Species guide
Trout Fishing: Gear and Setups
Cold-water fish with soft mouths and sharp eyesight, which makes line size and hook size matter more than for almost anything else in freshwater.
Trout setups by technique
Generated by our recommendation engine for an average fish in water typical for the species. Adjust for your water with the Setup Builder.
| Technique | Rod | Reel | Main line | Leader | Hook |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spinning | 5'6"–6' Light power · Moderate Fast action |
1000–2500 Spinning reel |
4–6 lb Monofilament |
4–6 lb Fluorocarbon |
#10–#6 Octopus hook |
| Fly fishing | 7'6"–8'6" 4–6 weight |
3/4–5/6 Matched to rod weight |
WF 4–6 floating Weight-forward |
3X 9 ft tapered · about 7–9 lb |
#10–#6 Fly hook |
| Jigging | 5'6"–6' Light power · Fast action |
1000–2000 Spinning reel |
6–12 lb Braided line |
4–8 lb Fluorocarbon |
#10–#6 Octopus hook |
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
Where to find trout
Cold streams, tailwaters below dams, mountain lakes and stocked ponds. Stream trout hold in seams, behind boulders and at the head of pools where current delivers food.
How they feed
Sight feeders that inspect a bait before taking it. In clear water they refuse heavy line and oversized hooks that a bass would ignore completely.
Typical size
Stocked stream trout usually run 9 to 14 inches. Wild fish in small water are often smaller; tailwater and lake fish can be several pounds.
Through the year
Most active in water between about 50 and 65 degrees. In summer they move to springs, riffles and deeper cold water; in winter they hold in slow, deep pools and eat small.
What to put on the end of the line
Baits and lures our engine has rules for, for the techniques trout are most often caught on.
Nightcrawler
The default live bait for most freshwater fish in the country.
Hook size for thisRed worm or garden worm
Smaller worms for panfish and stocked trout.
Hook size for thisLive minnow
Shiners, fatheads and chubs, fished under a float or on a bottom rig.
Hook size for thisCricket or grasshopper
Excellent summer panfish and stream trout bait.
Hook size for thisWaxworm or mealworm
Small grubs for panfish, and the standard tipping bait on small jigs.
Hook size for thisSalmon eggs or cured roe
Single eggs for trout, cured roe clusters for salmon and steelhead.
Hook size for thisDough bait
Buoyant prepared trout bait, fished off the bottom on a sliding sinker rig.
Hook size for thisPlastic grub or curly tail
A small tail-action plastic on a jig head. The most universally useful lure in freshwater.
Hook size for thisCommon trout mistakes
Too much hook for the bait
A single salmon egg or a small piece of worm on a #4 hook looks wrong to a trout. Size the hook to the bait, which usually means #12 to #8.
Heavy line in clear water
Ten pound mono on a stocked stream cuts your bites sharply. Four to six pound test is enough for the great majority of trout.
Setting the hook too hard
Trout have soft mouths and treble-hook spinners pull free easily. Lift into the fish rather than swinging.
Regulations
Many trout waters have specific seasons, tackle restrictions such as artificial-only or single barbless hooks, and separate stamps or endorsements. State agencies publish these per water body, and they change. Confirm before you go.
Build a complete trout setup
Answer five short questions and get a complete setup: rod length, power and action, reel size, main line, leader and hook, each with the reasoning behind it.
Reference charts
- Fishing Hook Size ChartEvery size from #28 to 12/0 with what each one is used for, and why the same number differs between brands.
- Fishing Reel Size ChartSpinning, baitcasting, conventional and fly reel classes with typical line capacity and what each size is for.
- Fishing Line Size ChartPound test against typical diameter for mono, fluorocarbon and braid, and how to compare them fairly.
- Fishing Rod Size GuideWhat length, power and action each control, and how to read the specs printed on a blank.