Fishing rods can be so many. There is many types to classify them, one of the most important is the action.
There is many different sorts of fishing rods; fly rods, trolling rods, spinning rods, baitcasting rods etc. Rods in the different types and within each type can have rather big differences. It could be lure weight for spin and baitcasting, line classes for fly rods and similar. All types of rods have different ways to be classified as after what they are be used for, it is however one thing that is common for all types of classification of fishing rods. What we are talking about is the action.
The action of a fishing rod is simply how far down on the rod bends when the rod is under pressure. When we say under pressure it means that it is put weight on the tip of the rod so it is bent. To know what action a fishing rod has is very important because it gives the user valuable info on how the rod is being used. In most cases the action is separated into four diferent categories.
The first category is the so called slow action. When this type of rod is put under pressure actually the whole rod is bent. This gives the angler very precise cast, at the same time as the rod has a good and strong back that is nice to wear fish out with. The disadvantage with slow action is that it can be difficult to hook the fish because one gets less response on the bait with a hooking. With a good portion of experience it rarely is a problem. An other name that is often used about this action is full action.
The other category is half action. When these rods are put under pressure half the rod will bend. This gives a little less precise cast, but one get on the other side a little bit better contact with the bait in the other end of the rod.
Fast action, or top action, is the third category. In this category is those rods which are bent one third down on the rod under pressure. The fourth category is extra fast action, where the rod is just bent one fourth of the rod length. Both these categories are recognized by imprecise cast, but they provide secure and good hookings of fish. Such fast rods gives also very long cast, something that can be underlined by that it is just rods with extra fast action that is used in casting competitions.