TFO Medium Rod VS. TFO Medium-Light Rod
- By: Wyatt Parcel
- on February 1, 2022
Should you choose to go with the Medium action rod or the Medium-Light action rod?
What are the major differences between the two types of rod builds?
Different factors come into play for a variety of fishing scenarios that determine which rod you should use!
Find out more below!!
TFO Medium VS. Medium Light
For this fishing rod comparison, we are using the TFO Pro S Spinning Rod to compare Medium VS. Medium-Light.
The Medium-Light rod is indicated by silver tape down near the reel seat and gold tape for the Medium rod.
Medium VS. Medium-Light
The Medium action spinning rod is the go-to rod for most inshore fishing scenarios.
This is because it pairs well with a lot of soft plastic lures used for inshore saltwater fishing.
If you are using paddletail lures, topwater lures, or other soft plastics, the Medium rod will better load the lures up to cast far.
Medium-Light rods are not meant for heavier lures or plugs because they will take longer to load the lure and cast much shorter.
Heavier lures mean you want to go with a heavier rod like the Medium action.
Furthermore, if you are using a heavier plastic lure made of TPE material or you are using weighted hooks, you want a rod with enough backbone to dig the hook through the soft plastic when setting the hook.
The Medium rod will perform better in this scenario.
On the other hand, Medium-Light rods do have their own set of advantages compared to Medium.
The Medium-Light rod is the way to go when you are using light tackle and light lures.
Medium-Light rods have a bit more action in the rod and are better suited for casting lightweight tackle.
You will cast lighter lures much further using a Medium-Light rod as opposed to a Medium rod.
Additionally, if you are doing lots of jigging and rod movement then the Medium-Light will create better action and be easier on your arms as you jig up and down.
The major disadvantage when fishing with a Medium-Light rod is hook setting power.
You do not have as hard of hook set power with the Medium-Light rod when compared to the Medium.
If you find yourself missing fish or the hook point is pulled out, you should switch over to the Medium rod to increase your hook-up ratio.
Which Rod Type Is Best For Inshore Fishing?
The Medium will cover all the basics for inshore saltwater fishing.
The power and ability to cast a variety of different weighted lures far as well as increased hook setting power set the Medium apart from the Medium-Light.
TFO Medium VS. Medium Light [VIDEO]
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Conclusion
Having the right fishing rod for the type of fishing scenarios you find yourself in is more important than having a great reel.
Your rod is the tool you use to cast and bring those fish in and if you are using the wrong setup for inshore fishing, you might just be losing out on fish that are well within your reach!
Be sure to find the rod that works best for you and for the soft plastic lures or hard body plugs you enjoy fishing with!!
Do you have any more questions on the TFO Medium VS. Medium-Light rod tutorial?
Let us know down in the comments!
And if you know someone who wants to learn more about the TFO Medium VS. Medium-Light rods, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
P.S. – Want to make explosive, perfect, and masterful casts with your spinning rod, to reach the trophy fish that have no idea you are there… to cast like the pros, all while using less effort than ever before? Check out Casting Mastery.
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Extraordinary data Wyatt , what might be a decent reel to add on these poles.
Wyatt, nice presentation. I have been waiting for both these rods to come in to stock.
Is there any information on availability?
Fishing in the Bald Head Island and Oak Island area I’m using between 1/8 – 1/2 oz.
If I were to purchase one for now what would be your suggestion be?
Thanks for your help.
Kenny
Wyatt, I love your info, detail and focus on results, but please pause, take a breath and slow down your delivery, my brain does not adsorb as fast as you speak without pauses. Good stuff but hard to listen to effectively.
Gold information Wyatt. Good comparisons that make a lot of sense.
Absolutely Mel! Glad you enjoyed this one!
Great video Wyatt- I always have used Medium or Medium heavy rods. Thanks for the breakdown
No problem Pablo! It all comes down to what you’re comfortable with in the end… my statements are a mixture of rod dynamics and personal preferences with presentations, but you should fish whatever you feel comfortable with in the end!
