Rod Power vs. Action

[BigBassin144]

Ok, as we roll around on the spring fishing season, there are a lot of questions as to what rod to use for what, and what specs are best for what techniques.

One thing that I commonly see is the terms power and action used interchangeably. THEY'RE NOT THE SAME!

Power describes the rods strength. This is what some people refer to as the backbone of a rod. Listed in Ultra Light (UL), Light (L), Medium Light (ML), Medium (M), Medium Heavy (MH), Heavy (H), and Extra Heavy (XH).

Action refers to how much of the rod bends when put under pressure. This is listed as Slow (S), Moderate (M), Moderate Fast (MF), Fast (F), and Extra Fast (XF). On a fast action rod, the first 1/4 to 1/3 will bend, while on a slow action rod, 2/3 to 3/4 of the rod will bend. A slow action rod is sometimes referred to as parabolic because of the fairly uniform curve of the rod along most of the blank.

So consider this a friendly reminder for everyone, and maybe some new info for those who don't know the difference.

BB