fast actioin vs. moderate action

 i know, as an infrequent fly fisherman, that i cast much better with a softer action rod.  what applications would a fast action rod be best for?  can smaller trout rods still be effective with a fast action? 

m, if i were to get a back up to my 5wt, should i get another moderate or a fast?   6.7 and kjh have me convinced to try a tfo next.  i love the fact that it is a blue-collar priced rod. 

In my opinion a fast action rod is very good for big fliesand also for tricky casting conditions where wind or obstacles may prevent using the rod to it's full advantage. Like roll casting a nymph and three split shot in between 6 other fishermen so you can get just the right drift in the project hole or the stop sign hole. SA fast action rod will usually cast farther anc more accurately than a slow or medium. But unless you're really good I doubt you'll see much differencein overall performance. Use what feels best.

If you are interested in a particular rod, such as a TFO, and it feels a bit fast for your taste you might consider overlining it by a line weight. That is, try a 5wt line on a 4wt rod, etc. Being that I like my rods to be somewhat slower in action, I find myself overlining most of the rods that I use by at least one weight. Good luck, the search is half the fun!

when I was building rods for sale, I had a process I went through with each person who wanted a fly rod to pick the weight, length, action, etc. Action, i.e. relative flex characteristics, is determined by your style of casting. If you like to really push a rod hard, haul on every cast regardless of length, and you're comfortable with not feeling the road load as much then a faster action is for you. If you have a naturally quick tempo to your casting stroke then a faster rod is for you. If you would rather feel a rod load, like to just pick up line and set it back down, or have a slower casting stroke, then a slower rod is for you. The intended use of the rod has little to no bearing on the casting action required. You are far better to pick a rod based on your natural casting stroke and style than to pick one because it is better for that application.

The only time that I feel it is advisable to move up to a little faster rod than normal is if you're (1) a really good caster AND (2) you're casting a full line all day, normally on the beach in saltwater. In that case, you're already double hauling line all day. A 'normal' casting stroke for a moderate rod with the added haul will normally overload the action beyond what a person is used to feeling. Plus, when you've got 60' of line moving backwards to lay out on the backcast, it takes a little while. Having a rod that is too slow and requires exact timing will be more critical than a slightly faster rod (though not the fastest as they will be just as critical).

I would pick the backup rod to have a very similar action to the rod you already have.

Thanks
Rick

yep X 3. Join the Honorable Brotherhood of Anglers Who Believe in Using Equipment that Suits Us, Rather than what Rod Manufacturers Want Us to Buy.