Page 41 - ODUMar-Apr2019

mid-section, and

progress all the way to
fast, then extra-fast
actions that bend far
closer to the tip of the
rod.

It’s important to realize
that you’ll need to

understand both
terms, as two medium
power rods can have
completely divergent
actions which will
benefit drastically

different styles of
angling. It’ll also help
to know a bit about a
few other variables as you decipher which rod to buy, namely rod length, materials, components, and a
bit about the manufacturer you’re purchasing from. Did I mention that not all rod companies mention
the action, and there are few universal standards by which the entire industry grades their powers and
actions? We’ll make it simpler, I promise.

Start with the power, knowing that your ability to impart extra leverage on larger fish will hinge on it.
Powers range from Ultra-Light, to Light, Medium Light, Medium, Medium Heavy, and Heavy. Choose
wisely based both on the species you’re targeting, but also the lure weight you’ll be using to target
these species. If you’re angling for a good number of species, Medium Light and Medium powers
handle the largest swath of lure designs and fish species.

While you’re thinking of lure types, know that the fastest of all actions like Extra Fast (XF) will excel

when you need to move the rod minimally to set the hook fastest. Baits like jigs that rely on extreme
sensitivity and feel find huge benefit with these XF actions, as you get to the backbone of the rod that
much more quickly on a hookset. XF actions are so often paired with the highest end carbon fiber rods
at the peak of sensitivity and price. At the opposite end of the spectrum, you’ve got moderate actions,
which most of the cheaper rods already exhibit and truly excel for things such as crankbait fishing where
you want some give to account for the bend that the diving crankbait’s bill will impart on the rod. A
crankbait rod without the proper “give” sees you missing far more fish on account of hooks pulling out
of the mouth of the fish.

Rod length can be a function of personal preference, height of your casting platform, or any number of
customized factors, so be sure to choose what you like here while observing a few generalities. The
trend has been towards longer rods in the 7 foot region and longer for a number of reasons. Longer
rods offer a number of advantages from casting distance to leverage and coverage, and as rod storage
in boats gets more accommodating while rod manufacturers build increasingly lighter rods, I
don’t see this reversing itself. For that reason, I’m a big fan of shorter rods primarily for vertical