You might as well just go for an overall multi species thing if you're going to be fishing streams and rivers. My go to for that would be the ugly stik ultralight spinning combo, I believe it's a 5'6 rod, 4 lb monofilament or braid of an equal diameter (I recommend the yo zuri super braid in 10 lb), and a small tackle box with weighted bobbers, size 12, 10, and 8 baitholder hooks, 1/16 oz darter jig heads, 1/4 oz split shots, a tiny rapala jerkbait, a lunkerhunt pocket frog or some other tiny finesse frog, a small spoon, a small, 1/8 - 3/16 oz football jig in either black, black and blue, or green pumpkin or some of those half length senkos for ned rigging of the same color, a pair of needlenose pliers, and a cheap/small nail clipper. Also a tiny pocket knife or a razor blade if you don't fancy cutting worms and whatever other organic bait you use with your nails.
This entire setup can be bought at walmart for under $100. This will last you for years and catch you everything. I've caught everything from gambusia to 3 lb bass and small channel catfish on this setup. Just throw it out, hold the line with your finger (preferably with the same hand you use to hold the rod) to feel for bites, and wait. And yes, I have caught trout on this as well. I personally had the patience for that reel, but you may want to change it out. That may put you up an extra $30, but is worth it. I've used this setup in streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, bays, the ocean, etc. Just change up your bait accordingly and you will get fish.
If you ever take it saltwater/estuary fishing, just use shrimp. Freshwater you can either use hotdogs or worms depending on how pressured that body of water is and what's in it. I used worms for trout. As for knots, if you go with monofilament, you can stick to the standard clinch knot, and likely won't break off on anything until the fish get into the 2 lb+ range. If you go with braid, try to stick to palomar knots and you won't break off.
If you want smaller fish, go with the size 12 baitholder. I usually use this to get all the species I can out of a body of water, or if I'm trying to catch smaller fish for a tank. If you want bigger or know you will be getting bigger fish, go with the size 8. The darter jig heads and size 10 hooks will catch anything and are good all around. Darter jig heads allow you to cast farther and have a steady retrieve with your bait to give a moving presentation. You can also let them sit or creep them along the bottom just fine. You don't need split shots for this, and I don't recommend using a bobber for them either, unless you want to cast it out and reel super slow while keeping the bait suspended at a certain depth. For the baitholder hooks, put a split shot 4-6" above your hook and pinch it with the pliers so it doesn't move. This is also good for the cast and wait style of fishing, as well as fishing with a bobber. I caught trout on this setup in particular. You'll want to use half inch chunks of whatever bait you're using on both of these, or just enough to cover the hook and maybe stick out a bit. For very picky fish, use a bare baitholder without a weight. This will allow your bait to sink at a more natural pace. I've noticed highly pressured fish take note of how fast bait sinks when they're not keen on picking stuff off the bottom. If you're fishing off a dock, the best presentation is either the darter head or the baitholder setup, dropping it all the way to the bottom and reeling up a bit to keep it suspended just off the bottom.
The frog can be used in most shallow water conditions but is best when there is vegetation growing along the surface. The jerkbait is good in all open water situations. Either twitch it or just reel it in slowly with a steady retrieve. The jig or ned rig is good for everything, especially when you're fishing areas with crawfish. You can catch anything on this. Creep it slowly along the bottom, occasionally twitching your rod to bounce it. I forgot to mention you should get a small crawfish type trailer for the jig, of a color that matches the jig. The spoon is especially good for trout or any other predatory fish in murky or moving water.
Palomar knot:
Clinch knot:
