Rods

[bassfisherman3526]

Can some one explain what the difference is in the actions and how can you tell by looking at them?

[roadwarrior]

Much of the confusion has to do with terminology. Let's define "power" and "action" first.

Power

The power of a rod is simply a rating, which describes the overall stiffness of the blank. Power categories include Ultra-Light (UL), Light(L), Medium-Light(ML), Medium(M), Medium-Heavy(MH) , Heavy(H) and Extra Heavy(XH)

Action

The action of a rod is a rating, which describes the amount of curvature that occurs in the blank due to loading with weight. The faster the action, the further towards the tip the rod bends. The slower the action, the further towards the middle of the rod and so on.

Action categories include:

Extra-Fast: Bend very near the top of the blank.

Fast: Bend in the upper 25-30%.

Moderate: Bend near the middle.

Slow: Parabolic curvature throughout the entire length of the rod.

Action is important because it determines, in part, how much control you have over the fish. The faster the action, the more pressure you can put on the fish (and vice-versa). Many crankbait anglers want more moderate action so that the fish cannot shake free as easily. Another important consideration of rod action is casting distance. The slower the action the better the rod will cast. Rods that have a slower action have a wider curve on their parabolic bend, and therefore can store more potential energy when casting. This is called "rod loading." In effect, the more the rod loads, the more of the rod you use to cast. Fast action rods bend closer to the tip, using less of the rod to cast.

Other rod characteristics to note are recovery, sensitivity and brittleness. Recovery is a measure of the time it takes the rod to recover after a cast. When you impart energy to a rod upon casting, it vibrates. You can see the tip shaking. That shaking bats the line as it leaves the top guide, causing friction. That friction reduces casting distance. Faster action rods tend to recover faster, but do not load up as well. More moderate action rods tend to recover poorly, but load up better. If you can find a moderate action rod with fast recovery, it will outcast everything else if the rest of the playing field is equal.

Sensitivity is obviously important. You want a rod to be able to transmit the feelings you experience when your lure moves underwater, where you can't see it. Higher modulus graphite is more sensitive, although it may be a case of diminishing returns as you get higher and higher up the modulus rating scale.

Brittleness is how easily the rod will break. Most high end rods are brittle, as brittleness and sensitivity tend to be indirectly proportional. That's where a lifetime warranty comes into play!

So, all things are not created equal and if you think a $50 rod is just as good as a $300 rod, you're wrong! Buy the best equipment you can afford and focus on quality, not quantity.

For an all around rod I recommend 6 1/2' or 7' Medium Power/ Fast Action. More than 90% of all the bass fishing you will ever do can be done with this rod. Rod power is more about the weight of the lures you use than the fish you might catch. A Medium Power rod will handle most of the lures you will fish and the fight will be much more fun.

Now for the details. I'll list the Power and Action and a specific rod:

If I were to fish one rod only: 7" M/F spinning. G.Loomis GLX PR844S

If I can fish two, my other rod would be: 7' H/F baitcasting. G.Loomis GLX MBR844C

For technique specific applications:

Light fishing: 6 1/2' ML/F spinning

Soft plastics: 7' M/F spinning

Crankbaits, jerkbaits and topwater: 6 1/2 or 7' M/M or MH/M baitcasting

Spinnerbaits and buzzbaits: 7' M/F or MH/F baitcasting

Jigs, C-rigs and heavy and/or deep running lures: 7' H/F baitcasting

And to break it down just a little further, I fish a Heavy Power/ Slow Action glass rod for big, treble hook lures.

Here is the entire thread if you are interested in more: http://www.bassresou...ction- defined/

[kickerfish1]

A very good post RR! This will help eliminate some confusion.

[JunkYard814]

I agree with everything stated above except I like to use a Fast action rod for topwaters because it offsets my lack of patience when setting the hook.

[Hooligan]

Brittleness is how easily the rod will break. Most high end rods are brittle, as brittleness and sensitivity tend to be indirectly proportional. That's where a lifetime warranty comes into play!

I respectfully disagree. Brittleness does not come into play in fishing rods, unless you're talking about poor quality builds. There has been much written on the subject, some has been answered by Gary Loomis himself. What it boils down to is this- as modulus of graphite gets higher, less and less material is used. This translates to wall thickness of the blank being less and less. 99% of the breakage in rods is something that we, the anglers, have done to injure the blank. Now, here's where it gets sticky, and why I tend to disagree with the statement in general: Brittle graphite generally comes from sub-par construction of the rod and from using poor quality resins to begin with. While it is true that sensitivity is increased by using less material in the rod (it's more about weight than anything else, another topic, however)

In nearly every rod break I've ever seen in high end rods, there has been damage to the blank that was NOT resultant of pressure being applied in the direction the rod fibers are meant to flex, plain and simple. THat said, what's actually being compared to as brittleness is the crush strength of the graphite. That's a property that rods have in absolute minimum. They're not meant to absorb that sort of damage. I say damage beause that's what it is.

[Hooligan]

Some further information on the subject, too.

[SirSnookalot]

Hooligan is right about breakage, rods don't break from fish. I have caught so many fish much larger and stronger than bass with bass type rods, spinning I may add, they don't break. When they do break is some kind of non related fishing injury, like stepping on them or whipping them around to get de snagged.

RW is right about rod power being more about the lure weight than the size of the fish, that said I often use the same rod for bass as I do for snook, for saltwater it's quite common to use lures that may exceed a little bit, never saw anyone that didn't do it. I personally have no need to change rods dependent on what kind of lure I'm using, but to each their own.