Fishing rod tapers

Fishing rod tapers describe how much a fishing rod bends or flexes under pressure. Different tapers are used for different fishing scenarios as well as for personal preference.

Action

The action of a taper is described by the flex of the tip of a rod when pressure is applied perpendicular to the rod. Only a section of the rod starting at the tip of the rod should bend while the remainder of the rod should stay rigid.

Variations can be described in three main categories, fast, medium, or slow with variations in between each. A rod with a fast taper will only flex the top 20 percent. Medium fast and medium tapers will flex approximately 30 to 60 percent of the rod respectively. If the rod has a slow taper, almost the entire rod or blank will bend or flex under pressure.^[1]

Usage

Rod taper is important for several reasons. The feel for the lure being used and the fish being caught dictate the appropriate taper use.

A fast action tip will be used when fishing jig type lures. The angler can feel and therefore control what the lure is doing quite easily. Since only the very tip of the rod bends, when a fish strikes the angler has ample rod shaft and backbone to set the hook correctly.

In contrast to fast tapers, the slow flex rods offer the angler advantages when fighting large fish with light fishing line. This additional flex allows the rod to absorb the force of the fish as opposed to the line. This is often the angler who likes to fish split shot rigs or Lindy rigs for walleye.

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Fishing equipment and methods

Fishing tackle

Fish hook Circle hook Gaff Hookset Sniggle Fishing line Braided Knots Monofilament Multifilament Power pro Swivel Fishing sinker Arlesey Bomb Bombarda Downrigger Sandsinker Fishing rod Bamboo fly rod Fishing reel Fishing rod tapers Fly rod building Fishing bait Bait fish Boilies Chum Clonk Groundbait Vermicompost Worm charming Plastic bait Deadsticking Plastic worm Fishing lures Artificial fly Heddon Little Cleo Mormyshka Original Floater Plug Sabiki Spinnerbait Spoon lure Spoonplug Surface lure Swimbait Topwater lure Zara Spook Bite indicators Fishing float Pellet waggler Shortfloating Quiver tip Fishing rig Carolina rig Chod rig Hair rig Texas rig Apparel Creel Diving mask Hip boot Personal flotation device Snorkel Waders Wetsuit Other Fish stringer Tackle box

Fishing techniques

Gathering Abalone Ama divers Clam digging Flounder tramping Gathering seafood by hand Noodling Pearl hunting Scallop aquaculture Trout binning Trout tickling Spears Bowfishing Gigging Harpoon Hawaiian sling Polespear Spearfishing Speargun Trident Fishing lines Angling Dropline Drum lines Handline fishing Jiggerpole Jigging Jug fishing Longline fishing Spin fishing Tip-up Trolling Trotline Fishing nets Cast net Cheena vala Drift net Ghost nets Gill net Glass floats Haaf net Hand net Ice jigger Lampara net Lampuki net Lave net Lift net Salambaw Seine net Surrounding net Tangle net Trawl net Turtle excluder device Fish traps Almadraba Barrier net Corf Crab trap Double-Heart of Stacked Stones Eel buck Fish corral Fish nest Fish wheel Fishing basket Fishing weir Lobster trap Putcher fishing Trabucco Other Basnig Blast fishing Cormorant fishing Cyanide fishing Dredging Electrofishing Electric pulse fishing Fish aggregating device Fish toxins Fishfinder Fishing light attractor Flossing Ice fishing Kite fishing Muro-ami Otter fishing Pa-aling Payaos Shrimp baiting Snagging