The History of Light Vs Ultralight Rod For Trout

Light Vs Ultralight Rod For Trout…

Have you ever gone trout fishing? It is the 4th most popular fishing in North America. One of the reasons for its popularity is its abundant availability. It is mostly cold water wish and is available in almost all water bodies.

Another reason for its popularity is its taste that makes it popular among all types of anglers. These fishes are healthier than Salmon.

Trout anglers mainly chase three species of Trout fishes, they are, the Rainbow, Brown, and Brook trout. My favorite catch is the Rainbow trout. They are native to the North Pacific Ocean. So, I could get the thrill of sea fishing with it as well. I used to go trout fishing every spring.

Anglers mainly use light and ultralight rods for trout fishing. I will share some essential tips on trout fishing and a comparison of light vs ultralight rods for trout fishing.

Where to find trout:

It is a wide range of species. So, you can find trout fishes in all types of water. No matter fresh or sea, moving or still, you can find them everywhere. However, they are most available in cold and clean water.

As I have said already, trouts are an excellent source of food for wildlife as well. So, you can find them in the woods where there are signs of other living creatures.

However, it can get a bit risky. There are some other common places to look for trouts. All the species of trouts show some similar features.

In Lakes and Ponds/ Still water:

There is a species of them called the Lake trouts. So, lake trout fishing is quite popular. As the water in the lakes and ponds is still, there are some specific spots where you can find them.

• Look around aquatic vegetation. Trouts look for water in the still water so, they are mostly moving. But they also do not get far away from the protection. To keep them safe from predators. 

• Another place to look around is logs, stumps, stones, or other structures at stream channels. It is the most common spot to look for any fish. Trouts usually stay in such places because the cool and freshwater flow from there. And it is also a likely supply of food for them.

• You can find trouts in the more remote water bodies and deeper in the lakes. You can find larger size trouts deeper in the lake. The water is cooler underneath, and also it keeps them safe from overhead predators. 

In river, stream, and seawater:

Trouts are migrator sea fish. They stay around half a year in the sea and then return to the river. Trouts can be found in similar spots in the sea like, in the streams. 

Trouts look for food and save themselves from predators in the stream. They wait for the current to bring them food. They also look for a spot to rest from the current. So, there are some similar places to look for them in the streams:

• Just like in the still water, search for logs or rocks in the current. Look for spots where the land underneath the water is textured with riffles or rocks. These loops in the water are the perfect spot to get trouts.

•  You can also find them near steeps or undercut shores.

• Another location is deeper and lower pools like in the still water. For the same reason, it is a convenient place to look for trout. 

Tackle for trout fishing:

Now that we know where to find trout fish, it is time to prepare for fishing. And the essential things required for fishing are the perfect gear and equipment. There are many popular lake trout lures to pick.

Anglers prefer light or ultralight rods for trout fishing. But some also prefer trout spinning rods with matching reels. However, I will be talking about light and ultralight fishing rod only. But before that, let us talk about some popular lures for trout fishing.

1. Critters and bugs: Bugs are easy food for trouts as they wait for insects to flow to them in the stream. You can use live grasshoppers/insects or imitators.

2. Tubes or Grubs: At first sight, they might not look like anything that you see in the water. But to fish, it resembles zooplankton. Trouts fall for this lure a lot. So, keep them in your tackle box.

3. Soft Plastic Swimbaits: Large trouts feed on small fishes. It is the perfect lure for them.

4. Soft Plastic Worms: It is the most common lure for any fishing. Bright detectable colored soft plastic worms are better in streams.

5. Crankbaits: It might not be your first choice for trout fishing. But if your location has large trout fishes, then it the right lure to attract them, for they can hit a crank even half their size.

6. Salmon Eggs: You probably have seen tons of roe inside the bellies of trout fishes. They are popular scavengers, often raiding spawning beds of other fish. It is the perfect lure for trouts.

7. Spoons: These lures work all year long. The ones tipped with feathers and sometimes even wax worms are more effective. However, they are not the best in colder weather.

8. Spinners: It is used by trout anglers a lot. They are easy to fit and change on a swivel.

9. Powerbait: Usually, any dough bait is called power bait by trout anglers. If you find stocked trouts somewhere, power bait is the best choice.

That is all about trout lures. Now, let us get to the main gear for trout fishing, the rod especially the spinning rod. If you want to choose between Light vs ultralight rod for trout, keep reading.

That is all about trout lures. Now, let us get to the main gear for trout fishing, the rod. If you want to choose between light and ultralight fishing, keep reading.

There are some factors to know before choosing the right rod.

Weight:

Naturally, all fishing rods have different weights. And you can suggest from the name that ultralight fishing rods have the least weight.

The weight determines how stiff the rod is or how it bends. There are heavy, medium, light, and ultralight rods based on weight.

Action:

It is the location of the bend in the fishing rod while casting. It can bend at the tip or halfway down. The fast action rods bend at the top, and the slow action rods bend down to the reel.

Light fishing rod:

As you can tell from the name, light fishing spinning rods are lightweight. They are fast action rods, so they bend at the top. Light rods also have a simpler time casting bait. The lures have a low weight or are near weightless.

So, altogether light fishing rods can give a good trout fishing experience. They make the bites more clear.

Ultralight fishing rod:

These rods are even lighter than light fishing rods. They are manufactured differently than the other spinning rods. The bites are clearest in these rods, so it puts up a good fight with trouts.

These rods make trout fishing a bit more fun and engaging. Ultralight rods also give more bend than light fishing spinning rods. They make downsizing gear more fun.

It is the best choice when you need to use a light line and small lures. If your target trouts are not so large, then you will need small or weightless lures. Ultralight rods allow you to cast weightless lures in the perfect spot at a good distance. So, it is perfect for trout fishing. Ultralight rod is now also available as an ultralight spinning rod.

However, if you need to use heavier baits like crankbaits, then ultralight rods can get troublesome. Heavy baits decrease the line sensitivity, so you will not be able to sense the bites. It will result in hits and runs and many lost baits.

And not to mention the constant flexing of the rod tips due to heavier lures.

Light Vs Ultralight Rod For Trout

Which rod is better? It is a tough call. But for trout fishing, you are likely to choose light lures and lines. In that case, ultralight fishing rods are a better choice than light rods. They provide more sensitivity and can cast better at a longer distance. So, they give an overall better experience.

But, then again, if you are using heavier lures and fishing in the deep lake, then a light rod is a better option.

Which costs more?

Both the rods can range anywhere between 10 and 200 dollars and up. But ultralight spinning rods usually cost more than light fishing rods as they are manufactured differently. But they are more available now. So, they come in various ranges now. 

Conclusion:

Using a light rog is a better option for trout fishing. Even though trout fishes can largely vary in size, light rods are the best choice for them.

Overall, a light setup is perfect for trout fishing, which means light rod, bait, and reel. But how light should it be?

Both light and ultralight spinning rods provide fast action. That is, they bend at the top of the rod. It makes casting more accurate.

So, it is tough to choose one between light vs ultralight rod for trout. But, ultralight rods provide an overall better experience with better sensitivity and lighter lures. They cost more, but their service is worth it.