Combo set up for upcoming trout (stocked)

[JRez]

First off, I want to thank everyone for some helpful information on bass fishing. I've been having fun all summer in Virginia. I'm looking forward to the upcoming trout season and the wild trout in the mountains; however, I will fly fish in the mountains. I just have a few questions on fishing for stocked trout.

 

I just ordered a new spinning combo. I was limited to only Okuma. (never had any products, but look reliable) I purchased a 7' SST Rod Ultralight with a Ceymar C-30 Spinning Reel. Now that i'm a little more hardcore to fishing and i'm starting to learn more about all the miscellaneous gear/tackle available to increase success. For instance, fishing line. Since I am going ultra light on my trout set up, what do you think would be the best line to spool up my reel? My head is hurting because there so many options. My first instinct would be braid main line and fluoro leader. Would 8# braid with 4#leader fluoro be overkill? I read a few articles of braid not functioning correctly on a spinning reels. I then read some post about Fireline. I just started using cheap braid/ fluoro leaders for bass with a BC reel and seem to get a lot more hook ups so I know theres a method to this madness. Just trying to figure out if braid will bring me more fish or misery on a spinning reel. Or if its not kosher with an ultralight set up and go straight low# mono. thanks 

[new2BC4bass]

First you will find that many prefer braid on a spinning reel.  It gives very little line twist.  Something you need to watch for...and remove...with any other kind of line.  If the trout you will be catching are anywhere near the size of the few trout I have caught, then your setup should be fine.  You could have 40# braid on the reel and it wouldn't be overkill if using a 4# Fluoro leader.

 

I've never used Fireline, but bought some to try based on fishnkamp's praise for it.

[JRez]

46 minutes ago, new2BC4bass said:

First you will find that many prefer braid on a spinning reel.  It gives very little line twist.  Something you need to watch for...and remove...with any other kind of line.  If the trout you will be catching are anywhere near the size of the few trout I have caught, then your setup should be fine.  You could have 40# braid on the reel and it wouldn't be overkill if using a 4# Fluoro leader.

 

I've never used Fireline, but bought some to try based on fishnkamp's praise for it.

So you suggest going with a heavy # braid than under 10# braid? The smaller diameter braid around 2# mono too small?

 

Yea the fireline looks appealing. I've read a lot of good things. Btw, the UL rod should handle a bass right? Just need to let it run a little more 

[new2BC4bass]

No.  I am not suggesting heavier braid.  I am using 10# Sufix 832 Ghost on my 7'2" Light River Runner rated for 4-8# line and 1/32-5/16 oz. lures.  I was merely pointing out that the braid strength isn't all that important since the 4# leader will be your weakest link.  My brother-in-law in Florida uses 40# braid on all his spinning reels (the only kind of reel he fishes).  He doesn't own an ultralight rod.

 

I went with a 4# mono equivalent braid because I have fished with 2# mono and its diameter is just a bit too small for my eyes and fingers to work with.

 

EDIT:  Yes you could land a bass on ultralight gear as long as you can keep the bass out of cover.  My largest fish on 4# mono weighed 10 pounds.  My biggest fish ever was a 35 pounder on 8# mono.  Back then I kept all legal fish for eating.  Today I am a catch and release angler except when fishing in Florida as it has become a tradition to invite family and friends over for a fish fry before we head back home.

 

You do have to realize that taking a long time to land a fish on ultralight gear is going to be hard on the fish if you plan on releasing it.  I used to fish 4# all the time.  Now my go to lines are 8# for Medium power rods and 12# for MH rods.  I do have 6# on one baitcast rod that is a Light.  My spinning reels that have mono are all 8# at the moment with the exception of an old Lightning/Penn 430SS which is still spooled with 4# mono.

[JRez]

1 hour ago, new2BC4bass said:

You do have to realize that taking a long time to land a fish on ultralight gear is going to be hard on the fish if you plan on releasing it

Oh true. I don't eat bass, but I'll take home all the legal trout I get. So I'll just Leave the rod in my trout gear. Thanks for the info

[CoBass]

On 8/14/2017 at 7:14 PM, JRez said:

Oh true. I don't eat bass, but I'll take home all the legal trout I get. So I'll just Leave the rod in my trout gear. Thanks for the info

If you are only going to use it only when you go fishing for stocked trout, I wouldn't even bother with the braided line. Why spend the money on more expensive braided line to catch a bunch of twelve inch fish? I use 4-6 lb. mono on my trout combos and most of the time I'm fishing for trout that are much larger than your average stocker.

[JRez]

21 hours ago, CoBass said:

If you are only going to use it only when you go fishing for stocked trout, I wouldn't even bother with the braided line. Why spend the money on more expensive braided line to catch a bunch of twelve inch fish? I use 4-6 lb. mono on my trout combos and most of the time I'm fishing for trout that are much larger than your average stocker.

Yea I ended up putting on 6lb mono, but I tied on some 4lb fluoro as a leader. I bet CO produces some big trout. Im pretty much stuck with stocked trout in my region. Theres wild trout in the mountains, but I plan to fly fish for them.   

[J Francho]

You probably don't even need the leader for what you're doing.  I use 6# fluoro for my light spinning setups for trout.  They handle fish up to double digits, in open water.

 

[Lures'n'Liberty]

I've never used anything but 4# Trilene on my trout gear and never had a reason to try anything else. I even use it as a leader on my fly rod, although I tend to use it to float bait more than using flies. 

 

[CoBass]

15 hours ago, JRez said:

Yea I ended up putting on 6lb mono, but I tied on some 4lb fluoro as a leader. I bet CO produces some big trout. Im pretty much stuck with stocked trout in my region. Theres wild trout in the mountains, but I plan to fly fish for them.   

Yeah, we do have some giant trout here if you know where to go. State record rainbow is 19 lbs. and for browns it's 30 lbs. If you want to go after the really big boys, state record for lake trout is 50 lbs.  Unfortunately, the type of water that grows big trout doesn't do the same for bass. Around here, any bass over about 3 lbs. is considered a pretty nice fish. 

[JRez]

On 8/17/2017 at 9:41 AM, JRez said:

Yea I ended up putting on 6lb mono, but I tied on some 4lb fluoro as a leader. I bet CO produces some big trout. Im pretty much stuck with stocked trout in my region. Theres wild trout in the mountains, but I plan to fly fish for them.   

Thats a nice trout!