I purchased this rod untested so took a bit of a chance but had a long chaat through with a member of the Gamefish team before committing. The action is fairly middle to tip and generally I fish softer rods. This one took a couple of hours of fishing before I could consistently find the right stroke. Once I did, it was possible to sense the rod load and it projected line beautifully. I used a 'Sunray' Stuart Crofts 4 weight line. The action is smooth across the stated ideal range of 15' - 50' (It may be my lack of casting skills but I would say the sweet spot was in the 10' - 40' range!). The build quality and styling are great too. Good value in comparison to some other top end rods in the £900 bracket. I christened the rod on its first day out; top catch a trout just under 4lb which the Sonic handled effortlessly. The service from Gamefish was helpful, candid in discussing the rods suitability, knowledgeable and excellent. I would say this might not be a beginners rod unless you have a good casting instructor - but for intermediate or more advanced anglers who can tailor their casting style to get the most performance from the rod it is something of a classic in styling and performance.