Fast or Slow ?

[Tangled Tippet]

What type of action do you use in a fly rod? Seems to me that most people like a fast action rod. Me on the other hand like a medium or slow action fly rod. I like the feel of the cast and the delicate presentation that a slow action rod delivers.

[petegas]

im def a slow action kinda guy.....started off learning on a orivs super fine 7'9" 5wt which is nice and slow, then when my dad retired and got into bamboo refinishing got one or two of those as presents which also have a nice slow action. a lot of makers are making some nice graphites with soft slow action (winston wt's for example).
plus i think its easier to go from casting a slow action rod well to casting a fast action rod with competence. i've seen people i've guided who've only used really fast actions rods (broomsticks as a friend of mine likes to call 'em jokingly) their entire life have trouble castin 30ft. with a slow action graphite or bamboo.
my 2 cents, but as they say, to each his own.

[Tangled Tippet]

My favorite trout rod is a Orvis Superfine 7'11" 4 wgt. Smooth and slow. I plan on getting my twins to try flyfishing this year and I think a slow action rod is the best way to start.

[Steve H.]

I'm a big fan of my Loomis IMX (purchased long before they were bought out by Shimano and everything went downhill).

This fast-action rod is awesome with nymphs and streamers, but can really lay down a dry fly from a #22 BWO to a #12 Royal Wulff with delicacy and precision, even in a stiff wind.

[Steamtrain]

Most of the rods i use are considered medium or medium-fast action,
though I'll use any rod action. I jusst want to fish. Cabin Fever is starting creep in my mind.

Good Luck!

[Tom Jutras]

I like the fast action rods for any fishing that requires distance casting. The slow actions are fun for lighter weight rods and dry flies. I'll bet we will see a ton of opinions on this subject. Good thing the rod makers make so many flavors!

[mtnzone]

I like a fast action rod especially for punching into the wind, but there are days I like to get a slow lazy cane rod down and fish them slow...

[mer]

Payne 100 taper for most of the time; classic "medium" action cane rod. Dickerson 7613 tapers for heavier/windier days.

[StrBender]

I will come back to this post at a later date, seeing I only own 1 rod at the moment. Ask the question again, say after memorial day weekend and I may have some input then. Good thing your only a newbie once! LOL

[MJ]

lol! Steve, I have found that with this particular sport, being a newbie seems to be an ongoing condition. The more I learn, the more I need to learn even more.

[fessiewig]

I've been reading all the responses and they're all good. The thing is, you need to determine what speed rod you like. The best way to do this is to get down to you're local fly shop and try out rods there. Ask them to supply you with different flex rods, different speed rods, and different length rods.

It's what you like / feel comfortable with that counts in the end.

[sbeausol]

I've personally found that the only way to tell if I am going to like a rod is to cast it. Manufacturers seems to vary in what 'action' their rods are, and as a result don't really perform as you would think. My understanding is that certain rod actions have certain roles -- for example, when fishing the salt from the shore, many recommend a fast action rod to handle large flies and constant wind. When fishing light tippet and small dries, slower action rods supposedly do better. With that in mind, I choose the rod that fits my needs. All my salt rods are fast action while my white mountain brookie rod is a slow action...

[mtnzone]

I've been reading all the responses and they're all good. The thing is, you need to determine what speed rod you like. The best way to do this is to get down to you're local fly shop and try out rods there. Ask them to supply you with different flex rods, different speed rods, and different length rods.

It's what you like / feel comfortable with that counts in the end.


FEssie totally concur with that.... IF people took that approach more they would have a more enjoyable experience.. Cant tell you how many people who come in and specify they want a certain rod because a buddy has it or read about it in some magazine such as the SAGE XP.. When they would be better suited with the VT2 or another rod....Somtimes they understand what you are trying to do is for their benefit, but others are adament. I just hate to see someone leave the shop or fish a hole with a rod that is odviously wrong for their casting style..BUT hey if they are having fun who am I too judge.....

[Birddogtwo]

Hi my name is Dave and I have a problem...

I like all fly rods. I'm inconsistant. I go any where from a SLOOOOW 1920s granger champion 6 weight to a 10' IMX 3 weight. It depends on the day the mood and the fish I guess. I too say you have to cast a rod to see if you like it. There are slow rods I could never learn to cast and some fast action rods feel like a phone pole to me. I guess I'll just have to get one of each to sort this out.

Happy Fishing

[HarryM]

LOL Great post Dave.

I unfortunately have that same problem. Iv'e never met a fly rod that I hated. Give me a bright sunny spring day and with no rod, all of a sudden a nice strait birch sapling starts to look pretty good

[awkward78]

I like fast action fly rods. (Fast tip action to be precise) Sometimes I feel I can cast much farther with a fast tip then a slower action rod. Gotta tell ya this story to back up my reasoning. It is funny now to think on it but not back when it happened. I was fishing with a dear friend of mine in a small river in his aluminum canoe. I was using an Orvis bamboo fly road. They were notoriously slow back then. Anyway all of a sudden a brookie started to rise across the river and I started to cast to it. Couldn,t quite cast enough line to get to the rise. So I did the dumbest thing I could do in a aluminum canoe. I stood up and threw one helluva cast. Unfortunately about that time the canoe rolled over and dumped me and my friend in about 4 feet of water.(cold) Needless to say my friend was not only surprised, but very wet and very upset. He still reminds me of it today cause he says it is the only time he has ever been in a overturned canoe. By the way he is a Master Maine Guide. Anyway after that little episode I bought a fast action glass rod (This took place over 50 years :oops: ago). Liked it and have progreesed to the current rods today. :oops: