Fly Fishing vs Spin Fishing: Which is better? (Brook Trout Edition)

FLY ROD vs SPINNING ROD: Which do you think is better??

Fly fishing is a technique that has become near and dear to my heart over the last 5 years or so. However, I've been spin fishing for far more years than I've been fly fishing. So I feel as if my relatively recent experience with both puts me in a good position to be able to use both and figure out which is more effective!

SPIN FISHING: Spin fishing excels at being easier to pick up and become proficient at. The casting makes it such that you can move large sections of water and hit small areas of creeks that may be difficult to cast with a fly rod. The draw back is the lack of versatility. You can only really imitate bait fish or large bugs with ease, but that's not really what trout eat most of the time.

FLY FISHING: Fly Fishing is more difficult to become proficient at, but once you get to comfortable level with the fly rod it can be way more effective. The reason being is that trout just eat bugs and fly fishing easily imitates their main foot source. Fly fishing also has the versatility to imitate baitfish, nymphs, or any sort of bug that fish may want to eat.

All in all the spinning rod actually out performed the fly rod for the native brookies. But it was cool to see what a hatch coming off did for the fly rod. When the hatches started coming off I immediately started catching trout on the fly rod and it actually started out performing the spinner. It was a cool day on a small creek!

Let me know if you want me to make another video with stocked trout, or brown trout in the comments below.

Thanks for watching! #fishing #flyfishing #spinfishing #troutfishing #outdoors

[johnt]

As a kid, there were no wild trout streams nearby. I mostly fished for bass with a spinning rod, so I naturally used it for the stocker trout in nearby streams. The only other people I knew who fished for trout used worms. I bought a fly rod hoping to learn how to use it. I took that on a camping trip, and an older kid showed me how to fish for trout with it. I have had great success on bigger, deep streams using a spinning rod when I was young, but I now almost exclusively use a fly rod for trout. I think the skill level required for fly fishing, not just the casting, mending, and rod handling, but the fly and equipment selection make fly fishing both more challenging and more rewarding. It feels more immersive.

I will admit, it takes a certain level of skill to fish with a spinning rod in such a small stream. I would probably have a lot of bad casts and snags on a small stream like that because I am out of practice.

The main thing is to have fun fishing, no matter how you catch them, but try not to harm any fish you don't plan to keep. A single hook rather than a tremble hook on a spinner seems right.

[James_A_Bailey]

I grew up fishing both spin and fly. Most of my adult life I have primarily fly fished, but recently I have been trying new techniques with the spin rod. I believe it’s important to be proficient in both to maximize opportunities and become a better angler.

[savvasefsef]

As a spinner, fifteen years now, finally i know flies, midgets and nymphs, are deadly effective vs spinners, rooster tails and soft plastic.After many attempts, at least had the feeling of a trout on the end of my line 😅😅😅...we have brown (native) and rainbows(invasive) down here!(Greece) thanks for your video man, awesome!!

[PAwader]

Keep up the great work. I am a pretty decent fly fisherman in small creeks/streams, but I struggle using the fly rod in the bigger waters like the smaller rivers we have in PA. Because of that I always go to my spinning rod when wading the rivers.

[trailsandtopwater]

Great video! I love brookies on the fly. Glad you are running a spinner with no treble hook and a pinched barb. It drives me nuts that most spin trout tackle is with a treble.

[brianazmy]

Out of my group of fishing friends I'm the only one that owns a fly rod and I can't understand why they aren't interested in this concept of fishing. When it rains us out they sit around grumbling and I laugh at them while I tie new flies. There's something about catching a fish on a lure made by your own hands that gives fishing more meaning and even better memories. I fish both fresh and salt water with flies. I do own and use spinning setups but prefer the fly. Some really nice brookies in your video. Thanks for sharing this with us.

[jimgollach]

Dosen't matter to me, I think flyfishing is more fun. Enjoyed watching. 👍

[henryleslievermont]

Perfect Fishery for taking a newbie to, action on both types of fishing techniques. :) Brook Trout are so aggressive and fun to catch. :) Enjoyed

[Athanasiuscontramundum]

Awesome video, area and comparison! Thank you for sharing!

[MikePGuitars]

For a tiny brookie stream, I’m fly rod all day. It’s just way easier. On bigger water I’m much more comfortable throwing spinners with a spinning rig.

[et]

I used some really small Euro Tackle helgramites with my fly rod the other day...what a blast catching 2 pound smallies on a 5 weight 9 foot.

[jessepritt]

Could not agree more. Natives are a fly fishing sport. Love your videos

[stevedavis]

Nice job John! Can't wait for the next one

[boxingstarcmbballer]

I love it when the fish do that to me . I try to let um go and they wanna stay . Meanwhile a minute before that they were freaking out in the net trying to get their gills messed up 😂. Almost always soon as you get the hook out they tend to relax. That’s why I always do same as you unhook asap and then worry about taking a picture while they chill in the net.

[elitecallofdutysniper]

love that you tryed to fly fish for bass i've tried but failed but nice job

[Obadiah]

Man, I just love your work. It's about being out there. Living in this God Blessed wonderful world, .. with trout to boot.

[gt_outdoorexcursions]

I think tying flies is what sets it way apart, you can make your own interpretation with whatever mats you have and give it a go, i guess you could make your own spinners, but nothing beats tying up some floaty thing yourself and giving it a go for the small natives.

[LGDeath]

Just ordered my first fly rod, you have been a great help with your videos. Boy am I getting pumped for learning something new. How long until I get bored with Ohio and make my way back to Bergoo is the question? The answer is always, West Virginia mountains are some of the most beautiful places I have ever visited.

[scotthamilton]

As always another awesome video. I'm making a trip home to WV for Memorial Day weekend to do some trout fishing. Can't wait to have a fish on!

[ricosavage]

Going to dive into fly fishing next year, but have been exploring many streams with the spinning rod in the mean time. Love to see I'm not crazy going for native/wild trout with it! Something about small mountain streams I don't get from pond/lake/river fishing.