Trout Fishing or Bass Fishing: Which is Better?

Sportsman will surely come down on both sides of this question, but in my opinion, fishing for trout is a better pass time than fishing for bass. Admittedly, location is a determining factor when addressing this question. As I reside in West Virginia, trout fishing is far more abundant than can be found in southern states. Here in West Virginia, we are in right in the middle of the north and the south, and thus have opportunities for fishing for both bass and trout. However, because we are farther north, the bass tend to be smaller (on average) than those in southern waters. We also fish more for small mouth bass, as opposed to large mouth (though both are available in many of the lakes and reservoirs in the state).

Trout fishing is better here in West Virginia because of the setting that most trout fishing takes place in. Trout are stocked in the high mountain streams, offering great opportunities for large fish. We also have native brook trout, a beautiful species that has received a lot of attention from conservationists over the last few decades. These fish inhabit only the wildest streams, often in higher elevations where the water is much colder. These fish are typically on the small side (less than 12 inches) but they are great fighters. When you catch one of these little guys, the color and overall beauty of the fish will amaze you.

The style of fishing for trout is also a characteristic that makes it better than bass fishing. A person can spend hours in a day hiking the side of the river, figuring out just where to cast to catch that next fish. The water is typically fast moving, and cold. It takes some amount of skill to be able to read the water, and know where the fish will be hidden. It also takes some skill to figure out what the finicky fish might want to eat, thus tempting him out from under his underwater lair. When it comes to bass fishing, there is an element to reading the water, but for the most part anglers sit on a boat, and cruise around the lake until their equipment tells them that there are fish below them. It does take skill to get the bait or lure placement right, but the technique is far different than floating a fly through the right hole for a big trout.

Equipment is another trait that causes trout fishing to be more appealing than bass fishing. While some may fly fish for bass, the typical equipment consists of spin casting or bait casting rods with heavy lines. In most cases, the fish is hooked, and then yanked out of the water without much problem. Lines have to be heavy enough to pull bass out from under any number of obstacles. The heavy line used by bass fishermen is usually a detriment to the trout fishermen. Light lines, with even lighter tippet are the norm. Instead of 10 to 12 pound test, trout fishermen use 2 to 4 pound test lines. This presents a challenge because the fish cannot simply be horsed to the shore. The fisherman has to finesse the fish, making sure to tire him out enough to bring him to hand without allowing the fish to break the line. An attempt to land the fish too suddenly will almost surely result in a break off! There are many trout fishermen that also fish with fly equipment. It is much more conducive to both the environment that trout inhabit and to the food supply that trout consume.

Overall, both bass fishing and trout fishing have their pros and cons, but in the end (at least in my opinion), trout fishing gains the upper hand. There is a need for greater skill to consistently bring trout to hand than for bass. The method of trout fishing is more fun, and physically demanding than bass fishing. The fish are more difficult to catch, and more beautiful when caught. Weighing all the information, trout fishing wins in this competition!