Phenix K2 Torzite Medium-Light Casting Rod

[FryDog62]

Anyone have first-hand experience fishing the 7'1" Medium-Light Fast Phenix K2 casting rod? Lure rating is 1/16-5/8 oz and I'm thinking of pairing this with a BFS reel to throw 1/16 oz hair jigs and other lighter lures. TT did a review on it awhile back, but didn't address how well it cast ultra light lures from what I can tell. I would think if rated to 5/8 oz it would have enough power to bring plastics, light T-rigs, etc through some level of cover... its the lighter end I'm wondering about specifically. 

 

I have the Phenix Feather 7'1" Light Fast... and really like it. So for the extra cost of the K2, I'd want to know it is something special for casting light lures as a borderline BFS end. 

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Phenix_K2_Torzite_Casting_Rods/descpage-PK2.html

[FryDog62]

3 minutes ago, BaitFinesse said:

I don't trust the ability of that rod to throw a 1/16 oz anything with an upper limit of 5/8 oz.  That sounds like a ML.  Every 1/16 oz jig head and tiny bait casting rod I own maxes out at 1/4 oz.  I wouldn't buy if my goal was to throw a 1/16 oz head and tiny plastic let alone 1/16 oz hair jigs unless I got my hands on one 1st.  I'd be throwing those on an UL Majorceaft BFS. 

Yeah, I was originally intrigued by the wide range of the weight rating. The Feather Light I have is rated 1/8-3/8 oz. It casts the 1/16th oz hair jig very well, but I envisioned the K2 blowing my socks off for that price. 

[FryDog62]

8 minutes ago, BaitFinesse said:

Your 1/16 oz hair jigs must have a trailer on it of some kind?

No, but that’s the lowest I go weight-wise. I probably throw 3/32 most often and occasionally 1/8. The Air TW does a fantastic job of casting smoothly and getting distance.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

2 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

I have the Phenix Feather 7'1" Light Fast... and really like it. So for the extra cost of the K2, I'd want to know it is something special for casting light lures as a borderline BFS end. 

I been thinking about buying the 7'1 L Feather, but I cant find too many reviews on it.  What do you use it for?

[FryDog62]

22 minutes ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

I been thinking about buying the 7'1 L Feather, but I cant find too many reviews on it.  What do you use it for?

Primarily hair jigs and Ned rigs, and may also drop-shot with it. I just picked it up this year so my experience with it is only about a month. It casts very well and I caught some nice 3.5 pound white bass and a couple 2-3 lb largemouth so far. It definitely holds its own. Originally I bought a Dobyns Sierra 740 ultra light, but it was just too light fishing fishing around any kind of cover. It also seemed like it would be overmatched even with 1/5 oz Ned rigs. The Phenix works so much better for bass fishing IMO.  

[waymont]

2 hours ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

7'1 L Feather

I have one, and the ML version too. The L is great for ned rigs, small cranks, 1/8 head & grubs. The ML is great for all the same stuff that is just a little heavier. FryDog hipped me to them. Excellent rods!

I landed a 6.75lb LMB with the light, and it handled it really well.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

20 hours ago, waymont said:

I have one, and the ML version too. The L is great for ned rigs, small cranks, 1/8 head & grubs. The ML is great for all the same stuff that is just a little heavier. FryDog hipped me to them. Excellent rods!

I landed a 6.75lb LMB with the light, and it handled it really well.

I want a rod for 1/16/3/32 SHs, 1/8 jigs and lighter chicken rigs.  The L would be fine for anything with a lighter wire open hook but the tip may be a little soft for to punch through a plastic worm.  The only rod off the top of my head that would most likley work well would be the SC LTC 6'10 ML, Im just trying to see if I cant find another rod that would work for a little less $.  

[FryDog62]

4 hours ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

SC LTC 6'10 M

Is that a spinning or baitcasting rod?