Great video.. Question. How does hook set come into play with these different rods. And does hook design matter much. I know when im catching specs when their moths are sore from eating a lot of shrimp hook set must be pretty gentle. And does it matter if you pull straight up or from the side setting hooks with either or any rod for that matter?
With lighter power rods, you’ll have to put more effort into the hookset to make sure the rod transfers the right amount of force to set the hook. With heavier actions, less force is required. As you mentioned (and I referenced in the video) trout are great at throwing hooks because of their thin mouths. I prefer lighter action rods to not only give me more room for error on not setting the hook *too* hard, but when they headshake, their movements are better absorbed and proper tension is more efficiently applied so that the hook does not easily get thrown. A stiffer medium rod might put too much tension with little reprieve during head shakes, making it easier for a trout to tear a larger hole with the hook as it shakes, allowing the hook to pop out.
Hope that makes sense, and thanks for watching Juan!
Great information. I’m inshore fishing in NC from Sneads Ferry to South Topsail. Because we have should a changing tidal swing with the strong currents, I have always used MH rods. Your thoughts?
Again, it will depend of your lure/presentation in relation to how much tidal movement you have in a specific area…
In the Carolinas on a typical day, I used to typically bring out two different rods. A medium for jigging 1/4 oz jigs for flounder and reds on the bottom, and a medium light for swimming/swinging a 3/16th or 1/8th oz jig around a point or oyster bar for trout. The presentation and lure calls for different rods. These different pairings can affect casting and presentation, but it takes a lot of playing with to learn and feel the differences.
I hope that example helps give you some insight to my preferences, but in the end, it comes down to what you’re comfortable with!
Very good video on the medium and medium light rods good information
Absolutely Perrin! Thanks for watching!
Hey Wyatt! So let me get this…and I’m using Luke as reference as well. We have MH, M, and ML for selections and I totally understand the functions of the tip and backbone of the rod. Now I remember Luke not too long ago testing the Alabama Lepeachaun on an owner twist lock hook with MH vs M, and he mentioned the hookset greatly improved with the MH than M. Your experience differs a bit on your lure selection, but I was wondering if Luke experienced better hooksets on a MH, then why not use that instead? Is their some type of range or style of lures vs. what type of rod action to choose. I think their should be some type of a friendly chart to know sample recommended lures to rod relation setup if you know what I mean. Thank you Wyatt! I’m just curious on the subject. I’m sure it can help us understand the correct rod to purchase a little easier according the style you’re going for.
To each angler there will be different preferences, but it’s undeniable that as you increase the power (medium light –> medium–> medium heavy) of the rod, you will see increased power in the hookset.
The problem you run into is how those increased power rods load smaller baits, or even affect the presentations.
Luke’s retrieves and preferences are different than mine, and I even know some anglers who only use light action rods for the niche presentations that they’re skilled with, and do great. It’s about finding what you like to use!
I almost never use MH rods, because I don’t really like the feel as I work lures, and some of my finesse presentations don’t seem to have the same erratic actions with the stiffer rod. They also don’t load and cast the smaller presentations the way the I like.
I will however bump my lighter rods up to beefier medium power rods if I’m in an area with larger fish or I’m using larger presentations that the right load on the casts, and work the presentation more efficiently.
It’s tough to create a chart because there is no set standard among rod companies for true “medium” or “medium light” or any other action/power out there. They vary from each manufacturer. Some companies run heavy, while others run light. A medium heavy in a G Loomis might feel more like a medium in TFO. I know this adds to the confusion, but it comes down to trying and feeling rods before you purchase, and finding what works for you.
I hope this adds some clarification!
I totally get it Wyatt! I appreciate you clarifying that…I figured at the end it’s about “feel” and you’re right every rod can feel different to a person…same goes like everyone’s different perspective as long as the technique is done correctly and comfortable to yourself. Yeah too many variables.
Love it Wyatt! I agree with you 100%. I have one ML set up and only use it while throwing fine wire exposed hooks like a Ned Rig. Works great in those situations as long as you don’t have to pull the fish from structure.
I 100% agree! Thanks for watching Pat!