Explain Fast action.

Don

Well-known member
I need to help grandson buy a BSF ROD. He’ll be casting light baits. I thought that with “action” Fast it meant stiff at tip.
 

Don

Well-known member
What really helped me with learning baitcaster reels was to have rods that loaded nicely and a line that didn't crush. So wouldn't I like a rod that was medium power and medium action?
 

Don

Well-known member
I collect reels. Primarily I collect Spincast Reels. Frequently I pay very little for them but they occasionally come on a rod. I don't need rods, especially older out of date rods, though some are nice. I pay for the reel and gain the rod for free. Though older I have received enough rods to keep me going until now. Now. With the addition of modern baitcasters and their more specialized needs I'll be looking to build or buy something more appropriate. But which and why. The article above, though general in nature, is a good initial reference.
 

troutspinner

Nuts & Bolts Guy
I highly suggest watching Omnia Fishing‘s Youtube channel and look for the ”Rod Bending” playlist and watching some videos on different rod actions.


With BFS in mind, he is going to want an extra fast action tip to be able to load the rod with light bait and quickly spring the light bait so that it gets that reel moving with continued momentum.

Fast doesn’t necessarily mean stiff, it means that the upper end of the rod will bend before the rest of the rod. Stiff in my mind would be more of a relative term…….……… I just seen you posted the wired2fish article. Great article but I do still suggest watching some of the Omnia videos to see it on a graph.

FWIW, my BFS rod is MXF, Medium back end, Extra Fast tip. This gives an extra fast tip to cast and hook but a medium back end to be able to handle some weight. Some may think you would want a Medium Heavy back end for larger bass but once you get larger in the rear, you get larger at the tip and this pushes you to a higher line rating. Line rating of a rod is very important too so don’t overlook that. Match the line weight to the reel line weight and things will go much smoother.
 
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Don

Well-known member
So basically I did not understand the action portions of Rod Nomenclature. Mr, Omania was very helpful. My Grandson will be high mountain fishing for fish that are the size of our Stockies. He will throw jigs to 1/8 oz on up to #3 (usually #1) inline spinners, also worms with split shot and occasionally a bobber.
In review of these videos I'd think he would need the larger, almost parabolic, bend of a medium/light power, medium action rod. It would seem to me that with fast or xf tips you wouldn't get any power out of the whole rod. So with the faster action wouldn't it be akin to straightsticking as with bamboo. Am I missing something? I event thought that low power, medium fast would help him get those short but authoritative casts for the light lures he will be tossing.
When I placed two of my BC reels onto two Daiwa Pistol Grip rods, labeled as light action, my control and accuracy went way up. It was a game changer. There was no slack time during the cast, less snarls, much more accuracy.
Dang, this is going to get expensive, more fun, but expensive.....
I'm sending this along to him. I actually thought the chatter bait discussion was great as well. hopefully, in the long run, this may keep us from making costly mistakes.
 

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troutspinner

Nuts & Bolts Guy
My Grandson will be high mountain fishing

High mountain fishing, the size of stockers? Is this setup intended to be fished from the shore of a lake / pond / boat or are you looking for a wading setup for trout?

In review of these videos I'd think he would need the larger, almost parabolic, bend of a medium/light power, medium action rod

I don’t think “BFS” rods even comes in that power. Maybe BFS is not what you are looking for? In the baitcasting BFS world, BFS guys throw line the diameter of 4lb mono, some even lower. BFS reels top out around the diameter of 8lb mono line. Their spools are shallow so they start up quicker and the rods have a fast tip to spring light baits.

When I placed two of my BC reels onto two Daiwa Pistol Grip rods, labeled as light action, my control and accuracy went way up

I have mentioned “Loading” several times on other posts on this site. Your results are because you are loading the rod correctly with the weight of your bait. If you try to throw too light of a bait on a heavier rod, there is no spring in the tip to launch the bait, all of the power is coming from the angler. This is why you will see many bass anglers hold the bait in one hand while flip casting with the other hand. They do that to give the tip of the rod some bend to spring it forward and start up the reel.
 

pabassman

Well-known member
I have mentioned “Loading” several times on other posts on this site. Your results are because you are loading the rod correctly with the weight of your bait. If you try to throw too light of a bait on a heavier rod, there is no spring in the tip to launch the bait, all of the power is coming from the angler. This is why you will see many bass anglers hold the bait in one hand while flip casting with the other hand. They do that to give the tip of the rod some bend to spring it forward and start up the reel.