[WRB]

Take a look at Dobyns SA700C 

Tom

[MickD]

Keep in mind that a rod can cast a much heavier lure than its optimum if you lob it rather than "snap" it.  If your main object is to cast light lures then a rod with light lures in its lure range is going to work.  Lob the heavier ones.

[FryDog62]

51 minutes ago, WRB said:

Take a look at Dobyns SA700C 

Tom

I actually bought the 740c and was very disappointed. Trout rods, not bass IMO. 

[WRB]

Did you return it? Dobyns is good with customer service.

Nothing in a rod is more disappointing then being under powered imo. BFS is difficult and should be fun when you get it dialed in  for your needs.

I was influenced by Jason Lucas the original light line bass fisherman in the 50’s. To me 12 lb is a high as I go, except big swimbaits I no longer use. 

Hope you find what you are looking for.

Tom

[FryDog62]

8 minutes ago, WRB said:

Did you return it? Dobyns is good with customer service.

Nothing in a rod is more disappointing then being under powered imo. BFS is difficult and should be fun when you get it dialed in  for your needs.

I was influenced by Jason Lucas the original light line bass fisherman in the 50’s. To me 12 lb is a high as I go, except big swimbaits I no longer use. 

Hope you find what you are looking for.

Tom

Yes, Dobyns customer service is hard to beat IMO... I have 5 of their other rods.  The tip on the 740c ( and 700c) is just so thin/light. It would be difficult to pull lures through even light cover and I think would be over the max with a 1/5 oz Ned. I did talk to Gary and he thought a 701c would be perfect for what I was looking for. Unfortunately they don’t make those any more. To his credit, he looked around the warehouse to see if he could find a return, demo, etc. unfortunately did not find.  That’s when I bought the Phenix Feather 7’1” Light.  Like it so much I’ve thought of adding a second rod - and that’s when I saw the K2. 

[WRB]

I had the same issue with SC VS610MLXF Victory rod, the tip being too soft to hook set size 1 Mosquito nose hooked finesse worms. Well made a good strike detection just couldn’t keep a lip bass hooked.

Working on a exchange, hope it works out.

Tom

 

[waymont]

7 hours ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

The only rod off the top of my head that would most likley work well would be the SC LTC 6'10 ML

Or the Phenix Feather ML casting rod

[bulldog1935]

On 5/21/2021 at 12:55 PM, FryDog62 said:

Anyone have first-hand experience fishing the 7'1" Medium-Light Fast Phenix K2 casting rod? Lure rating is 1/16-5/8 oz and I'm thinking of pairing this with a BFS reel to throw 1/16 oz hair jigs and other lighter lures. TT did a review on it awhile back, but didn't address how well it cast ultra light lures from what I can tell. I would think if rated to 5/8 oz it would have enough power to bring plastics, light T-rigs, etc through some level of cover... its the lighter end I'm wondering about specifically. 

 

I have the Phenix Feather 7'1" Light Fast... and really like it. So for the extra cost of the K2, I'd want to know it is something special for casting light lures as a borderline BFS end. 

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Phenix_K2_Torzite_Casting_Rods/descpage-PK2.html

No direct experience with the rod, but in that length, it's pretty easy to make a fast ML rod with a soft-enough tip to cover that lure weight range.  

At the cost-effective end, my 13 Fishing Omen Green spinner is definitely there, but the tip on that particular rod would be too soft for a baitcaster, while their bait version has a faster tip and starts at 1/8 oz.  The Omen ML bait was my first Toray graphite rod - very light in hand, very fast, and my go-to ML

 

At the spendy end, just bought a 6'7" Valleyhill with the same wide lure weight range for BFS bass fishing.  

A lot of credit to the reel, but first lawn cast test, it was casting 1/16 oz loaded jighead to 100', and 1/8 oz farther than I'd ever want to fish.  

Nothing noodle-y or goose-y about this rod - it feels fast even with 3/8 oz.  So it can be done, if it's done right.  

In my case, 1/16 oz was the baseline for my rod choice, but the notably wider heavy end on the Valleyhill caused me to spend extra over the Major Craft and Jackall BFS choices, and very happy with this rod.  

