Casting and fishing a slower action rod or a faster action rod?
I ask because in my brief fly fishing career of 4 years I have made the full circle starting with the gotta have it now, cast a mile because it’s cool, fast action rods sold by slick salesmen and marketing. The slower, all around better feeling medium fast action rods. And now I’m in love with the slower paced, feel every bit of energy, slow action, sunday driver rods. These rods are definitely making my casting better and fitting my style more. Plus, the presentations are much more delicate and they make a bluegill feel like a marlin.
I wasted a lot of money to get to where I am now and I’m trying to start my younger brother, but he’s getting discouraged because of the difficulty of casting. I don’t want to make the same mistakes with him that I’ve made with myself. Did I start off on the wrong end of things?
It seems to me that the only reason to have a fast action rod is if you are dealing with the winds of a salt water environment or on a drift boat out west. Otherwise, the slower action, better presentation is the way to go for trout. What do you think?
Sorry for all the different thoughts. There’s probably enough for four or five different threads.
Please school me, becuase this is the best place I’ve found for information. I value everyone’s opinion here.
Ben
RW here,
After about 50 years of fly fishing, it’s slow to medium action for me. You’ve already given the reasons why. If all ya wanna be is cool get a bull whip and practice taking cigarettes out of a pretty girl’s mouth. You’ll be the coolest guy around.
Later, RW
“We fish for pleasure; I for mine, you for yours.” -James Leisenring on fishing the wet fly-
[This message has been edited by Royal Wulff (edited 22 November 2005).]
Different strokes for different folks…
Or, in my case, depends upon what I’m fishing for! Fast action on the boat or beach for longer distances, sinking lines and big flies. Fast action for big fish where rod and butt strength is critical.
Medium/fast for most everything else. Soft is what I use to teach so the student can feel the load and learn.
[This message has been edited by SW Ladyfish (edited 22 November 2005).]
I should reserect the responce I posted to a similar thread a month or so ago. I like um all. A competent caster can make delicate presentations with a fast rod and get decent distance with a soft one.
In my view it’s all about getting in time with the rod you’re holding in your hand.
I guess I’m in between then. I can make really good casts, with distance, with the softer rods. But I have no delicacy whatsoever with a faster rod. Thanks! And if anyone has anything else to add, please do so.
Ben
Ben,
Good question. And interesting! Believe me ya’ aren’t alone here.
I need to stop saying I’m “new” to FF’ing but after only 6 years in it I still feel that way for the most part.
For my first few years, to me, the more you paid for a rod the faster they were. So because of the cost…all high buck rods were the fastest…e.g. “the best!” Hmmmm.
I thought this for a long time. And it has some merit since the Sages and the Loomis rods I came into contact with were like this. Especially that IMX, which I still have.
I never considered the Sages as fast until I got the hang of bamboo’s. Man, did that change everything! I honestly thought my 9’ 3wt Sage SP (wonderful rod) was a noodle and it took me 3 weeks to buy it. What a noodle!
After the intiation to bamboo’s and softer rods, that SP became a rod I’d actually overline with a 4wt line! Amazing! What a change. Are my tastes changing? Probably.
So, more to your post. I still feel these rocket rods have a big place in my arsenal. I use them on windy days and for big flies…e.g. pike, bass, muskies etc.
But now, for my trouting on SPRING CREEKS that a no more than 25-30ft across and usually a lot less, I’ll go with the slower rods “most” of the time. The bamboo’s in a 4wt.
There are “a lot” of times when I go back to the quicker rods when I go light though…in the 1-3 wts! then it’s my Sage SPL’s etc. And I still love those.
If your brother begins with a med. slow to med. fast rod, I’m thinking he’ll feel the rods action more and feel it load easier. This is a highly subjective field and I guess you know that by the tone of your post!
HTH.
Jeremy.
Could be the blind leading some one who can’t see.
Rich
I think a well practiced and skilled fly caster can cast equally as well with rods from across the spectrum from slow to fast.
Same goes for presentation - a good caster can make a delicate presentation with a 5wt cane rod, or a Sage TCR if they truly have learned how to use a fly rod.
Most casters will develop a preference. Many casters that I know find that their preferences change over time as they become more skilled.
