Home Forums Fishing Freshwater 1 rod/reel for the river/lake

I,m agree with rattler. If I had a $200. budget I'd buy a 6', or 6.5' medium weight Berkley Lightening ($50.) and a Shimano Spirex on sale for $50.00.

For bass, catfish, etc. I would go with a 6'6" Berkley Lightning M 8-20 $50. hooked up to a Diawa Strikeforce 6.3:1 graphite composite with 7 ball bearings.
Each will present their respective baits better and give you better hook ups.

I have to agree with the choice of an Ugly Stick or St Croix rod and a Shimano or Okuma reel. All get great reviews no matter where you look. Field and Stream just named the Shimano Sienna 2500 as a Best Buy for 2012, for example.

I'd also go with a braided line. Today's braids have amazing strength at the diameter of mono that tests a third as much. I just spooled a spinning outfit for walleye with 8-lb Spider Wire braid with a 10-ft fluorocarbon leader.

My son has a medium action 6.5 foot Castaway spinning rod for that application. I prefer bait casting reels on an Ugly Cat rod or All-Star medium action.

I'd at least buy a Shimano Clarus...nice rods, still have the lifetime warranty.