Ex-Fast Action And Braid?

[bass raider]

hey guys l'm looking at picking up a new rod&reel for froggin' flippin' and pitchin' and I was going to use 50lb. power pro but the majority of the rods i'm interested in are ex-fast actions. so I was wondering how would an extra fast action rod handle braid with the drag set fairly tight on the reel? I would think the no-stretch braid combined with a stiff tip and tight drag would break it. would a fast or mod. fast action be better for what l'm wanting to do with this rod? thanks.

[jbsoonerfan]

It will work fine. I use braid with a MH XF rod and have never had an issue. I assume you could break any rod if you don't know what you are doing though.

[gulfcaptain]

Extra Fast rods don't have stiff tips.  XF rods have softer tips but the rod shuts off faster where a fast action rod shuts down about 1/3 of the way down the blank, and each action a bit further until you get to moderate which is pretty much almost parabolic.  But you should be fine.

[kcdinkerz]

Not sure about flipping and pitching but I use a mh xf with 50lb braid for swim jigs and never had a problem

[Angry John]

Xf rods are great. I love mine but I use it with 6lb flouro. Fast with braid works well for me so I have not bought any xf. I would look at that for moving single hook baits like swimjigs and chatterbaits.

[MickD]

Fish doen't break rods.  Fishermen do.  If you  want to soften up the rig a little, put  on a leader.  About 6 feet of flouro will stretch a little, mono a little more.  With any setup you should tailor your max drag setting to the rod capability.  Often you'll want it lighter than the max based on your fishing technique, lure style, etc.  I seldom have my drag set to the max the rod will handle.

[smalljaw67]

Extra Fast rods don't have stiff tips.  XF rods have softer tips but the rod shuts off faster where a fast action rod shuts down about 1/3 of the way down the blank, and each action a bit further until you get to moderate which is pretty much almost parabolic.  But you should be fine.

 

That statement isn't true, I've run into 3 different extra fast actions and I own 2 of them. The first one is the medium power extra fast, these are a little stiff but the medium power still is forgiving enough that you are fine with braid but I wouldn't go 50lb braid on a medium. The next is the MH-XF jig and worm type rod, those are pretty stiff as they load very fast and the tip section is as flexible as a normal medium heavy fast only the tip is shorter. Then you have the drop shot type extra fast, those rods have a very flexible tip section that shuts off really quick, most are medium or medium light in power. A lot of what you want depends on which rods you are looking at, if they are MH and they are intended as jig and worm rods, they are going to be too stiff to use with 50lb braid, you'll have your fillings shake loose setting a hook with 50lb braid with that type of rod and if you don't keep your drag loose you will more than likely end up breaking the rod at some point. I'm not saying these others are wrong but I don't use braid and so I lean toward rods with faster actions as they are usually more sensitive because they are generally stiffer than the regular fast action, but it depends on the manufacturer, as some have a flexible tip while others are very stiff.

[gulfcaptain]

That statement isn't true, I've run into 3 different extra fast actions and I own 2 of them. The first one is the medium power extra fast, these are a little stiff but the medium power still is forgiving enough that you are fine with braid but I wouldn't go 50lb braid on a medium. The next is the MH-XF jig and worm type rod, those are pretty stiff as they load very fast and the tip section is as flexible as a normal medium heavy fast only the tip is shorter. Then you have the drop shot type extra fast, those rods have a very flexible tip section that shuts off really quick, most are medium or medium light in power. A lot of what you want depends on which rods you are looking at, if they are MH and they are intended as jig and worm rods, they are going to be too stiff to use with 50lb braid, you'll have your fillings shake loose setting a hook with 50lb braid with that type of rod and if you don't keep your drag loose you will more than likely end up breaking the rod at some point. I'm not saying these others are wrong but I don't use braid and so I lean toward rods with faster actions as they are usually more sensitive because they are generally stiffer than the regular fast action, but it depends on the manufacturer, as some have a flexible tip while others are very stiff.

 

Here is a link with some facts and a diagram about my statement that you seem to think isn't true.    Well it won't let me add the diagram nor link it to the website.  Look under TW and that section below.