The stiffness of a rod determins the line weight, WHERE it bends determins the action! A 5 is a 5 is a 5 and with a givin amount of weight all actions bend the SAME AMOUNT they simply bend in different places. Now I won’t try to tell anyone how much a 5 will bend, as there is only guide lines but what ever it is it is. There are very fast Bamboos and very slow graphites and everything in between But weather a rod is made of Cane, glass or graphite A 5 weight has the same stiffness in all materails That is what makes it a 5.
Rich
Worms! I smell worms! Who opened a can of 'em?!?!?!? 
Hey Folks,
One of my rods is a JP Ross Beaver
Meadows slow action in graphite. Another
is a Diamondback medium fast graphite. They
both feel very different in hand and require
different timing to make a smooth accurate
cast. Then I have a little Peter Lawrence
banty cane that has yet a different feel to
it. But the thing is, they all work well
and they are all favorites that are much
fun to fish. It’s an adjustment that comes
automatically when I pick up a particular
rod. Maybe it might be as simple as gaining
a familiarity with your equipment. Warm
regards, Jim
I have no idea but will say that you can probably use any rod once you get used to it. Problem is you may not enjoy that rod and that’s where individual taste and preferences comes in.
Allan
Drolfson,
"Worms! I smell worms! Who opened a can of 'em??? "…
Ain’t it great! BG
Jeremy.
It all depends on what your fishing for and with. If a Streamer is being stripped I would prefer a stiffer, faster action rod. If I’m trowing a Dry I would like something softer or slower. I believe we need both actually.
Takes more skill to do what?
I generally believe that a slower rod can be more forgiving to timing errors but more difficult to cast far. So maybe a faster rod is more difficult to cast generally but easier to cast far? It may just depend on the type of fishing you do. What ever you like is what works for you and makes the experience pleasurable.
I’m sure that a competent caster can cast anything regardless of what they prefer. But I’m also sure we all have rods that could temporarily befuddle other casters if they have no experience with them.
All of my bamboo rods are moderate to slow and I am lucky enough to have a quiver of graphite that are medium to slow too. It works for me. But my bass rods are rockets and I can cast them too.
[This message has been edited by Bamboozle (edited 22 November 2005).]
yea, I agree. I don’t think one is easier than the other. We simply get accustomed to using a certain taper, speed rod and grow to like it. You sacrifice certain things with both. I prefer one for Streamers and the other for Dry’s and another for Nymphing. All cast different and that’s ok.
I’ll tell you what takes more skill…to be able to pick up any rod, not matter what brand, weight, length, or line, and be able to cast it with skill. Meaning control loops, cast the distance the rod will handle and maybe a little beyond, and hit what you’re aiming at, all in a matter of a dozen casts or less. I’ve seen only a couple of guys do it, but they do it with any and every rod I’ve ever handed them from 3-8 weights, 7’6" - 10’, bamboo- fast graphite. That’s what takes the most skill. Not coincidently, in my opinion, the one guy who can do it every time is an FFF casting instructor.
These are the idle thoughts that posses a man’s mind when he’s not able to fish.
I know I’m going to get hammered on this, but here goes. The faster the rod the better the caster needs to be. Ultra fast rods like the Sage TCR were designed with the expert caster in mind and was designed for them, this is truly not a beginner’s rod. A fast rod requires perfect timing, where a slower action rod is far more forgiving, making it much easier to learn with. However with that being said both rods will both cast and fish great. I prefer a very fast rod but in the last year or two I’ve only fished with bamboo.Go Figure! I’m not a FFF caster but I can cast pretty much anything thrown at me.
I have only one rod a 5wt , I have no idea if it is fast or slow or medium . Never having cast anything else I have no basis for comparison I plan to take it to my local fly shop guy to find out . Which begs the question which rod type would be the easiest for a beginner like me to learn on , fast , med , or slow .
I am presently learning on the one I have , but if I had no rod at all , which type would you recommend someone purchase to learn on ?
[This message has been edited by Gnu Bee Flyer (edited 25 November 2005).]
The skill is the same with both sorts of rods. There are two skills involved: The skill of picking the right rod for the water and the skill of feeling when its loaded and ready to shoot. It has nothing to do with fast and slow.