Fly Rods : Guide to Fly Rod Flex & Action

The Kootenai River in Montana

If any aspect of a fly rod and the terminology that goes with it is misunderstood, it has to be about the action of a fly rod. Virtually all fly rods list what their action is - such as mid-action, fast-action, slow-action and so on. Unfortunately, unless you know something about fly rods, knowing what the action of a fly rod is doesn't really do you much good. Moreover, since many people think a "fast-action" must be good because they are, well, "fast action", more than a few anglers have bought these type of rods only to have unhappy results when using them.

So, before plunking down any money for a fly rod, it is very necessary to understand fly rod action and fly rod flex. Equally important, though, is to understand that the type of fly rod action you want in a fly rod depends ENTIRELY on what you will be fly fishing for and where you will be fly fishing. Plan on fly fishing for monster trout on a big river? Then a fast action may be just right for you. Or do you plan on fly fishing for wary brown trout in some spring creek somewhere? If you do, then a fast-action fly rod is most definitely not welcome.

In short, before purchasing a fly rod, it is absolutely critical that you know more or less what type of fish you will be fly fishing for and where you will be fishing. This Buyers Guide article to fly rod action and fly rod flex will break things down, providing information on what the various "actions" and "flex" of a fly rod are - and which type of fishing situations a particular fly rod is designed for.

Enough said. Now let's get started into breaking things down a bit.

Fly Rod Action Explained

The action of a fly rod refers to how flexible the fly rod is. If you forget everything else on this website, try to remember this. The action of a fly rod is simply a fancy measure of how flexible the fly rod is.

There are three main "actions" of a fly rod. Fly rods are generally labeled as being "fast action", "medium action" or "slow action". To confuse things further, in terms of flexibility, fast action fly rods are also called tip flex fly rods. Medium action rods are often called mid-flex fly rods. Slow action fly rods are frequently known as full flex fly rods. So, let's discuss what each of these actions mean in the real world - which means when you're out on the river.

• Fast Action Fly Rods
• Medium Action Fly Rods
• Slow Action Fly Rods
• Fly Rod Action Summary

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