Rod Power and Action/Taper

Rods are categorized into power and action (sometimes called taper) ratings where:

  • Power: Power refers to the amount of energy (force) required to flex (or bend) the rod. It is measured in weight, as in heavy or light. Lighter rods require little power to flex – bend the rod and heavier rods require more weight to flex – bend the rod. Power (energy) comes from the angler. Power is displaced during the hook set and during the retrieve when landing the bass. 
  • Action (Taper): Action refers to where (and how) the rod addresses the power across the rod by bending at the rod tip, middle of the rod or throughout the whole rod. Action is measured in the terms of speed, as in fast or moderate. The speed refers to relative speed to which the rod straightens.
Why is Rod Power and Action Important?

Rod Selection: Rod power is important for selecting:

Rod Power, measure in weight (heavy, light), is important to:

  • Manage Lure Weight: Heavier lures require more power or it will be difficult to cast, retrieve, landing a bass as it has a higher potential of breakage with light power. Light lures do not require much power. 
  • Consider Cover : As it can be difficult to get bass out of thick grass cover and other thick cover so targeting cover requires a higher power rod.  
  • Hook Set Considerations: Thick wire hooks require more power in the hook set where thin wire hooks, including treble hooks, generally do not require much power. In other words, lures that require drop and set firm hook sets generally have thicker wire hooks and thus require a rod with more power than reel and rod hooks sets require the least power.

Rod Action, measured in speed (moderate, fast), is important for:

  • Casting Distance: Rods that bend in the middle, moderate action rods, provide more flex resulting in longer casts.
  • Casting Accuracy: Rods that bend at the tip, fast action rods, have less flex providing better casting control.
  • Sensitivity: Rods that bend at the tip, fast action rods, provide the least flex allowing for better identifying: fish on, cover, and bottom composition.
  • Landing a Bass: Rods that bend in the middle, moderate action rods, provide the most flex throughout the rod thus can be best for landing a bass.
  • Lure Action: 
    • Faster Rods, (action = fast, extra fast) rods that bend at the tip, provide more rod based control to impart lure action.
    • More Moderate Rods, (action = moderate, moderate fast) rods that bend throughout the rod, help enable lure’s natural action. 
  • Minimize Line Breakage: A moderate rod, rod that flexes throughout the rod, will help absorb impact of lures getting snagged on cover, have too heavy drag set, or other forgiveness scenarios.
  • Hook Set Considerations:
    • Drop and Set Firm Hook Sets:  Faster rods will help displace the rod’s power quicker than more moderate speed rods.
    • Pull/Sweep Hook Sets: More moderate rods will temper, slow down, the power applied to the hook set, which can be beneficial for some pull/sweep hook sets. 
    • Rod and Reel Hook Sets: In some cases, faster action rods can help with hook sets when using a spinning rod.
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Rod Power and Action Options
  • Rod Power Rod power is a relative measure of the amount of force (energy) required to bend/flex the rod. Bass rods generally are:
    • Extra Heavy: Takes the most force to bend the rod/flex as compared to other rods the manufacturer’s offers.  Common for baitcaster rods. 
    • Heavy: Take some force to bend the rod. Common for baitcaster rods.
    • Medium Heavy: Common for baitcaster rods
    • Medium: A rating for that manufacturer’s offering for both spinning rods and baitcaster rods.
    • Medium Light: Common for spinning rods.
    • Light: Takes the least force to bend/flex the rod as compared to other rods the manufacturer’s offerings. Common for spinning rods.
    • Rod Terminology based on Power:
      • Heavy Rods: Generally are baitcasters rods sometimes referred to as “stiff”, or having “more backbone” a “stout rod”, a “stick rod”, a “power rod” or a “broom stick” which generally means too much power or at least extra heavy.
      • Light Rod: Generally are spinning rods sometimes referred to as a “finesse rod”, a “light rod”, a “worm rod”, a “drop shot rod”, or a  “fairy or sissy stick”. 
  • Rod Action: Rod action, sometimes called taper, refers to how the rod addresses the power across the rod, for example is the bent in the middle of the rod (also express as throughout the rod) or (slow to return to straight) or at the tip of the rod (fast to return to straight). Manufacturer’s options:
    • Extra Fast: Least bend and at the rod tip and thus the fastest rod. Common with single hook lures and some bottom contact lures. Most sensitivity, most cast accuracy, easiest to create rod induced lure action, quick hook sets.
    • Fast: Less action/taper than extra fast.
    • Moderate Fast: Slower than fast with more bend towards the middle of the rod.  
    • Moderate: Generally, the slowest rod for bass fishing.  The bend is in the middle of the rod and common with treble hook lures especially those minimal contact lures. Moderate rods provide the most cast distance, most shock absorption, most forgiveness(fighting fish), most lure action during a straight retrieve and best catch rates for landing a bass.
    • Slow: Generally not used in bass fishing.
    • Rod Terminology based on Action:
      • Fast: Sometimes referred to as “speed stick”, “quick rod”.
      • Moderate: Sometimes referred to as a “parabolic rod”,  “flex rod”, “soft tip rod”, “casting cane”,  “crankbait rod”, “forgiveness”.
    Some manufacturers do not provide an action rating. 
Rod Action/Taper
Additional Considerations
  • Rod Power considerations include:
    • Hook Sets:
      • Thick Wire Hook: Require more power.
      • Thin Wire Hook:  Require less power.
  • Rod Action consideration include:
    • Fishing Line Type Choice: The amount of stretch of the fishing line can impact rod action selection as line with little stretch requires a rod with more flex to help ensure landing the bass on when landing the bass.
      • Braid: No stretch thus in some scenarios, for example horizontal presentations, requires a slower rod (more moderate rod) as the rod has to provide the forgiveness. 
      • Fluorocarbon: Medium stretch as such a faster rod could be used.
      • Monofilament: Most stretch so a faster rod can be used.
  • Relative Ratings: Power and Action are relative ratings good for comparing within one manufactures rod offering but less accurate when comparing between manufactures.
    • Stay with One Rod Manufacture: Some suggest staying with one rod manufacture for all rods due to the relative rating between manufactures. 
  • Manufacturer’s Functional Ratings: Some manufactures produce rods for specific purposes which take ideal power and action into account. For example you can purchase a drop shot rod, frog lure rod, (lipped) crankbait rod, flipping stick, etc.
  • Adjust Based on Your Hook Set Style: If you are using a rod to make a large, hard drop and set firm hook set you will need a slower rod to absorb some of the hook set (as you will be using braid with no stretch) and if you have a lighter drop and set firm hook set you will need a faster rod (stiffer rod).
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