Texas. They no longer make the elixir model.
Haha to be fair, I don’t make the ultralight rod videos to encourage consumerism. I am trying to help folks get the right rod from the start as opposed to buying the wrong one and having to replace it.
@@FishAnything When I think of consumerism I typically think of the masses buying cheap items wastefully. Also I'm just joking. I can afford this. I keep taking money out of my toy fund and it puts me behind on going after some big ticket items. Consumerism is bad. Enjoying the fruits of your labor is good.
@@FishAnything Also you have a solid track record of accurate reviews and I've really been wanting a long fast action rod. I have a 8 foot Okuma SST and the length is great but I can only throw floats and spinners on it. Maybe someday troll with it. A long rod that I can jig with is the dream.
Without question the most overrated/over-hyped rods on the market. I’ve had various different Phenix models and they were all terrible… especially for how much you pay. St. Croix, Dobyns, G Loomis and even Fenwick are all superior. 7’6” rod… 🤦🏻♂️👎🏻
Just no bro, lmao. Phenix makes good rods and they are value minded. They typically deliver on the blank material, but cheap out on the guides. I feel that St Croix brittle ass rods are the most overrated/over-hyped on the market though. They had to change their warranty program, because their rods consistently break overtime. Fenwick got sold to Pure Fishing, so we'll see what happens there. Dobyns and G Loomis are legit though.
It better be good for $200 plus. I am still waiting on that Lew’s Speed Stick HS 5.6ft UL review lol. I still say it’s the best budget UL. It doesn’t feel budget at all. All my buddies are using it now up in MI for their UL fishing.
@@FishAnything I will be making a review on the Speed Stick HS UL soonish. I just started posting some reviews. They aren’t nearly as good as your videos but I am having fun making them.
![13 Fishing DEFY SILVER Ultralight Rod [First Impressions]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/c4UZYCIjDmg/mqdefault.jpg)
![13 Fishing DEFY SILVER Ultralight Rod [First Impressions]](/img/tr.png)
![I Broke My Favorite Ultralight Rod... The Pursuit Of A 10 [EPISODE 3]](/img/n.gif)
I know the cost must add up over time, but I really love seeing all of the UL rod reviews; they don't receive as much press online and with every company having their own definition of "Fast Action" and the like, these videos are really the best resource around for the subject.
Happy to help! Yeah they are costly to an extent but I enjoy doing them and many folks seem to like the videos so it’s worth it.
I have a number of Phenix rods (including the exact one you are using). I really like these rods. For ultralight fishing, try the Phenix Mirage. I use 2lb. monofilament on a 1000 reel. The Mirage isn't made to cast anything over 1/8 oz. It's a sweet, sweet rod.
I would absolutely love to use a Mirage at some point. Thanks for sharing.
Totally agree
After fishing with a light rod over 7ft anything less feels too short. It's a totally different experience. I couldn't find an ultralight rod over 7ft that I really liked so I built one using a 7'4" blank rated for 1-4lb line. Absolutely love it. Haven't touched my shorter UL rods since. I agree with your points on balance. Because I wanted to use a very light reel, I built my rod with a fairly long butt section and a grip that extends further up so I can grip with 3 fingers in front of the reel foot. It balances very well. When you really know what you are looking for, I would recommend looking into a custom built rod as the next step.
That sounds like a really neat setup. Maybe I’ll have to try for a custom rod someday!!
I usually have a 5 or 6 ft UL pole in my hand. But I would like to try one of these when I can work into the budget. Thanks for the video, Ethan.
Yeah I feel that. Usually 6’ or a little over is my go to for all purpose ultralight fishing. Just felt like I needed a longer stick.
That's a sweet ultralight set up Ethan. Seems excellent for casting and fighting fish. I've had trouble trying to balance out the longer rods as well. Blessings
Thanks B! Hope all is well 👊🏽
I have the same rod, but I have mine paired with a Diawa Fuego. Its my favorite UL setup
Sounds like a dynamite combo!!
I had a really good feeling that you were going to love the rod. It's one of my favorite UL rods.
What other favs ul can you recommend?
@@1LifeAdvs dobyns sierra trout and panfish 6’2 ul
@@noahwood8615 awesome! My first dobyns comes tmr! Bought the 6'7" version
Dobyns is my #1 and this is probably my next favorite. The Daiwa kage was epic and so is the Yamaga Blue Current
@@FishAnything yes the kage and Phenix. One of them will be next order.
I own the entire Phenix Ultra light line up. Couldn’t have picked a better setup. This rod is a work horse. Good all around rod for drop shotting and mini/ micro jigging. I will say that the Phenix mirage one step above this for micro/ mini jigging. You should def get your hands on one of you can for a review. I have all mine paired with the shimano vanford 1000 and IMHO it is the best reel for this setup. It’s a bit pricey but does not disappoint.
