Spinning rod for trout?

[Stasher1]

I've never fished for trout, but I have a nice little spinning reel sitting here in need of a new rod so now seems like a good time to start.

What length, power, and action should I be looking at? I was thinking maybe something along the lines of a 6'6" L or ML St. Croix Premier or Triumph?

Just how important is sensitivity in a trout rod?   :-/

[Bainza]

Sensitivity in a trout rod is extremely important. I have 2 rods for trout. The first is a 4'6" Diawa Ultra-light that is strung with 4lb test and the other is a 5'0" ultra-light strung with 2lb. Most of the trout we go for though are stockies so others might have different opinions.

[Stasher1]

I had thought about going UL, but there are also small spotted bass and the occasional shoal bass in these same waters so I think it may be best to stick with a ML or L (since St. Croix rods tend to be a bit stiffer than some other brands)

[islandbass]

Medium light should be okay.  I agree on sensitivity being important when fishing things like Power Bait, if you plan on using it. Sometimes the taking of power bait can be very subtle.

If you haven't fished an ultralight, you ought to give it a try. I use a 7' UL Okuma rod. I have landed the occassional 3 lb bass on it while trying to catch trout or blue gill.

Also, many bass lures will work on trout, such is little cranks (like rapala minnows), inline spinners, spoons, and even the drop shot.

[done]

I use my "general" species rod (medium light) spinning reel combo for mountain trout. Depending on which stream I hit I will go 4lb or 8lb on it. The sensitivity is important without a doubt.

[Stasher1]

Medium light should be okay. I agree on sensitivity being important when fishing things like Power Bait, if you plan on using it. Sometimes the taking of power bait can be very subtle.

If you haven't fished an ultralight, you ought to give it a try. I use a 7' UL Okuma rod. I have landed the occassional 3 lb bass on it while trying to catch trout or blue gill.

Also, many bass lures will work on trout, such is little cranks (like rapala minnows), inline spinners, spoons, and even the drop shot.

I have a little UL that I use for bream and bluegill when I feel like killing some time, but it's really too short to get any distance on a cast. 

I have a few spinning rigs already...

5' UL Eagle Claw "Featherlight" with a Daiwa Regal 100Xi

7' ML BPS Micro Lite with a Pflueger Trion GX-7 (4730)

8'6" ML BPS Micro Lite (Float and Fly) with a Pflueger Trion GX-7 (4735)

6'6" M/F St. Croix Triumph with a Mitchell 308Xe

6'6" M/F Shimano Crucial with a Symetre 2500FI

6'8" M/XF St. Croix Avid with a Symetre 2500FI

I'm sure a couple of these could be used for trout, but I have a brand new Pflueger Arbor sitting here that needs a home. I guess the only power that's really missing from my collection is a L, so maybe that's what I should go with. :-/ I already have the reel spooled with 6# mono, which falls right in the middle of the L rating (4-8).

[Luke at Gouldsboro]

I would use light or ultra light. one rig I use is a small hook with a meal worm suspended under a bobber. I cast it upstream, and the fish kill it !!

[IwillChooseFreeWill]

If the local or state regulations allow it, try using the normal canned corn on a 6 or 8 panfish hook, either under a bobber or on the bottom...

We usually used 5 to 6' rods, UL or L action, and reels did not make much difference.

[roadwarrior]

St. Croix Avid AVS66MLF is perfect for crappie,

white bass and stocker trout. I have mine paired

with a Stella 1000FA and Yo-Zuri Hybrid #4.

8-)

[Tuchifabz]

I use a st criox 6'4" light power, fast action panfish series 4lbs floro or mono suffix advance. Good for tight stram areas and good for long open cast and very sensitive with a backbone also, great bend to fling under docks or tight areas, over grown trees etc 

[redmeansdistortion]

Sensitivity in a trout rod is somewhat important as this mostly depends on what you're fishing.  If you're drifting bait, sensitivity is more important because trout don't savagely hit a morsel drifting in the current, they tend to sip it up.  Now if you're throwing hardware such as spoons, spinners, or cranks, those produce reaction strikes, often times putting a nice bend in the rod.

 

Next thing to consider, what kind of water are you fishing?  If you're fishing stocked trout in a pond or lake, a longer rod will be best since it will provide the best casting distance.  For fishing small creeks, you want something short, preferably under 6'.  Creeks often have overgrown banks and lots of overhanging trees.  The shorter rods are easier to handle in that environment.  For the bigger main streams, something 6' to 8' will be best in general.  If you're floating or drifting bait, go with the longer rod as it's much easier to mend your line on a drift.  With hardware, the lower end of the spectrum is best since this will provide better accuracy and work those baits better.

 

Lastly, rod power.  Here you want to consider the size of the fish you're targeting.  Brook trout are almost always fished on UL.  Most seldom make it past a foot long and anything more will be a little much for them.  Now if you're going for bigger browns and rainbows, step it up to a L and you're good to do.  A 20" brown runs like a torpedo, and a UL, while fun to use, may be stressful on the fish, especially if the water temps are warm.  If you're fishing trout in warm water, playing them out can stress them to the point of death so a rod that will help you land them faster will be easier on the fish.  If you're catching to keep, this shouldn't be that important.

 

I'll list the trout rods I own to give you an idea and what I use them for.  I fish trout more than anything else and have specific rods I choose according to the baits I'm using and the water I'm fishing.  Many don't realize it, but there is no one size fits all rig for trout, just like there is no one size fits all for bass.  Here are my trout rigs.

 

4'10" UL - headwater/creek rod, spoons and spinners

5' L - creek rod, jigs and cranks

6' UL - main streams, spoons and spinners

6'6" L - main streams, jigs and cranks

7'6" L - drift rod, live and artificial baits

[mrpao]

That's some really good advice there.

[Eric 26]

If you can check out BPS panfish elite series,they have ultralight & light powered rods. I have the 6’-8” ultralight and it’s very sensitive. Also BPS should be having there annual spring sale soon and you might save a few bucks as well. Let us know what you ultimately wind up buying.