Power

The power of the rod determines how stiff the rod blank is when certain pressure is applied to it. Rod power usually ranges from Ultra Light all the way to Extra Heavy though some tackle companies use rare terms like Extra Extra Extra Heavy to describe the stiffness of their rod. The heavier the rating indicates that the rod blank can handle more weight and therefore can be used to catch bigger fish. For example, a medium power rod will bend much more than a heavy power rod when a 6 oz sinker is attached to both of them. Power is used to determine the line rating and lure weight of a rod. Some tackle companies or products use line ratings instead to demonstrate the stiffness of the rod. The same pattern is applied where heavier the line ratings means a stiffer rod for bigger fish. It is important to note that different companies have different standards about the power of the rod. This means the same power rod from two different companies may have a completely different stiffness. This also applies to different products within the same company where they might also have completely different stiffnesses. This is why when choosing your rod, the power only gives you the relative stiffness of the blank when compared to another rod in the same series, so to get more specific information, also look at line ratings or lure weights to get a better understanding on what size fish this rod is made for.

Action

On the other hand, the action of the rod determines how fast the rod will bend based on where on the rod it will start bending. Action ranges from slow that are usually made for fly fishing to extra fast which is common bass fishing techniques. A faster rod means that the rod will start bending more toward the tip where a slower rod will bend more in the middle section. Generally you want a faster action when the lure you are using needs a lot of twitching the rod or a quicker, powerful hook set is required. This is because when you are using a fast action rod that only bends on the tip, the blank will have a stiffer lower section known as the back bone which gives anglers more precise control over rod movement. And as for a slower rod, like moderate or slow actions, you will need a rod like that when you are fishing lures that have treble hooks and when you want to prevent hooks from tearing fish’s mouth. Slower action rods are more forgiving and have a wider bend, this makes them excellent at absorbing shocks from  aggressive fish species and prevents hooks, especially treble hooks, from having a movement too sudden that just rips the hook out of the fish’s mouth. The general standard for where the rod will start bending is 50% for slow action, 40% for moderate action, 30% for moderate fast, 20% for fast, and 10% for extra fast. However, just like power, actions still vary from manufacture to manufacture, but in the end you only need to get a general idea on how the rod will behave in your hand.