new2BC4bass

Sounds like you want to keep the price fairly low. I won't ever get rid of my 6' ML Lightning spinning rod, but it is only a $40 rod (less back in the day when I bought it). Excellent rod for the money, tho. Aird X gets great reviews. Look at the Procyon as well. A good rod that very few ever mention. If willing to go higher the Tatula is a great line. I don't own a Falcon BuCoo, but very much enjoy the Falcons I have. The BuCoo is another serious contender. Also the Fenwick HMG. Very nice rods for the money. Two years ago I used my older Fenwick Elite Tech on my visit to Florida as my main rod because it was the only reel outside my frog rod with braid. It is a 7' MF Jig and Worm spinning rod. I had no problem hauling the few fish I caught out of the lily pads. There are quite a few good options. Ark Lancer, iRod Fiber and the Lew's TPX1. But the TP1 Black at $130 gets excellent reviews. If you can go to $130, I highly recommend the Falcon Lowrider. From what I've read it fishes way above its price point. If all goes well with my brain surgery Tuesday, I will be buying two Lowriders.

Coastal 200HS if you need plenty of line. Coastal TWS (has SV spool). I have both, but have not spooled either. Haven't been getting out much the past 2-3 years, but did not stop buying rods and reel. I really like that Tatula SV, but feel I cast well enough not to need the SV spool for much of my fishing. However, I do not just use it for light lures/windy days. Like it too much for that. I have the feeling that the finish is a good one. Have a 'blem' Elite that I picked up cheap, but the 'blem' is not cosmetic as I had assumed. It is internal and has to be sent out for repair. Unusable as is. I'd rather spend the money on repair rather than returning and paying full price on a non-blem reel because I know it will be properly cleaned and lubed when I get it back. Plus I always get Carbontex drags installed. I trust dodgeguy and PhishLI and in fact own a couple Quantum Icons based on his opinion of the. Hard to pass up a $130 for $40 after reading his take on the reel. Only reason for not picking up one of dodgeguy's suggestions is it is another $100 over the Icon and I already have about 95 baitcast reels. I did pick up a Quantum KVD Smoke S3 as many comment on how good these reels cast. I got the left hand here. https://vandamwarehouse.com/kvd-smoke-s3-pt-baitcast-reels-by-quantum/?sku=120QUSKVD101HPT&gclid=CjwKCAjw07qDBhBxEiwA6pPbHiRXtWCBF52u0vTRFB2_RdzOkBsuqeAAB__hGN_gj_dSSitkVV3FvRoCUx0QAvD_BwE A $180 reel for $100. Legit seller. Still in box as are several of my other reels. If I remember correctly, the Quantum Smoke S3 is a bit better reel. And a little more expensive. EDIT: BTW, Pflueger was selling the Patriarch XT for $100 about a year ago. I picked up the Supreme XT for $60 and a Patriarch for $80 during their sale. Still in boxes. Didn't get the Patriarch XT because of owning 3 of the older ones.

That is exceptional distance for someone relatively new to baitcast reels. Don't stop what you are doing.

I have no experience with this white model, but have 3 of the older blue models. If it is as good as mine, then it is a great buy. $120 for a $250 reel. However, I've never dealt with this store before. https://www.fishingtackle-store.com/products/Pflueger-Patriarch-XT-Low%2dProfile-Casting-Reel.html I love my blue ones. Light, nice looking and cast well. Good braking system. Don't like white, tho. I like the looks and feel of my Okuma Helios SX, but haven't used it yet. At TW $172.49 for a reel that lists around $220. I've seen it listed higher. I mention these reels as options you and just about everyone else ignores, but that I have found to offer good value for the money. Or you can go with one of the many Lew's offerings within your budget. I am kind of partial to Daiwas. And yes I like my Tat SV a lot.

A lot of really nice options given. I'd like to add the Falcon BuCoo and HD, Fenwick HMG, Berkley Lightning, Ark Lancer, iRod Fiber. I'd give the Daiwa Procyon a god look if you don't wan to go to $100. And if willing to go to $130, the Falcon Lowrider or Ark Tharp.

I'm so good with a baitcast reel that I can backlash any of them. Was out at the Lake Nockamixon fishing pier Sunday. First time out this year. Bank behind me higher than my head, so overhead casts only as I was sitting on a rock. I managed to jerk the rod pretty bad a couple times. The Exsence DC did get some loose line but no backlash. Pretty sure I'd had a major backlash with many of my other reels.

Low memory.

I'm going to ignore the American made comment and simply suggest a few low cost options. Falcon BuCoo, Fenwick HMG, Daiwa Aird X, Berkley Lightning, Ark Invoker Pro, Ark Lancer, Ark Tharp, iRod Genesis II, Lew's TP-1 Black, Okuma EVX, H2O Xpress Ethos, Carbonlite 2.0, ALX Ikos. I'd have added the Abu Veritas, but I hate white rods.

You can find a used T3 1016 or MX in good to great used condition for a lot less than either of those reels. The Magforce 3D braking system is fantastic. The only problem is you may not learn to use your thumb. I've got an older Excense DC. This is another reel that is almost impossible to backlash. No idea about the Curado DC. I've read varying reports about it. The Elite is reported to not only be excellent for distance, but able to handle fairly light lures as well. But I'm betting you need some thumb control with this reel.