Someday I will have to grab a Mirage. Heard great things!
Would the 1000 work well with the mirage 8foot?
For a budget rod the berkley lighting trout 8' ultra has been fun for me. I fish with kids alot and can't spend a lot on rods right now bc well you know how kids are. That berkley lightning 8' has been great for 40$
I haven’t tried that one but I do like berkley rods. I have a canyon creek super ultralight from Dunhams sporting goods and it’s the best!
Yeah with kids around it’s best not to have too much fancy gear haha I’ll have to try the lightning out!
Love the action on my elixir’s and mirage’s. Sensitivity is insane 🤙🏽
They are definitely nice rods!
I’m from California and there’s a lot of guys in the Bay Area who use the phoenix rods for trout fishing. from personal experience with trying the phoenix rods my favorite one is the mirage. You should definitely go trout fishing with that rod.
Ooooh now I need to try the Mirage! Lol
Ya some of the best rods ever
On those rods that are nose heavy, I bought one-inch chair leg rubber ends and some old leaded solder that I coiled up and inserted. I think I had to use two coils of solder to get it to balance out.
That’s a great solution!
Video idea! Take a road trip and stop along the way at various bodies of water. The catch is pick one jig head and one bait type/color and only use that.
Also update. My missing jigs arrived today! Great service. Thanks and im gonna be using them today. Going to be trying 10-20 feet of water along a weed line. I also purchased 6lb jbraid grand and the 13 defy rod 5'6". I do have an idea how to get more exposure as well. Also im kicking around ideas for new baits that would be amazing on these jigs.
That is a good idea! And thanks for the support - happy they arrived. Hope you have been catching lots of fish :)
I am looking at a Loomis Edge Delta BFS rod, I have a medium on order and waiting to see what I think of that line before getting the Light.
Nice! Hope you like it.
lovely video Ethan happy to see another quality video❤
Thank you!!
Gotta throw a like in for the double jig rig double up. 🤙
Heck yeah man I was stoked even though they were dinky perch lol
I have the 8 foot Elixir rated 2#-8# . . . it's pretty unique in that it has a telesciping section towards the butt, which makes for easier / safer transporting.
Love that rod.
I love the elixir! Such a fun stick.
Gonna be outstanding for drifting small baits in current!
Oooooh yeah!
For accidents not covered under warranty, like snapping the tip in car door, Phenix will replace for $70 +shipping (as of the date of this post) with no questions asked. Pretty decent program for us clumsier anglers.
Yeah that’s super cool of them!
Best decision you made for sure try there braid
I’ll be spooling it up soon!
I’m sold on this rod, thank you for the video brotha! It looks perfect for a So Cal double drop shot rig, Question: When you say you are detecting your
bites on the line and not the rod, are you feeling it through the reel on the retrieve? I love to learn and just asking to step my game up!
It’s more of a line jump than physically feeling it in the reel. You might see it or just feel the line move.
You’re gonna love the Phenix braid when u try it
I’ve been told. Definitely will spool it up soon!
Perfect timing, I just found my next ultralight rod since I broke mine last month.
Ooooof! Happy to help, sorry you broke one.
Love your content Ethan. God bless brother tight lines!!
Thanks so much C!
Love Phenix rods, my stocker trout ros is built off the Mirage blank!
I want to try a Mirage at some point!
You should try Falcon Evo light action. I got a 6 foot model from Walmart and it is amazing. Also it's only 60 bucks.
I’ll look out for it, thanks!
Weird question… would you be willing to do a what’s in your tackle box video? I saw you old one from a few years ago. Curious what you’re ultralight bag looks like now.
Thanks for the suggestion! I might just have to do that, but to be honest, it is mostly Mule stuff haha
@@FishAnything no worries! My tackle bag was obliterated by about a dozen 12 year old kids this past weekend… I had my catfish tackle over on one end, panfish on the other, couldn’t find my hook remover or scissors anywhere… I think it’s time to downsize to something smaller and fish specific and little more manageable so next time I take the baseball team fishing they don’t ravage my bag like a pack of hungry pirhanas
I love phenix rods. Their warranty is amazing. If it’s manufactured defect. They will replace it on them. However I’d it’s your fault😬 your still ok. There’s a fee for that. And on top of that you can upgrade. If you get a elixir and it breaks you can jump up to a different model like the mirage. You can’t down grade but can always upgrade. And it do any have to be a ultra light model. You can jump into a swimbait model or anything else. Truely a amazing company
That is awesome! I wasn't aware of that policy - thank you for sharing this detail in the comments.
