Do you prefer slow, medium or fast action rods?
I’ll break this up into 2 catogories, bamboo and …may I dare use the term “plastic”?
Since I started this thread…I’ll go first.
I have a graphite rod (plastic) that I love and it would be considered a slow rod (for graphite)… great for dry fly fishing. For tossing bass poppers, I prefer something faster and stiffer.
I also have a boo rod that is medium fast but being boo,it’s still slow enough to smoke a cigarette on the backcast It’s great for dries and nymphing. Overall, I prefer the slow action rods.
I think the faster rods such as graphite are better for casting and for fishing that does not require light tippets, but for smaller, and especially trout streams, I would have to go with a fiberglass rod. Something that is softer and slower. My favourite rod right now is a 5 1/2 ft 5 wt E. Hille custom made fly rod I bought from a friend at a fly club.
Ian
My three favorite rods are the worlds slowest (Hardy Perfection), the worlds fastest (Sage TCR) and the worlds best (Ron Kusse quad). Of course the Gatti FR 906 is the standard.
I like slow and medium action rods for most feshwater and fast action for the saltwater. If the wind comes up on a big river out here it helps to have a fast action rod near to hand. ron
The rods I like best range from medium-fast to almost-fast. I have one rod that is very fast, (I think,) a Scott 905 STS, and I can’t cast it to save my life. On the other hand I have an 804 STS that casts quite nicely for me. It seems quite a bit less fast.
Have a great day.
Bob
There is a fine line between fly fishing, and standing in the water waving a stick.
Give me slow to medium for small to medium sized streams (Some bamboo rods, Scott ‘G’, Winston IM-6). Medium to medium fast for most trout fishing (Winston BIIx) and fast for the salt (Scott S3, GLX, Winston BIIx)
How do you tell if you have a fast or slow action rod. I purchased both of my rods by mail and didn’t think to inquire about the speed. The 5 wt is much easlier for me to cast with than the 3 wt. Does that mean it is slower or faster? I like the 5 wt much better. With the 5 wt I can feel the rod flex. With the 3 wt I can feel the line settle around my head and in a pile in front of me.
Eric “nighthawk”
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I’m no expert, but I’ll take a stab at answering your question.
First, you’ll notice there is no consenus of opion on what people prefer, be it slow, medium or fast action. It has to do with casting style and the type of fishing your doing.
If your 3 wt rod is one of them there super light jobs, it will be more difficult to feel the rod load. If your having difficulty casting the #3, then I would suggest you turn your head so you can WATCH the backcast and SEE the timing. Practice this until you begin to not only see the timing but can also feel it.
I like tham all but my preferences in fishing push me to my Winnie BIIx for graphite (med fast action), my McFarland or my Steffan for fiberglass (slower action), and I like the action of the Perfectionist in bamboo.
Charles:
To tell what the action of a rod is do the following. Hold the rod at a 45 degree angle with the tip touching the floor. Press the rod down causing it to bend and observe where most of the bend occurs. If its near the tip its a fast action, if mostly in the middle its a medium action, and if its distributed throughout the rod its a slow action.
[This message has been edited by sjh (edited 29 May 2006).]
It’s great for dries and nymphing. Overall, I prefer the slow action rods.
