Featured image provided by Shinya Hirao
How to choose a trout rod
Trout rods are necessary for fishing for trout (salmon and trout) in mountain streams and managed fishing spots, but what criteria should you use when choosing one? We will introduce how to choose a trout rod.
length
The length of the trout rod must be selected depending on the handling (operability) and the size of the trout you are targeting. When fishing in mountain streams and headwaters, the width of the river is very narrow and the trout that can be caught are not very large, so a very short rod of about 4 to 5 feet is suitable.
On the other hand, when targeting trout in the main stream of rivers or lakes, you will need to make long casts, and it is likely that you will come face-to-face with large fish in the 60cm class, so a very long rod of 7 to 9 feet is suitable. . In addition, in the case of managed fishing spots, there are fields of various sizes, so it is necessary to select a rod length that matches the size of the managed fishing spot that you often go to.
Generally, rods around 6 feet are the most versatile and easy for beginners to use.
Hardness
The hardness of the trout rod should be selected depending on the weight of the lure being cast and the size of the trout being targeted. Ultra light class (UL) is the most common in mountain streams, and based on that, choose light class (L) or medium light class (ML) depending on the lure and the size of the fish you are targeting.
Medium light class may be used in large rivers and lakes. At managed fishing spots, very lightweight spoons and plugs are used, so it is a good idea to choose Extra Ultra Light (XUL) or Super Ultra Light Class (SUL), which are even softer than Ultra Light Class.
taper
It is a good idea to choose the taper depending on the type of lure you mainly use. For areas with currents such as rivers, we recommend a fast taper rod, which bends easily near the tip of the rod, as it is easy to handle.
On the other hand, in still water or controlled fishing spots, we recommend a medium taper rod that bends well near the base, as it allows you to interact with the fish slowly and make shallow bites.
material
For beginners, carbon rods are recommended as their first choice as they are inexpensive and available in many varieties and are easy to handle. Once you get used to handling carbon rods, you may want to try out different materials such as glass and boron materials.
The glass material has strong stickiness and is recommended for top fishing and plug fishing at managed fishing spots. In addition, boron material is hard and has strong repulsion, so it is suitable for minnowing. If you want to enjoy the Japanese style, a bamboo rod is also a good choice.
15 recommended trout rods
We will introduce recommended trout rods for each field. Please refer to the selection guide and find the one that suits you.
5 trout rods for managed fishing spots (areas)
Up until now, spinning rods have been the mainstream trout rods for managed fishing spots, but recently, as trout have grown larger, bait rods have also started to be used.
Major Craft Trapara Area TPS-602XUL
Shimano Trout One Area Special 66UL
Major Craft Fine Tail Area Trout FTA-632UL (Spinning Model)
Varibus Area Drive Tournament Spec ARD58S-BTS
Daiwa Presso AGS 54XUL-S
5 recommended trout rods for mountain streams
In addition to spinning trout rods for mountain streams, bait rods are also available from various manufacturers. Although the number of options has increased, some people may be confused about which one to buy. We have compiled a list of particularly recommended rods, so please use them as a reference.
Shimano Trout Rise 56SUL
Daiwa Silver Creek AGS 48UL
Daiwa Wise Stream 45UL-3
Tenryu Rays Integral RZI50L-4 (Cradle Jerkin')
Smith Trautinspin Malchus TRM-50UL/4
5 recommended trout rods for main streams and lakes
Many of the trout for mainstream waters and lakes are large, so it is important that they are strong enough to fight. It is also designed to accommodate long casts. Find your favorite one and try catching a big fish.
Major Craft Trapara Stream Model TPS-762LX
Abu Garcia Trautin Marquis TMS-862MH
Yamaga Blanks Lupus Sakura 77
Ito Craft Expert Custom EXC860MX
Smith TRS lugless boron TLB-69DT
Would you like to go and be healed by trout?
Provided by: Shinya Hirao
Some people may feel that trout fishing is a difficult sport to enter, but that is not the case at all. Nowadays, there are many managed fishing spots near urban areas, so if you want to try fishing, you can easily enjoy trout fishing.
Also, if you go a little further at high speed, you can encounter beautiful wild trout. Why not take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy a race against the lively trout?
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