Sigmund Clooney

Picking the perfect rod for your needs is something that will come down to several variables. The size of your line, bait, lure, and fish you are targeting comes into play when selecting the right rod. Add in the fact that some lure types require specific rod actions to maximize their performance and choosing the right rod can make things even more complicated.

One of the most straightforward ways to see if a rod is right for you is to take a look at the information printed right on the rod.

Rods are rated for specific lure weights and line sizes, which is the first piece of the puzzle. Manufacturers include this information to share what that rod was built for and what it can handle. Using too light (or too heavy) of a lure can impact the rod’s performance and casting ability. The same is true of the line rating: using too heavy of a line can potentially damage a rod or even cause breakage.

The first step to picking the right rod is to check the rod’s lure and line rating and then continue to evaluate rod length, power, and action.

Rod length is something that often comes down to personal preference and it can also be beneficial to choose a rod length based on your height. If you are of shorter stature, a long rod can be unwieldy when casting.

Another factor to consider is where you are fishing as a longer rod can greatly help cast a distance from fishing from shore. However, a shorter rod may be a better option if you are fishing around overhanging trees and obstacles.

When talking bass fishing, two of the most popular sizes are 6’6,” and 7’ as these are versatile lengths that can do just about everything. It is no surprise that the Ugly Stik Elite Casting rod is offered in these two lengths only. An angler can do just about everything with these two rod sizes.

Rods under 6’6” are ideal for trout, panfish, and younger anglers. Longer rods over 7’ are popular for some bass fishing techniques such as using swimbaits and crankbaits and longer rods are also the go-to choice for anglers targeting salmon and steelhead.

A rod’s power is just like it sounds and is rated based on the lure, fish size, and line it can handle. The actions range from ultra-light to extra extra-heavy and everywhere in between.

Ultra-light rods are ideal for smaller fish and light lures, but they can make fighting bigger fish a fun challenge. Light rods are the next step up and have slightly more power.

Medium is a universal rod power and also includes popular rods that are medium-light and also medium-heavy. For bass fishing, a medium-heavy is one of the most versatile options you can choose. A standard medium also works well for a variety of fishing techniques and a medium-light spinning rod is an excellent option for lighter lures, while still having enough power to land bigger fish.

Moving up to the heavy rod power, some ratings also include extra-heavy and even heavier. These rods are typically best for heavy line, big lures, and when targeting bigger fish.

Simply put, a rod’s action is where the rod bends when pressure is applied. The most common rod actions are fast, moderate, and slow. They are broken down even further to include Extra-Fast, Medium Fast, Moderate Fast, etc. Like the names suggest, they all bend at different places of the rod and each has its benefits.

Each of the available actions is preferred for certain types of fishing. For the most part, all of the rods with a fast action variation will be the most sensitive, and these are better for lures where contact with the bottom is critical.

Moderate actions bend further down into the rod and create a more significant arc when fighting fish and retrieving lures. They are ideal for moving baits such as crankbaits and other faster-moving lures where rod sensitivity is not as crucial. While they may lack some sensitivity, moderate rods gain casting distance as the bend in the rod helps to catapult lures further.

If you often work with office files, you may have come across an ODT document. Someone may have shared one in place of a DOCX file. We’ll explain what ODT files are and how you open one.

A file with the “.odt” extension is an OpenOffice Document file. These documents are typically created using programs like Apache OpenOffice Writer and LibreOffice Writer, word processors comparable to Microsoft Word and Google Docs. ODT files are similar to file formats created using Word, such as DOCX and DOC. They contain formatted text, images, links, and page information used for document creation and printing.

ODT files are part of the Open Document Format (ODF) standard, also known as OpenDocument. Other ODF file extensions include OpenDocument Sheets (ODS) for spreadsheets and OpenDocument Presentations (ODP) for slideshows. These files are widely compatible with other office suites and are relatively easy to convert back and forth to different file types.

There are several ways to open an ODT file. The best way to open an ODT file and retain all its formattings is to use office applications with native ODF compatibility. These include the Apache OpenOffice suite and the offshoot LibreOffice suite, which are fairly similar programs. The main difference is their ownership and development; OpenOffice is owned by Apache and has had a history of developmental hiccups, while LibreOffice is open-source and is actively maintained. You can learn about these two office programs in our comparison.

If you use Microsoft Office, you can open ODT files using Microsoft Word. While you likely won’t get complete compatibility, you can get quite close. With the release of Office 2021, Microsoft upgraded the suite, including Word, with better support for the newest OpenDocument 1.3 standard. Improvements included better support for page numbers, headers and footers, and content control.

You can also open OpenDocument files through other office suites with varying degrees of compatibility. Google Docs allows you to open an ODT file as a Google Docs document and edit it directly. Google Docs also lets you export documents to ODT files. You can also open ODT files using Corel WordPerfect. If you’re using a Mac, you can use LibreOffice’s native Mac application or NeoOffice, an OpenOffice and LibreOffice offshoot specifically developed for macOS.

If you want to open an ODT file on a mobile device, you can check out Collabora Office, a LibreOffice-based office suite available on iOS and Android. This will ensure the highest level of compatibility possible. Many document viewers and office suites are available on the App Store and Google Play Store, some of which can open ODT files for general viewing purposes.

RELATED: Here's What's New in Microsoft Office 2021 (and How Much It Costs)

Converting ODT files is pretty simple. If you have an ODT file open in Microsoft Word or LibreOffice Writer, all you have to do is select “Save As” and save it in your desired format. You can select all standard word processing file types, such as DOCX, XML, or HTML.

You can also convert an ODT file into a cloud-based Google Document by opening it inside the Google Docs suite. Much like importing a DOCX file, this immediately converts it into a file that is editable through Google Docs. You can also export it into Google Docs’ available export formats, such as DOCX and PDF.

You can also convert an ODT file to a permanent file format like PDF using any office suite. In Microsoft Office or LibreOffice, you can directly save a file as a PDF or use a PDF driver like Microsoft Print-to-PDF or Adobe Acrobat. You can use printing options to set up things like page sizes, borders, and page selection.

OpenDocument file formats were built to be highly compatible with the OpenOffice suite. If you know that you’ll be working with ODF files constantly, you should consider downloading Apache OpenOffice or LibreOffice on your computer. These are both free programs with much of the same functionality as Microsoft Office.

One thing that you should always consider before working across file formats is interoperability. While Microsoft Office can open ODT files and OpenOffice Writer can open DOCX files, they’re not going to be perfect conversions. To ensure maximum compatibility, coordinate with your team and work in the same file format as much as possible.

Do you need to know how to open other unfamiliar file types? Check out our guides on RTF files and XML files.

RELATED: What Is an RTF File, and How Do I Open One?