Best Spinning Rod for Trout
I love fishing really light gear, especially for trout. Casting light lures into a nice swim hoping to tempt out that elusive ‘brownie’ is a superb sport.
Today we are going to find the best spinning rod for trout fishing and go through some of the options you need to look out for when deciding on which brand of trout rod you should buy.
As mentioned I love light gear so tend to lean towards an ultralight spinning rod setup.
This type of setup is great for casting light lures or spinners. You really need pinpoint accuracy when spinning for trout, especially in clear water. A light rod with fine action will allow you to drop your lure or spinner exactly where you want it.
Think about it – the lure may only weight a few grams so a heavy rod is just not going to give you the action you need to get the lure to where you want it to go.
There is a certain amount of finesse required using light tackle because the last thing you want to do is hammer the lure into the water and frighten off every trout within a sq mile radius 🙂
A nice Rainbow Trout caught on a small hook baited with sweetcorn on an ultralight trout rod.
What to look for when choosing a spinning rod?
Trout rod selection depends on your location but a safe setup is a rod about 7 foot long.
Action should be light or ultralight and fast but powerful enough to land a large rainbow if you are lucky enough to get on to one.
A nice spinning reel with line strong enough to hold a fish but fine enough to fly off the spool when you are pitching light lures or small spinners.
Trout Rod Guide
Best Trout Rod – Ugly Stik
My favorite Trout Rod has to be the Ugly Stik Spinning Rod.
I have been fishing with Ugly Stik rods for too long to remember.
From shark fishing in Australia to teasing shy brown trout out of streams in Ireland, you cannot beat the quality and price of these rods.
I have never been let down by this brand and will fish with them for years to come.
Others have come close but my favorite budget trout spinning rod has to be the Ugly Stik.
So why is this such a good rod you may ask?
Well, to be honest, it’s hard to find fault with the quality and feel of this rod. It’s very light and you can fish all day without feeling any strain on your wrist.
The blank is made with a nice composite blend of about 35% graphite which gives you a superb flex and feel, but you still get superb strength. This gives a very sensitive feel when a fish bites – even tiny nippers…
Rod action is perfect along with balance.
Hooking a nice big rainbow trout is just as manageable as a small brook trout and the rod will not let you down.
The line guides are very smooth and because there are no nylon inserts the line fly through them giving you maximum casting distance even with light lures or spinners.
As mentioned earlier I have fished with this brand for years and they have never let me down.
Price wise they are very reasonable compared to some brands but you don’t miss anything when it comes to features and quality.
Trout Spinning Rod Buying Guide
Choosing the best spinning rod for trout is quite complex. There are some very reasonably priced rods on the market at the moment and they stand up against the much more expensive brands out there.
All of our recommendations this time around focus on ultralight rods about 7 foot in length with a fast action.
Trout Rod Length
I mentioned earlier that rod length can be based on where you fish the most. We don’t all have the luxury or finances to have multiple trout rod lengths so I tend to go for a 7-foot length most of the time. This will do you for the majority of fishing scenarios out there.
With the right setup, you will still be able to cast far enough with a 7 footer to reach most fish in the swim.
If you are fishing in confined areas such as overgrown riverbanks or wooded lakes then you may need to scale back on rod length otherwise you will drive the rod tip into a tree and snap it off – I may have done that a few times in the past 🙂
Trout Rod Power
Next up we are going to look at the power rating of the rod. For trout, an ultralight or light power rating is best. Pair this type of rod with the correct weight line and you will have the perfect setup.
weight rating near the base of trout rod.
You can find all the weight details near the butt of the rod printed along the blank.
Trout Rod Action
Fishing rod action refers to how much the fishing rod will bend when under pressure from either casting a lure or when you have a fish on and its ability to revert back to its original shape.
Have I mentioned that I like ultralight fishing yet 🙂
Fishing with very light tackle is great sport and an extra fast action rod is ideal for this. When fishing heavy lures or something like a plug or a crankbait you would definitely want to avoid an ultralight trout rod because you will lose all feeling on the line as the tip will be flexing all over the place.
Fish a light lure or tiny spinner on an ultralight and you will see what I mean – you can feel every movement and you get the added bonus of pin-point accuracy when casting.
Ultra Fast Action Rod
ultra fast action trout rod
Trout Rod Construction
Modern trout spinning rods are made from a blended mix of composite materials. While very flexible and durable they are not as strong as older fishing poles that were primarily made from fiberglass.
They are designed to bend when casting and fishing but not when you step on them or jam the end of one into a tree so be careful.
The great action of modern trout rods comes with a small risk of snapping or breaking but if you look after them you will be fine. To be honest, it’s worth the trade because you can pick up a nice ultralight rod with great action for a very reasonable price in today’s market.
I have a preference for cork handles (maybe I’m just getting old) but I like the way they repel water and feel in your hand. Modern foam handles do a great job but you just can’t beat cork for how they feel when you have fished all day.
Some of the better brands (Ugly Stick) have stripped out the eye inserts to give you a nice line flow through the length of the rod – just watch out if you are using a braided line as it will eventually cut a groover in the eye and start playing havoc with your line.
