Are you ready to tackle the big world of Trout fishing? The species ranges from a few inches in size to multiple feet and over 20 pounds, and they live everywhere from tiny streams to the Great Lakes. The range of ecosystems, sizes, and behaviors leads to some pretty intensive conversations about the best Trout fishing rods…
Conventional rods and fly rods are both popular. Anglers can find general-purpose rods that work nearly everywhere, along with specialized rods for specific styles of fishing. Every Trout you’ll encounter is beautiful, regardless of the rod you pick. Read on to learn more about the options for most Trout situations you might come across!
Basic Trout Rod Categories
This list constitutes the core rod categories used to catch Trout. Within each, there are many additional rod lengths, weights, and build styles. Learning about the methods used to build rods is interesting and you might even find yourself building a custom rod at some point, but let’s take a look at the most common sticks out there:
Fly Rods
Fly fishing and Trout are the perfect match. Many Trout feed on insects, and flies are designed to imitate many specific insect profiles. The range of rods used is extensive with weights running from 0–8 being common for the species.
Fly rods come with slow, medium, medium-fast, and fast actions and they’re made from different materials that all offer unique performance features. I have at least a dozen different fly rods that I use for Trout but you can do really well with one or two dedicated rods and a handful of fly lines that float and sink at different rates.
Spincasting
In the world of conventional tackle, spincasting outfits are the best for Trout fishing in my opinion. They’re intuitive and have a low learning curve. Spinning-style rods and reels are also versatile and easy to manage, untangle, adjust the drag, and use while casting, jigging, trolling, etc. You can even use them through the ice in a pinch! If there’s one rod style to carry for general Trout fishing outside of fly rods, it’s a spinning setup.
Ice Fishing Rods
For those new to the sport, ice fishing rods will look like underpowered miniatures that won’t handle much weight. They’re only a few feet long and have small reels, too. However, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the capabilities of these short and light rods. They’re excellent at getting leverage and fully flexing to play a fish. I’ve even used them for casting in the summer just for fun! Ice fishing rods are unique and they make it possible to execute sensitive hook sets and haul big Trout through your hole.
Baitcasting Rods
Baitcasting setups are generally preferred for pitching and making accurate casts to Bass and warm water species. They offer exceptional control and the ability to stop the cast, so it lands with great accuracy. This style of fishing is conducive to warm water species as they favor structure and weed beds that require such accuracy.
While less popular for Trout, skilled baitcasters can have an advantage, especially in areas with heavy log jams, overhanging branches, and other obstacles that require a more accurate approach.
Trout Fishing Rods: Length, Weight, Action
This is where things start to fine-tune for preference and different conditions and techniques. Rods come in so many different sizes that it’s truly overwhelming at first. We’ll cover the most common and versatile options, followed by the outer range of specialty rods and why they’re important.
Long vs. Short Rods
For conventional tackle (ice rods excluded), a rod in the 6–7 foot range is the norm. They’ll satisfy you for just about everything in the world of Trout fishing. Shorter rods are available at 5–6 feet long and they tend to favor ultralight fishing. Conversely, longer rods in the 7–8 foot range have heavier capabilities.
For fly rods, a typical Trout rod runs at 8–9 feet in length. Shorter rods are available for small streams and tight casts, while longer rods also exist for specialty high-sticking techniques.
Start with the middle ground for your first Trout rod – whether fly or spin fishing – and add something bigger and smaller when the need arises. Most anglers fish a single rod type on their home waters, using it frequently. Make an assessment of the Trout in your region before determining the best matching rod outfit.
What weight rod is best?
After settling on length, weight is the next major factor. Weight is relative to the size of fish you’ll be targeting, and also to the rod’s ability to handle heavy or lightweight lures and lines. The ways of designating weight are different between conventional and fly tackle…
For spinning and baitcasting rods, weight is notated as ultra-light, light, medium-light, medium, or heavy. Different manufacturers have other ways of showing weight but they’re all intuitive. For general Trout fishing, a medium-light weight rod is excellent. If you target smaller fish in small waters, look to the lighter options. If you run heavier gear, a medium rod is great. Heavy is rare for Trout unless you’re trolling deep waters.
For fly rods, the weight must match the line weight. 0–4 wt rods are made for small streams and lighter applications. They’re perfect for dry fly fishing in creeks and ponds. I love a 4 wt rod for most of my small stream fishing and it has enough power to land a slightly larger fish if needed. 5–7 wt rods are the most versatile for fly fishing, with a 9′, 5–6 wt rod as the do-all option for fly anglers. Meanwhile, 7–8 wt rods are used for heavy steamer fishing and sinking lines.
Best Rod Actions for Trout Fishing
Lastly, you’ll need to consider action to settle on the final component of a Trout rod. For spinning rods, most actions run on the fast side. Faster actions allow for more energy transfer in the rod tip and more power in a short motion. A fast-action spinning rod means you can snap the cast quickly to sling lures and gear with less effort and load time.