 

http://www.***.com/guides/rodselection.html

 

 

[BassinLou]

The setup you are interested in will work just fine. Like someone mentioned earlier, the only way the rod will break is if you do something extreme. When frogging I do not tighten down my drag all the way. My drag is set so that when I set the hook the spools stays in place, but when the fish surges the drag will do its thing. Tightening a drag all way down can lead to losing a nice fish when frogging. When you're flipping and pitching I can see why you are tightening down your drag.  As long as your not exaggerating working the fish or making ridiculous hooksets your rod will be more than fine. 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

The action of a rod is independent of the power (stiffness). You can find Med Fast with stiff tips and XF with soft tip and everything in between. There is no harm fishing braid with and XF action but the advantage of XF will be a little less than if you were fishing mono. There's no need to tighten the drag beyond the point of protecting the line, rod and reel.

[smalljaw67]

Here is a link with some facts and a diagram about my statement that you seem to think isn't true.    Well it won't let me add the diagram nor link it to the website.  Look under TW and that section below.

 

http://www.***.com/guides/rodselection.html

 

You made a blanket statement, every extra fast rod I own is very stiff, there isn't anything soft in the tip, that is why I said it depends on the manufacturer. My neighbor, or use to be my neighbor, was a St. Croix rod guy and his Avids with the extra fast were softer than my rods. I understand where the rod shuts off from the backbone and yes, the tip isn't as strong as the backbone but my MH-XF rods get mistaken for H-F rods by my friends because they are like broom sticks. That is why I said that because I have tried rods like what you are describing and my 2 Fenwicks, 1 custom and 1 Daiwa and every one is very stiff with no limber tip section. Yes, you are correct in that a lot of rods do have a limber tip but I meant that not ALL rods fall under that, the person has to understand that he may end up with a rod that is very stiff like what I use which I would not want to use with 50lb braid.

[gulfcaptain]

The action or lets put it the taper of the rod being it an XF, yes the tip is softer then the rest of the rod.  I'm not talking power.  Just the taper.  A heavy rod will be stiffer then a medium.  But if the taper of both is XF, then the tip will be softer then the rest as the rod "shuts off" and flexes very little compaired to the taper of a fast, or moderate.  My flipping rod is a H action, stiff yes, but under a load it's moderate taper is seen as it flexes almost down to the first guide as opposed to the fast taper of my medium power rod that shuts down above the second guide, but yet is flexes enough to fish cranks.  Power has nothing to do with taper/action of the rod.  So yes it was a blanket statement as to the action/taper of the rod.  A heavy XF rod will still have a softer tip compared to the rest of the rod just like a XF medium action spinning rod used for dropshot fishing will.  They will both flex and shut down the same way, just one is a lighter power then the other and hence one will be stiffer then the other just as my medium moderate rod flexes the same as my heavy moderate, but yet my heavy is stiffer, but they both have the same action in the taper of the rod.

[Mike L]

For all bottom contact presentaion's regarless of the extent of the cover, I use a H/Xf that I use 50# braid with and it does what I need and want it to do. I do not use it for punching solid hydrilla mats with 65# braid tho as I think the action is too slow!!

For punching and hand to hand combat it's a MH/F.

My point is you can't characterize what this is because it says this or that.

Take it for what it is, based on what it is.

Mike

[MickD]

Most of the terms being used are subjective.  Soft, stiff, stiffer, etc.  What is stiff?  Stiffer than what?  H action?  H means heavy? Heavy describes power, not action.  Fast and slow describe action.  Limber?  How limber is limber?  Even the different manufacturers don't agree on what, for example, is a medium power rod.       

 

I don't see what the difference between 50 and 20 braid will be since without leaders both have essentially zero stretch and if you want them to, both are strong enough to break most freshwater rods.  

[Master Bait'r]

I personally love the combo- hooksets like lightning strikes.  That said, you have to make sure you have beefy enough hooks for your line and rod or you're going to bend them a lot and it's going to cost you fish.   

[mprestonSEK]

It shouldn't be an issue as long as you lay off on your hook sets. I have been using a MH XF with 40lb braid for the past year and really enjoy it.