You may have heard and seen rods referred to as fast, medium, slow, and maybe even moderate action rods. The way we categorize rods in the fly fishing industry is based on how the fly rod blank flexes. In this guide, I’ll tell you what each fly rod’s actions mean and what you can use them for. Come with me!
What is a flyrod action?
The action tells you what situations the rod will be the most suitable for – in terms of distance, fish type, fish size, fly size, water type, and atmospheric air condition (i.e. windy conditions).
Types of fly rod actions
There are broadly three types of fly rod actions. These include:
Slow action fly rods
A slow action rod has a soft midsection. It flexes down into the blank of the rod and the butt. Slow action rods are great for close-range dry fly fishing.
The fly rod bends down into the butt, the thickest part of the rod. This is referred to as a full flex or parabolic action rod by the fly fishing industry. It’s most ideal for small fish such as a panfish.
Pros – what I like about them!
- I like their flexibility, feel, and accuracy while casting
- Great for inexperienced anglers
- Great for close-range fishing
- Ideal for casting small flies for small fish
- Most suitable for nighttime fly-fishing
- Very lightweight rods
Cons – what I dislike about them
- Not ideal for casting in windy situations
- I keep them home when I need to cast big flies for big fish
- It doesn’t let me make long-range casting
- Not an option for professional anglers
Medium action fly rods
The second type of action is the medium action rod. A medium action rod flexes down in the midsection when you cast. The fly fishing industry might refer to it as a mid-flex action, a medium action, or semi-parabolic action rod.
For a medium fast action rod, you would see the flex more in the midsection. A rod with a mid to upper-tip flex is medium-fast action. A medium action rod is usually made of fiberglass or graphite.
Pros – what I like about them!
- Usually made of fiberglass, a durable and inexpensive material
- Have anticorrosion elements such as an anodized reel seat
- I often recommend them for beginners
- They’re lightweight rods
- They are flyrods built for the saltwater
Cons – what I dislike about them
- They are not the best for advanced users
- They won’t make you catch very big fish and may snap them off
Fast action fly rods
Fast action rods have a stiff but powerful lower section. They have relatively rigid, powerful midsections. You’re going to get most of the flex from your rod when you cast a fly in the tip section. That is, with the fast action rod, you have a rod that’s going to stay stiff throughout its length.
Also called the tip flex rods, they tend to be the most powerful and the least forgiving. It’s going to bend only at the very tip-top.
You know it’s essential to get your timing right. Intermediate and advanced anglers tend to use the faster rods for distance casting and for casting larger flies.
Pro-Tip
Fast action fly rods are the most suitable for advanced anglers who want big fish like largemouth bass. They’re most ideal for deep-sea fishing and when things get windy.
Pros – what I like about them!
- Stiffer and allows for greater fighting strength
- Suitable for aggressive and big fish
- They fish well in deep water
- Intermediate users can also get the hang of it
Cons – what I dislike about them
- Not very ideal for the saltwater
- They’re not for short casts
- This is not a plaything for beginners or DIYers
Slow, medium, and fast action fly rods: a side-by-side comparison
Here’s a comparison table that supplements my explanations above. It shows how all types of rod actions compare and differ in flex type, the material used, applications, distance and situations of use, experience level, and water type.
| Slow action | Medium action | Fast action | |
| Type of flex | Full flex | Mid flex | Tip flex |
| Material used | Fiberglass | Fiberglass and graphite | Carbon fiber and graphite |
| Application | For small fish like panfish | For moderate to big fish like big bass, catfish, salmons, steelheads, trouts, and striped bass | For musky, pike, and largemouth bass |
| Distance and situation of use | For short casts in shallow water and night fishing | For medium range casting | For short to long distant, deep, and windy conditions |
| Experience level | For inexperienced/intermediate anglers | For beginners | For intermediate to advanced users |
| Water type | Saltwater | For light use in freshwater and heavy use in saltwater | Heavy-duty use in freshwater |
Which flyrod action is best for beginners?
If I had to make a recommendation, I would want your first fly rod to be somewhere in the medium to medium-fast action range. Choosing a flyrod action is not a cut-and-dried thing, and there’s no perfect solution.
The good news, however, is that most of your kits and most of your entry-level rods, no matter who makes them, are all going to be in that medium-fast range.
A super-fast rod – anything longer than nine-foot and anything shorter than eight and a half foot is going to be a specialty rod.
Somewhere in the medium to the medium fast range is where you want to be as a beginner. It’s going to be the most versatile. It’s going to fit the most variety of casting styles.
Final Verdict
The action tells you a lot about which kind of casting you can do with the rod. Slow action rods have a very soft midsection, and you can use them for close-range fly fishing. Medium action rods are a little more versatile. You can fit dry flies with them.
