I believe that ultra light fishing is the wave of the future. And if it's not, it should be. So what is ultralight fishing? Many people seem to think that ultra light fishing involves the use of an ice fishing rod, spooled with 1 pound test, and fishing for large minnows. This is not the case. In my mind ultra light fishing simply means using fishing gear that's matched to what you're fishing for. For example, for all of my trout fishing, I use ultra light rods and reels. I have a five foot ultra light rod for normal water conditions and a six foot six inch ultra light rod for high water situations. The point is that when trout fishing, most of the fish I catch are under 20 inches. This makes the ultra light set up perfect, and when I hook that 20 + inch fish, it's fine too.

Ultra light gear makes fishing much more challenging as well. Using ultralight gear and four to six pound test line gives the fish a fighting chance, as opposed to just winching them in with heavy fishing gear. Using ultra light gear makes you a much better angler as well, because you have to hone your ability to "play" the fish. With ultra light fishing there is never any "winching" in your catch. You must learn to develop your ability to "play" your catch.

I've heard a lot of talk over the past 10 years about fly fishing being an "art". Well, let me tell you something. Using ultra light gear, coupled with light line and small gang hooks, is every bit the "art" that fly fishing is made out to be. As a matter of fact, fly fishermen (or flea flickers, as my mentor used to call them) have monopolized the word "art" for long enough. Ultra light fishing, when practiced by a seasoned angler, is very much an "art" form.

My point to this article is that if you've never tried ultra light fishing, especially in river and stream situations, do yourself a favor and give it a try. I'm telling you from experience that catching a 23 inch rainbow trout or 3 pound smallmouth bass on an ultra light rod and reel spooled with 4 pound test is as much fun as can be had with your clothes on!

The other great thing about ultralight fishing is the cost of the gear. You don't have to break the bank to get into ultra light fishing. As a matter of fact in my humble opinion, you should use Quantum Xtralite rods, which cost less than $25, and a good ultralight reel won't cost you more than $30. That means that for around 50 bucks you can have a very nice and serviceable ultralight fishing set-up! That's very inexpensive no matter how you look at it. The fact that ultralight gear is so inexpensive is another reason why it's the wave of the future. The bottom line is that if you've never tried it, spend the 50 bucks on the gear, and give ultra light fishing a try. You won't be disappointed.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.....Montana!



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