Game

Game fishing — trout and salmon — sits a little outside our day-to-day core, which is sea lure fishing. But there's a good UK overlap between the gear used for trout on small lures and the lighter end of LRF and estuary work, and we stock a curated selection for the people who fish both.

Rod ranges for Game

Shop all Game gear

Trout on lures and small spinners is a discipline in its own right — fine rods, fine lines, very small lures, and a presentation that's closer to fly fishing in tempo than to most lure work. Spinning rods for trout are typically 6' to 7', rated for very light lures (often 1-7g), with a soft, forgiving action that protects fine lines and absorbs the head-shake of a fresh trout.

Salmon on spinners is a heavier game — longer, stiffer rods, heavier lures, more substantial reels and lines built to handle a fish that can run hard for distance. The dedicated salmon spinning gear sits in its own bracket and overlaps less with sea fishing.

We're not a dedicated game tackle shop — there are specialists who deserve your business if you fish exclusively for trout and salmon. But for the UK angler who wants a light setup that'll fish a small stream for trout in the morning and an estuary for bass in the evening, we can help. A good LRF rod and a 2000-2500 reel will cover more game scenarios than people expect.

If you're after dedicated salmon gear or specific fly equipment, ask and we'll point you to people we trust. We'd rather do that than sell you something we don't fish ourselves.

Frequently asked questions

What is UK game fishing on lures?

In a UK context "game fishing" usually means trout — brown trout, rainbow trout, sea trout — fished on small lures, spinners, soft plastics, or fly. The lure side overlaps with what international markets would call ultralight spinning. Salmon also count as game fish but are mostly fly-only in UK waters. The lure rods for trout are short (6'-7'6"), light (1-7g casting band), and built around the small lures and light line the fishing demands.

What rod for trout lure fishing?

6'6" to 7' rods rated 1-7g (or thereabouts) cover most UK trout lure fishing. Solid or very fine tubular tips for sensitivity, ultralight line (PE 0.3-0.6 or 4-6lb fluorocarbon direct), small lures (1-5g jigheads with finesse soft plastics, or small hard-baits and spinners). The discipline overlaps closely with LRF in terms of tackle choice — many LRF rods double well for trout work, and vice versa.

Where can you fish for trout on lures in the UK?

Most still-water trout fisheries (reservoir-style and managed) allow lure fishing alongside fly fishing — check the specific rules for your fishery as some restrict to fly only. Wild river trout fishing is more variable; many rivers in Wales, the West Country, and Scotland allow lure fishing with appropriate seasonal restrictions. Always check local rules. Sea trout in estuaries and the open sea is fishable on lures too, particularly at night during the seasonal run.