The majority of trout fishing should be done with either light or ultralight rods and reels. Determining which one you use can depend on a few different factors according to your fishing style. In this article, I’ll go through some of the reasons you would choose one over the other and the factors that are likely more important.
Should you use a light or ultralight fishing rod for trout?
Both light and ultralight rods work great for trout fishing. However, the one you choose should depend on the type of water you plan to fish, the bait or lure you’ll throw, and the size of fish you are reeling in.
I use a long ultralight rod for trout. Specifically a 7’ rod with a recommended line rating of 2-4 pound test. I believe this is the best rod for 90% of trout fishing.
Whether you are fishing in lakes, ponds, small streams or raging rivers, make sure you have the fishing rod to match. Here are the major factors to consider when choosing a light vs ultralight rod for trout fishing.
- Where are you fishing? Lakes, ponds, rivers
- What are you casting? Lure, bait, or other attractor
- How big is the average trout where you are fishing?
- Are you practicing catch and release?
- Other considerations. Reel and line
But First, The Truth…
The terms “light” and “ultralight” don’t mean very much. What one rod company says is “ultralight” may be considered “light” by another company.
The specs I look for in a trout rod are the length, the recommended line weight, and sometimes the lure weight. These are the specs where the rod has been designed to operate best. These three specs tell me so much more about the action of the rod than the terms “light” and “ultralight.”
Defining Light vs Ultralight
Light Fishing Rods
- Length: shorter than 6’
- Recommended line weight: 4 to 10 pound test
- Lure weight: ~¼ oz.
Ultralight Fishing Rods
- Length: longer than 6’
- Recommended line weight: 1 to 4 pound test
- Lure weight: ~1/32 oz.
|
I know… I defined ultralight rods as being longer than light rods.
This is because the only practical reason of using an ultralight rod is to cast light baits and lures farther with more accuracy. A longer rod will cast much farther than a short one.
Hopefully that cleared up the definition of light vs ultralight. Now let’s get into the good stuff.
Where Are You Fishing?
The design of the rod has more to do with casting than it does with reeling in the trout. However, both factors do matter and I will cover them both throughout this post.
The way water type (eg. lake vs river) could affect your choice between a light vs ultralight rod has to do with fighting the trout.
Trout are known for being strong fighters. Wild trout in particular know a few tricks to get off the hook. One of these tricks is to pull your line into snags and rocks which will cut or break it. If you are fishing near snags, then using a light or medium action rod vs an ultralight, can help to keep the fish under control.
Another trick a wise trout will use is the power of a river’s current. Trout have torpedo like bodies that are designed to have very little resistance in the river. But all they have to do is turn their bodies perpendicular to the current and they’ll be quickly washed downstream. So what sometimes happens when you hook a trout, is that they will turn their bodies to get the pull of the river on their side.
|
Use a light or medium power rod in fast flowing rivers.
In faster rivers, It’s often better to use a light or medium action rod, which will give you the backbone to keep fish from running off downstream.
Unfortunately, what you gain in fighting power, you can lose in castability. What makes ultralight rods so desirable is their ability to cast ultralight baits and lures.
To conclude this section I would say, think about the obstacles that could arise during a fight, and the bait/lure you need to throw. Here are a couple rules I follow…
- If you are fishing for trout over 14 inches in a strong river then go for a light to medium action rod.
- If you are fishing in a lake or pond for highly pressured trout under 16 inches, then go with an ultralight rod, and do your best to keep the fish out of the snaggs.
What Are You Casting?
I touched a bit on this already, but remember that lighter action rods are designed to cast lighter baits and lures farther and with more accuracy.
Refer to the chart below to get an idea of what you can likely cast with a light rod vs an ultralight rod. YES means you most likely can cast it, NO means probably not very well.
| What Bait/Lure You Can Cast | Light Rod | Ultralight Rod |
|---|---|---|
| Salmon Egg with 1 splitshot | NO | YES |
| 1/32 oz. Lure | NO | YES |
| Small Nightcrawler | NO | YES |
| Small Jig or Fly with Weightless Bobber | NO | YES |
| Egg, Jig or fly with weighted bobber | Yes | YES |
| 1/16 oz. Lures | YES | YES |
| Nightcrawler with Splitshot | YES | YES |
As you can see, an Ultralight rod can cast anything a light rod can cast and then some.
Ultralight baits and lures are important when you are fishing for trout that are easily spooked. Maybe they have been under a lot of angling pressure. Maybe they have learned to be more cautious about thick fishing lines, big lures, and splashes from large sinkers.
If you never need to cast ultralight baits, then a light action rod may be all you need for trout fishing.
However, I like to keep my options open. That’s why I chose the 7’6” ultralight.
How Big Are The Trout?
This brings us back to fighting the fish. During the fight, you want to be in control. If your rod and line are too light, the fish will run you all over the place.
This is where the question comes into play: Do you want more castability or fighting power?
If you are targeting big trout over 16 inches (especially in a river), then you may get away with 1/4+ oz. lures. In this case you should use a light or even a medium action rod.
But if the average fish is around 12 inches, or if you are fishing still water for trout up to 16 inches, then I recommend using an ultralight rod. This will give you more options for baits and lures to cast if the trout are pressured.
Are You Practicing Catch and Release?
If you are practicing catch and release, and targeting big trout over 16 inches, then go with a light to medium action rod. It is important to be able to net the fish quickly so you don’t tire them out too much.
If you are using an ultralight rod, it may take longer to get the fish in because the rod doesn’t have the backbone to pull it. This means you have to fight the fish for longer to wear it out. This of course, isn’t good for the fish.
Other Considerations
Reel
- The reel is not nearly as important as the rod. You can get by with a $15 to $20 reel labeled as “ultralight.” I usually go with a Shimano or Okuma in this price range. They last me a few years and I get a ton of use out of them. Currently I have a Pflueger President reel because it’s so quiet and smooth, but it costs around $40.
Line
- If you are fishing with a light or ultralight rod then I recommend a 4 pound test line. I would never go bigger for trout. My biggest trout was a 21 inch cutthroat caught in a river. I was using a 2 pound test line and still got it to the bank. (It was unexpected, otherwise I would have used a stronger rod with a 4 pound test line.)
If you want to learn more about fishing line for trout, check this page out.
Conclusion
For trout fishing I would recommend an ultralight rod which I define as longer than 6 feet, and rated for line between 1 to 4 pound test. The only time I would use a light or medium action rod for trout is if I knew I was targeting fish over 16 inches in a fast flowing river.
