new2BC4bass

This and an Aird X. Beats your $120 limit.

You want the SA 704C (Sierra casting rod). Ask me how I wound up with a 6'10" ML Villain 2.0 casting rod.

No casting reel is going to be the best for that Sierra rod (SA 704SF). It is a spinning rod.

I also have all 3 models. The Ballistic was purchased used, but looks NIB. I've never had it out of the box other than to look it over upon arrival. Plan on giving it to a sister-in-law that isn't against trying baitcast reels. The braking system on these reels is great....for those of us needing one.

Or a used T3 Magforce 3D reel.

I wouldn't use fluoro to start. Getting a kink on a backlash with fluoro is asking for broken line. I'm a little bias, but I'd suggest 12#-15# mono or co-polymer to start. 12# of either is my go to for the majority of my MH rods. No experience with Aird X rods, but all the reviews I read on it say it is a great rod for the money. I like my Lightning (not the Lightning Shock) if you are looking for the lowest cost decent rod.

Sportsman's Outfitters has the Tatula 6'10" MHF for $110...a $150 and worth $150 AFAIC. Excellent rods for the money. As several have already mentioned, the Fuego CT is hard to beat in its price range and can be found for around $75-$80 if you keep an eye open. Another option is a quality used reel, if you don't mind used. And if you know what reel you want. One of my best used reel deals was an older blue Patriarch XT. $65 for a $250 reel when new and it is in very good condition. I already had two but was unable to pass up such a great deal on a fine reel. A Gen 1 or Gen 2 STX makes for an excellent option as does a Gen 2 Premier. They can be found at very low prices. There are more good used reels than I could list here.

Fluorocarbon will work fine. Mono is suggested for rods with stiffer actions because of its stretch. Fluorocarbon is just as stretchy. I fished crankbaits on MF rods for quite a while before getting a dedicated crankbait rod. Don't lock the drag down.

I bought my pair as a package deal. $130. Refurbished. Seller had his choice of reels sitting on the shelf. Used them and a tuned and upgraded TD-Z 105H learning to cast #5 Shad Raps. On the water I can't tell the difference in casting distance. This probably says more about my casting ability than I should publicly admit.

Yes! Grew up on spinning. Got back into fishing in '09 and got my first baitcast reel. Haven't looked back. Have also purchased a few spinning rods & reels since then, but with 2 exceptions they have sat in the basement after my initial outing with them. Those 2 exceptions got fished once...so far. Nor is it about which type reel catches more fish. Or which is better for this technique or for that technique. I simply enjoy a baitcast reel more. I'd have quit again shortly after getting back into fishing if I had to catch fish to keep going out. I've only got two things to say to those of you that think baitcast reels can only skate a bass across the water. 1) Stop watching so many professional fishing shows. 2) Learn to use the drag. Okay...3 things. 3) They make more than MH, H and XH baitcast rods. Before quitting I only used 4# XL with the drag locked down. Before that 8# XL with the drag locked down. Before that I used the drag. I used to be pretty accurate with a spinning rod, but should have been since I started at 6 with one and fished every chance I had. So I don't buy into comments that spinning isn't accurate. Happy to all....regardless of what you use.

I no longer look at any reviews, questions, etc. on Amazon. For that very reason. Probably 95% is B.S. (A percentage I picked out of the air. )

Post on Tackletour. Those guys would rather play with their reels than fish. iabass8 is one of them. Try to get in touch with MountainMan83 and see if he has any spacers from 34mm to 36mm for your OG Zillions. Then swap spools to your heart's content. At one time I made two different size spacers...that I gave away...but I just don't have the time nor (at 72) inclination to stay late to set up a lathe (if open) and run off another batch of each. The hour drive to get home afterwards doesn't help either.

I feel Okuma has given me good value for my money....but I haven't tried their less expensive reels (below $100). I have two Helios Air and a regular Helios (both casting). The Air amazed me on the first cast with it.

And I thought I had a boatload at 47. But I didn't get started until 2009. Don't think I will live long enough to catch you tho.

Black Max 1600C, older Trion (casting reel w/alum. frame), older gray Cabela's Prodigy (casting) made by Daiwa, Procaster 100HN, Penn 430SS, gold colored Carbonlite (no idea of cost new), SS Tournament 1300.

WOW.

Reads more like how many brands do you fish rather than what are your favorite brands. Unless you are a guy like me that has never met a reel he didn't like. Brands owned: Daiwa, Shimano, Abu (Revo, Ambassadeur and Morrum), BPS, Lew's, Pflueger, Pinnacle, Okuma, Quantum, 13 Fishing EDIT: Penn spinning Favorite brand: Daiwa.....but I have favorites in other brands: Helios Air, Primmus Xi HS, Patriarch XT, Chronarch 100B, Curado 201E7, Excense DC, gold Carbonlite, Gen1 STX To be determined: Several that either haven't been used yet or used once or twice.

I've done very well rejecting the Bait Monkey since my last post. No new rods. A new Coastal SV and Icon PT (thanks to PhishLI) and an OG Steez 103H. A couple spare spools...Steez 103 Type R+ and T3 1016. Three rod sleeves, a few more reel covers and a few Yo-Zuri 3DB hardbaits. Thank God I am growing some cajones and fighting back.

Yup. I know you can mention some things with that company now, but I thought number eight was the same company and when I typed in a certain sequence (that had nothing to do with that company), I wound up with asterisks.

OP, I don't have your reel, but I do have a Scorpion 71. Also have an older Excense DC. I get good distance with both. Got to agree something ain't right somewhere. Either the reel is set up way off or the rod is way too powerful for the weight you are casting. Unless you got a lemon. 15 yards is pitching distance. I believe a 5" Senko weighs around 3/8 oz. Any MHF rod I have will cast it quite a bit further than 15-20 yards with any reel I have. I feel quite certain at least 2-3 of my HF rods will do a lot better than that. I'd like to watch someone cast that can do 145 yards with a baitcast reel. One set up for actually bass fishing with. Love to have them teach me. I got started on a baitcast reel late in life. I will never be as good as many of these guys are. Based on reel capacity and the amount of line still left on the reel, I believe I have made a few 65-70 casts. That is a long, long ways. No way can I dump a 125-135 yard spool of line.

Not familiar with that reel, but agree with above 2 posters. Make sure the rod is loading proper.

Do you still buy factory rods or just build your own?

Well................if I had a boat like A-Jay's and rod storage like his, mine would look just like his. And like A-Jay (probably) I could fill both compartments again without using any of the rods currently stored in them. Extremely hard to pick favorites. I will say that if I plan on throwing crankbaits my Aetos 6'6" MLM/PXL Type R is an absolute pleasure to use. Diablo Spec R, Deputy and Rainshadow RX7 custom are favorite MHF rods. Love my Smallmouth 6'10" MF/Curado 51E, but I am sure others will join that rod once I get to use them enough. I really like my Regular action OG Tatulas: ML, M and MH.

My plastics aren't that heavy, but I have them in 3-4 containers. As far as rods/reels I am close to being in the same boat. Which in my case is not necessarily a good place to be. Haven't been getting out much the past 3 years so I lot has set unused. Probably have at least a half dozen baitcasting reels that haven't been out of the box yet. Have enough terminal tackle that my car trunk is full when all are loaded. Yup. The OP is just getting started. Just wait a few years and see what his wife has to say then.