Finesse setup recommendations

[Doubles]

Looking to by my 13 year old son a nice spinning setup for his birthday.  We typically 'finesse' fish-  wacky worms, light jigs, lightweight plastics, etc.  Versatile is always good. 

 

Would be interested in a nice rod in the 6'3" -6'8" or so range, a lifetime warranty would be a bonus.

 

Would like to pair it with a nice, reliable 1500 size smooth spinning reel.

 

Would really prefer to spend between $100 - $200 on a nice setup, if that's even possible.

 

Been out of the gear-buying game for a while, would appreciate any & all input.  Thank you very much.

 

[TH-Outdoors]

Dobyns Fury 6'6 Medium

Shimano Sahara 

You'll be sitting right under 200 with a quality set up

[Darren.]

Welcome aboard!

 

I can second the Shimano Sahara, or even jump up to 

one of the new Shimano NASCI reels.

 

As for rods with lifetime warranty, they're getting fewer

and further between. But for quality (can't speak to 

Dobyns, never owned one), I can attest to the Bass Pro

Carbonlite series - grab a 6'6" M for $99 and you'll have

a fantastic combo. Longer warranty can be had with 

St. Croix, but to step up to lifetime, it'll be more $$.

 

Having said that, obviously the Dobyns Fury would fit

the lifetime warranty and cost bill, so that would answer

both your rod requirements.

[SFL BassHunter]

Dobyns are great rods.

Carbonlites are also great blanks. Components are decent.

Daiwa has some real nice rods.

 

I have a Pflueger Trion 25 reel and it is a great lightweight reel. Smooth reeling, smooth drag. Good for finesse stuff and they are cheap. Can't beat it at 39 bucks. It would leave you with a good amount of money for a good rod.

[BigGame0892]

Saharas are on sale online at Basspro last I checked I think?  Maybe as part of the reel trade in?  Hard to go wrong with that reel.  Daiwa and Dobyns both make good rods.

 

Hard to go wrong with a Pflueger President too.

[ChrisD46]

These are all good suggestions - I suggest you take a look at the TW site in the spinning rods & spinning reels section (reviews are helpful)  , then you can come back with any further questions you may have regarding what you find in your budget . You should also not count out:  Abu Garcia , Lew's and Okuma as well as the aforementioned Daiwa , Shimano and Dobyns options .

 

P.S. Quick story I moved from North Texas to Florida in the heart of bass lake country when I was 12 ... A few months later when I turned 13 my father bought me my first spinning rod and reel : A low end Shakespeare reel and a no name whippy ML glass rod which turned out great for keeping bass hooked up with twitch baits on mono line ... Fast forward to today and that first spinning rod & reel still means more to me than many material items and gifts since I have accumulated since then . Have fun with the selecton and make it a big deal with your son without spending a fortune  - he will thankyou with a smile and good memories  many , many years later .

[smalljaw67]

Right now you can go to Cabela's and get him a great set up in your price range. The only change you need to make is the reel size, you'll want a 2000 series reel, it will have a larger spool and has enough line capacity that you can run 10lb line and have more than enough, a 1500 size will hold around 100 yards of 6lb line, a few snags and it won't cast well. The Cabela's Tournament ZX spinning reel in the 2000 size is on sale for $55.99, it is very similar to the Daiwa BG reel and has the same features with an excellent warranty. That will leave you enough to grab a Cabela's Arachnid rod, on sale for $139.99, that will get you right at the $200 price point, the Arachnid rods are really nice, they have Fuji K-frame guides with SiC inserts, normally found on much higer end rods. They have a 6'3" medium power with an extra fast action, in my opinion I don't think you will get a better set up for the money and it should last him a long time as the rod has a lifetime warranty.

[MickD]

I suggest a larger reel, like a 2500.  I see no disadvantage, and usually they have a larger diameter spool and will handle more types of lines better.  And make sure you get a fast or xfast action (not power, action). Some of the less expensive rods are pretty "whippy."   Medium power, like all the others are recommending.

[BassThumb]

Dobyns Fury FR 662 or 702sf. Those are 6'6 and 7', medium-light power, fast action rods. My dad has the 702sf for those same techniques and it works very well, especially for the money. These are $110 normally but can be had for about $95 when these online retailers do their spring 15% off sales in the next 4-8 weeks.

 

The 2015/16 model of Shimano Sahara series has been on sale recently for about $65, but it may be difficult to find the larger sizes. They're normally $80, and the new ones are still $80. I would not recommend going with less than a 2500 sized reel. This size reel will balance better with the size rods you're looking for, and the line flows more smoothly the larger the spool is. The drag is also better on larger reels. Sahara come in 500, 1000, 2500, and 4000 sizes. I own the 1000 sizes for ice fishing, and they're way too small for a full-sized bass rod.

 

Good luck.

[offsidewing]

Get a 30 sized Pflueger reel and the Cabela's Tournament ZX rod.  Did the same thing for my now 15 year old son two years ago and it's worked well for him.  I feel like I got him a quality set up at a reasonable price.  His combo is actually in the background of my profile pic!