BALANCE!!!! Idk how many times I've said this. There is NO magicial rod/reel/line combo that fits all situations. We talked of this in a recent thread. I throw my spinner, chatters on what is about a broomhandle!.These are heavy baits. Weeds, boulders, dock chains all around. I want heavy line and a stout rods to move the fish quickly. A softer, more forgiving rod for crankbaits, topwater. Treble hook baits need a kinder hand when fighting a fish. Smaller lighter finesse baits where lighter line is used are where spinning rods shine. This BFS system is pretty new. Probably not a bad thing. I'm not nor will I be involved with it. I have far to many spinning rods that do that job perfectly. I'm sure you can find an all around rod that will do ok for what he's fishing but it wont be the sweet spot for all those techniques.
 

Don

Well-known member
I have mentioned “Loading” several times on other posts on this site. Your results are because you are loading the rod correctly with the weight of your bait. If you try to throw too light of a bait on a heavier rod, there is no spring in the tip to launch the bait, all of the power is coming from the angler. This is why you will see many bass anglers hold the bait in one hand while flip casting with the other hand. They do that to give the tip of the rod some bend to spring it forward and start up the reel.


BALANCE!!!! Idk how many times I've said this. There is NO magicial rod/reel/line combo that fits all situations. We talked of this in a recent thread. I throw my spinner, chatters on what is about a broomhandle!.These are heavy baits. Weeds, boulders, dock chains all around. I want heavy line and a stout rods to move the fish quickly. A softer, more forgiving rod for crankbaits, topwater. Treble hook baits need a kinder hand when fighting a fish. Smaller lighter finesse baits where lighter line is used are where spinning rods shine. This BFS system is pretty new. Probably not a bad thing. I'm not nor will I be involved with it. I have far to many spinning rods that do that job perfectly. I'm sure you can find an all around rod that will do ok for what he's fishing but it wont be the sweet spot for all those techniques.
Yeah I remember butI'm new to all of this and I can't use spinning rods. Frankly I just wasn't getting it...wasn't understanding the nuances and definitions of all this. The tip action and power are things that you take for granted as you've grown dramatically in expertise for years and years as much through trial and error as much as anything. I don't remember discussions well. Literally ADD. I discuss and ask until I get it. I'm slowly getting it.
 

troutspinner

Nuts & Bolts Guy
Yeah I remember butI'm new to all of this and I can't use spinning rods. Frankly I just wasn't getting it...wasn't understanding the nuances and definitions of all this. The tip action and power are things that you take for granted as you've grown dramatically in expertise for years and years as much through trial and error as much as anything. I don't remember discussions well. Literally ADD. I discuss and ask until I get it. I'm slowly getting it.

Take notice of how your rods work with different weight baits as well as how well the rod fights a fish. When you compare your experience with what is written on the blank, it will click.

As for “BFS”, it is trendy and borderline bougie right now and marketing has a grip on it. Ask me how I know. LOL Imagine if we only had BFS equipment, we would all be yelling for manufactures to make heavier equipment because BFS is too limited in what it can do.
 
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HenryDavid

Well-known member
Tip action is a big factor with fly rods. Fast action generally refers to a "quick" tip, quicker reflex. A slow action tip is more "whippy" and bends further with the same amount of effort. So far as I can tell it's a matter of preference.
 

Don

Well-known member
I do know that my old rods marked "fast" cast poorly, unless the bait is very heavy, as the rod and the tip simply doesn't load evenly. Other rods I have are marked Medium or light and they flex down the whole rod sort of similar to what Mr Omnia shows with his talk on chatter bait rods. We all know that to windup and toss real hard is like begging for a tangle whereas a nice lobb and gentle action gives a safer result. I'm trying to give my grandson a safer result.

HD, of all the fly rods I have my favorite for trout, bass and Gills is a lat 60's fiberglass rod marked 5wt. It actually acts like a 3wt and cast lite line and flies a nice comfortable distance.
 

troutspinner

Nuts & Bolts Guy
We all know that to windup and toss real hard is like begging for a tangle whereas a nice lobb and gentle action gives a safer result.

This is backwards. Use your forearm and wrist, not your shoulder to cast. I absolutely bomb 3/4 to 1 ounce baits and never have an issue.
 

pabassman

Well-known member
This is backwards. Use your forearm and wrist, not your shoulder to cast. I absolutely bomb 3/4 to 1 ounce baits and never have an issue.
An old school method I learned on and taught my sons is hold your elbow against your body. Keep it tight to your side and cast. That forces you to use only your forearm and wrist.
 
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Don

Well-known member
Yes I've heard that and often comply but them I don't and disaster soon visits. Same with fly fishing. My beloved Spincast rigs are incredibly more forgiving. Almost all of my casting is cross-body lobb. Since I lost the use of my right hand things are different. By the way, Anyone can toss a 3/4 - 1 oz chunk of lead, lol, even me. Its the 1/16 - 1/8 oz that I have to deal with.
 
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