Home Forums Fishing Freshwater Critique my new ultra light setup.

Just bought a new ultra light rod and reel. Headed to North georgia mtns to fish for some small trout in the mountain streams an creeks. This outfit will also see work here in Florida for panfish. St. Croix premier ultralight rod 6 foot length. Rated at 2-6 lb test and 1/32 to 3/16 oz. Reel is a phluegar president 6920. Holds 110 yards of 4 lb mono. Spooled it with some 5lb power pro braid. Lure choice will be small rooster tails and panther martins. Wish I was there now!

I have the same rod with a Penn 4200ss but it's spooled with flourocarbon not braid. Only used for trout and panfish.
LOVE that rod. I'm going to set up another with a Shimano Sedona 1000.

I also use a Penn 4200ss only spool mine with Trilene XL which I consider the finest UL line. The only change I would make to the OP rig is the line. Try some XL when time to re-spool, you'll like it. An hope you land a boat load both places.

Sounds like a good setup . I do a lot of stream fishing for trout I use a 7-8' Diawa Spinmatic rod with a Shimano Sahara 500 series reel. I like the SOS (Trout Magnet brand) Line in 2-4 lb test depending on water clarity . I've caught rainbows up to 30" and 10lbs on this setup. Have fun and good luck.

The 6925 would cast way better with less coils and more accurately. Nice rod, should be perfect for small streams.

Sealbilly, u might be right. Didn't think about the smaller spool vs a slightly larger one. I can always exchange it. My st croix comes this afternoon so I'll do a quick shakedown and post the results. Thx

Sealbilly, u might be right. Didn't think about the smaller spool vs a slightly larger one. I can always exchange it. My st croix comes this afternoon so I'll do a quick shakedown and post the results. Thx

Sounds like a good set up.
However, if you have room to play a fish, you will find that an ultralight set will catch some impressive fish.

Back in the mid 1980s, I flew the bush in Alaska.
This was the "Survival" fishing kit I carried.
It is a 5 piece 5 foot ultralight kit.



I only carried 4 pound test mono on the spools.
The idea, other than the very light weight of the kit for carrying in the helicopter, was that in a Survival situation, I would be after smaller fish.

Arctic Char up to about 30 inches were easily handled.





The knife is an 8 inch blade Randal Model 18 Attack Survival to give an idea of scale.

Most of the Grayling trout caught were about a pound.
Likewise Flounder caught from a sandy beach averaged about two pounds.
(A Mussel on a single barbed hook was usually good for one Flounder per cast.)

However, I have caught larger fish on 4 pound line.

We were surveying the Alaskan Peninsula several miles below Cold Bay one season.
On Sundays, the camp boss would let me fly members of the crew to good fishing areas.
At the time King Salmon were heading up the Canoe river, and we were given permission to fish it.
Every one else in camp had heavy gear suitable for Salmon.
Fortunately, the Arctic Char were following the salmon to the spawning beds.
One of the surveyors caught a nice hen salmon and gave me a half skein of eggs.
I rigged a mini Steelhead configuration using a three way swivel for a drop sinker.
The 30" leader (also 4 pound... It was all I had) set to keep the bait about 6 inches off the bottom with a size 14 treble hook attached.
A fresh egg was put on each barb and was I killing the 3 to 5 pound Char on almost every cast.
Most naturally were released.
On one cast, I felt a bump and tried to set the hook.
All I managed to do was strip line past the drag.
Believing that I had snagged the bottom, I tried my best to get free without breaking the line.
I was getting pretty frustrated when I noticed that my line was suddenly moving upstream.
The fish was up near the surface and saw that the dorsal fin was about a foot ahead of the tail.
I had hooked a Salmon.
As luck would have it, the bank of the river was a long flat gravel bar and I was able to play my fish.
All I could do was chase it up and down the river letting it strip line and cranking it back when I could.
Finally, my fish moved into the shallows and I could see it was rubbing the side of its mouth against the smooth rocks trying to dislodge the hook.
I jumped into the river and literally kicked the fish onto the beach.
I killed it with my Swiss Army knife and yelled for my mechanic to grab my camera.

This is the picture he took.



Not the size of the reel next my hand.
She weighed in at an even 20 pounds.

This isn't the biggest fish I have ever caught, but is by far the best.

So, just because you are using an ultralight set, don't underestimate what it will handle if the drag is set low enough and you have room to play your fish.

I find that light weight power braid is so small in diameter that it can be a bit of a pain in the ass. YMMV

I love that ultra small plueger president. Dam good reel for the $. I have mine on a 5'6" cherrywood with 4lb mono. Perfect for small creek native brookies.

Thx for the replies fellas. Creeker I did in fact today switch the braid to 4lb trilene xl. I think I initially put to much line on spool. After about 20 casts I got a nasty tangle coming off the reel. Took some line off and seems good now. Gonna play with it again tomorrow. So far I like it. Thx

On top of being a pita like steelhead said, the ultimate small diameter no stretch lines tend to snap. 4# mono will stretch and not snap as easily as 4# nanofil or braid because it has no shock resistance. My buddy Travis used 4# nanofil one time and he broke off several times that day, maybe his drag wasnt set but he used the same setting with mono and no break offs. I use 8# nanofil a lot and love it. It handles better than braid and casts like a bullet. Plus my eyes are getting old and I just can't see that 4# super line very well.

OP - nice set up. FYI. I own many Pflueger UL. 1 6920 and several 25 sized. The 20 is great and IMHO best for bream. I prefer a 25 for Crappie and Bass as well. More line retrieve per turn.

I use P-line CX. Not CXX. The CX is limp and less memory issues. 6# on 20 and 25 but sometimes run #8 on the 25's to minimize break offs when hung up. Saves lures my waters full of snags. Plan to try 10 and 15 Powerpro. Ran 15 Spiderwire once but won't again. Small "Superlines" can be a pain to tie knots i.e. #4 Nanofil

Enjoy and good fishing

Doing a similar setup, went with the St. Croix Avid(the Avids have a lifetime warranty) 6ft UL with a Shimano Stradic Ci4+ 1000.

Went a little overboard with the fishing stuff this year, Pfleuger Patriarch, Pfleuger President limited,the Stradic Ci4+ and a St. Croix Walleye Tournament Legend 6'3.