Darren.

Yup, this is all over the forums Under the $150 range, American Legacy.com and look at the Shimano Stradic FK. Darn great reel for their prices. Normally $199, they're offering $139 for the 1000, and 149 for the 2500. A great, no, fantastic deal if you ask me. Hat tip to @blckshirt98 for the info on American Legacy's deal.

Welcome aboard! Give us an idea of what you mean by keeping price in mind. Are you talking a max of $100 for the rod plus another $30 for the line? Personally, I use braid on every setup including casting gear. I like 20#, but you'd be safe with 30 or 40#. I also use a leader on everything... For rods, I like BPS Carbonlites for value and quality at $99.

That's a great deal on the 1000FK. Good find.

Good luck, Luke. I'm sure you'll love the rod. I like MLXF in Croix rods, but the M should do you just fine.

Welcome aboard! I agree with @A-Jay. Have owned an Avid, for me, too tip-heavy, now have a LTWalleye 6'3" MLXF spinning rod, still on the tip-heavy side, but sweet. Don't plan on ever owning another Avid, let alone anything higher, most likely. For my casting I prefer BPS Carbonlites. They are light, sensitive as my former Avid, and at the $100 mark, a great buy. Line, I stick to Power Pro for every single setup on spinning and casting. I use leaders, as well, even when spinnerbaiting. Fluoro or Yo-Zuri for leader are great lines. I've got a ton of YZH but have been testing out use of Gamma Edge fluoro lines in 6, 8, and 10# test for leaders. So far, excellent in durability and sensitivity.

Our lawnmowers tend to run year-round here, so that's not gonna work. Let's see...robins, but they can be seen during winter, too. That leaves - SPRING PEEPERS!!! Music to my ears when driving at night by waters with my windows down.

Well, you've got lots of options, obviously, hence the potential for being overwhelmed. Here are safe bets with a $350 budget: Shimano Stradic FK, or CI4+ (I'm a 1000 size guy) I can attest the Stradic FK is an awesome reel. As far as rods, for ME, I like shorter and super light rods. I like the Carbonlite series from Bass Pro. So that'd put you at the $300 mark with an FK and Carbonlite, then use the $50 for more micro jigs and so on Or opt for a rod that's $50 more...

LOVE IT!!

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.

Welcome aboard, Rob!

Come on up to my waters, then. We can rent a Jon boat and slay 'em !!!! I've tried it. Even the tutorial by the Aussie. Not for me. And I'm pretty adept at tying a knot! Or maybe I'm not as adept as others....

Well you're SuperMan then!! Kudos to ya!

Love it, Roger! The KDS, "Knotless Delivery System"!! Of course, it is for those who have no children at home or worry for the cost of braid, I jest, of course. But my bass aint fraid of no knots.

Welcome aboard, Kevin! No experience with any of your gear, but for general use, my MH rods are for jigs and some heavier TX rigs, etc. I use M and ML mostly as I prefer the lighter side of things, for which I'll throw wacky rigs, drop shot, mojo, split shot rigs, finesse spinner baits, etc. Not sure that helps at all. I'm sure others will chime in with better thoughts

I can see your river needs, and yeah, while I call my setup "el cheapo", it really is sufficient. But I'd like the duration of the li-ion battery for some salt water stuff I'd like to do - eventually. Would get me further than my current gig.

Dadgum, Paul! Some sweet bass and a GREAT bluegill! Wish they came in that size in my reservoirs.

Oh man, that sounds great. I'd love a Torqueedo ultralight for my setup, but am stuck in el cheapo land with a DIY 30lb thrust kit and a 26# 35AH battery (better than the 85AH I used to carry)!! You'll have a blast, I've no doubt.

Humble thanks for the kind mention.

Your first issue is the FG knot. It is not easy to tie anywhere but on a stable surface. Not in a boat, no matter what the dude in the video says. Look, people have been using uni-to-uni and Albertos for years without major issues. They are simple, and they work, and I can tie either while sitting in my yak in 20 mph winds being rocked about. I know. I did it the other week. I know there's a religious following for the FG knot. And I get that it is super thin and super strong. But it is not the answer for all of us. *Most* of the time I tie the uni-to-uni these days. I'm also a big fan of the Mod'd Albright/Alberto knot. Practice tying them well and they'll hold for you. Set your drag properly and get your whole system in gear for the fight (i.e., learn to play the bass on the end of your line, drag, rod position, and so on). You can land big bass on light line. As for no leader, that's totally cool. I've caught plenty of fish that way, but once I discovered using a leader saves the number of times I cut into my braided mainline (ok, so I'm married and have four voracious-appetite boys, so $$ doesn't grow on trees for me and I wanna save my braid!!) I never looked back. Again, I can and have caught bass on straight braid as have we all who use braid. I just prefer a leader tied on, and I never worry about the knot breaking... Good luck, mate!

You wouldn't be the first artist to make something more stout in order to keep it from breaking!

Welcome aboard!

I knew it was a tail, Hootie. A thick tail. Prehensile, most likely. Arboreal lion. Good stuff as always.

I read your first question about finding a setup for "big bass", and thought, you can catch big bass on a Barbie rod, The Stradic FK is fantastic, you'll love the 3000. And in terms of line and "enough to hold em"... I use 10 and 15# test braid which is *plenty* strong enough for big bass. I have caught big bass (pb of 7.5# in thick salad with 10lb braid + 10lb leader). My avatar bass is 6.6# and 24.25" long citation bass caught her in a dense bush/stump field with 10# braid + 10# leader on a Stradic 1000. So I think it is a misnomer to think "bigger is better" in terms of gear being able to haul in a fish. It's more in how you play the bass, having your drag set correctly, etc. Just my .02. Again, I think you'll love your setup.

Welcome aboard!

For a second I thought you were asking about the Carbonlite rod series. So I looked, and you mean the casting reel.... No experience with the reels. Rods are excellent.