Yeah. I keep a separate file for rods and reels. I definitely have an issue. And keep looking to make it worse.

I use a fair amount of Siege. I've mentioned this before. If it has sat for awhile, the line in front of the reel looks like a Slinky for the first few casts. I retrieve with rod tip in the water to help get it (and other lines) wet ASAP. However, I don't think I've ever had it loose on the spool for those first few casts. Something I cannot say about Big Game. I agree with you and a few others....I go straight braid on my frog rods. You aren't fishing in gin clear water with nothing between the surface and the bottom of the lake. OP, try Izorline or CXX. In the situations you describe I think I'd go heavy...like 20# or more if I were going to use a leader. I prefer not to.

I think I'd be spooked, too.

These must be fantastic reels and completely sold out as not one link will open on my laptop. I think that hole on the left side emits a particle beam that can tell you the exact location and size of the fish. And whether or not it is a Smallmouth or Largemouth.

Personal preference only. I like longer casting rods. Spinning rods I like shorter. I'd go 6' if I didn't have room on shore for longer.

I would have gotten the KastKing Crixus ArmourX Casting Reel. Just kidding.

In my experience Falcon Fast action rods have more of a parabolic bend than many. Mediums I've used were rated 1/4-1/2 oz. Everyone knows a 1/2 oz. spinnerbait weighs more. I've pulled one upstream with my Medium OG Expert. Put a nice bend in the rod, but it did it and I wasn't afraid of breaking the rod. I recently posted this. Customer service is great. I fell face first into a pile of rocks and broke off two pieces from the tip. Called Falcon and explained exactly what happened. I got a new Cara for $80, (They were $200 back then.) I felt this went above and beyond what was required of Falcon as it was totally my fault the rod broke. There are a few on here using the BuCoo rods, and they have posted that they feel it is the best rod in its price range.

Good rod choice. You will have people that favor each of those reels. More than likely it is a case of "You can't go wrong." I have those 3 brands and a few others. However, I own more Daiwas than any other brand so I tend to lean that way. I would like to try an SLX, tho.

Falcon rods get overlooked a lot here. I've fished the Original, OG Expert and a Cara. Falcon sells nice rods. They also have great customer service. Some people dropped them when Falcon started getting blanks made overseas. Yet they have no problem recommending rods from other companies that are made elsewhere.

Okuma and Pflueger are the Rodney Dangerfields of bass fishing. I've always felt I got good value from both. I got an Okuma Helios 7' M on sale. Once it arrived and I had a chance to use it, I went and bought a second while they were still on sale. That is not something I normally do as I like to try different gear. I only have doubles of 2 rods. Once because I hated the spinning rods in that line because of the small guides (tried micro and standard) so I exchanged it for a casting rod I already had. And then there's the Helios. That's it. No other doubles. I now have some rods I wouldn't mind having doubles or triples of, but finances prevent it. I also agree about the Tatulas. Only have the originals, but think they are excellent for the price...or even more.

I have the Lowrider Head Turner and Amistad in my cart, but absolutely hate paying full price for anything so I haven't pulled the trigger yet.

And Falcon has great customer service. Years ago I purchased a 3 rod package deal of original Experts. They were no longer in production. Broke the Medium when I fell face first into a pile of rocks. Got in touch with Falcon and told them what happened. They sent me a brand new Cara for $80. I felt they owed me nothing and that they went above and beyond. I've used Originals, the Cara and of course the OG Experts. I hate paying full price, but think I am going to have to pay that so I can get a Lowrider. I'm thinking the Head Turner or the Amistad. Finding one may be a problem considering how things are right now.

I thought you were asking what was our lightest baitcast combo from your thread title. I haven't weighed all my rods, but the Okuma Helios 7' M is the lightest of all that I've weighed so far at 3.34 oz. (94.69g). Lightest reel probably is 5.6 oz. (158.76g). I've gone by the listed reel weights. Haven't weighed reels empty. Did weigh 3 with line. Steez 103H with 12# InvizX is 5.71 oz. (161.88g) and the lightest of the three. So 9.05 oz. (256.56g) total. But reading inside your post makes it seem you are asking about the lightest lure baitcast rod. My lightest lure rated rod is a close second to the Helios at 3.6 oz. An OG Falcon 6'9" LF Expert. Lure range 1/16-3/8 oz. It is the lightest for bass. Reel will be a Pixy which I think are listed at 5.8 oz. (164.43g). Have a finesse spool on the way so reel weight may be a bit less that that. However, I recently got an Ace Hawk Double with two tips. A Light and Ultra Light. The Ultra Light is rated .018-.14 oz. (.5-4g). Not a rod I plan on using for bass. Not even with the Light tip rated .07-.21oz. (2-6g). Heck....I worry about catching a bluegill on either tip.

Guess I am obtuse. Clueless? Slow? Imperceptive? Dense? Dumb? Thick? Slow on the uptake? Uncomprehending? But all I got out of this is that the OP is wondering why someone would suggest using 12# and 15# on the same rod. He doesn't ask what are good rods for these techniques? What power is best? What line is best? What color is best? What weight is best? Etc. Etc.

Sure hope the OP has his rod by now.

Because the rod has a 10#-20# line rating.