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A fi shing rod works as an extension of the angler's arm to propel a hook or lure into water. When the rod bends, the power of the recoil propels the weight on the end of the line (or in the case of a fl y rod, the weight of the line itself). Action describes how much the rod bends when pressure is put on the tip. A fast action rod is stiffer and will bend only near the tip, whereas a slow action rod will bend all the way into the lower portion of the rod. Fast action rods provide better sensitivity to a bite and faster hook-setting capability, but medium action rods provide more casting distance because the recoil of the rod is greater as it straightens out after a casting motion. Medium action rods are a good choice for beginning anglers. Some manufacturers will also refer to the power of a rod. This describes the strength or lifting power of the rod and is related to the weight of the line it can handle and the lure weights it can cast most effectively. For example, an ultra-light rod should be strung with a light line and can be used to cast very light lures. The action and power of the rod is largely determined by its materials. Most rods will be made up of graphite, fi berglass or a combination of these materials. Line guides, or eyelets, control the line during the cast and distribute the stress on the rod when pressure is applied to the line. The guides on most rods will be graduated, with larger rings near the reel and smaller near the tip. The graduated sizes help reduce the friction of the line on the guides as it uncoils during the cast. The location of the guides will depend on the reel intended for it. Spinning rods will have guides on the bottom of the rods and casting rods will have guides on the top. The length of a rod varies and depends largely on the angler's preference, and most rods are made of two pieces that connect together and are between 5 and 6½ feet long. Fly rods are much longer and often break apart into several pieces. Most rods will have length, action and recommended line weight imprinted near the base of the handle. To start with, a 5½-foot rod is a good length. RODS Butt End Grip Reel Seat Line Guides Rod Tip SPIN-CASTING REELS Spin-cast or close-faced reels are the best choice for novice anglers because they operate with the push of a button and are diffi cult to tangle. Like spinning reels, the spool on a spin-caster remains stationary during the cast and retrieve. As the name suggests, the spool is enclosed in a cover. Instead of using a bail to pick up line, a spin-caster has a pin mechanism that works inside the cover to wrap the line around the spool. The pin is retracted to free the line for casting by pushing a button on the back of the reel. Most spin-cast reels are positioned on the topside of the rod. SPINNING REELS Unlike casting reels, which have a rotating spool, the spool on an open- faced spinning reel is fi xed, and a bail wraps the line onto the spool as the handle turns. The concept of a fi xed spool evolved from a French method of wrapping line around a wine bottle and then using a sidearm cast to allow the weight of the bait to pull the line off of the bottle. (You can make a simple caster like this with fi shing line affi xed to an empty soda can.) Before casting with a spinning reel, the line must be released by fl ipping the bail to the open position. Because this type of reel creates little friction during casts, it can typically cast farther than a bait-caster. Additionally, spinning reels can handle very light line and rarely backlash. Spinning reels, like fl y reels, are positioned on the underside of the rod. OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION 6 CHAPTER 2 ● EQUIPMENT