I hope to backpack into the golden trout wilderness next spring.  to make it more (PIA?) interesting, I kinda want to do the trip with BFS.  a BFS travel rod might be the ticket.  

 

I tried BFS but went in the wrong direction, and hated it.  or didnt love it at all.   I want to try again.

what you're thinking of is stream trout rods.  

https://www.smith.jp/html/03-trouttacle.html

 

I'm actually imagining a Megabass Triza.  

 

do you have photos of all your rods?   

 

What kind of environment are you fishing?  Skinny streams and creeks?  More wide open rivers?  What species and size of fish?

all the trout.  kern river is pretty big. 

I'm unfamiliar with the Kern, but from the sound of it, it isn't your average stream.  There is more open space, so this should dictate the length and power of the rod.  Trout rods are now starting to come in what is known as L+, which is a light power tip with the backbone of a medium light.  They're capable of wide weight ranges and take some cues from some saltwater rods.  Major Craft Finetail Glass now comes in a 6'3" L+ 2-14g and 3-8lb.  That would be a good match for your intended river.  Your ideal weight range will be about 5-10g, run some #1.2 and a 6lb US/8lb JP leader and you'll be doing great 👍 

 

I have a Palms Egeria EFVC-53L+ 3-10lb 3-18g, I got it for bushwhacking big browns, and it works nicely.  These are fish of 20" or more, and it keeps them under control just fine.

Shorter than normal bass rods by a little bit but if you are after trout then you want a trout steam rod which is much shorter.  Follow the advice of those offering trout stream rods to you if that is what you are after.  If so, then ignore any rods labeled as BFS as those are going to be longer and stiffer bass rods 

3 minutes ago, Bigbox99 said:

Shorter than normal bass rods by a little bit but if you are after trout then you want a trout steam rod which is much shorter.  Follow the advice of those offering trout stream rods to you if that is what you are after.  If so, then ignore any rods labeled as BFS as those are going to be longer and stiffer bass rods 

Trout rods for BFS reels come in all shapes and sizes from XUL all the way to MH.  Then there are lengths, from 3'8" all the way to 8' and some change.  With bass rods, most are chosen according to technique.  Trout rods are different, they're chosen according to the environment.  Whether the target species are resident trout or larger migratory fish, there is a rod for it.  One of my most favorite rods is a Smith Troutin'Spin 7'4" 4-10lb 5-16g.  It's so light and crisp feeling and does a knockout job of keeping fish pinned.

Has to be a travel rod.  This is a multi day backpack hike in ordeal.   And once it’s over, it’s back to bass fishing.  It won’t be trout use anymore.  
 

 

Call or make a trip to HI’s Tackle in south SF. Jonah can help you find what you’re looking for

 

https://histacklebox.com/

L + sounds like an extra fast light or medium light rod.  Too bad they aren't just using CCS, would take all of the mystery out of it.  From the description it will have a high Action Angle, likely about 80 degrees and most likely a power about ERN 10-13.  Sort of a lighter power version of the old hot shot rods, I would predict.   Being extra fast, it will be more challenging to cast than slower action rods.  BFS is a sort of "smooth acceleration" rather than a "snappy/fast" casting motion and it's easier to get with slower actions.

 

Many like short rods for BFS, under 6 feet.  I built one at; 6 feet,  CCS 8/69  (ERN/ActionAngle),  and found I had trouble setting the hook.  I then built one off a 7' 2" walleye spin blank, CCS 12.5/65 and found it cast farther and the higher power should result in better hook sets, but have not fished it yet.  

 

For a big river, I don't think I'd even fool around with BFS, but directionally, it would lead me to a longer rod. 

 

If Gravity's BFS rods are as good as their reels, it would be a good place to start.  You might consult Rawr Fishing's Facebook group for some advice that would be better than mine.

Just get a 2 pc 6 foot or under trout rod from a reputable manufacturer.  Like a Majorcraft Fine Tail or something.  Avoid Tacklewarehouse.  All they are going to have will be bass rods.   Your UL BFS rod from a bass rod line will not be as well suited to what you want to do.  I've seen it before.  I only got a chance to own a Majorcraft Volkey BFS 65UL long after they dried up because the original owner thought it was going to be a trout rod for trout magnets but was way, way too stiff to be a trout rod.  It excelled at 1/16 Bitsy Bugs and small trailers.  Bottom pic is the Volley BFS.  Notice how huge (and stiff) the blank is compared to the Fine Tail trout rod.  I miss that Volkey.

