Fast action rods

Will a competant caster be able to cast more line and bigger bugs with a faster action rod than one that is say medium to medium fast?


Jeff

[troutbum_mt]

That's the rumor, but fast action rods just don't suit some people's casting stroke and can be more difficult for them to cast even if they are competent casters IMHO. In time they can adapt to the different action, but it often just isn't as simple as picking up a faster action rod and automatically being able to cast farther. Personally, I prefer faster action rods because they are better suited to my casting style and fishing.

------------------
Warren F.
Bozeman, MT

[RonMT]

A good caster can cast both about the same. It is understanding the action of the rod and how it reacts with a given casting stroke that matters. A good caster knows when he or she picks a rod up what it will or will not do with a given stroke before they ever cast that rod. Just takes a little time on the water, lawn or pond. Ron

[This message has been edited by RonMT (edited 18 March 2005).]

[cea]

Supposedly, and that's fine if all you are concerned with is casting line and not the catching of fish. It is, at least in my experience, much easier to fight and land a big trout with a rod that has an action somewhat more flexible than many of the broomsticks currently available.

Ron,
Very true words... nothing beats practice on the water or in the backyard!

Z

[FK]

Yes, and remember, a fast action rod is not a stiff rod.

If say two 6wt rods are compared,,,,the fast action will have more power in the lower 2/3 of the blank and have the ability to store more engergy than a soft action rod. The fast action will cast farther with less effort and it will be much easier to produce tight efficient loops.

Regards,
FK

I've heard that rumor, and there may be some merit to it. However, and here is the caviat, I'm not what I consider a compitant caster. I get most generally 60+ feet out of my good casts. I have mostly medium to medium/fast rods, but have also cast some "FAST" action rods and the results are about the same. The other day, I picked up a 6 weight that for some reason has been getting a lot of bad rap. Some folks for some reason don't like the color of the Sage Launch series rods. I happen to think they blend nicely with the foliage along most streams and rivers. It's kind of an Olive/Gold color. I suppose if your are a fan of the Royal Coachman, that a PMD might look a bit off color. My point is, that with my 60+ limitation on most of my casting, I had line out to 75' in about 5 false casts. I'm not a great caster, but that particular rod/unknown line combination made me look like I knew what I was doing. I can hardly wait till I can afford one. They are less than $200, and I highly recomend trying one out. Even if you don't like the color.


------------------
A free gift waits for those who ask.
-----------------
Lotech Joe

[Jed]

I am an average caster. I find that the faster rods require more precise timing that I do not have on a regular basis. So I loose power because I am not quite accurate enough in my timing. The slower or medium rods temd to hide more of your faults. For me I do not gain anything on average and do find it more frustrating to use a faster rod.

jed

[Yaffle]

I'll let you know this summer I am getting my first fast action rod!! -Yaf

I'd argue that the overall rod design has more to do with performance and distance than simply being a "fast" or "moderate" action rod. As pointed out above, "fast" doesn NOT mean stiff, though many "fast" rods are very "stiff". Fast, moderate-fast, moderate/medium, and slow refer to where the rod blank primarily flexes when under load (i.e. with the appropriate line weight in grains past the tip during the casting stroke).

By way of example, many of our customers tell us they've never cast as far with their ultra-fast X brand sticks as they do with our Bow River Series of rods, which are largely moderate-fast actions.

The secret to increased distances lies with the rod's ability to store energy and then release it cleanly and powerfully upon unloading (the "stop" in the casting stroke). If the potential is there, it is then up to the caster to get a feel for the characteristics of that individual rod and tweak his/her stroke to get the most out of it. Some actions just seem to fit some casters better, though a truly great caster can adjust their stroke to most actions. I am not the latter, and as a result I humbly admit that many of our customers can cast our Salmon & Steelhead Series further and with more proficiency than I can, though I can hold my own with the best of them with our Bow River Series!

John

G&L FlyCraft
Art. Science. Sport. Welcome to the convergence.
[url=http://www.gandlflycraft.com:7dc26]www.gandlflycraft.com[/url:7dc26]