rod

when looking for a trout rod do u want it long and limber or short and sturdy?

I'm no pro, and I'm sure others on the board have more knowledge, but I like about a 6.5' or 7' medium action in about a 3/4oz lure weight. I wouldn't think short and sturdy for trout.

7ft with a fast action and a soft tip so it won't rip the hook out of a shrimp.

Depends on the circumstance and your budget.
But most folks like to start with a medium/light action 7 foot rod as a 'standard' and adjust later if their fishing methods call for more specialized tackle.

Fishing with small baits (like shrimp or small pogies) or light lures like Fin-s, grubs or small twitchbaits you might like a longer more limber rod.
But with larger baits and lures you might to 'beef it up' a bit (faster action and 'sturdier' backbone).
And if you are fishing slipcorks or popping corks you might even want a braid outfit with a levelwind reel on a slightly shorter rod.
So fishing in a boat, kayak, pier, shore or jetty may all call for some sort of specific tackle depending on what the usual approach will be.

But I have found fishing around the pier in super clear water a 4# ultralite spin outfit to be 'the gasss'.
I caught my best trout on 4# mono and a 5 1/2 foot medium action spin outfit.
That rod was a 19.99 clearance I bought @ Sports Unlimited thirty years ago, and the reel is a $25 eBay special. :headbang:

I have seen some REALLY nice IM-7 & IM-8 graphite rods I would LUV to have, but the $200- $300 price tags make me jump back and CAREFULLY place them back on the rack ::)
So learning to 'make do' with what you have is often as important as the 'right' tackle. :-\

Man 7ft Medium action spinning rod with a 1000 or 2500 series reel! Throws grubs and shrimp great.

thanks ill look around for what yall said im going to but a 714 or 716 reel on it but i have to find one first if any of yall have one you are willing to sell for the right price im interested

[quote author=Pier#r link=topic=1126.msg11060#msg11060 date=1337039846]
That rod was a 19.99 clearance I bought @ Sports Unlimited thirty years ago, and the reel is a $25 eBay special. :headbang: [/quote]

I miss that store... :( It was the greatest place in the world when I was a kid...before Bass Pro, Cabelas, Academy...

6'6 - 7ft length for spinning reel set up and 7ft-7'6 for casting reel is what I prefer. 6-12 lb line class for live bait and 8-14 for throwing grubs and topwater. But that's just my opinion...everyone has different likes and dislikes.

I am no pro to be sure, but I have probably caught as many trout as anybody except of course the maestro (#r). My rig is a 6'6" graphite rod from BassPro and a Shimano F1000 reel loaded with 4# line...just like the #r told me to