9 minutes ago, Bigbox99 said:

Notice how huge (and stiff) the blank is

I don't know how to interpret an image as power.  ???

23 minutes ago, MickD said:

I don't know how to interpret an image as power.  ???

Objects with attributes derived from how they are constructed will have an appearance that is a product of these attributes.  In a carbon fishing rod context the smaller diameter the blank deep into the rod the generally the softer and and more deeply the rod will load compared to a larger diameter blank.  When the difference is miniscule its moot but when the difference is large such as the rods above then it is much more apparent. 

 

For really extreme example, I can lay my XH flipping stick next my UL trout rod and immidiately notice that the flipping stick has a blank diameter over 4 times as large.  I assume anyone with some working knowledge of fishing rods looking at both rods would be able to correctly identify that the one that is much, much larger is in fact much more stiff without having to be told that it is any times more powerful in labeled rod power.

 

 

Very imprecise, but if it works for you, fine.

17 hours ago, Bigbox99 said:

Objects with attributes derived from how they are constructed will have an appearance that is a product of these attributes.  In a carbon fishing rod context the smaller diameter the blank deep into the rod the generally the softer and and more deeply the rod will load compared to a larger diameter blank.  When the difference is miniscule its moot but when the difference is large such as the rods above then it is much more apparent. 

 

For really extreme example, I can lay my XH flipping stick next my UL trout rod and immidiately notice that the flipping stick has a blank diameter over 4 times as large.  I assume anyone with some working knowledge of fishing rods looking at both rods would be able to correctly identify that the one that is much, much larger is in fact much more stiff without having to be told that it is any times more powerful in labeled rod power.

 

 

you dont look at the lettering printed on the side of the rod?   it gets me in the ballpark.    I am not one eye-squinting diameters on my rods.   but I do feel your strategy.   my friend fishes with an old (its yellow) rod that is so thick.  it looks like it is for the ocean.  it is a noodle and he said it was made for crank baits.    its yellow!!  ugliest rod I've ever seen.

 

wow...this thread was just looking for a catalyst to buy a Triza Aello.  hahahha

1 hour ago, Darth-Baiter said:

you dont look at the lettering printed on the side of the rod?   it gets me in the ballpark.    I am not one eye-squinting diameters on my rods.   but I do feel your strategy.   my friend fishes with an old (its yellow) rod that is so thick.  it looks like it is for the ocean.  it is a noodle and he said it was made for crank baits.    its yellow!!  ugliest rod I've ever seen.

 

wow...this thread was just looking for a catalyst to buy a Triza Aello.  hahahha

That rod wouldn't be a terrible choice for trout and would have some cross over into bass fishing.  It's a bit more powerfull than what I would look for in a trout stream rod but if multi species if your thing then this rod looks to occupy the boundary between a trout and bass rod.  Someone has it on another forum and says the Daiwa Silver Creek looks really good on it.

On 6/10/2025 at 5:08 PM, Darth-Baiter said:

I hope to backpack into the golden trout wilderness next spring.  to make it more (PIA?) interesting, I kinda want to do the trip with BFS.  a BFS travel rod might be the ticket.  

 

I tried BFS but went in the wrong direction, and hated it.  or didnt love it at all.   I want to try again.

Fished the South Fork of the Kern River above 8,000’ several years from Manache meadows up To Srawberry meadows for Golden trout. Golden trout are small fish average 7”a big Golden is 10”. Most Golden trout areas are limited to barbless fly fishing, no bait or treble hooks. Manache is an open grass land meadow several miles long easy fly fishing. 
If you plan on using BSF tackle suggest a clear small bubble float and small mosquito flies size 20 to 24 with 2# FC leader max.

Tom

 

1 hour ago, WRB-2.0 said:

Fished the South Fork of the Kern River above 8,000’ several years from Manache meadows up To Srawberry meadows for Golden trout. Golden trout are small fish average 7”a big Golden is 10”. Most Golden trout areas are limited to barbless fly fishing, no bait or treble hooks. Manache is an open grass land meadow several miles long easy fly fishing. 
If you plan on using BSF tackle suggest a clear small bubble float and small mosquito flies size 20 to 24 with 2# FC leader max.

Tom

 

I know that meadow.  I think.  that the one with the fence around it, and it has cattle?  strawberry has no fence, I think.  dunno, its been awhile.  I was 30lbs lighter when I hiked it.  

 

we actually went way higher to a set of lakes I hesitate to even type out.  the trout for sure has never seen a person.  they were DUMB.