Equipment 101: Rod Power and Action

Many people, including experienced fly fishermen, often confuse the difference between rod action and rod power. To help people understand the difference between these two aspects of a rod, it is useful to have a visual aid. Understanding the difference between these two aspects of a rod’s anatomy can help you identify a rod that matches your casting and fishing needs.

Rod Power, in simple terms is the amount a rod bends while being cast or used to catch a fish. When determining rod power, designers use a fixed amount of weight and hang that weight from the rod tip and note how far the tip sags. The more the tip sags, the lower the rod power. The less the tip sags, the higher the rod power.

Rod Action is where the rod bends. Rod designers trace the shape the rod takes with the weight on it to help see the rod action. When it bends mostly in the tip area of the rod it can be called a fast action rod. If the rod tends to bend in the lower part of the rod it is considered a slow action rod. Where the rod bends, or "rod action" is separate and distinct from the amount the rod bends – the "rod power".