Prompted by the 'what makes fast' thread, thought better to open a new thread than meander a good one,

'Fast' is the buzz word of rod manufacturers, sounds cool, everyone aspires to faster, 'slow' sounds dull in comparison,

but what does 'fast' do for us?

First you have to define fast, or maybe even fast what!

Frank

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Frank Williams APGAI

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fast is only fast compared to slow really but lets say 'fast action rod' and throw it wide.

Fast / tip action (high AA) rod is more efficient for long casts because it allows wider casting arch and therefore results higher line speed yet produces longer straight line path resulting narrow line loop because tip action rod span gets shorter when it bends.

does that translate to fishing?

Ohanzee,

You will remember that surprising distance casting experiment at the casting club when three of us cast my ultra slow early 1990s 7.5 ft 3/4 weight. Several casts well over 90ft - and a couple over 100 ft - so it isn't distance!

I wonder if the fastest rods require timing so exquisite that the average caster can't cast very well with them. That's certainly the case with me and I cast further and more importantly much better with medium action rods.

I'm guessing here, but presumably if the rod recovers faster it will, all other things being equal, result in higher line speed. This in turn must result in more kinetic energy (KE = 1/2mv2) so allowing the caster to cover more distance for a given amount of effort. Or am I wrong again?
Angus

It can. I and many others like faster action rods for heavier lines and for longer fishing range.

Excuse me. this is a subject I would not normally get involved with but are you discussing best in relation to a casting rod or a fishing rod...

Andy

We have to be careful though too heavy a line sure slows down a quick rod! It's a funny old game (which makes it interesting).

Colin.