Rod Action Explained

Fly rod action describes the flex in the rod, and how long it takes to recover after the rod is loaded.

Which action is best will depend on the type of fishing you plan on doing?

Delicate small river fishing will require a slow action, and fishing for the larger fish on larger rivers will call for a stiffer, fast-action fly rod.

Trout fly rods of the same weight can have different actions. However, the lighter weight fly rods tend to have a slow action, and the heavier rods tend to have a fast action.

Slow-action rods will bend throughout the length of the rod and is most often used with the lighter weight fly rods.

They are used on smaller rivers where casting in close range with a delicate presentation is needed. As the name implies, a slow-action fly rod loads slower, allowing more time to feel the weight of the line. This extra time allows the caster to present the fly in a delicate manner to a wary trout.

Slow-action rods can be helpful in playing the fish because rod flex will help protect light tippets. These lighter rods are harder to cast when there is a strong wind.

Medium-action rods will load faster and will flex the most in the top 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 of the rod. It is a good action that will meet the needs of the average caster. It is good for casting longer distances.

When you are trout fishing with nymphs you can feel the strike on a medium-action fly rod a lot better than you can with a stiffer, fast-action fly rod.

Fast-action rods flex mostly in the top 1 / 4 to 1 / 3 of the rod. Most 5- to 10-weight fly rods are offered with a fast action.

It is a stiff rod with a strong backbone. This stiffness will put more strain on a light tippet, making it easy to lose a large fish if you are impatient. The stiffer rod will help lift a larger trout out of a deep hole, assuming your tippet can handle the pressure.

You can cast farther and with greater line speed with this fly rod action. This makes it good for those windy days.

Fast-action rods load fast and require better control and timing. This is why time spent working on your casting skills is important as I wouldn‘t recommend that you go for a fast action rod when you take up fly fishing for the first time.

For someone new to fly fishing, the action of the rod will not be an important issue. A manufacturer of a rod in the lower to middle price range may not even tell you what the rod action is anyway. Focus on the weight and length of the rod that you‘re going to use and where you will be fishing with it and don‘t worry about the action for your first rod.

Fly Rod Weight

This is the weight of the line the rod is designed for, not the weight of the rod itself.

000 to 3 weight rods are commonly known as ultra-light fly rods and are good for the smaller rivers. These work well when you need to make a delicate dry fly presentation.

And 5 weight fly rods are more common and better for casting for distance on small to medium-size rivers.

And 6 weight rods are good for the most varied conditions and good in windy conditions. They can throw most of the flies used for trout: nymphs, larger dry flies and small streamers.

7 and 8 weight rods are best suited for larger rivers, lochs and fisheries. These rods can cast heavier flies and lines against the wind.