looking for a trout rod

[d.hark]

looking for suggestions on a decent trout rod to be paired with a stradic 1000. May also be used for some bass finesse fishing (drop shot, shakey head anything light)  if possible. Prefer at least a 6'6 or 7 ft length, not looking to break the bank either maybe up to $125ish give or take?

[roadwarrior]

Some of the retailers still have a few of the older model St. Croix

Avids. If you can find an AS66MLF for around $100, that would be

my suggestion. That's what I fish!

8-)

[J Francho]

How big are the trout? How big is the water (depth, width, flow)?  What type of baits will you use?

[roadwarrior]

How big are the trout? How big is the water (depth, width, flow)? What type of baits will you use?

Oops!

Coming from you, that would be a very important question!

My suggestion was for "normal" trout, less than 10 lbs.

:

[J Francho]

My son fishes with a rod similar to the one you describe, so its really down to preference, though you really need to match the gear to the water and the technique.  Bottom bouncing, spinners, spoons, and small plugs will be fine with a 6-ish rod.   If you want to float, which is my preferred method, then 9' is the minimum.  My buddy floats with a 15 footer  

Most of those fish I caught were with a L to ML rods.  In fact, my biggest brown this year at 18# was caught using a 4# leader using a rod rated 4 to 10#.

Here is Big Al with a 9 lb. BT buck caught on rod similar to the Avid you use and a Shimano FE 1000.

[d.hark]

How big are the trout? How big is the water (depth, width, flow)? What type of baits will you use?

just fishing ponds with normal size trout. Once in a while someone might get a big salmon or brown up to 15lbs but for the most part I am looking at targeting normal size trout. Mainly using spinners, spoons, castmasters, smaller rapalas probably 1/4oz and under stuff.

[J Francho]

6-8' ML/Fast, down to moderate spinning or casting rod will suit you fine. I prefer a casting rod for spinners and spoons simply due to cold fingers - its easier to thumb a spool than grab the line.  You could go with 6# mono or copoly and similar leader.  A 1000 or 1500 series reel will be fine.  

Raven micro swivels are very strong, and worth using to avoid twist that these baits generate, and won't mess up your guides if you accidentally reel up too far.  Avoid it if you can.  

For baits, try Panther Martins for casting upstream and quartering, and Blue Fox Vibrax buzzing slow pools.  When fish are coming into creek mouths at the lake, then ripping Rooster Tails is good, as are floating minnow plugs.  

If you want to try bottom bouncing trout dough or sacks, Raven bait hooks in size 8 and 10 are fine.  

Floating gets more complicated, but that's a start.  

With time on the water, and a few fish caught, you'll learn to read the water better, and predict where fish are holding.  It's sort of like structure fishing, but replace rock piles, edges, and breaks with eddies, riffles and pools.  

While your getting started, walk the water at a distance with the sun to your back and you polarized sun glasses on.  This will give you an opportunity to actually see the fish.  Stay back, and don't spook them.  make your way downstream and work up to them.  Walk lightly, and move with an "economy of motion."

Good luck  

[J Francho]

My son fishes with a rod similar to the one you describe...

That came out wrong.  I didn't mean it sound like its a tool an 8 year old would use, rather that its perfectly suited for the task, and more than capable of landing a big fish.