Like the phenix blanks alot. The mirage are great UL blanks.
They make a lot of rods! Might have to try another at some point.
Jig at the bottom drop shot above works also
For sure! Another good rig!
I got a st croix legend elite pan fish rod 7ft light and I put a 17 vanquish C2500shg in my opinion it’s a match made in heaven I love it now I need to get the st croix 6’9’ now and a 23 vanquish C2500shg no
Oooooh that’s one heck of a setup!!
Nice review, Sir. I digress, what watercraft are you using in this vid?
It’s a Glide stand up paddleboard! Thanks man
Hey Ethan I’m kinda new to your channel ben watching allot of your ultralight fishing good videos man, can you tell me what paddle board you have thanks.
This is the Glide Angler!
Ultralight Blassed🤘🎣
👊🏽🤠👊🏽
So when you said you had it spooled with Powerpro earlier.... You meant super8 slick v2 6lb I presume? The only of many PP similar to spro finesse 8
Actually it was just standard 5lb PP. I still need to get the Super8 slick but haven’t found it in 6lb
You go trout fishing in SoCal and EVERYONE has these rods…amazing brand!
Probably cause they are based out there and you can actually go in a store and hold one , Same with Okuma is big in the West . I live in New England and certain brands you couldn't find in a shop even if your life depended on it lol .
Totally makes sense. They definitely make a great rod!
@@rosariocannistraro3561 Awh man that’s annoying, I’m sure there’s brands y’all got that I’ve never heard of and same goes me
@@FishAnything yep! If you get the chance the Phenix Mirage’s are amazing as well
@@FishAnything or the phenix “feather” line as well…spinning or casting rods mainly for largies
Great video I had a question my seven-year-old accidentally knocked my TFO ultralight 6’ in the lake and I lost it looking for a good recommendation on a replacement. I mainly fish 1/32 mule jigs,micro crank baits and micro drop shots any suggestion would be great. Thank you.
Sportsmans warehouse has the ultralight tfo trout panfish rods on sale right now for $65. They also have the light power rods on sale aswell. They are under trolling rods for some reason.
Oooof sorry you lost the rod! Honestly the TFO would be great for your fishing style, but a 13 fishing defy silver is good too and it’s less pricey. It all depends on your price range. The Phenix would be good but again it’s not cheap ha
Great video. I like the vest you are wearing. Where can I find it?
That is an Old Town PFD
Please give the Okuma Guide Select Pro 7'6" UL rod a try and make a review video on it!
I hear it's a great rod for the price and would love to see you review one.
I’ll definitely look into it!
@@FishAnything Thanks for taking it into consideration! You’re what got me hooked onto UL rod fishing.
I have both the Okuma pro and phenix rods. They are completely different. The phenix is way better for jigging and drop shot. I use the Okuma on spoons like kastmasters and panthers
I know I'm here for the ultra light, but what is that black box in the front?
KVD Speedbag!
I own the mirage, elixir, and dragonfly. By far the best rod for mini jigging 1/16 is the dragonfly. It is bad azz.
I’ll have to check out their other models
Hey John on the Dragonfly which one you have the moderate or the fast
@@jimmielee58 fast action.
Phenix makes rods for Turners Outdoor Stores and have named them “Californian” they are the same blanks but cheaper, you can pick one from $115 to $139.
Good intel! Thanks for sharing
Which do you prefer elixir or sierra for ultralight fishing?
Dobyns Sierra is still my favorite rod. The Elixir is softer and more versatile but the Sierra is a better jig rod and that is usually what I do.
@@FishAnything thanks for the info.
Been curious about Phenix
Seems like a solid stick!
What private ponds are you fishing bro? Im sure they stock them well.
Lol I take this as a compliment! This video was filmed on a popular public lake in the middle of town. 🤠👊🏽
@@FishAnything You are blessed to have plenty of fish everywhere in your state!
do u like this for better or the feather ?
I have only used the Elixir so far but I love this rod.
I have six of these rods, Elixer and Mirage. I tend to favor the Mirages. I fish Shimano Stradics and Vanfords on them.
what size Stradic would you use for this size Elixer?
I need to try the Mirage!
@@BP-is3zv I like the 2500. The 1000 and 2000 do the job also.
Did you ever try the Phenix braid?
Still in my fishing gear yet to be spooled. I will next spring!
Why do companies make you mail the product back in? Do they try to salvage parts or something?
To inspect the rod to see the defect. So they can honor the warranty or not.
Yeah I imagine it’s mostly inspection but to be honest I wonder if it’s also to avoid constant false reporting of broken rods. Shipping it in keeps folks honest I suppose.
Why do you cast and reel with your right hand?
