I wish rod companies would get the.....

[Bryan Capes]

power and action terminology in line with their rods If I am not mistaken, power relates to the body of the rod and action refers to the tip? Am I missing something? What say you?

Thanks

[civicrr]

Here is how I'd try to describe/define it.

Action is how much of the blank flexes with a given weight/load. Given the same weight/load, an xfast action rod might only bend 1/4 of the blank starting from the tip. With the same weight/load, the fast action rod might flex 1/3 of the blank starting from the tip. This is working with the given that the rods are the same power.

Power is how, well, powerful or strong the rod is. If two rods are designed with the same action, then the lighter powered rod would bend deeper towards the handle with the same weight/load vs the more powerful rod.

The two are definitely interrelated. How a rod loads has as much to do with its action as its power. Take a rod for fishing ripbaits (Pointers, etc) for example. Since I'm a Dobyns fan, I could grab my Champion 702C (med power, fast action) or Champion 705CB (med heavy power, moderate/fast action crankbait rod). Common wisdom is that you don't use a fast action rod for small treble hooks. With the 702C, even though it is a fast action rod, since it is a medium power, its resistance to loading (flexing) is light enough power to absorb the surges of the fish without pulling the hooks out. When talking about using the 705CB, a med heavy powered rod is a fairly powerful rod to use for small trebles. It works because the rod has a moderate/fast action - flexes more deeply into the blank for a given load than a fast action rod would.

The only real way to know how a rod will behave is to fish it. For most of us, that is just impractical not only because of the costs but the amount of time it would take to fish all those rods. (actually it is fun but it gets too dang expensive ). IMO, the best way to estimate how a rod will fish is to look at the lure & line ranges combined with the action that the manufacture lists. Sadly, there is no 'common standard' that manufactures stick to when rating rods. In other words, you're still going to be guessing.

[Bryan Capes]

Great reply civiccrr! Makes good sense. Thanks!

[bstuckey]

Here is how I'd try to describe/define it.

Action is how much of the blank flexes with a given weight/load. Given the same weight/load, an xfast action rod might only bend 1/4 of the blank starting from the tip. With the same weight/load, the fast action rod might flex 1/3 of the blank starting from the tip. This is working with the given that the rods are the same power.

Power is how, well, powerful or strong the rod is. If two rods are designed with the same action, then the lighter powered rod would bend deeper towards the handle with the same weight/load vs the more powerful rod.

The two are definitely interrelated. How a rod loads has as much to do with its action as its power. Take a rod for fishing ripbaits (Pointers, etc) for example. Since I'm a Dobyns fan, I could grab my Champion 702C (med power, fast action) or Champion 705CB (med heavy power, moderate/fast action crankbait rod). Common wisdom is that you don't use a fast action rod for small treble hooks. With the 702C, even though it is a fast action rod, since it is a medium power, its resistance to loading (flexing) is light enough power to absorb the surges of the fish without pulling the hooks out. When talking about using the 705CB, a med heavy powered rod is a fairly powerful rod to use for small trebles. It works because the rod has a moderate/fast action - flexes more deeply into the blank for a given load than a fast action rod would.

The only real way to know how a rod will behave is to fish it. For most of us, that is just impractical not only because of the costs but the amount of time it would take to fish all those rods. (actually it is fun but it gets too dang expensive ). IMO, the best way to estimate how a rod will fish is to look at the lure & line ranges combined with the action that the manufacture lists. Sadly, there is no 'common standard' that manufactures stick to when rating rods. In other words, you're still going to be guessing.