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WeaverCraft CFT home > Application Technique and Presentation

Application Technique and Presentation

Text Box: This article also appears on bassresource.com When talking about construction and/or when looking at buying a rod, there a lot of terms thrown out. Primarily “action” and “power”. As previously mentioned, a lot of folks use, and understand, these terms to be interchangeable—BUT THEY ARE NOT! They each describe unique characteristics that affect rod performance, how the bait is presented and ultimately how/if you catch fish. Let’s get one thing straight: Not understanding the difference between action and power will not prevent you from catching fish. However, knowing the differences and understanding how they affect your presentation will make you better and land you more fish. It’s like the saying “when all you have is a hammer in your toolbox, everything is a nail.” You can absolutely catch fish with a broom handle and twine, but this will limit your options, and, opportunities. Hopefully, if you read this article, at the end you will understand why. ACTION: Action refers to the “movement” of the blank—how and where the blank flexes dictates the action. A “fast” blank will flex in the upper 1/3 of the blank, while a slow “softer” blank will be more parabolic and flex almost over the length to the upper 3/4 Think of action as how “fast” is takes for the blank to return to “rest” after being put under load. A fast blank is not going to flex very far from its resting state. Once the load is released it will not take long for the blank to return. Conversely, a “slow” blank is going to flex in the top 3/4 of the blank. The range of motion is going to much greater and will take longer for the blank to return to the at rest state, thus, the term slow is used to describe this characteristic. Extra fast, fast, moderate and slow actions refer to flex and ultimately the relative time it takes for the rod to return to the at rest position once released from under a load. By knowing and understanding the action the action of a blank, you can utilize that blank’s properties to enhance a particular technique. See the diagram below for a visual depiction of action. POWER: Now that action is understood to describe how a blank flexes, let’s look at the blank’s resistance to flexing. The resistance to flexing is called power. Power refers to the blank’s resistance to flexing under load—remember Newton’s third law: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Resistance to flexing Power is an inherent design characteristic based upon the taper and wall thickness of the blank. The power for blanks may range from Ultra-Light to Heavy to even Extra Heavy—the broom handle previously discussed. The table below shows the typical power ratings and the relationship to lure and line weight. Most manufacturers reflect power in term of Ultra-light, Light, Medium, Heavy, and Extra heavy sometimes referred to as Mag-Bass. Ultra light is not used very frequently in large mouth bass fishing but is good for panfish and some small mouth bass applications. Ultra light is typically used to throw very light lures with soft tips. Light power is well suited for finesse fishing such as trick worms, drop shot and shakeyhead to lure the finicky bass to bite. Light power will use light weight lines, typically less than 10 lbs and have soft to fast tips to throw light to medium weight lures. Medium power encompasses the largest range of applications and can be used for most cranking, spinnerbait, jerk baits and light jigs, Carolina and Texas rigs. Medium power rods run the spectrum of actions from slow to fast. Extra-Heavy power encompasses the largest range of applications and can be used for most cranking, spinnerbait, jerk baits and light jigs, Carolina and Texas rigs. Extra-Heavy power rods, like medium power rods, can be matched with a range of actions from slow to fast. Mag-Bass power is a relatively new approach to power classification for fishing rods. MAG Bass rods are typically fast to extra fast action with a very powerful, heavy-magnum (MAG) butt that provides benefits for more effective hook sets at greater depths and distance when paired with a good low stretch line such as braid. Mag-Bass rods are typically long starting at around 7 feet. With their extra length, Mag-Bass rods provide farther casts due to the fast tip and unmatched control of the fish during landing. Mag-Bass rods are excellent choices for Carolina & T-rigs and weighted plastics such as worms and creatures, jigs and large whacky rigged worms. Mag-Bass rods are also a choice for some saltwater and “back-bay” applications. As you can see, Action and Power are not the same and cannot be used interchangeably as some think. One other note about Action and Power that further complicates the discussion and understanding: there are no industry standards used by rod and blank manufacturers to describe Action and Power. You go to a Chevy lot and see a car that gets 20 MPG and goes from 0 to 60 in 12 seconds. You can then go to a Ford dealer and see car that gets 12 MPG and goes from 0 to 60 MPH in 7 seconds. Right away you can make some distinctions, know what to expect and how it should (or should not) be used when you purchase based upon known, recognized standards for the industry. Fishing rods do not have this “standard”. A fast action medium power St. Croix blank