Need recommendations for two rod and reel combos for shoreline fishing

[intheweeds]

Hi all. I am new to this site (which is great by the way). I just moved to NoVa and I am looking for advice on two rod and reel combos. I will mostly be shoreline fishing w/ occasional boat rental. I was thinking of 6'6" med/f spinning rod with 8# test and a 6'6" mh/f baitcasting rod with 15# test line. I would love some advice brands of rods and reels to go with them. I don't want to buy top of the line (funds won't let me) but I don't want bottom of the barrel either. I want gear that will last me a while.

Since these will be my first and only poles for now I want to make sure I get the right gear to cover the most variety of presentations. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[roadwarrior]

We can be more specific if you state

the price range you are looking for.

Generally, the best value is a combo

package from one of the big name

retailers...ON SALE. For around $150

you will get $200-$250 worth of MSRP.

Another option is being patient and buying

gear off our Flea Market. We have GREAT

deals all the time.

-Kent a.k.a. roadwarrior

[intheweeds]

Thanks for the reply RW. I figured I would spend around $125 - $150. I was going to build my own combos but I have no idea on what reels to put on what rods, so I like your advice on just buying a combo. Any good brands that you could recommend? Also do you think that the size and power of the rods I am thinking about is a good place to start? Thanks again.

[Revo_Carrot Stix]

Those two combos you mentioned are perfect. If I'm on the bank, I'll carry:

6'6" Med/F Spinning

6'6" MH/F Casting

IMHO, For the $$ you want to spend, I'd look at Bass Pro Shops-unfortunately, you just missed some decent sales which would have saved you $40-50.

Spinning: mid-sized BPS Extreme $50 or Pflueger President $60 matched with BPS Extreme $70 or BPS Bionic $80 rod.

Casting: BPS Pro Qualifier $80 with rods mentioned above.

Good luck!!

[roadwarrior]

I think your specs are perfect!

I'll let other guys make specific

brand recommendations.

-Kent

[bigfruits]

i learned early in life with my many hobbies to buy nice stuff from the beginning so you dont end up with 2. im not saying a $150 combo is not nice, but if youre like me you'll end up upgrading it.

if i were you id get one nice combo and save up for another later. get something with a good warranty that covers any damage (usually with an exchange fee)

$150-$200 rod, $80-$125 reel

for example:

st. croix avid rod

shimano symetre 2500 or daiwa tierra 2500 spinning reel

shimano citica or shimano curado baitcasting reel

other rod brands i recommend:

shimano, rogue, fenwick, falcon, st.croix

heard good things these rods:

powell, all-star, dobyns, kistler

daiwa baitcasters and abu garcia revos are recommended alot too.

edit:

if i only had two rods id get the same specs you listed with two small differences.

med-light spinning and 7' casting

[trevor]

i learned early in life with my many hobbies to buy nice stuff from the beginning so you dont end up with 2. im not saying a $150 combo is not nice, but if youre like me you'll end up upgrading it.

if i were you id get one nice combo and save up for another later. get something with a good warranty that covers any damage (usually with an exchange fee)

$150-$200 rod, $80-$125 reel

for example:

st. croix avid rod

shimano symetre 2500 or daiwa tierra 2500 spinning reel

shimano citica or shimano curado baitcasting reel

other rod brands i recommend:

shimano, rogue, fenwick, falcon, st.croix

heard good things these rods:

powell, all-star, dobyns, kistler

daiwa baitcasters and abu garcia revos are recommended alot too.

edit:

if i only had two rods id get the same specs you listed with two small differences.

med-light spinning and 7' casting

x2. You can probably get a cheaper but still decent rod, especially if you shop around. Check out Lakeside Reels onlines store. Great service and bargains. Also James Tackle.

[intheweeds]

Thanks for all the feedback. You guys have a lot of great info.

Bigfruits, I see what you are saying. It  would be nice to have gear that I won't outgrow and will have for a longtime. If I do that I will just have to fish with one rod for a while until I save up for the other.

Thanks again everyone. This is an awesome site!

[new2BC4bass]

I'm just getting back into fishing after being out of it for many years. I can't give you any recommendations, especially in that price range as I am trying to improve on the quality of my old equipment.

As already stated your best bet would probably be a combo from Bass Pro, Cabela's or Dicks's. I just picked up a Field & Stream Tec Specific rod for baitcasting. These are new to the market and sell for $59.95. Two with reels would be beyond your budget. (I ran out of funds myself! But this will let me use the last new (to me) reel I bought. A better rod is in my future also. ;D )

However, Dick's also has another line of Field & Stream rods that sell for $20 less. I've only handled them in the store, but they are nice looking rods. Dick's also has the Okuma spinning reels on sale. These would fit within your budget.

I didn't look at the All Star line. Might be some of these that would fill the bill for you.

I've caught hundreds of fish on equipment costing less. Didn't know any better. ;D ;D Still have most of it.

The thing is to buy something, and get out there and enjoy yourself. Then start squirreling away spare change, a couple ones now and then, etc. until you can buy something a little better. Tell the better half (you are married, right?) and your parents you would rather have a few bucks for your birthday or Christmas because you want to save for better fishing equipment.

Good luck, and let us know what you decided on.

Edit: I see you posted while I was typing. Have to say that I would prefer springing for one decent outfit myself, and worry about the other one later. I bought closeouts and used. The used rod and reel were mint, and saved me in the neighborhood of $175.

Don't know if Fisherman's Factory Outlet has any more left, but I bought a Fenwick Techna AV for a few cents over $100 (including shipping) by using the $25 code on the site. The rod has a $220 MSRP.  Keep an eye on the online classifieds here and a few other forums. No telling what kind of great deal you might wind up with.

[BassThumb]

Those sound about right, but if you think you may begin wade fishing instead of shore fishing in the near future, look into longer rods, 7-8" spinning outfits. A 7' 6" MLF spinning combo that has backbone, a soft and crisp tip, and 15# braided line would be a good place to start. Thats my smallie and walleye setup for when I wade the local rivers, which I have gotten away from the last couple years.

Using long rods from the shore will only cause problems with snagging overhanging trees, but once you get away from the shore a bit, the extra casting distance and better control of the fish in shallow water will suit you better. You may be surprised how much better the fishing may become if you're willing to wade instead of being restricted to the few shoreline spots where you can access the water. With some light canvas waders and felt bottom wading boots, you're good to go. It's an overlooked option for those, often younger people, who live in areas with an abundance of fishable rivers and streams, or those without access to boats for financial reasons and otherwise.

Just a thought.