Fly rods run from slow to fast actions with the most common option being a medium-fast rod for Trout. Slow to medium-loading rods are specialized for casters who prefer a longer, slower loading motion. Fast actions are excellent for fishing heavy nymphs and streamers, and for casting in the wind. Medium-fast will suffice for all-around performance, however.
Single- vs. Two-Hand Fly Rods
The world of fly fishing is divided between single-hand and two-hand (spey) fishing styles. For the large majority of Trout fishing, a single-hand rod is used. But in some cases, a two-hand rod can deliver a specialized advantage. Swinging flies for larger anadromous Trout is the primary instance but spey rods are also used for lighter streamer swings when it makes sense to cover ground rather than focus on a single feeding lane.
Spey rods are longer, with models in the 11–14 foot range. For Trout, shorter and lighter-end (3–6) weight rods are common. The reels have a running line, head section, and final tip section to generate energy. A leader is also added to connect the fly. For beginners and even intermediate anglers, it’s a good idea to become proficient in single-hand techniques before moving to spey fishing. Dedicated Steelhead and sea-run Brown Trout anglers are the exception to this rule.
Rod Material Options
- Carbon fiber and graphite. Most Trout fishing rods are made from modern blends of carbon fiber and graphite. The taper and formula will influence action and strength but the core materials remain largely consistent. These rods are lightweight, durable, and excellent for the majority of Trout and other species you will encounter.
- Fiberglass. Before modern carbon fiber materials, fiberglass was the mainstream rod option. It still has a cult following as the material has a very special feel and gets a nice deep bend while fighting fish. This won’t be your first rod choice but the material is fun to fish.
- Bamboo. Most new bamboo rods are custom-made but this material was once produced at scale. It’s heavier than modern materials but does offer a special feel with a unique slow-loading action. Bamboo is really nice for fly rods but it’s not cost-effective and is better suited to anglers who already have a collection of modern rods for day-to-day use.
Types of Trout
We’ve covered some ground on Trout rods but haven’t really given much background on the species as a whole. There are four prolific Trout species that are found around the world, with other very limited and specialized varieties. I’ll focus on the main ones below…
Brown Trout
Native to Europe, the Brown Trout has become a protected and beloved sport fish throughout North America, South America, New Zealand, and even Russia. If there’s an ecosystem system capable of supporting Brown Trout, they’ve likely been introduced at some point in history. The coloration, beauty, and ability to reach large sizes make these fish attractive. They also have a higher tolerance for warmer water than other Trout varieties.
Rainbow Trout
Native to the Pacific drainages of North America, varieties of Rainbow Trout occur from Mexico to Alaska (including Canada), Russia, and Japan. Like Brown Trout, they’ve been introduced around the globe and are appreciated for their hard-fighting abilities and vibrant colors. They also reach large sizes under the right conditions. Steelhead are an ocean-run lifecycle of the Rainbow Trout and are an incredible game fish to catch.
Cutthroat Trout
The distribution of Cutthroat Trout is more localized to native ranges in the western United States. There are numerous varieties and they require cold, clean water. Cutthroat thrive in the high country and they’re known to eat dry flies aggressively. They do have unique varieties, however. In the Great Basin, some Cutthroats thrive in alkaline lakes where they reach large sizes. Pyramid Lake in Nevada hosts the Pilot Peak strain and they reach sizes in excess of 20 pounds!
Brook Trout
The only native eastern Trout species is the beautiful Brook Trout. They have coloration that looks close to the Char family with striking orange hues and yellow spotting. Unlike other Trout species, the Brook Trout can spawn in still-water environments. They have high success rates in waters where other Trout can’t reproduce effectively.
Hybrids
Some trout crossbreed in the wild while others are intentionally crossed to create sterile game fish. Cutbows are common in wild populations as Rainbow and Cutthroat Trout overlap in range and spawning seasons. Tiger Trout are more commonly produced intentionally but they can occur in the wild as well. Tiger Trout is the combination of Brook Trout and Brown Trout, both being fall spawners.
Trout That Aren’t Trout
A few species have “Trout” attached to their name are actually Char. Lake Trout are not true Trout, although their range does overlap with Trout in many places. Bull Trout are also Char that are found in the same waters as Trout species. They’re closer to a Dolly Varden and can live in rivers and lakes that aren’t ocean-connected.
Trout Fishing Rods FAQs
Are you ready to catch some Trout?
Remember, you only need one rod to catch a Trout! While there are many options on the market, having a general-purpose rod and the ability to read water and rig with solid knots is the key to success. Start with a good budget rod, learn how to fish it well, and expand your reach with more rods as you gain experience and confidence.
What is your go-to Trout fishing rod? We’d love to hear about your approach to rods in the comments below!
