New Guy Needs ROD HELP

[NallyFisher]

I am looking to buy a new rod for fresh water fishing in ponds and reservoirs and such. Just wondering what you guys think would be a good rod for me to start out with that I could buy from Dicks or something like that. I dont need a $100 to start off with maybe something between 25 and 50. I will take any opinions. Thanks

[Long Mike]

Since you are new to the sport, if I were you I would shop around for spinning reel/rod combos in your price range. Cabellas and Bass Pro Shops offer these deals all the time. At this stage in your development, the rod is more important than the reel. I would look for a 6' 6" Medium/Light or Medium action rod. The reel should have at least six bearings.

[Sharkbite]

Since you are new to the sport, if I were you I would shop around for spinning reel/rod combos in your price range. Cabellas and Bass Pro Shops offer these deals all the time. At this stage in your development, the rod is more important than the reel. I would look for a 6' 6" Medium/Light or Medium action rod. The reel should have at least six bearings.

X2

Are you looking for a spinning set up?  Keep your eyes opean at wall mart.  At the end of last year I got a ABU conalon for $11 and I had a reel for it.  It's a Med 6'6 2 peice.  But a great spinning reel is the Pfleuger President retail for $50.  

[The_Natural]

If I was limited to $50, I would buy a Berkley Lightning rod and pair it with an inexpensive spinning reel.  I fished for years with only a 6' Lightning rod and cheap Quantum spinning reel.  The lightning rod is a good rod.  Wal-Mart is the place to go.....

[sweet daddy]

Pull the couch cushions out and look under the rug for ten more bucks. You can get a pflueger president spinning combo, or an abu cardinal combo for around sixty bucks.  

[Grey Wolf]

If I was limited to $50, I would buy a Berkley Lightning rod and pair it with an inexpensive spinning reel. I fished for years with only a 6' Lightning rod and cheap Quantum spinning reel. The lightning rod is a good rod. Wal-Mart is the place to go.....

X2

[The Rooster]

Recently I saw a rod at Walmart that was only $30. It was a 7' Mitchell Avocet complete with a 4 bearing spinning reel, the Mitchell Avocet II. As I looked at it, I was impressed that it was worth the $30 and would last a while. If you get 2 or 3 years out of it, it's been worth it and then you'll have had some experience using a spinning rod/reel and also had time to shop around to see what all else you may like to replace it with when the time comes while you were using that one. And that same reel is also available separately for $20 and you can match your own rod to it if you don't like the one that's on the combo. It's a cheap reel but at $20 it's affordable and actually underpriced for how nice it is in reality. You might match that to a Shimano Voltaeus ($40), which has a lifetime warranty, making it well worth the money it costs, and then you'd have $60 plus tax in that whole outfit. You'll have to look around for the Voltaeus though, Walmart doesn't have that one. Local tackle stores might, mine here do, and also Cabela's catalog or online site has it.

Of course Walmart has several others that aren't too expensive either. You could pair an Abu Garcia Cardinal ($35) with any rod there still in your price range of what you have left to spend. One in particular is the Quantum Torsion for $20 or so, and it's a medium 7' long IM-6 graphite rod. That's $55 plus tax. The rod is so so but the reel is pretty decent and will probably outlast the rod by a long time so you could get started using that now and just upgrade the rod later when you have more money. I had 2 Cardinals that lasted me 10 years once.  They are pretty well built for their price.

[KYntucky Warmouth]

I've got a setup that I started fishing on.  A 6'6''M Lightening Rod a Mitchell Avocet.  The Avocet is a great cheap reel and the Lightening rod is a great cheap rod.  A good beginner combo for a little over $50 from walmart.  

[Clark Stewart]

Recently I saw a rod at Walmart that was only $30. It was a 7' Mitchell Avocet complete with a 4 bearing spinning reel, the Mitchell Avocet II. As I looked at it, I was impressed that it was worth the $30 and would last a while. If you get 2 or 3 years out of it, it's been worth it and then you'll have had some experience using a spinning rod/reel and also had time to shop around to see what all else you may like to replace it with when the time comes while you were using that one. And that same reel is also available separately for $20 and you can match your own rod to it if you don't like the one that's on the combo. It's a cheap reel but at $20 it's affordable and actually underpriced for how nice it is in reality. You might match that to a Shimano Voltaeus ($40), which has a lifetime warranty, making it well worth the money it costs, and then you'd have $60 plus tax in that whole outfit. You'll have to look around for the Voltaeus though, Walmart doesn't have that one. Local tackle stores might, mine here do, and also Cabela's catalog or online site has it.

Of course Walmart has several others that aren't too expensive either. You could pair an Abu Garcia Cardinal ($35) with any rod there still in your price range of what you have left to spend. One in particular is the Quantum Torsion for $20 or so, and it's a medium 7' long IM-6 graphite rod. That's $55 plus tax. The rod is so so but the reel is pretty decent and will probably outlast the rod by a long time so you could get started using that now and just upgrade the rod later when you have more money. I had 2 Cardinals that lasted me 10 years once. They are pretty well built for their price.

I've got that avocet combo that I got from Academy. It's a nice outfit and has a nice backbone. I seldom fish it though because I'm partial to baitcast outfits. If you're into baitcasters then for 60 bucks you could get a Bill Dance edition quantum combo at BPS. I've got it as a gift and liked it a lot. I eventually paired the reel with my favorite rod so far - an All Star 6'6 MH. The lightening rods are under valued in my opinion. I've got one that I use for crankbaits and spinnerbaits. 30 bucks all day at walmart and they're really nice for a cheap setup. Tough rods. Start there and when you get a little more confident in what you can do move up to an allstar rod. I'm the first to tell you that when it comes to fishing I don't like to have to budget for anything. I have never broken any of these rods and I've abused them in certain places with no problems. Of course I'd love a St. Croix but I don't have the inclination or the money to shell out for one.

[Joe Boss]

Get a Berkley Amp rod for around $30 It is very sensative for a rod in its price range.

The Mitchell Avocet reel others have mentioned is a fine starter reel.

Some other good reels in the $20-$30 price range are the Quantum Optix and the Shimano Slade. You can't go wrong with any of them.

For a few bucks more spring for a Pflueger Trion. Thats a reel that will last a lifetime. I still take mine out regularly even after graduating to a Supreme.

[catchbig0bass]

I can def throw in about the berkley lightning rod I have the 6' MH 1 pc and its really a nice rod. Very light too I was well impressed with this 30$ rod from wall mart. I started out with a berkley cherrywood which was 20$ or so and hated it so stepped it up to the lightning. Def wouldnt hesitate to buy another one if needed.

I was recently in search for a nice spinning combo and I have the lightning paired with a Okuma Avenger 30a spinning. The reel was 40$ and is very smooth and really a nice pc. A guy at work fishes really high end steez and a few other over 300$ reels and said he really liked the Okuma himself for the money. When I bought it I said to the store clerk I wanted something around the 40-60$ reel price range he handed me the avenger and said price for performace outweighs anything up to about 65-70$. So i went with it and def happy as can be.