It’s what feels comfortable because it’s how I learned as a kid. It works fine.
I love my 4’ 6” UL rod but as primarily a shore fisherman I should really get a longer one.
Nah i dont ever go past 5'10 and never had any problems casting with any size under that its all what you use and how
A little 4’6 is an epic creek rod. Probably would prefer something a bit longer from bank too. 6’ is a good all purpose length in my experience.
Is this rod strong enough to bass fish with?
I wouldn't use it with traditional bass tackle, but you can definitely pull bass in with it. It is designed for ultralight fishing gear.
Best ul rod from phenix in my opinion, phenix dragonfly 8ft FAST action. The mirage is really whippy. The elixir 7'6 1 piece is an all around great workhorse. But my advice, skip the mirage, go with the dragonfly.
They cant breath on the juicy beaver mk2 legacy or even the k5 katana custom rods though. I own the whole lineup of phenix ul rods and they just sit now ever since getting the mk2 beavers. Best phenix UL rod is the iron feather and the moderate dragon fly
Always something new to check out!
Where did you order your phenix Dragonfly from
Can order from Phenix rods website
Order my Dragonfly 2 weeks and hasn't received it yet how long does it take to get your order back from Phoenix
See I want to see someone fish a weightless stick bait but for BFS! Basically a 3 inch sinking stick bait or Ned style bait with no larger than a 1/0 EWG.
I will definitely look into that for BFS fishing soon. Good idea!
good rod
Darn right!
Alright Ethan, now you gotta try the ugly stik carbon crappie
Ohhh I might just have to!
Try the phenix mirage next
Lots of suggestions for this rod, I might just have to!
One of the best rod I owned unfortunately they break too easy. Broke 3 of them.
Seriously?! I haven’t had any issues. How did they break??
@@FishAnything one broke near the tip in the car upon transport, another broke 6” from the tip reeling in a fish and the third broke 20” from tip on a a snag that should have been easy to pull out of. Phenix was recently bought out by gsm outdoors in Texas. They no longer make the elixir model.
Lol they still do make the elixir. Its just probably out of stock. @@fanofallrods2042
What paddle board is this?
Glide Angler!
That pike was gorgeous
They really are pretty fish. Neat patterns!
Ugh. Damnit. I'm supposed to be saving my money.
Haha to be fair, I don’t make the ultralight rod videos to encourage consumerism. I am trying to help folks get the right rod from the start as opposed to buying the wrong one and having to replace it.
@@FishAnything When I think of consumerism I typically think of the masses buying cheap items wastefully. Also I'm just joking. I can afford this. I keep taking money out of my toy fund and it puts me behind on going after some big ticket items. Consumerism is bad. Enjoying the fruits of your labor is good.
@@FishAnything Also you have a solid track record of accurate reviews and I've really been wanting a long fast action rod. I have a 8 foot Okuma SST and the length is great but I can only throw floats and spinners on it. Maybe someday troll with it. A long rod that I can jig with is the dream.
Phenix Elixir is an amazing rod best you can get for sensitivity
It’s definitely one of my favorites.
7'6" one-piece gives me pause. I just know it would meet with a sad end in a SUV hatch or house doorway. But then I'm a klutz.
Haha fair enough! Cater to your own fishing style
Do not buy phenix rods they are extremely known for tip breakage. There panfish/trout ul models not bad tho never had a problem with them
Thanks for letting me know. I’ll definitely keep an eye on it.
Without question the most overrated/over-hyped rods on the market. I’ve had various different Phenix models and they were all terrible… especially for how much you pay. St. Croix, Dobyns, G Loomis and even Fenwick are all superior. 7’6” rod… 🤦🏻♂️👎🏻
Just no bro, lmao. Phenix makes good rods and they are value minded. They typically deliver on the blank material, but cheap out on the guides. I feel that St Croix brittle ass rods are the most overrated/over-hyped on the market though. They had to change their warranty program, because their rods consistently break overtime. Fenwick got sold to Pure Fishing, so we'll see what happens there. Dobyns and G Loomis are legit though.
Blanks are great the guides are rubbish.
hey can you try some sfs rods, basically bfs rods but for spinning reels
Not 100% sure I understand what that means. How are they different than a normal ultralight or light spinning rod?
It better be good for $200 plus. I am still waiting on that Lew’s Speed Stick HS 5.6ft UL review lol. I still say it’s the best budget UL. It doesn’t feel budget at all. All my buddies are using it now up in MI for their UL fishing.
I will get it one of these days!!
@@FishAnything I will be making a review on the Speed Stick HS UL soonish. I just started posting some reviews. They aren’t nearly as good as your videos but I am having fun making them.