If You Had A 800 Dollar Budget....

[Phauren]

What would you get?

I am looking for a good frog reel/rod set up

Spinning rod/reel set up for drop shot or small crank baits

All around baitcasting set up, small swimbaits/crank baits and chatter baits.

I have about an 800 dollar budget.

[5dollarsplash]

For your bc's I'd go with 2 tatula's or 2 curado's(leaning towards tatulas for cost sake) one in a 7 and one in a 6 ratio.  Symetre for the spinning reel, probably lean towards the 2500.

 

Rods I'd put the most money into the spinning.  I'm a St Croix fan so I'd pick a Avid in M/F, Aetos from Fenwick would get a looksie as well.  For the Frog I'd use a Premier in MH/F, a H is a broomstick.  Finally for the All Around I'd get a MH/MF,  Fenwick has the Elite Tech Smallmouth that I think would work great for this unless you are looking for a longer rod.

[bootytrain]

The curado I can be your frog reel and all around baitcasters in one.

[GADawgs]

I just spent about $600 on 3 setups and I went this route.

 

Powell Endurance 714 (jigs and t-rigs) with a Lews Tourney Pro Speed Sppol 7.1:1

7'1" *** Black MF SPinning with a Pflueger Supreme MGX - Weightless plastics and finesse

Powell Diesel 765 with a Lews Speed Spool 6.4:1 - Topwater and pitching/flipping (there isn't too much slop in most of the places I fish)

 

I really like the Powell Endurance line and the Lews Tourney Pro is Sweet and both can be found for $150 per rod and reel if you look or wait for sales!  If it was me I would do the following setup....

 

Powell Endurance 725 with Lews Super Duty 7.1:1

Powell Cranking rod with Lews TP 6:4.1 

Daiwa Tatula 7' MXF Spinning Rod or *** Black 7'1" MF with  Pflueger President or MGX reel

 

That  should set you up pretty well and it's what I would do with $800. 

 

That being said, take every recommendation you get with a grain of salt.  Most of us will recommend what we like and what brands we think are the best.  At the price tag you are looking at most all rod companies offer a good stick and reel companies offer a great reel and both should have a pretty good warranty.  Have fun!

[ColdSVT]

Side imaging

Im good on rods...for now lol

[JTP]

Casting.

Powell Endurance 723C - 150$

Spinning Rod

Powell endurance 6102S - 150$

Casting Reel

Lews Tournament MG - 129$ (6.4:1 or 7.1:1)

Spinning Reel

Shimano Symetre FL - 99$-109$

 

That leaves you around 272$ left, give or take which spinning reel you get.

 

You could get a cranking setup

Powell Endurance 724CB - 150$

lews Tournament MG - 129$ (5.5:1 or 6.4:1)

 

Thats should hit right around your budget and i would say thats a really good starting lineup.

[21farms]

here's what i would do:

 

frog setup:

• daiwa tatula DTAT741HFB frog rod ($150)
• shimano chronarch CI4+ ($200 used, and there's two of them in the fishing flea market here  )

dropshot setup:

• fenwick elitetech smallmouth series ESMS69ML-F ($100, currently on sale at cabelas)
• pflueger supreme 9230XT ($110, new from the fishing flea market here) (shimano symetre 2500FL at $100 would be another excellent choice here)

all-around baitcasting setup:

• megabass orochi F5-610XX ($255, demo from tackletrap) (this is called the "spinnerbait special" but is ultra versatile and a GREAT rod)
• make the chronarch do double duty

 

there you go, almost exactly $800 and, lemme tell ya, if i had to, i'd be very happy with these setups.

[Capt.Bob]

1.) Frog (Carolina rig, heavy jig, flipp'n...  St. Croix Premier 7' or 7 1/2' MHF about $120.00,,,,,, Lew's Super Duty $130.00 

2.)For all round St. Croix MF 7' or 6 1/2' Avid,,,,,, $170.00,,,,,,, Lew's Tournament  $110.00

3.) spinning  St. Croix Avid I would concentrate on the Drop Shot side and go with a 6'8" MXF or 7' MF may be better suited if you want to use it for small cranks also?? another 170.00. Shimano Symetre 2500FL $85.00

That is below your budget, but those are readily available prices without shopping around, patience and you cut any of those items by 10 or 15%,,,,,plus the Avids are lifetime and even the Premier is 5 year warranted with all rod's from America's largest manufacturer of Premium Graphite blank's.

[LMB KING]

1. st.croix avid 7'0 med hvy xfast bc rod $200 with bass pro qualifier bc reel $90. i would use this as my frog and all around BC rod. 

2. st.croix legend extreme 7'0 med-heavy spinning rod $400 with a quantum energy spin reel $140

 

the reason why i would spend more on a drop-shot rod, is because that set-up has to be top quality set-up because sensitivity is king on drop-shot as the bass are very finicky and sometimes grab the worm and then spits it out.  

[Phauren]

Looks like some great lists. Going to try and find a store near me that has most of them in stock so i can see how they feel.

[J Francho]

Here's my new frog rod. Loving it!

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing_lures/primmus-reel-dhc-7-rod-review.html