What Does The Action and power Mean On A Fishing Rod?
Fishing rods come in all different variations. Rods vary based on their length, their power, their action, what they’re composed of, and many other attributes. Throughout this article, I will specifically be explaining the different actions and the different powers that rods come in, how they affect fishing, and what are the best ways to use certain action rods.
The three most common actions, or speeds that fishing rods come in are: Fast action, Moderate action, and Slow action. All three have both pros and cons when fishing, and provide the angler different options to best suit their needs while targeting certain fish. The most common powers rods come in are: Ultra Light, Light, Medium Light, Medium, Medium Heavy, Heavy, and Extra Heavy. I will be touching base on most of these explaining the differences and scenarios that may best suit specific powers.
Fast Action:
Fast action fishing rods are a common choice for anglers world wide. A fast action rod is one that flexes in the upper ⅓ section of the rod. These rods are most commonly used for bigger game fish, giving you the flexibility to feel the bite while having enough stiffness throughout the rod to still get a good hookset. These rods are widely used for bass, musky, pike and many other fish that need to be pulled out from their structure quickly. The fast action rod will assist in pulling that fish out quickly to give you the best opportunity possible to land your fish. Given the quicker flex these rods provide, it is much faster, and takes less flex for the rod to reach the more stiff section of the rod, allowing for quicker and stronger hooksets for the larger game fish.
Moderate Action:
Moderate action rods are another common choice for anglers around the world when fishing for numerous different species of fish. A moderate action rod is one that flexes in the middle, or ⅔ section of the rod. Moderate action rods are possibly the most commonly used, due to their versatility and ability to handle most fish accordingly. Moderate action rods are the perfect mixture between a fast action, and a slow action, allowing the angler to fish for different sizes and species without switching their setup. Moderate action rods provide a well balanced option between the stiff hookset of a fast action rod, and the more forgiving hooksets on slow action rods.
Slow Action:
Slow action rods are one of the less versatile options when it comes to fishing. A slow action rod flexes in the lower third, or the bottom half of the rod. This allows for the most bend and flexibility. Slow action rods are commonly used for smaller fish, allowing the angler to easily set the hook on these smaller fish. Given the amount of flex in a slower action rod, it takes longer to get to the “backbone”, or stiff part of the rod, which is why these are more commonly used for smaller fish. This extra flexibility provided by the rod allows the angler to set their hook without having to worry about pulling the hook through the lips, or skiing their fish across the water on a hookset.
Rod Action Summary:
The action of a rod is referred to the time it takes the tip of the rod to go from a fully flexed state, back to a straight position again. This is why fast action rods, that flex primarily at the tip, are able to get back to their normal state much quicker than a slow action rod that flexes throughout a much longer portion of the rod, taking that extra time to reach its straight origin again. All of the different actions provide different strengths and weaknesses, allowing anglers to choose their rod, and action according to the situation they are looking to use them in. This is why you can never have too many fishing poles, because there’s always a different rod for different scenarios out on the water 😆. Be sure to comment below on what action rods you prefer, and what scenarios you find them to work best in!
Ultra light and light power:
Ultra light and light rods are the lightest powers a fishing pole comes in. Ultra light and light rods are often used for smaller fish such as panfish, baitfish, and sometimes smaller trout. They are a very flexible light rod, so using one for larger fish would not be ideal for a surplus of reasons. When using these light power rods, your hooksets are not going to be very strong, given that the rod doesn’t have much backbone to it. Its often recommended to downsize your hooks when using a lighter rod, to allow for an easier hookset without needing that strong backbone and strength on your hookset. These lighter rods will allow you to cast smaller baits and lures much further than a heavier rod, which is why these are most commonly chosen when using these smaller baits for smaller fish. As previously stated, however, these rods handle great when targeting those smaller baitfish and panfish. It allows you to feel the smallest bites that you may not feel with a heavier rod, and allows you to feel more engaged in the fight even with a smaller fish on the end of the line. Paired with a smaller sized reel, these rods are ideal for fishing these smaller fish.
medium power:
Medium power rods, as expected, are the middle ground between heavy power and light power rods. Medium rods are extremely versatile and can be used in most situations. Medium power rods would probably be one of the more common choices by casual anglers. These rods can hold up well to smaller fish, and can usually perform decent against stronger, bigger fish. A medium rod will provide a bit more backbone opposed to light power rods, but will also be light enough to feel those finnicky hits as well. A medium power rod will hold up well while throwing most lures as well, allowing you to use a variety of different tackles, baits, and techniques while out on the water. Medium power rods also have different variations; medium-light and medium-heavy. A medium light, as expected, would fall between light power and medium, giving you a softer tip to feel a bit more of those light hits, with a little more backbone than light action. Medium heavy will provide a more sturdy tip with more backbone, allowing for those better hooksets and production with larger fish. Overall, medium action rods are a common, versatile option for many anglers worldwide.
heavy and extra heavy power:
Heavy and Extra Heavy power rods are most common when it comes to heavy fishing rods. These rods provide the strongest backbone out of the rods stated thus far. These types of rods are best used when targeting bigger fish, or when throwing big heavy baits. These rods will allow the angler to use these heavier, bigger baits and allow them to cast much further without worrying about damaging the rod. A heavy or extra heavy rod will be able to provide a much stronger hookset, and will hold up much better for larger fish. If you are looking to target larger fish, or are looking to use larger baits/lures, a heavy or extra heavy rod would definitely be the best choice to provide the strongest showing while out on the water.