[FryDog62]

2 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

In my case, 1/16 oz was the baseline for my rod choice, but the notably wider heavy end on the Valleyhill caused me to spend extra over the Major Craft and Jackall BFS choices, and very happy with this rod.  

Yes, the wider weight range of the K2 is what caught my eye - going down to 1/16 but also up to 5/8. I realize lure ratings vary much by manufacturer, but that suggests to me some versatility in terms of bass fishing versus the BFS trout rods with the super low weight ratings.
 

I prefer a bass BFS rod that can throw a 1/16th oz hair jig “farther than I’d ever want to fish,” but also be able to dangle a 3/16 oz drop shot, or pull a Ned or plastic in and around at least some light cover without the tip collapsing (Sierra UL).
 

I’m very happy with the Phoenix Light, but when considering a second rod, it gets you thinking. I may order another Feather, or explore a custom build. I would consider ordering the K2 if I could justify the cost for a rod I knew for sure fit the bill. Until someone says they’ve fished it and can talk to some of these specifics, $525 bones is too much to take a chance...

[bulldog1935]

...and I just checked Asian Portal - I got the last Valleyhill stock in that configuration - it was $100 less.  It's very nicely spec'd and finished.  

 https://valleyhill.taniyamashoji.co.jp/1549

 

 

  

[GetFishorDieTryin]

 

20 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

Is that a spinning or baitcasting rod?

Legend Tournament Casting.  Its the only ML casting rod I know of that's made for bas fishing made by SC.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

18 hours ago, WRB said:

I had the same issue with SC VS610MLXF Victory rod, the tip being too soft to hook set size 1 Mosquito nose hooked finesse worms. Well made a good strike detection just couldn’t keep a lip bass hooked.

I get good sets even with 2 and 3/0 EGWs.  The fast recovery speed gave me some issues with keeping smaller hooks pinned.  Reducing the drag pressure has helped a whole lot.

18 hours ago, waymont said:

Or the Phenix Feather ML casting rod

Im sure I would like the ML, but if its true to the suggested weight range it would fish just like the M powers I have.  

[QED]

Just ordered the Phenix K2 Torzite 6'8" ML/F 1-piece casting rod direct from Phenix because no one else seemed to have it in stock.  Will report back after I am able to fish it.

[FryDog62]

5 hours ago, QED said:

Just ordered the Phenix K2 Torzite 6'8" ML/F 1-piece casting rod direct from Phenix because no one else seemed to have it in stock.  Will report back after I am able to fish it.

Let me know how you like it. I’m partial to the 7’1”s in either K2 or Recon 2 rated down to 1/16th oz as a hair jig rod... 

[T-Billy]

@FryDog62 is a bad influence/enabler. ? I always have a TRD Bug on a 1/8 football head tied on. I've been fishing it on a ML spinning, but have been wanting a casting rig for it. The Feather L sounds like just the ticket. I just ordered one direct from Phenix. I couldn't find one anywhere else. It'll get paired with my Curado BFS spooled with 6# XT.

 I've been very happy with the 40T Torray ARK blanks, if true to it's description this Phenix should fit perfectly into the lineup. Thanks for the tip/review here FryDog.

[QED]

Rod arrived today.  Cosmetics and build quality look fine and the hardwood spacers are a nice touch.  We've had torrential rain here in NorCal so couldn't take it out for a test drive.  In due course, I'll try it out casting practice plugs/lead weights in the entire 1/16 - 5/8 oz range to see if that is a realistic rod spec.

[T-Billy]

I knew this would happen. The 7'1" L arrived this evening. Beautiful rod. Fit and finish are very nice. Power is right on with my 7' ML SLX spinning that I've thrown a ned on for a couple years, and been pretty happy with. The feather paired up with my Curado BFS should be a great ned rod. I think it's a bit soft for light T rigs though. So... There's a 7'1" ML feather on the way. I'll pair it with a Curado 71 MGL. Looking forward to gett'n into some early season smallies with this pair.