may—and probably will—have different action and power characteristics when compared to a fast action medium power G. Loomis or Lamiglas blank. OK, I get it. Action refers to rod flex and Power refers the rods resistance to flexing. But how does all this techno-jargon help me catch fish?! Using the design criteria and inherent characteristics of a blank will aid in specific techniques and presentations. Using blank characteristics to your advantage will provide you the benefit of making the most out of every opportunity to land fish—let’s add more tools to that toolbox in addition to that hammer. The discussion will center on Action as opposed to Power. Both traits are designed in the blank by the manufacturer, but action will be the most critical characteristic when discussing and evaluating techniques and presentations. Extra-Fast (X-Fast): The primary benefit of an X-Fast blank is sensitivity and the quick response to bringing the inherent power of the blank into play when fighting the fish. The X-Fast blank will be stiffer which will transmit vibration to your hand much more efficiently than a slow/soft blank. The X-Fast blank is a prime consideration for single hook applications where sensitivity is needed to detect the smallest of nibbles, then immediate power to set the hook. Primary techniques for X-Fast blanks are worm and jig presentations, spinnerbait and some swimbaits. With everything there are tradeoffs.... Although the X-Fast blank provides exceptional sensitivity and efficient access to the power of the blank, the X-Fast tip works against you somewhat while fighting the fish. Since the X-Fast blank returns to the at rest position very quickly, the X-Fast tip makes it very difficult to maintain proper tension to keep the lure secure. As the hooked fish surges and lunges to get loose, maintaining too much tension with a stiff blank could cause the hook to tear a hole in the fish’s mouth or make the hole larger, allowing the fish to throw the bait. Too little tension will also help contribute to the fish throwing the lure. When the fish lunges against a loose line, then the line suddenly tightens, the force of the lunge in conjunction with the power of the rod, could cause the hook to pull the mouth, lips, or muscles off the fish. Not only could you miss the fish of a lifetime, but worse yet, the fish is permanently injured Fast: The Fast action blank maintains most of the sensitivity found in the X-Fast blank, but given that it is a “fast action” has more flex. After hookup, the more flexible (fast) tip will provide better fish fighting capability. The tip, and in turn the blank, can absorb more of the shock as the fish surges and lunges and will maintain better tension on the line. A good application for fast action rods are techniques where sensitivity is just as important as fighting ability. A primary application for Fast action rods is throwing single hook rigs through and over loose weeds and grass. A more limber, flexible rod would have difficulty generating the needed power to jerk the lure free from weeds and grass. Presentations and techniques that benefit from Fast action rods are jigs, Texas rigged and Carolina rigged worms. Moderate-Fast (Mod-Fast) to Slow: The Moderate-Fast to Slow action blanks are usually good for multi-hook (treble) lures—crank baits, rattle baits and jerk baits. These fast moving fish finding baits work best with a soft tip action and the ability to throw the lure over long distances. These lures and presentation typically require less sensitivity and focus more on keeping the fish hooked and landing. The wire diameter of the treble hook is typically thinner than a single hook and as such requires less pressure to set the hook. In addition, given that there are more hooks, there are more opportunities for a good hook set. The soft tip will cause the blank to return to the at rest position mush more slowly that faster action blanks. With this characteristic, proper tension is much easier to maintain keeping the hook engaged while the fish surges and lunges. The rod is much more adept at reacting the fish’s abrupt actions. I remember fishing from the shore one time. I was getting ready to pull my rattle trap from the water when I saw a 3lb LMB come darting in, take the bait and run off—It happened in the time it probably took you to read that sentence. I didn’t have time to react, release the spool, drop pressure, set the hook, etc. Instead, the slow action of the rod allowed the fish to (1) suck in the bait, (2) turn and (3) run off while (4) setting the hook while I stood there watching. Amazed. Remember, I had not fought it while bringing to shore, so the fish was ready for a fight! With only a few feet of line I had to rely on rod flex to ensure a good hookup with the fish that would give and bend with every lunge, surge and jump the fish made. (BTW, I was using the Lamiglas CCB blank which will be the blank I recommend for ALL crankbait and rattletrap applications—best blank for the $$$ for these techniques.) Ok, I am starting to get into fish stories now, so let me close this discussion. This has been a very high level overview for rod action and power. It is meant to cover the basics and how the two characteristics benefit and impact each other for various techniques. Use this information to better equip yourself when on the water AND when choosing a new rod.

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